Buying Guide: CASIO, GARMIN, and EPSON: Finding the Best GPS Outdoor Watch for Your Purpose [Part 2]
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
table of contents
Summary - What are the recommendations by type?
We've compared three representative GPS outdoor watches for mountain climbing from various points of view. As we've mentioned several times in each section, it's not necessarily the case that more expensive models are more satisfactory in every respect, and the outdoor watch that's just right for you will likely be determined by the user's purpose and use (what they want from a watch)
Finally, I'll summarize my recommendations for each purpose based on what I learned from this test drive. In any case, there's no doubt that these are pieces of gear that are so appealing that once you use them, you won't want to let them go. Choose wisely and enjoy the outdoors even more
CASIO PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20
An outdoor watch for everyone, offering a perfect balance of ease of use, convenience, versatility, durability, and accuracy
Simply put, the Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 is the easiest to use and is recommended for everyone. When it comes to sports watches, models that can perform more specialized measurements, recording, and analysis tend to be popular, but in reality, only a small minority of people are able to use them effectively. If you're using an outdoor watch with these smart features for the first time, I think just want a watch that can view maps anywhere, keep basic records of mountain trips, and generally be stress-free . For such users, this model is perfect.
It's durable enough for outdoor use, has the best map visibility, and is simple and easy to use with a smartphone-like interface. It also comes with YAMAP for mountain climbing and a wide range of other activity apps. It also comes with Google-related apps that are convenient for everyday use, making it a promising device for the future
On the flip side, those who want to get even more out of their sports will likely find the current apps lacking. They can't measure heart rate, pace or stride (when running), don't have a temperature sensor, don't have a long battery life, and don't have dedicated activity management software tailored to the device's capabilities. If you're already a sports watch user and want to push the boundaries, you might be disappointed (for now), so be prepared
GARMIN fenix 5x Sapphire
The best companion for ambitious athletes, recording, analyzing and supporting all the information needed to improve performance
On the other hand, while I had some expectations, the Garmin fenix 5x surprised me with its incredible level of detail. Packed with countless features, thanks to a variety of sensors, including an optical heart rate monitor, and the dedicated performance management and analysis software, Garmin Connect
What's overwhelmingly superior about this watch is its performance measurement and analysis function for running activities. No other model can match this. If you can see your VO2 Max value gradually approaching that of professional athletes through training, there's no better way to maintain motivation for runners who want to improve.
On the other hand, while these features are important for athletes aiming for high performance in races, they may not be so necessary for recreational runners who just want to have fun, or hikers for whom basic navigation and tracking functions are sufficient. To fully utilize these powerful measurement functions, you need to navigate tedious and complicated operations and settings, train hard every day, and even wear the watch while you sleep. It's easy to imagine that users who buy a watch simply for the convenience of offline maps and navigation will be put off by the map display function, which is still in its infancy, and find the watch overwhelmingly multifunctional, struggling with the tedious button operations
What I felt this time was that the reason for the high price is not because it is extremely comfortable to use, but because it is focused on measuring and recording the information that ambitious athletes with specific goals desperately need. For those who can accept this, it will undoubtedly be the best companion worth the price
EPSON Wristable GPS for Trek MZ-500
Recommended for those who want to use the measurement, navigation, and recording functions for long periods of time with peace of mind, especially for mountain climbing and running
I'm looking for a watch that offers all the essential features at a lower cost, even if it doesn't offer the same diverse and complex analysis capabilities as Garmin. Or maybe I don't need the color offline maps and versatility of the Casio, but I want something simpler that provides navigation, measurement, and recording for mountain hikes and races, and I want to avoid worrying about battery life as much as possible. For people like me, the MZ-500 is the perfect choice. Thanks to its monochrome LCD screen, its battery life is particularly impressive compared to the other two . While it only has two modes, trekking and running, limiting it to these makes operation in each mode relatively easy, and the information displayed is simple and easy to read.
