REI.com
  • Online: www.REI.com
  • URL for this product:
  • From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
  • Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
  • International — Call 1-253-891-2500
  • Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

Print This Page Print This Page

Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock

Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock

Item # 776942
!
This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

For your reference, this page contains historical product information.

Digital precision at an affordable price! Strap on this High Gear Axis information center and instantly know your elevation, direction, weather forecast and more!

  • Altimeter reports current elevation in 1m (3 ft.) increments; reports accumulated and max height; reports in feet or meters
  • Barometer reports changing trends in the weather; 1mbar with 300 to 1,100mbar resolution
  • Digital thermometer reports temperature with 1° resolution in Fahrenheit or Celsius (min. -4°F to max 158°F)
  • Digital compass with leveling bubble accurately reports direction; rotating bezel marks cardinal points; adjustable declination
  • Watch features time in a 12- or 24-hr. format; auto calendar is programmed through 2049!
  • Stay on time—tracks time in 2 time zones simultaneously; features 2 programmable alarms plus a selectable hourly chime
  • Chronograph records 1/100 sec. resolution; 100-lap memory; stores run number, month/date, lap number, split, time and average lap
  • Backlight provides easy viewing in low light
  • Water resistant to 30m (100 ft.)
  • Overstock

Imported.

Item 776942

Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock Specs

Specification

Description

Analog or DigitalDigital
Date windowYes
IlluminationYes
Water-resistance100 feet
Face diameter1.75 inches
ConstructionComposite
Watch band materialPolyurethane
Weight2 ounces

Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock
 
2.6

(based on 12 reviews)

42%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Comfortable (5)
  • Stylish (3)

Cons

  • Inaccurate (7)
  • Strap wears easily (3)

Best Uses

  • Daily use (5)
  • Reviewer Profile:
  • Practical (7), Athletic (4), Stylish (3)

Reviewed by 12 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Back to top

Previous | Next »

Dec

9

2008

(18 of 18 customers found this review helpful)

 
4.0

Let's stay grounded in reality.

By Namche Nomad

from USA

About Me Athletic

Site Member

Pros

  • Accurate
  • Comfortable

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Daily Use

    Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

    Please remember for this instrument to work it MUST be calibrated regularly.This is not a GPS that relies on triangulation to determine altitude, but rather pressure. And that is a limitation of ALL such instruments. So if you are using it between the coffee shop, home and work it is overkill and get yourself a Timex (or a Rolex ;-). This is a tool and like any other toll one must learn to to use it. I have used this while climbing peaks in Nepal, India and Kazakhstan and it has performed reliably. The fact that one can easily change batteries without tools is a big plus.
    Having used this for many expeditions I can now comment on 2 flaws that have irked me. First, The Dual Time zone only allows differences in one hour increments. But many of the primo climbing locales need half hour (India) or 15 minute (Nepal) increments. Believe me, at the haze of 20,000 feet you don't want to do the math to find out what the time is in the US. Second, though the watch is built quite ruggedly, the rubber covering the sides of the watch started to peel off the main metal chassis. I had to epoxy it back on. Note that I usually wear the watch over my jacket sleeve while climbing.

    • Gift:
    • No

    Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

    (18 of 18 customers found this review helpful)

    Was this review helpful? Yes / No

     - You may also flag this review

    Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

    Aug

    3

    2008

    (15 of 23 customers found this review helpful)

     
    2.0

    you could do better.

    By jolly rodger

    from dalton GA

    About Me Outdoor Enthusiast

    Site Member

    Pros

      Cons

      • Complicated Controls
      • Inaccurate
      • Unreliable big unreliab

      Best Uses

      • Telling time

      Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

      the watch tells time well, and the compass seems to be pretty reliable, but if that is all you want you can get a much better deal on a timex.
      the alt., baro., weather, them. all are very unreliable. they comstantly need calibrating, and are off again in a few hours, even without any major changes

      Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

      (15 of 23 customers found this review helpful)

