First Look: Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 What is the power of offline maps? I tried using it for a hike right away

The magic of a smartwatch can also be used as a tough adventure. In this field where calm everyday life and fitness are the main battlefield, Casio is the only manufacturer trying to embody such a shady dream, even looking around the world. For example, high-end models such as SUUNTO's Spartan and Garmin's Phoenix series form their own, highly-finished ecosystems as fitness wearable devices. However, for now, there is no paradise for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy climbing.

Meanwhile, the WSD-F10, which was released last year, was an ambitious work that Casio tried to open up a new market for outdoor smartwatches. While there were also challenges due to the hardware limitations of many smart devices and the lack of perfection of Android Wear, it is undoubtedly a device that gives mountain enthusiasts great hope in the sense that delicate applications are incorporated into a sturdy body that can withstand tough environments.

One year after the original, on April 21, 2017, the successor WSD-F20 was released. It has finally been named "PRO TREK," the signature board of the company's outdoor watch series. This is nothing more than a sign of determination and confidence to lead the "smartwatches that can be used in the mountains" in this field, using the solid response gained with the first model, and at least its enthusiasm is deeply felt.

the new model has enhanced its map function, which can be used offline without relying on smartphones , but there have also been several other attempts to surpass the original. In addition, despite its rich features and tough performance, it is kept at a very competitive price , making it a very attractive wearable device for many people who want to enjoy the convenience of smartwatches both everyday and outdoors.

As with last year, the WSD-F20 was provided by Casio, and we were able to freely review the actual product. So, I would like to start by reporting on the first impressions of hiking and trail running, as well as roughly how easy it is to use.

table of contents

• First impression
  • A more sophisticated design without compromising the beauty and texture of the machine
  • It's stress-free weight for its size
  • Continuing from the previous model, simple button configuration
  • Enhanced durability that remains the name "PRO TREK"
  • A little care is required for magnetic charging terminals
  • The original watch face "Traveler" is lovely
• Let's try it out on a hike right away - the steps and the usability
  • By the day before the hike: Preparation
  • At the trailhead: launch the activity app or other app you want to measure
  • Hiking: See various meters
  • Check your current location and trajectory on the map
  • CASIO MOMENT SETTER notifies you of your activities one by one
  • What is the battery life that you're interested in?
• Summary: A long-awaited "smart" authentic outdoor watch that allows you to use it yourself depending on your ingenuity

First impression

A more sophisticated design without compromising the beauty and texture of the machine

The basic concepts of design and coloring are roughly the same as the original model. I didn't dislike the previous model either, but when I looked at the new releases like this, I feel like the newly added matte black bezel and the shining word "PRO TREK" has made it much more distinctive and better. Although the watch has a digital dial, it tends to be cheap, but the glossy buttons and screws make it as mechanical as if it were Pro Trek.

It's stress-free weight for its size

Despite the increased functionality, the body size (approx. 61.7 x 57.7 x 15.3 mm) is still a size larger than a regular watch, and may feel uncomfortable for first-time wearers. However, the dial displays various information and you will quickly get used to it as you operate it as a touch panel, so you won't be too concerned about it (for reference, in the photo below, the same Pro Trek PRW-7000).

However, as mentioned in my review of the previous work, the thickness (as is 15.7mm from the original) is a problem every time I take off my backpack or clothing, so I hope I can continue to do something about it. On the other hand, despite its bulkiness, it is surprising that it is lighter in terms of weight than other Pro Treks (here, PRW-7000).

Continuing from the previous model, simple button configuration

The simplicity is that there are only three buttons on the right side of the main unit (photo below). The size is also large enough to be sure to push even when wearing gloves. The large button in the middle of the side moves you to a menu that allows you to launch various apps installed on the watch, and the "TOOL" button on the side allows you to access various instruments such as altitude and atmospheric pressure. Additionally, the "APP" button under the side allows you to freely set the apps to be launched yourself, and the apps you set with one button will be launched quickly.

Enhanced durability that remains the name "PRO TREK"

It continues to be waterproof from the original 5 atm and has passed the US military MIL standard, making it safer than conventional outdoor watches. What's more than anything, the minimum operating temperature was -10°C from the original 0°C . Now you can take them to the snowy mountains without any worries.

A little care is required for magnetic charging terminals

To charge, a dedicated magnetic cable is used to connect the watch. This cable is weak to left and right force, and can easily be removed even when charging (photo below). It's fine to leave it alone on a desk on a daily basis, but it's quite difficult to charge inside a tent or inside a backpack, so be careful.

The original watch face "Traveler" is lovely

One of the attractions of smartwatches with color LCD displays is that they have a wide variety of watch faces to choose from. What I would like to note this time is the new original watch face "Traveler" that was added for the F-20. It almost reproduces the MANASLU PRX-8000, Pro Trek's flagship model, and you can instantly switch information that you normally use the "TOOL" button to display it with the LCD screen every time you tap it. The addition of a face that combines ease of use and design is intriguing.

Let's try it out on a hike right away - the steps and the usability

By the day before the hike: Preparation

With that exterior, I'll be reporting on how easy it is to use outdoors, especially when hiking.

First, when you start using a watch, you still need to install the Android Wear app on your smartphone, and then pair your smartphone with the watch via Bluetooth connection. It is also a good idea to install CASIO MOMENT SETTER+, which allows you to change settings for the convenient outdoor notification function "MOMENT SETTER" and detailed settings of the tool app on your smartphone.

