Review: Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 ~The potential of a smart outdoor watch as seen by PRO TREK users~

I had the opportunity to try Casio's smart outdoor watch WSD-F10 (& digital camera EX-FR100), which was newly released in the spring of 2016. This time I was given permission to write about it freely, so I would like to review what I felt after using it for about a month.

By the way, it was actually in the last five years that I started using so-called outdoor watches. I loved mountain climbing, so it was common sense to use 1:25,000 scale topographic maps, and I liked the good old-fashioned method of staring at a compass while looking at the features of the terrain. Casio PRO TREK is indispensable wherever you go Of course, you won't die without it, but once you get used to it, you won't be able to do without it. Not only is it safe, but it's also fun to see how far I've come to the goal, and now I check the altimeter whenever I have free time. However, on the other hand, it doesn't mean that I am mastering the more complex functions, so I am looking forward to seeing how smart outdoor watches will change mountain climbing from the perspective of such outdoor watch users. I checked it out, so let's take a quick look.

What can you do?

First, let's take a quick look at what the watch can do. As you can see from its rugged appearance, the WSD-F10 is equipped with a number of functions and features designed to be used in outdoor situations, and in that sense it is a wristwatch that can do almost the same things as outdoor watches like the PRO TREK. . In fact, with the exception of environmental performance and solar charging, almost everything that can be done with the PRO TREK that I currently use can be used in the same way (see table below).

Main functions available with WSD-F10 alone

Furthermore, since this watch is a wearable device equipped with Android Wear OS, it can be used in conjunction with a smartphone like the Apple Watch, allowing for more advanced communication-based functions that are not possible with conventional watches. Is possible. However, on the other hand, this watch cannot demonstrate its full potential unless it is linked to a smartphone. Also , unlike GPS sports watches such as Garmin and SUUNTO

Main functions that can only be achieved by linking with a smartphone

Items marked with an asterisk (*) in the table are functions that cannot be used or are restricted when linked to an iPhone. Considering the price (75,600 yen), if you want to fully enjoy the value of this watch, you should consider that it is essential to use it with an Android smartphone.

I actually tried using it in the mountains - To be honest, how does it compare to PRO TREK? ~

Preparation for use

In order to use WSD-F10, you must first install the Android Wear app on the smartphone you want to link, and then pair your smartphone and watch via Bluetooth connection.

Pairing devices is one of the tedious tasks no matter how many times you try. I hope it becomes a thing of the past soon.

Although I'm used to this process, which lasts for several minutes, the unpleasant feeling of following detailed and difficult instructions and waiting nervously to see if pairing is successful is nothing but a nuisance. It's something I would like to avoid if possible, but luckily this time the pairing went smoothly, and all of the apps on my smartphone that can be operated on the watch were also installed.

hardware

Appearance, size, buttons, etc.

I think people have different tastes when it comes to design and coloring, but personally, I find the beautiful form and mechanical texture of this watch, which is unique to a brand with a solid track record of making outdoor watches, to be quite appealing. The weight when installed is also light enough that you won't notice it considering its appearance. Furthermore, the main body is apparently sturdy and has passed the US military MIL standard. The joint between the rubber band and the main body is also strong and will not budge even if you pull it hard. However, the operating temperature range is 0 to 40 degrees Celsius, so careful use is required in harsh winter mountains.

If it were just a wristwatch, you might think it's bulky, with dimensions of approximately 61.7 x 56.4 mm. However, as you use it, you will start to think that the size is appropriate for the amount of information displayed, so you will no longer be concerned about it.

What really caught my attention, even for people who don't often wear watches, was the 15.7mm thickness (see photo below). When outdoors, he frequently puts on and takes off his backpack and jacket, so he was worried about the sleeves getting caught every time, which was a small stress that he didn't have with his previous PRO TREKs. In the first place, it may not be a problem if you wear it over your sleeve, but in the summer it is often worn directly against the skin, and although it is a matter of getting used to it and individual differences, it is impossible to eliminate stress. you can't.

