Watches with compass are necessary devices needed when one is hiking in the wilderness or trying to find a landmark in a unfamiliar town. Many men and women, when imagining a compass, think of a person in the woods trying to locate her way to camp. However a direction finding device can be as useful for those looking for an art museum when they step off the metro train.

Some time pieces have digital compasses which for some people make reading easier. People who are not familiar using a direction finder should read up on how to find a destination using a directional and a map. There are many resources in the library and on the internet on how to correctly use a direction finder.

A directional points north to the North Pole so that the direction to the right is due east and the direction to the left is due west. The opposite direction of the way the needle is pointing is due south. However, it is not as easy as putting out the direction finder and finding which direction is due north.

Some compasses are susceptible to magnetic interference so that the needle is not pointing to the North Pole but is being attracted by a piece of metal nearby. When shopping for compasses find out how sensitive the needle is to metallic distractions. The better compasses provide very accurate readings.

Some time pieces include an altimeter and a chronograph. Altimeters measure altitude and when used alongside a direction finder can find a location more accurately than a GPS tool. Altimeters are always being improved on so buy the latest model available. These devices are reasonably priced and many stores sell at a discount so it is worth spending time shopping around for the best price.

A chronograph is also known as a stopwatch which can be used to measure time. There are digital and analog models of chronograph both work equally well. Some people like the digital model because they believe it is easier to read a digital face. But some still like the classic look of the analog model.

Some time pieces include not only compasses, altimeter, and chronograph, but also include a barometer. The barometer reads the pressure of the atmosphere and is used to predict weather patterns. People who track weather changes will need to use a barometer and having a barometer on one's watch is a convenient way to do weather research. In days of old barometers were large devices that had to remain nailed to a wall but now they can be carried around on the wrist.

Watches with compass, altimeter, chronograph, and barometers, are a necessity for those who like to spend time in the wilderness. People who travel in unfamiliar cities also can benefit from having a direction finding device handy in order to find city landmarks. The altimeter measures altitude, the chronograph acts as a stop watch, and the barometer measures changes in atmospheric pressure. The direction finding device points due north so that a traveler will be able to determine which direction to head in order to find one's way east, west, and south.

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When it comes to the technology behind how altimeter watches work, you are limited to essentially two choices - those that calculate altitude by GPS and those that use barometric pressure.

I'll discuss the specifics of each type of altimeter watch in the next few paragraphs. To summarize the difference between the two, GPS altimeter watches use map datum based on position (this position is communicated to a satellite). The majority of barometric altimeter watches use air pressure to determine altitude. This is the original method (by original, the initially discovered method) and the most common method for a watch to determine elevation.

If your altimeter watch is GPS enabled, the way it calculates altitude is by sending your latitude and longitude to a satellite, which likely communicates with the manufacturer and returns your altitude, among a number of other data points. Because of this GPS altimeter watches are considered to be more accurate that their barometric watch counterparts. Not having to recalibrate is one of the obvious benefits to owning a GPS enabled altimeter watch. However, one of the downsides is your position and altitude is often subject to terrain - on flat, open terrain you will have near perfect communication with the satellite. However, in mountainous terrain, particularly in a canyon or gorge, you will often have poor satellite signal, resulting in inaccurate latitude and longitude positioning. Obviously, this results in somewhat questionable accuracy of your elevation. Examples of GPS enable altimeter watches are the Forerunner 305 or the Suunto X10.

99% of altimeter watches on the market use barometric pressure to determine altitude. The calculation is very simple and can be found by googling "barometric pressure to altitude conversion". This calculation is stored on the internal software on the altimeter watch. Because barometric pressure altimeter watches use outdoor conditions to determine altitude, the accuracy of the elevation readout is often skewed by changing weather conditions. Because of this, you need to calibrate your altimeter watch when beginning your outdoor activity, then re-calibrate frequently at known points. The mostly widely bought altimeter watch manufacturers are Suunto and HighGear.

The entry price point for GPS enabled altimeter watches is around $250. While a bit more expensive than the barometric pressure altimeter watch (lowest price of around $100) often GPS altimeter watches come with many features, such as trip distance, not in their barometric counterparts. When looking for a watch compare carefully the individual watch feature set that best matches your needs.

Learn more about the types of Altimeter Watches. Stop by Anthony Edward's site where you can find out all about the best altimeter watch for your needs.

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