Purchase Guide: After trying out all CASIO, GARMIN, and EPSON, we found out the best solution for outdoor watches with GPS for each purpose [Part 1]

Sports watches with built-in GPS have become increasingly popular in recent years

It all started with the release of the Apple Watch in 2015, which led to a rapid expansion of the smartwatch (wristwatch-type wearable device) market At first, they were simple devices that only recorded things like running distance and time, but recently, models have been released that can view, record, and analyze detailed data tailored to various activities and even provide advice, and they have continued to evolve steadily. For many people, smartwatches are now becoming indispensable gear in the sports and outdoor fields. I am one of them.

Among these smartwatches, outdoor watches with built-in GPS, ABC (altitude, barometric pressure, direction) functions, and offline map display functions are useful for mountain climbing, where you need to know your current location and be aware of external dangers, including the weather

This time, with the cooperation of CASIO, we were able to try out three representative models of GPS outdoor watches at the same time. In this field, products are unfortunately expensive, but their actual functionality and usability are difficult to gauge from the outside, so this project was a godsend for this site. We're sure that many of our readers were interested in this

When actually comparing them, there were many advantages and disadvantages that cannot be measured by price alone. This time, assuming use for mountain climbing, I would like to thoroughly compare them in two parts, including the good and bad points. Of course, this review is only based on what I saw during this trial, but I hope it will be of some help to those who are unsure which one to buy to find out which is best for them

table of contents

• Items compared and test environment
• Detailed comparison review
  1. exterior
  2. Overall screen and map visibility
  3. Waterproof/durable
  4. Operability and interface (page 2)
  5. Battery life (page 2)
  6. Functionality and what you can do [Jump to the second page]
  7. Accuracy [Jump to the second page]
• Summary: What are the recommendations for each type? [Jump to the second part]
• [Reference] Specifications and Function Comparison Table

About the items we compared and tested this time

The three models available this time come standard with the ABC functions required for mountain climbing, and are also capable of displaying routes using GPS and offline maps

One is the outdoor smartwatch from the CASIO PRO TREK series, which has earned the immense trust of professional mountain guides, climbers, and adventure racers, equipped with a touch panel LCD and a color offline map display on Wear OS by Google (Android Wear)PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 (hereinafter referred to as WSD-F20)。

Next, we have a high-end multi-sport GPS outdoor watch from GARMIN, the world's leading brand in the world of portable handheld GPS navigatorsfenix 5X Sapphire (hereinafter referred to as fenix 5X)Recently, a top-of-the-line model called the fenix 5X Plus was released. However, the changes were limited to the music function and improved battery life, so we chose the standard model, which is still on sale, as the comparison model

Finally, there is the GPS trekking gear for mountaineering from EPSON, a Japanese watch manufacturer with over 70 years of historyWristable GPS for Trek MZ-500 (hereinafter referred to as MZ-500)。

Although these three models are all introduced as being for mountain climbing, subtle differences in their concepts mean that their usability varies greatly. It's a good idea to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each model to avoid regretting your expensive purchase later

Test environment

I tested this GPS outdoor watch for about a month in July 2018, mainly on courses in Okutama and the Joshinetsu region, in mountain climbing and hiking mode (I decided not to compare it in running mode). The test was conducted by me and a few support people. Starting with a 100% charge, we tried out all of the built-in functions, including normal use, app use, and planned route navigation, all at the same time on the same route

Detailed comparison review (Part 1)

1. Appearance: GARMIN with a luxurious feel, CASIO with an outdoor feel, and EPSON with a compact design

First, let's compare their appearances

At first glance, the compactness of the MZ-500 the WSD-F20 and fenix 5x look and feel bulky. The WSD-F20 has a large bezel and strap connection (lugs), making it feel quite noticeable when worn.

Design is a matter of personal preference, but the WSD-F20 , for better or worse, is typical of PRO TREK, with a design that strongly emphasizes a rugged, mechanical impression, the MZ-500 can be said to be in the same lineage. If you're looking for an outdoor feel, it's not a bad look. On the other hand, the fenix 5x , as you'd expect from a camera in a significantly higher price range, has a matte stainless steel texture that exudes a sense of luxury. Although it's a bit bulky, I feel like it would go well with a gym suit. This is quite important for a model that needs to be worn constantly to measure heart rate.

On the other hand, they are all about the same thickness. Frankly, they are "thick." They get caught every time I put on my backpack. Is there anything I can do about it?

2. Overall screen and map visibility: CASIO's LCD display is a cut above the rest

Next, let's compare the screen displays. The WSD-F20 and fenix 5x have color displays, the MZ-500 has monochrome displays, which is a big difference. In that sense, the MZ-500 's expressive power is inevitably inferior.

So what's the difference between the Casio and Garmin models? The conclusion is that the WSD-F20 is clear, bright, and easy to read. The 1.32-inch, 320 x 300 pixel, dual-layer color TFT LCD screen offers high resolution, crisp text, and excellent visibility in both shade and sunlight. Even for those accustomed to smartphones, the display feels completely natural.

On the other hand the fenix 5x 's 1.2-inch, 240x240 pixel transflective MIP LCD screen, while contributing greatly to battery life, feels a generation behind in terms of color depth and text quality. However, it's not enough to be particularly dissatisfied, and this is purely a relative term.

