Does anyone have any recommendations for a good hiking/backpacking watch? I'm looking for a lightweight watch that should have: Compass, Pedometer and night-light ability etc.

I have a local REI next to me, does anyone have any experience with their watches? They seem pretty pricey.

Thanks

I just use a cheap casio with a nite lite feature. the light is useful when getting up and finding your headlamp. beyond that, I like an alarm on it. as for compass and pedometer features, I've never had the need for that - I have a real compass with me if I'm going to need one.

I have a fairly cheap Timex ($35 IIRC) that keeps very accurate time; also has a count down timer, stop watch, and alarm functions, as well as a compass. The compass does seem to be passably accurate, from my experiences playing with it, but I always take a real compass if the situation requires it. My watch compass is strictly backup.

Really the question is why I bother to wear my watch anymore (entrenched habits of a crotchety elder?). Both my GPS or my cell phone keep better time than my Timex, and the GPS certainly tracks distances far more accurately than any pedometer of which I am aware <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Electronic watch compasses really suck power from the battery. I use this on my strap. Zero power consumption, cheap, visible at a glance without changing screens, much less likely to fail on you. Not good for pinpoint navigation with a map but neither is a wristwatch compass.

I never met a pedometer I liked. They are marginal at best even when accurately calibrated on level ground. And when your stride changes on uneven terrain accuracy goes out the window.

I would recommend a basic, cheap, waterproof Timex with a backlight and the mechanical compass on the strap. I like the the Ironman series.

That being said, I also like my Suunto Vector but mainly because of the barometer/altimeter. And since I'm getting older the larger numbers are easier to read.