      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

       - You may also flag this review

      Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

      Mar

      18

      2009

      (9 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

       
      1.0

      Functions but quality is lacking

      By Range Rover

      from Seattle, WA

      About Me Classic, Practical

      Site Member

      Pros

        Cons

        • Inaccurate
        • Strap Wears Easily

        Best Uses

        • Travel

        Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

        Bought for hiking and as a tool to work with topo maps for elevation identification. It is a barometric pressure device for elevation so it does need calibration often even on the trail. It was accurate enough to give readings within 50 feet of actual elevation most of the time. Compass function worked well when calibrated, but there is always the possibility that it was off, so a true compass must be carried. The temperature reading will never be accurate when worn and takes about 15-20 minutes once removed and placed somewhere out of direct sunlight. So monitoring temperature change is not a strong point. After wearing for 2 short hikes, the pins on the watch band pulled out of the plastic body of the watch and it fell to the ground while simply undoing the strap to remove it. Closer examination showed that one of the metal pins had enlarged the plastic hole in the watch body and thus the pin wouldn't stay in any more. Luckily it fell apart when I was watching, rather than on the trail. I returned it to REI for a refund as the so-so performance, coupled with the cheap attachment to the plastic body, made for an expensive toy that just wasn't worth it for me. Nice idea, but just poorly executed in both function and design. Attachment of the band to the watch body needs to be 100% secure and plastic just doesn't do it.

        • Gift:
        • No

        Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

        (9 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

        Was this review helpful? Yes / No

         - You may also flag this review

        Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

        Mar

        3

        2009

        (7 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

         
        1.0

        you get what you pay for...

        By vagabond72

        from San Francisco, CA

        About Me Hiker, Snowboarder, Traveler

        Pros

          Cons

          • Inaccurate
          • Scratches Easily
          • Strap Wears Easily

          Best Uses

            Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

            had this for a little over a month before the light stopped working... the altimeter is not very accurate as the reading would change automatically and i would have to recalibrate it constantly... it would even read that i was below sea level when i was at least a couple hundred feet above sea level. after my trip to tibet where the watch was exposed to freezing temps, the watch would reset on its own and it does that intermittently now. the compass seems to be fairly accurate and there are a lot of features on the watch, but overall, it promises too much and doesn't deliver.

            Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

            (7 of 7 customers found this review helpful)

            Was this review helpful? Yes / No

             - You may also flag this review

            Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

            Aug

            8

            2008

            (7 of 15 customers found this review helpful)

             
            3.0

            Buy a different watch

            By mountain dominator

            from Covina, California

            About Me Avid Adventurer, Outdoor Enthusiast, Professional

            Site Member

            Pros

            • Easy To Set Up
            • Strong Construction
            • Waterproof

            Cons

            • Complicated Controls
            • Inaccurate

            Best Uses

            • Campgrounds
            • Day Trips
            • Road Trips

            Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

            Controls are too complicated and inaccurate. Altimeter, and barameter need constant calibration. Basically evrything the other guy said.

            Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

            (7 of 15 customers found this review helpful)

            Was this review helpful? Yes / No

             - You may also flag this review

            Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

            Nov

            13

            2008

            (5 of 28 customers found this review helpful)

             
            1.0

            Too much whiz and not enough bang

            By acidmind

            from brooklyn,ny

            About Me Practical, Stylish

            Pros

            • Stylish

            Cons

            • Inaccurate
            • Scratches Easily

            Best Uses

            • Daily Use

            Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

            junk

            • Gift:
            • No

            Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

            (5 of 28 customers found this review helpful)

            Was this review helpful? Yes / No

             - You may also flag this review

            Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

            Jan

            8

            2009

            (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

             
            4.0

            Not that bad

            By RoamingVillageLeader

            from Earth

            About Me Athletic, Bike, Camp, Climb, Fish, Hike, Practical, Ski

            Pros

            • Functional

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • Daily Use

              Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

              I had gone through 4 Suuntos before picking up one of these. I had it for 3 years before the sides started to unglue. It still worked fine. I looked for another one but they didn't have it at the local REI so I got the new fancy Suunto...($350+...way overpriced), I wish I had this one again. I guess that's the beauty of REI...time for a trade.

              • Gift:
              • No

              Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

              (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

              Was this review helpful? Yes / No

               - You may also flag this review

              Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

              Jul

              23

              2009

              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

               
              4.0

              Good for the price!