As this model was released a while ago, the interface has a somewhat cheap feel to it. However, this comparison shows that it is still not completely worthless when it comes to the detail and accuracy of basic measurement data, as well as various other useful features such as navigation using pre-registered maps. It also has the quality of a Japanese-made watch. This is the cheapest model compared here, and if you limit its use to an outdoor watch for mountain climbing (running), it could be said to be the model with the best cost performance
[Reference] Spec comparison table for WSD-F20, fenix 5x Sapphire, and MZ-500L
*Excerpts from each official website
| Item Name | CASIO PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 | GARMIN fenix 5x Sapphire | EPSON Wristable GPS for Trek MZ-500L |
|---|---|---|---|
| exterior |  |  |  |
| Reference price | 55,080 yen | 107,784 yen | 42,984 yen |
| weight | Approximately 92g | Approximately 98g | Approximately 67g |
| size | Approximately 61.7 x 57.7 x 15.3 mm | 51.0 × 51.0 × 17.5 mm | Φ47mm t=17.6mm |
| Display size | 1.32 inches | 1.2 inches | |
| Display Type | Inorganic glass / Capacitive touch panel (with anti-fouling coating) / Two-layer color TFT LCD (320 x 300 pixels) + monochrome LCD | Sapphire lens / 240 x 240 pixel, transflective MIP color display | Mineral glass (anti-fogging treatment) |
| Touchscreen | 〇 | ― | ― |
| Band replacement | △*Some models have interchangeable bands | 〇 | ― |
| battery | [Without GPS use] (Varies depending on usage environment) Normal use (colour display): Approximately 1 day Normal use (colour display auto OFF*): Approximately 2 days Clock only (timepiece mode): Approximately 1 month or more [With GPS use] (Varies depending on usage environment) Positioning every second (colour display): 6 to 8 hours (accuracy priority) / Approximately 18 hours (battery priority) Positioning every second (colour display auto OFF*): 7 to 9 hours (accuracy priority) / Approximately 25 hours (battery priority) Intermittent positioning (colour display): Approximately 1 day (positioning every 6 minutes) Intermittent positioning (colour display auto OFF*): Approximately 2 days (positioning every 6 minutes) *When not in use, the display will automatically switch to the monochrome LCD clock display. | Up to 12 days (watch mode + optical heart rate monitor) / Up to 20 hours (training mode + GPS mode + optical heart rate monitor) / Up to 30 hours (UltraTrac mode + optical heart rate monitor) | [When using the watch (Note 1) (Note 2) (Note 3)] Approximately 24 days (when activity tracker is on) Approximately 30 days (when activity tracker is off) [When using GPS] Approximately 46 hours (High-precision mode, GPS positioning every second) (Note 3) (Note 5) Approximately 110 hours (long-time mode, intermittent GPS positioning) (Note 3) (Note 4) (Note 6) (Note 1) When auto sleep is enabled in our environment. (Sleep time: 14 hours/day) |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Michibiki compatible | GPS, GLONASS, Michibiki compatible | GPS and Michibiki compatible |
| Offline Color Map | 〇 | 〇 | ― |
| sensor |
|
|
|
| microphone | 〇 | ― | ― |
| waterproof | 5 atmospheres | 100m | 10 atmospheres (100m) |
| durability | MIL STANDARD compliant | ||
| operating temperature | -10℃ ～ +40℃ | -20℃ ～ +50℃ | -20℃ ～ +60℃ |
| ABC (compass, barometer, altimeter) function | 〇 | 〇 | 〇 |
| thermometer | ― | 〇 | 〇 |
| Sunrise and sunset | 〇 | 〇 | 〇 |
| Activity meter | 〇 | 〇 | △ (only when measuring) |
| Pedometer | 〇 | 〇 | △ (only when measuring) |
| Sleep monitoring | ― | 〇 | ― |
| Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connection | 〇 | 〇 | Bluetooth only |
| Smartphone connectivity | 〇 | 〇 | 〇 |
| Smartphone notifications | 〇 | 〇 | △※Mountain disaster information only |
| Course Navigation | ― | 〇 | 〇 |
| Goal setting | Can be set using the standard app "ACTIVITY" | 〇 | 〇 |
| Waypoint registration | Recording is possible with the standard app "LOCATION MEMORY" | Approximately 1,000 | 100 |
| Distance Record | You can record your hiking adventures using the mountaineering app "YAMAP" | 〇 | 〇 |
| Pace Recording | Can be recorded on "Strava" etc | 〇 | 〇 |
| Altitude Record | You can record your hiking adventures using the mountaineering app "YAMAP" | 〇 | 〇 |
| Location Recording | You can record your hiking adventures using the mountaineering app "YAMAP" | 〇 | 〇 |
| Calorie consumption record | Can be recorded on "Strava" etc | 〇 | 〇 |
| Heart rate measurement | ― | 〇 | ― |
Pitch and cadence measurement | Recording is possible using "Runkeeper" etc | 〇 | 〇 |
| Data and Records Management Services | ― | Garmin Connect | NeoRun |
| Smartphone app | CASIO MOMENT SETTER+ | Garmin Connect app | Run Connect App |
We also recommend this article about GPS watches for mountain climbing
- First Look: Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20: How good is the offline map? I tried it out on a hike
- Review: Tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 outdoors, a camera you'll never want to let go of
- Review: Enjoy the outdoors in winter with the winter-spec Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20X
- NEWS: SUUNTO finally releases a color LCD and touchscreen GPS sports watch. SUUNTO SPARTAN series
Buying Guide: CASIO, GARMIN, and EPSON: Finding the Best GPS Outdoor Watch for Your Purpose [Part 1]
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