Next, in order to use offline maps, which is the purpose of this article, we must not forget to download maps around the destination in advance every time you go on a mountain hike . Without this, you will not be able to view the map even if you are in a place where no signal is reached. You can freely set the area of ​​the map to be downloaded by moving the scale, but there is a limit to the capacity, and if you specify a very large area, the detailed map will not be downloaded, so it seems that the smart setting is to limit the area to your own range of activity (preferably areas where radio waves do not reach)

Furthermore, if you do not update the "Location Memory App" installed on the watch side to the latest version, the map download function will not be usable, so if you haven't updated anything on the watch side app since you bought it, don't forget to do that.

At the trailhead: launch the activity app or other app you want to measure

captures real-time activity progress measures the progress up to the set goal. In addition to the traditional three features of trekking, cycling and fishing, the F20 has also been added to the new "paddle sports" such as canoeing and kayaking and "snow" for skiing, making it more convenient for a wide range of outdoor activities.

Select "Trekking" and tap "Start" to start the measurement. When you start the app, the altitude difference per hour, current time, target altitude, remaining altitude up to that point (set the target altitude in advance), and measurement time will be displayed on each screen.

The F20 Android Wear device can also use not only pre-installed activity apps, but also third-party fitness and outdoor management and recording apps. Another big attraction is that the apps you've been using on your smartphone up to now can be used on a watch (if it's compatible).

Hiking: See various meters

You can check the compass, altimeter, barometer, sunrise sunset, tide graph, and activity graph in real time using the "TOOL button" in the top right corner of the side. It displays graphically on the screen, not just the small windows like traditional clocks, and is highly visible.

Check your current location and trajectory on the map

It is natural that altimeters and compasses are useful for hiking and mountain climbing, but the most useful thing is the current display using topographic maps and GPS. Until now, the only way to display maps was to areas where radio waves were reaching or to use specific apps such as YAMAP, but now, offline maps are now available as standard features. The maps are made by Mapbox, which covers areas around the world, and although they do not cover information like domestic mountain climbing maps, they are in full color and are easy to read, and are clearly listed on contour lines and mountain trails, so I'm relieved (I haven't checked all the areas in detail, so I'll wait and see a little more). The current location is also compatible with the Japanese satellite "Michibiki", so it is accurate.

I entered the mountains and the signal stopped reaching, but the map I had downloaded was displayed without any problems.

Another interesting feature is that you can use the Location Memory app to check and leave voice memos on the map. I haven't tried this yet, but it seems that you can also upload that information to Google Drive and view it on Google Earth. After all, Google is the world's great, so if we can more and more linkages like that, we'll be invincible.

CASIO MOMENT SETTER notifies you of your activities one by one

"MOMENT SETTER" is a notification service that works in conjunction with the activity app. This is a unique feature of a smartwatch that allows you to set various conditions like the one shown in the photo, making it possible to notice changes in situations in a timely manner. Basically, the graphs and maps are displayed when the distance traveled or altitude has progressed to a certain extent, but the function that informs you of changes in the natural environment, such as an hour before sunrise or a sudden drop or rise in atmospheric pressure, is quite convenient to ensure that you can access information that has been difficult to pay attention to up until now. In addition, you can measure the calories burned by setting your height and weight, so it's also great to have a setting that will instruct you to take a break for each calorie burned.

What is the battery life that you're interested in?

As for the battery life, which everyone is concerned about, it still needs to be used a little more and tested before we can reach a final conclusion. This is because Android Wear can do a lot of things, so I still haven't gotten to know the factors that consume electricity and the unnecessary (saving) settings that are useless when using it, so when I was using the functions unplannedly for the first time, the battery was consumed quickly in about half a day until it was about to run out of battery. So next, I made some (natural) ideas, such as setting the tracking accuracy to "battery priority" and setting the screen to be turned off immediately when not looking, and I feel like it has extended its lifespan for several hours. By the way, as far as I use it everyday, it lasts for 1-2 days, so I know it's not that fatal.

However, we have not yet narrowed down which settings are essential for battery life, so we will now look at various angles to see how long the battery will last and not be able to avoid it, depending on the brightness of the screen, whether it will work with your smartphone, and how much the battery will last longer and not.

Summary: A smartwatch that can be used in your own way, and can be used outdoors well.

With its robust body and a variety of apps, including offline maps, the WSD-F20 has evolved normally without truncating anything from the previous game, making it a device that is steadily in the lead group as the ideal outdoor wearable device. Not only is its beautiful and reliable body, but the Android Wear inside has the only appeal so far, as you can customize your own preferences and apps for a variety of purposes, from everyday use to authentic outdoors. This time I was able to once again feel that this is still a huge advantage.

However, there are still many hurdles that all manufacturers need to overcome before users can reach a level where users can enjoy the latest features stress-free, and it is also true that the WSD-F20 has not yet reached that point. After all, individual users need some tips to use it comfortably.

Addendum: We have since tried to test a little more about what settings are best for comfortable use of this device on trekking such as mountain climbing, and what apps are fun and useful, so if you're interested, please take a look at this article .

For more information on the lineup, main specifications, accessories, etc., here (official product page) , and for useful information and latest information from the manufacturer, we are currently posting it on PRO TREK's Facebook page