The left or top is the WSD-F10, and the right or bottom is the PAW-2000T-7 that I currently own. You can see that it is slightly larger overall.

The main body is simple with only three buttons on the right side (photo below). As an outdoor watch, no matter how detailed the touch panel LCD can be, it must not compromise on simple and safe operability in any situation. It's hard to understand when all you have to do is press buttons, and it's hard to use when all you use is a touch panel. In that sense, I think it's a perfect balance between simplicity and ease of use, such as its large size and design that makes it easy to press even over gloves.

You can access various instruments such as altitude and atmospheric pressure from the "TOOL" button on the side. In addition, you can freely set the application to start on the "APP" button, and the application you set will start quickly with one button.

magnetic charging terminal

For charging, use a special cable with a magnetic connection part to the watch. This cable is sensitive to force from the left and right sides, and can easily come off even during charging (see photo below). There is no problem if you leave it alone on a desk or the like in everyday life, but it is quite difficult to charge it inside a tent or in a backpack, so be careful.

Reliable LCD screen display

The big selling point of this device is its dual-layered display: a 1.32-inch color TFT liquid crystal (320 x 300 pixels) that also serves as a touch panel, and a monochrome liquid crystal. In addition to the normal full-color LCD display, by switching between display modes on a monochrome LCD screen that increases visibility and reduces power consumption, apps are easier to see and use, and the time is easier to read as a wristwatch. The manufacturer's aim is to achieve both ease of use.

Monochrome LCD display mode that continues to display at least the time even when the battery is about to run out.

Actually, I don't really appreciate the monochrome display because I run various apps outdoors, but once I was about to run out of battery, it automatically switched to monochrome LCD mode. Only the switching time was always displayed. Reliability in such emergency situations is an evaluation point that existing smartwatches do not have.

Watch face that you can choose according to your preference

Photo: Quoted from the official product page

Unlike previous outdoor watches, one of the major attractions of smart outdoor watches is that you can choose from a variety of watch faces, including design, coloring, and display content. From classic analog watches to G-SHOCK-like mechanical designs, unique designs that display graphs of altitude and barometric pressure changes in the background, and even designs that display both your hometown and travel destination times. You can choose from around 20 designs in total.

For example, I customize the screen to suit the usage situation, such as using an analog watch face in daily life, and a digital watch face with subdials that display altitude, barometric pressure, and pedometer when mountain climbing. These functions were commonplace on PCs, mobile phones, and smartphones. Now that I have a smartwatch, I have finally been able to use these functions, and I feel that the convenience has improved significantly. Speaking of greed, I would like to see more and more face variations added in the future. In addition, if you use the smartphone app CASIO MOMENT SETTER+, you can customize the coloring and displayed meters.

I'm currently setting up the watch's battery level, smartphone battery level, and pedometer to be displayed on the in-dial.

Software (Application)

Various meters ~ Excellent access, visibility, and ease of use ~

Now let's talk about the important usability in the field. Even without any special settings, you can check the compass, altimeter, barometer, sunrise/sunset, tide graph, and activity graph in real time with a single press of the TOOL button. These displays are graphical and highly visible, and are certainly easier to use than PRO TREK's monochrome LCD display. Furthermore, the ease of use has been improved, as you can access trend graphs and various settings just by swiping the screen. With conventional outdoor watches, you have to use buttons to do all the operations, which makes me go crazy every time, but I really like his UI, which makes it surprisingly easy.

Photo: Quoted from the official product page

There are just a few things I'm concerned about. It may be just my case, but for some reason the message "Please perform magnetization correction" appears quite often when measuring direction. It was a pain to have to adjust by swinging my arm back and forth each time. Also, as I think has already been said in many places, it's a shame that the Apple Watch and other GPS sports watches don't have the ability to measure heart rate, so I'm looking forward to seeing that in the future.