              By drscience2003

              from Kaunakakai, HI

              About Me Aviation, Practical

              Pros

              • Comfortable

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • International
                • Travel

                Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

                I've had my example of the Highgear Multifunction Watch for several years and although I use it infrequently, I've never had a problem with it. The altimeter requires frequent calibration, but so do all accurate-reading altimeters (as already pointed out by another reviewer, few scientific instruments are 'set and forget'). My one gripe is that the nighttime illumination feature is a bit wonky (hard to see and doesn't last very long till it self-cycles off). I've used my watch in aviation apps and don't have any complaints about it on that score. Compass seems to be fairly good and reliable (as long as it is properly stabilised). The large LCD display is nice for us aging, myopic geezers (don't worry, I'm not in the aircraft's left seat) and an accurate temp is rendered if the watch is removed from the wrist and set apart from any heat sources for a few minutes (including your body). Comparing this to the Suunto line (Finnish), the price is great for what you get (like all Finnish exports, although the quality is very good, Suunto products are WAY overpriced). The battery is a breeze to change, unlike some of these plastic fantastics. Overall, a strong 8 out of 10 for function and value. I will admit I am a bit disappointed that it doesn't include a 'press-to-play' recording of Monty Python's "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK!", but that's something I can live with.... One last thing: it would be nice if they made this watch in high-viz colors (like fluorescent orange or yellow) so that it can be seen and identified easily on snow.

                • Gift:
                • No

                Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

                (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                Was this review helpful? Yes / No

                 - You may also flag this review

                Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

                Jan

                27

                2009

                (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                 
                4.0

                Good, for the price

                By Shawn P

                from Boulder, CO

                About Me Hiker, Mtn biker

                Site Member

                Pros

                • Comfortable
                • Stylish

                Cons

                • Bulky

                Best Uses

                • Daily Use
                • Day hikes

                Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

                I bought the watch before any reviews were out, and received if after it had some negative reviews. My expectations weren't high out of the box. Its altimeter is more accurate than my Garmin Geko 301. Its compass is good and barometer is decent. Except for initial setup, I have only recalibrated the compass. My biggest complaint is the temperature reads close to your skin, so it always reads at least 80 degrees, even outside in the snow. After two months, I am pleased with it knowing I paid less than $100.

                • Gift:
                • No

                Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

                (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                Was this review helpful? Yes / No

                 - You may also flag this review

                Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

                Dec

                9

                2008

                (1 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

                 
                2.0

                Poor functionality and quality

                By Jullian

                from Phoenix, AZ

                About Me Athletic, Practical, Stylish

                Site Member

                Pros

                  Cons

                  • Bulky
                  • Inaccurate
                  • Strap Wears Easily

                  Best Uses

                    Comments about Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock:

                    I was hoping this would be as functional as a Suunto but much cheaper. Cheap is what I got. The strap started falling apart after only a couple uses, the dial isn't as briliant or clear as others, the battery life is nill (as with many multi-funtion watches, but I thought I'd still list that), and the fit is uncomfortable.

                    • Gift:
                    • No

                    Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

                    (1 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

                    Was this review helpful? Yes / No

                     - You may also flag this review

                    Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

                    Displaying reviews 1-10

                    Back to top

                    Previous | Next »

                    Highgear Axis Multifunction Watch - '08 Overstock Related Items

                    You might also like:

                    Join REI and Enjoy the Benefits

                    Members are eligible for an annual refund on qualifying purchases. Plus, they enjoy many more benefits. Get a lifetime membership for $20.

                    Add an REI membership to my order.

                    How are we doing? Give us feedback on this page.

                    • Shopping Cart 
                    • |
                    •  
                    • Buy REI Gift Cards
                    • REI Gift Cards
                    • Fast, easy and one size fits all.
                    • Buy now!
                    • Join REI today!
                    • REI Membership
                    • REI member benefits include an annual refund (typically 10% on eligible purchases).
                    • Join REI today!
                    • Sign up for REI Gearmail®
                    • and get 15% off selected items!
                    • Store Locator
                    • Locate an REI store near you.