The most critical aspect of the screen's visibility is when displaying a map, which is one of the highlights of this comparison. Seeing is believing, so the photo below shows maps displayed side by side. Both were compared at maximum brightness with the backlight on

You'll notice that the WSD-F20 the fenix 5x is familiar to me in a way, but those who normally use maps on their smartphones may find it a little lacking. Incidentally, with the Epson, if you set a course on the watch in advance, it will display your current location as shown in the photo, but you can't do anything more with the map, such as checking your current location outside of the course.

3. Waterproof and durable – High durability for a smartwatch

Since they are used outdoors, they need to have a certain level of durability and weather resistance to be of any use. Here we will compare their durability

the fenix 5x in that it uses sapphire crystal, a material that is scratch-resistant and often used in luxury watches. However, when hiking, the watch is prone to strong impacts that are not common in everyday life, such as dropping it on hard rocks. Even though it's sapphire crystal, it can easily get scratched (tears).

In terms of water resistance, the Epson and Garmin models are waterproof to 10 atmospheres (100m). Both models are resistant to splashes of water, but you should avoid leaving the WSD-F20 in water for long periods of time

In terms of overall environmental resistance, only the WSD-F20 has passed the MIL-STD-810G durability test set by the US Department of Defense, so it's safe to say it can withstand some tough usage, including drops and vibrations

Next page: "4. Operability and Interface"

4. Operability and Interface: Once you get used to touch panel operation, everything else becomes a hassle

Outdoor watches not only allow you to look at the time, but also check various information and set functions, so you will need to operate the watch frequently. For this reason, high operability and simple settings are important

The first thing that stood out in this regard was the WSD-F20 's simple operation with just three buttons and a touchscreen LCD. Of the three buttons grouped together on the right side, the up and down buttons only call up pre-set main functions (by default, they check various sensors and display maps), so essentially all operations are performed using just the middle menu call button and the touchscreen. Of course, this may not be the same for people who aren't used to touchscreens, but in these days when more people are accustomed to smartphone interfaces, this method of operation is sure to be easier.

On the other hand the fenix 5x and MZ-500 require you to make various use of the five buttons located on the left and right sides to call up and set many complex functions. Garmin, in particular, makes it difficult to intuitively perform each operation, and you first have to spend time "memorizing" the names of functions, the locations of menus, and each operation. Personally, I find it tedious that you have to perform the habitual operation of "holding down a button" at various times. This is purely a relative opinion, though.

The most notable example was the operation on the map screen. Let's compare them

The WSD-F20 lets you tap the buttons on the screen (though not shown in the photo, there are "+" and "-" buttons on the screen that you can tap to zoom in and out), and you can use familiar controls like swiping and pinching in and out. the fenix 5x , once you've displayed the map, changing the map's scale requires you to press and hold the menu button, change the scale, and then use the menu (UP) and DOWN buttons to change the scale. Furthermore, to scroll the map, you have to press the top right button again to switch to left/right or up/down movement mode, and then use the UP and DOWN buttons to move the map a little at a time. Overall, this interface discourages you from looking at the map, and I'd like to see some improvements.

5. Battery Life: Epson is strong, Garmin is strong, and Casio is just passing

While the specs give you a general idea of ​​battery life, they're usually just theoretical maximums. What most people want to know is how it performs in real-world usage for specific activities

So, this time, we did a day hike and started the test three times, starting from a fully charged state and checking the battery capacity at the finish line. There were no significant differences in the trends across the three tests, so the table below shows the results of one of the tests: a day hike to Mt. Tanigawa (approximately 6 hours long), with maps and other information frequently displayed

As for the results, none of them are unusable, but in terms of peace of mind, the MZ-500 's power consumption is astonishing, the fenix 5x does a good job, while the WSD-F20 's power consumption is a concern (although ideally, power consumption could have been reduced further if airplane mode had been turned on to stop unnecessary communications while hiking).

Roughly speaking, the quality of the battery is roughly proportional to the visibility of the screen and the ease of use of the UI. Rather than the quality of the battery itself, it seems that as a result of placing more emphasis on the clarity of the display and ease of operation, the battery life suffers accordingly

the WSD-F20 , which consumes the most battery, has a secret feature that the other two models don't have: it can be used while charging. If you're really low on battery, you can just run the cord from the mobile battery in your pocket directly to your wrist and charge it. *All models can charge while measuring, so more accurately, you can wear it on your arm while it's charging.

Of course, the manufacturer doesn't particularly recommend it. Personally, I think the extended cord looks unsightly and is prone to getting caught, so I don't recommend it in all situations. However, it recovers a lot with just a few minutes of charging, and recent mobile batteries come in very compact models with high capacity, so I think it's actually a viable method. Above all, it's important to be able to use it as an emergency solution when you really need it

Continued in Part 2

So far, I've written about the first half of this comparison review, focusing on the appearance and overall usability. In the next post, I'll take a deeper look at how well it performs outdoors, such as hiking, and the usability of the app and sensors

⇒ Go to Part 2: "6. Functionality and Capabilities, 7. Accuracy"

[Reference] Comparison table for WSD-F20, fenix 5x Sapphire, MZ-500L specs

*Excerpt from the official websites

We also recommend this article about GPS clocks for mountain climbing.

• First Look: Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 What is the power of offline maps? I tried using it for a hike right away
• Review: Tips and tips for 100% outdoor use of the Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20, you won't let go, even if you notice it.
• Review: Enjoy the winter outdoors with the winter-style Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20X
• NEWS: SUUNTO has finally released a color LCD/touch panel GPS sports watch. SUUNTO SPARTAN series