Activity app ~ Expect further evolution of standard functions in the future ~

One of the most smartwatch-like features is Casio's genuine activity app (available only on Android smartphones). You can quickly access information optimized for the three activities of mountain climbing, trekking, cycling, and fishing on one screen, and also measure your progress toward the goal you set. This time I have only tried mountaineering (Trekking), so I will write a review based on that, but when you start the app, you will see the altitude difference per hour, current time, target altitude, and remaining altitude (target altitude). (set in advance) - The measurement time will be displayed.

This app's purpose as a mechanism to increase and maintain motivation is interesting, but I personally find it a little disappointing that you can only set mountain climbing goals based on altitude. The goal of trekking is not necessarily the peak, and styles vary from person to person. I would like to see some improvements, such as being able to customize goal settings and display content.

However, there is no doubt that a mechanism that allows you to experience a sense of accomplishment that was not available in the PRO TREK era will be essential for future outdoor watches. I don't think it's greedy to expect the minimum history management functions that modern fitness apps have, such as being able to save and review them later.

CASIO MOMENT SETTER+ ~ It's fun to know your activity status and changes in the surrounding environment! ~

An interesting feature that works in conjunction with the activity app is the various notification services provided by MOMENT SETTER+. This is a service where the watch notifies you the moment various conditions you set are met, and I found unexpected convenience and fun that I had never noticed before. Of course, it's not like PRO TREK couldn't do it. However, what is most important is that his easy-to-understand and easy-to-understand UI allows us to notice sophisticated and complex changes in the situation in a timely manner.

When you launch the MOMENT SETTER+ app installed on your smartphone, you can set the notification timing from various conditions as shown in the image above. Personally, I set it to display an altitude graph every time the altitude exceeds 100m to check the progress of the trip, and to notify the scheduled time one hour before sunrise/sunset so that I don't miss a photo opportunity. I'm enjoying it. There are various other settings that you can set, such as distance traveled, number of steps, calories burned, and time, but if you do too many of them, it becomes insignificant, so in the end, I settled on a moderate number.

One disappointing thing is that this setting can only be set for notifications that belong to the same category as the activity selected in the Activity app. In preparation for a thunderstorm, I would like to set a notification when the atmospheric pressure drops by 1 hPa or more within 1 hour, but this notification belongs to the "fishing" category, so I can't set it while climbing. What I want you to do. In the first place, I think it would be better if this notification itself could be used more freely independent of the activity app.

Cooperation with digital camera FR-100 - A new shooting experience perfect for outdoor use -

Another feature unique to Casio is cooperation with the EX-FR100, a separate digital camera ideal for outdoor use. For a detailed explanation of the EX-FR100 itself the product page here , but if I were to simply describe the features of this camera, I would say, ``By separating the camera section and the LCD controller section, you can shoot exactly as you want in any situation. It's a shock-proof, waterproof, dust-proof, and low-temperature resistant outdoor recorder.

Photo: Quoted from the official product page

By linking this camera with the WSD-F10, you will be able to operate the shutter and other operations that would normally be done using the LCD controller from the watch (Android smartphones only). Once the watch and camera are paired, the watch's LCD screen becomes the camera's viewfinder, and you can take photos and videos with the right button on the watch while looking at the watch.

Photo: Quoted from the official product page

What's great about this system is that it frees up both hands. Ability to take acrobatic shots during outdoor activities. If you wear it on your head, you can easily take pictures while climbing or swimming. In addition, you can quickly take pictures without having to stop during your actions, making it very convenient to record your actions. It's a completely new shooting experience, not a traditional camera or smartphone.

Of course, various mount options for installing the camera part such as the head, backpack, bicycle grip, etc. are also available separately, so you can use it according to the scene. , an item that includes a camera bag made by tent-Mark DESIGNS is currently , so if you are interested, please check it out.

