The face of a watch, like a person, often tells you quite a bit about what they are. Sometimes they're subtle and restrained, and sometimes their place in the world is writ large for all to see. The Casio Pathfinder, model number PAW1500T-7V is one of those "this is who I am, got a problem with that?" sorts of watches. After wearing it for a few weeks, I think of it as the go-to watch for the outdoors, especially if things are going to be tough: river rafting, long hiking trips, extreme sports and the like. It's probably the most capable and versatile watch I've yet seen. About the only thing it doesn't have is GPS:

Features of the Casio Pathfinder PAW1500T-7V include:

In January, we told you about the Nike Amp+ iPod watch which doubles as a remote control for your iPod Nano. Recently, Nike introduced the Nike+ SportBand which seems to be a variation on the theme with a slightly different focus.

The SportBand answers the question "What if I don't want to run with music?" This isn't as theoretical as you might think since many races ban music players. With the Nike+ SportBand, you can see all the same information that the Nike Amp+ iPod displayed on the screen of your Nano (pace, distance, calories burned, etc.), but on an LCD integrated into the SportBand itself rather than on the screen of your iPod.

Like the Nike Amp+, you can still upload your running data when you get home, so it's just as well integrated into the whole Nike/Apple ecosystem. All you do is pop the Nike+ Link out of the SportBand, and plug it directly into your computer's USB port.

Nike has also introduced a web-based coaching system called Nike+ Coach with professionally crafted programs for a range of fitness goals. Everything from "Walk to run" to "Marathon" is laid out with motivational tools, progress tracking, peer challenges, and more. This might sound trivial, but I'm here to tell you that workout buddies — even virtual ones — are a major factor in keeping up an exercise program. Of course, you probably have to have the hardware to make much use of the virtual coach, but the cost of entry is really pretty minimal. The Nike+ SportBand sells for a very reasonable $59.

By Paul Hubbard

The Nike Amp+ iPod control watch is unusual for many reasons. To start with, it only displays hours and minutes. No seconds, no date, no alarm, no stopwatch. And to see the time, you actually have to press a button to illuminate the LED display.

But the Amp+ isn't designed to be an all-around running or fitness watch. It's specifically designed for runners who already have the Nike + iPod kit. Similar to the Timex iControl we recently reviewed, the Nike Amp+ is a remote control for your iPod Nano, however unlike the Timex, the Nike Amp+ uses the existing Nike + iPod gadget that plugs into your iPod, so you're actually adding the iPod remote control to the Nike iPod system.

Ok, I know that's a little confusing. Let's slow down and start from the beginning.

You're a runner or walker who wants to track your workouts electronically, and easily control your iPod. After installing a special wireless sensor in your Nike shoes, the Nike + iPod kit let's you use your iPod to:

View the Timex iControl Photo Gallery.

MP3 players are becoming an increasingly standard piece of workout equipment. Music can help keep runners "in the zone" or help keep weight lifters' adrenaline pumping, and audio books and podcasts can help us make more efficient use of our workout time. Now that MP3 players are small enough, battery life is long enough, hard drives and flash memory is large enough, and prices are low enough, just about any athlete can have access hours of audio content anywhere their workout takes them.

But not all the problems have been solved. Although the iPod's user interface is widely considered revolutionary for its simplicity and intuitiveness, there's no getting around the fact that interacting with an MP3 player while working out is usually not very convenient. Removing your iPod from wherever it's stashed can be tricky while running, and after you've managed to retrieve it, the controls can be clumsy to use and the screen difficult to see. Of course, the risk of fiddling with your MP3 player too much while working out is that it can easily break your concentration and flow.

Enter the Timex iControl watch. Timex IRONMAN watches have always been designed to make interacting with them while running as simple and natural as possible, so why not extend the functionality of your watch to also control your iPod?

The Timex iControl watch is a fully functional IRONMAN with the following features:

We've written pretty extensively about Seiko here at Watch Report. We just plain love 'em. Their self-powered Kinetic watches, which use a mechanical winder to store energy in a battery driving a quartz movement, are very cool. As with a mechanical watch, an offset weight rotates around an axle in response to the movement of your arm. In an automatic, this action winds a main spring, however in a Kinetic, it actually generates enough power to charge a battery.

