Mike >>>: [voice over] Fog or low cloud makes navigation really difficult and if you find
yourself walking into your only really safe if you know how to navigate in virtually 0
visibility.
This weeks GO outdoors show is all about 2 watches that can help
Mike>>: We're here slumming it in the lake district, and we're here to test 2 very clever
watches, the Garmin Fenix and Suunto Core all back and we're going to being putting
them through a series of challenges that have been set out for us by the co- founder of
go outdoors Jon Graham , and err they are in an email [starts reading] gentlemen
Mike>>>: [voice over] attached is a grid reference.
A gift has been left there for the person who reaches it first.
In addition to a map and compass, Mike you will use the suunto core to assist you, Ollie
you will have the Garmin fenix.You will each be blinded folded and dumped in separate locations
an equal distance from this grid reference.
Regards Jon, P.S Lone there picks up your bar tab.
Ollie>>>: Turns on the gps
Mike>>>: 191 meters.
Crags .. Crags up there..
The road is dropping down..
[Points]
Ian>>>: And its dropping down the other way
Mike>>>: The river is close to the road..
Ollie>>>: So the massive advantage I have over MIke is that in this watch I have GPS
receiver, so I will know exactly where I am on the map.
Mike>>>: Off we go.
That was easy
Ollie>>>: Now one of the other features I really like about this GPS watch.. is a function
called site and go, so I can pick a spot, so im going for those crags just up onthe
top there..
now what I can so what I can do is lock my device into it..
Mike>>>: To be honest, i'm not really that worried about loosing this challenge.
Because I'm much more confident navigating with a map compass, and alitimeter watch.
than Ollie with using a brand new GPS watch that he's never used before.
He's probably lost in that cloud somewhere, or fallen of a cliff, or on his way back to
Norfolk.. maybe
Ollie>>>: I cant actually see my final point right now, but because I used site and go,
I can see I'm on the right bearing.
Mike>>>: A watch like this one doesn’t make your map redundant..
And I love these altimeter watches because they give an extra margin safety, an extra.,
extra parameter than you can use in working out where you are..
Ollie>>>: Now if I wasn't blind folded on my way up, I could have been quite clever
,. I could have planned my route on my computer, and then I could upload it, via base camp
right onto my watch.
Mike>>>: [voice over] Now if you buy the fenix performer bundle, you also get a heart rate
monitor, which makes the fenix perfect for fell running, mountain marathons and general
training.
Anyway back to the race
Mike>>>: Now on the map there is a the bit head of me.. there a craggy bit above and
craggy bit below and there is a safe path between the two of them.
now in low visibility, this is potentially very dangerous, because if you stray of the
bit that safe you can can end in walking into the craggy bit.
Now If you've got an altimeter watch, then it makes it a lot safer, because all you have
to do is to find the contor that you need to follow around, find altimetitude, and stay
on that altitude as you walk around..
Mike>>>: Its winter, and it gets dark early.
And frankly that hands ollie the advantage.
because I have to start paying a lot more attention to the map, and working out exactly
where I am .. Im having to count paces from one feature that im sure of to another a feature
that im sure of.. and Ollie, all he needs to do is look at his watch.
Ollie>>>: Ive just spotted a bit of short cut just up the side.
so with my map & with my GPS to help im going to head just up over these crags here..
Mike>>>: [counting] 40
Ollie>>>: Oh dear, err, Im using a feature called tracback now bit like laying a trail
of bread crumbs and it will take me back to my orginal path.
Mike>>> [counting] 52, 50 - this should be it, this should be it.
can you see it anywhere
Ian>>>: no,
Mike>>>: Ohh, no, what!
how long have you been here?
Ollie>>>: Errr 10 - 10 15 mins, I was starting to get a bit worried for you.
Mike>>>: Shut up
Ollie>>>:Yep, I found everyone’s in the outdoors favorite friend..
Mike>>>: you found the worlds largest discount card..
I was a bit complacent..
Ollie>>>: Yerr... so I win..
Mike>>>: Im going to the pub.. umm do you want to come as well Ollie... we might be
a bit faster..?
Ollie>>>: haha
Go on..
No its this way..
[New day]
Mike>>>: So which one is best then Ollie?
Ollie>>>: For me it definitely has to be the fenix..
Mike>>>: I don’t know, for me I like navigating with a map and compass.
this just gives you an extra parameter, that you can use for reference when your doing
that
Mike>>>: Your watch does pretty much everything and anything that you would you would every
want from an outdoor watch, but its got the price to match
Ollie>>>: One the features that I think, I really like is that trac back option, so when
im lost, ive navigated of a route, i want to return to my original route... the trac
back gives me the ability to follow my path straight back.
its a fantastic feature
Mike>>>: Where I lost yesterdays challenge is when it got dark, and I suddenly had to
starting paying more attention to exactly where I was on the map.. and to start moving
between recognizable features that can defiantly pick up so I Know where I was..
The biggest you've got, is just being having a little look at the watch and know exactly
where you are on the map...I mean, it absolutely speeds up how you quickly you can go in low
visibility...
But the battery life on your watch.. is not that great..
realilitisically, when your using the GPS you've got 6 to 9 battery life?
Ollie>>>: Yes I accept..its something where...again
Mike>>>: his lasts a year
Ollie>>: Yee...although when you charge this watch up it does take about 1.5 to fully charge
up
Mike>>> I think its really difficult to pick a winner.. because the garmin is a brilliant
watch with loads of features, very reliable,.. the suunto is just a really focusedd abc watch,,
so I think its depends on what you want from your wathc.. and what your buget as whihc
what choose
Mike>>>: [voice over] and remeber if you find lower price anywhere else, GO outdoors will
beat that price by 10%