Battery consumption is a concern - No problem for day trips, but be careful if staying for more than one night -

I've used it not only for day trips, but also for long periods of time, such as overnight stays in a tent. I woke up around 4am, put it on fully charged, and took the train bus to the trailhead around 10am. From there, I launched the ``Activity App'' and ``YAMAP'' and started taking action. I didn't change any notification settings, so I received several emails and messages in areas where there was signal coverage.

When I arrived at the tent site around 3pm, I checked the battery level and it was in the low 40% range. I just closed the app and left it alone, and the next morning it had dropped to 28% (if I had set it to timepiece mode at this time, I might have been able to suppress the decrease while I was sleeping).

For this reason, you can use the app on a day trip without having to worry about charging it, but on an overnight trip, you will probably not be able to use the app for more than two days in a row unless you charge it. It's easy to overlook the fact that it has a dual LCD display and good battery efficiency, but when used as a general smartwatch, the battery life is still not that good.

What you need to be more careful about is that the battery on your smartphone also wears out, so you need to charge your smartphone as well. For this reason, you will need a mobile battery with a certain capacity when staying overnight. Please note that you will need a special USB cable to charge the watch, so be sure to bring it with you.

Although it's hard to say that I'm completely satisfied with it, I'm still comparing it to competitors' smart watches and GPS sports watches when it comes to battery life. That's why being outstanding in performance in this area is likely to be an important point in terms of differentiating ourselves from other companies.

Summary: Perfect for those who want a “smartwatch that can be used outdoors”

Compared to smart watches such as the Apple Watch, I think it's an interesting watch that is more geared toward outdoor activities. Above all, the hardware is authentic and does not feel the slightest bit of frivolity that is often found in smart watches.The visibility of basic functions and ease of use have created a new position as an outdoor smart watch. I can say that it is true. I've always felt that the motivation maintenance mechanisms that have become commonplace in fitness apps can also be applied to mountain climbing, but when I experienced it while actually climbing, I was able to really feel how much fun it is. Just as we can no longer imagine running without tracking on a smartphone, the future will soon come when it will be a waste to climb mountains without tracking. It had enough of an impact to give me a sense of that.

However, when considering serious outdoor use, it is true that there are concerns about battery and durability compared to PRO TREK. In an interview with the developer, it's no surprise that they say, ``This product is intended for outdoor beginners and light users.'' In that sense, he has not yet decided to switch from PRO TREK based on how I use it, and I was able to confirm that there is still no other option than an outdoor watch to use it safely in harsh environments.

In terms of future requests, of course, the ideal would be for the watch to have better environmental performance, better battery life, and more practical and entertaining apps than it currently has, but such a perfect smart outdoor watch is not realistic. In that case, since it is positioned in a way that sets it apart from harsh outdoor activities like PRO TREK, it is better to keep the environmental resistance as it is for the time being, but to thoroughly pursue the enjoyment of light outdoor activities and to further evolve in the direction of expanding its range. I thought that this is the correct evolution of this watch.

To that end, I would like to look forward to further updates to the ``Activity App'' and ``MOMENT SETTER+.'' The activity app has a mechanism that allows you to enjoy tracking more, and the MOMENT SETTER+ has improved usability by allowing more flexible measurement and notification methods.

SUUNTO's GPS sports watches are advanced in that respect. An ecosystem between users (activities) and manufacturers (devices) that not only allows you to save, analyze, manage, and share tracked activities, but also allows you to create and publish original apps with customized measurement content from all measurable data. is being developed, and although it is a bit difficult to use for overseas markets and has many problems, the possibilities are endless and very interesting.

For mountain climbing and hiking, a mechanism to save and share activities directly connected to wearable devices will become indispensable for light mountain climbing in the future. I don't know what triggers it yet, but once you experience a new habit and get used to it, it's difficult to switch to another method right away. The meaning behind the model number "WSD" is "excitement and excitement", and Casio's challenging smart outdoor watch has the potential to be a catalyst for that, and I'm sure there will be a lot of evolution in the future. It is expected.

for the lineup, main specifications, accessories, etc. (official product page)