Testing the Casio Pro Trek at Devils Peak

The trail starts in a lush and misty forest microclimate along Cool Creek and climbs over 3,000 vertical feet over about 4 miles to the ridgeline and lookout tower above. In past experiences hiking the trail, I've learned to expect snow on this trail in winter months, even when the trailhead is devoid of any signs of snow. The trail is a sustained vertical slope, and it presented a great opportunity to test a few watch features.

Syncing the watch with my iPhone using the Android Wear app, I was able to customize the watch from the phone to match my needs. I decided on an interface that overlays time with elevation gain...as elevation gain on this trail is often more insightful than distance traveled. I also tested the hiking goal feature, which provided up-to-the-minute updates on statistics for this particular trip.

The watch proved to be effective as advertised with the features listed. We focused our testing on location mapping, elevation gain (we tested this to be functional within 10 to 25 vertical feet of our assumed elevations at known locations), barometer and compass; all features were easy to access and had excellent tracking and legibility.

The watch features standard side-button inputs as well as touchscreen functionality, making it easy to quickly swipe through screens indicating time and statistical measurements along your hike.

I was surprised to find Josh (who is admittedly anti-tech) checking the watch statistics with regularity throughout the hike. Our ability to accurately track our progress and compare with known points along the hike proved that the Pro Trek Smart watch is accurate, easy to use, and a useful tool for those looking for technology tracking solutions for your vertical outdoor adventures.