ACG Ascent Watch

I bought this watch primarily for the altimeter function and it works perfectly - very accurate even without frequent calibration. E.g. going from sea level to approx. 10,000 feet, it would come up with a difference of mere 200 ft. The accuracy proved on a number of other occasions.



I like the various features - 2 hr and 8 hr altitude trends, weather forecast (works more often than not).



It also fits nicely on my wrist (compared to Timex Helix that was very bulky).



The small issues: 1. the alarm could be louder. 2. user manual sucks 3. battery seems to get drained fast if exposed to low outside temperature (around 0F - maybe that's normal for all these small batteries)

I actually have the Lance Armstrong version which also incorporates an electronic compass, but costs more. I just love this unit. I've used it for two years on climbs throughout the Cascades and Alaska. The altimeter works quite well. I like the 10' increments. Drift is minimal. The compass function also is quite functional. Although not precise enough for orienteering, having it on my wrist provides instant rough bearings. I find that it's a great tool in combination with a GPS. I can get through a whiteout in dangerous terraine with this watch and a GPS.



Another commenter complained about the battery life, which surprise me. Batteries seem to last much longer in this unit than in my Suunto Vector. In fact, I thought the battery life indicator wasn't working because the original battery lasted so much longer than the one in my Vector. It has a sleep function that clearly saves power. I carried an extra battery with me on a Denali expedition with horendously cold conditions; I still haven't used that extra battery.



I also really like the styling and functionality. The crystal is recessed and has not become scratched like the Suunto. The strap has a feature to lock down the loose end, which is great if you have a small wrist. The case is titanium, compared to the plastic Vector, which broke when I fell on some ice. The buttons are large and easy to use with gloves. And the logic is intuitive compared to the Vector which requires memorizing the manual.



The only downside is that its memory functions are rudimentary. It won't clock laps when you ski in bounds. You have to remember to clear the altimeter before you start a climb and it will not store multiple climbs. But since I use it mostly just to know where I am at the moment, I don't really care about this other stuff.

Overall, I really like the watch. I have the Lance Armstrong version with the compass. As others have noted the atlimeter is very acurate. I also like the alarm functions, which allow you to set alarms for temperature and altitude as well as time. Another feature I have found useful is the dual time modes. The one concern I have is that the watch can only be serviced by an approved Nike service company, which means it has to be sent off.

This is my mountain watch, huge fan. The price and weight are right, I think I paid less than $100 US. I took off yesterday and forgot it and took the time to come back. Feel naked in the mountains without it. The altimeter is on the money, so is the compass. Little heavy for running, but good chron if you just want to take one watch on a trip. Very durable band, deals with sweat well. I think the one I used before this cost several hundred as I recall and was much larger.

I have the regular version. Altimeter, but no compass. The nicest thing about this watch is that it is much smaller than a similarly-featured Suunto. You can actually wear this thing around day-to-day. It's no bigger than a your average everyday sports watch. In fact, it's pretty nice looking.



The altimeter features a 'new' technology from Nike called 'Zero Drift' which is supposed to keep the altimeter from being overly affected by changes in weather. Does it work? Maybe. Overall altimeter function didn't appear any better or worse than a Suunto.



One other minor item: battery replacement. I had to send this to a specialty store to have the battery replaced. It took a couple of weeks and $35. For my Suunto, I bought a $7 kit and did it myself in 2 minutes.