At Basel World this year, Seiko announced the Velatura collection of marine watches: eleven watches with four different movements, two of which are brand-new. All are Kinetic quartz, and some of the new models use a new yacht timer movement. As Christian explained in his article about the new Rolex Yacht-Master II, this is a specialized countdown/stopwatch combination used by yacht racers. If you need it, I'm sure it's quite helpful. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to buying a yacht just yet, so I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Seiko has now added the ability to handwind Kinetic watches which is a faster way to charge them. They're calling it the Kinetic Direct Drive, and we like it. Unlike the simple "gas gauge" power reserve meters that other watches have, this one is multi-purpose: as you handwind the watch, the gauge "revs" indicating how fast you're winding. Once you stop, the needle moves to indicate how much power has been stored. It's a nice and unique addition, and quite probably a lot of fun to use.

All of the models have dramatic diamond-shaped hands that I find readable and attractive, and sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coatings (a personal must-have). List prices range from €600 to €900, or $845 to about $1,200. Oh, and one more thing: we just found out they're coming to the US very soon! Naturally, we will have a review.

Update: read the Seiko Velatura SRH005 review.

By Paul Hubbard

The Casio STP-100 looks like an average digital watch, but adds a new trick: a pedometer. By measuring how many steps you take, and combining that data with information that you provide (your stride length and weight), it can estimate distance, calories burned, pace, and more. It's similar to the "Nike+iPod" sport kit, or the older Nike SDM Triax watch, however the Casio STP-100 has everything you need built right into the watch — no additional parts required.

From reading the manual (PDF), it looks like the STP-100 uses a more basic sensor than Nike's technology since it simply measures the swing of your arm as you walk. Interestingly, it can only measure accurately when worn on your left wrist (so don't try to attach it to your belt, or toss it in your bag). Adjust the sensitivity until it reads correctly, and the onboard software not only tracks workouts, but also keeps track of how much activity you accumulate during the course of your day. Neat!

The Casio STP-100 series is available in three colors: yellow, blue, and gray, all with the thick black racing stripe. Of course, as is the case will all Casio digital watches, the STP-100 series has a full complement of features, too: backlight, stopwatch, 10-lap memory, 5 daily alarms with snooze, low-battery warning, and a slick dot-matrix display.

The STP-100 series was released in Europe and Japan in July of this year at a list price of about $120. Unfortunately, no word on a US release, but we'll be watching.

By Paul Hubbard

Apple's line of solid-state iPods have long been popular for exercise and sports. The iPod shuffle and nano are shockproof and have a longer battery life than the higher capacity hard drive models, making them a great choice for running, hiking, and general active use. The nano can even be used with the Nike iPod interface which transmits data from your shoe to the iPod's display. Very cool!

So if your shoe can talk to your iPod, why not your watch? Introducing the Timex iControl IRONMAN watch. As you can see from the picture, it looks just like a standard 50-lap IRONMAN, but adds a few more buttons. Combined with a small receiver that plugs into the iPod, the iControl allows you to control your iPod from your watch up to ten feet away!

I can see some serious potential in this. For instance, if you have your ipod strapped to your waist or upper arm, it's easier to place one hand on the watch while running as opposed to groping for the iPod itself. Or if you've got your iPod stashed in your backpack with just the headphone cable emerging, you can still drive the tunes. Another possibility is if you, like me, use your iPod while in your car, the Timex iControl gives you a cool remote control which you're not likely to misplace. An additional benefit is that leaving your iPod out of sight, especially when combined with a pair of generic non-white ear buds, reduces the changes of theft since nobody will even know you have an iPod.

According to the Timex iControl home page, the iControl is compatible with both the 1st and 2nd generation iPod nano, and the 5th generation iPod video. For more details as to how it works, check out the manual (PDF).

As you'd expect, the watch portion of the iControl remains at Timex's highly functional standard, with a readable face and a long list of features: time, alarms, countdown timer, Indiglo, interval timers, etc. Visually, the new buttons are not obvious, so the iControl can easily pass for a standard IRONMAN. However, if you want to stand out, Timex offers the iControl in five colors: blue, green, orange, black, gray, and silver.

If reaching for your watch is more convenient for you than reaching for your iPod, the Timex iControl is available now for $125, so go have a look. Personally, I love the gadget factor, and would like being able to leave my iPod in my backpack while on public transit. Count me in.

Update: Read the Timex iControl review.

By Paul Hubbard

If you swim for fitness, finding a watch to keep track of lap times is difficult. Most general-fitness watches are cumbersome to use underwater, and often have displays that are hard to read. But there are a couple of innovative products out there that attempt to solve this problem.

The Zoggs Lap Pro is a fairly standard looking digital watch with a large LCD display and a face that acts as one large button which you press to register a lap. Simple, easy to use, and, at $50 online, reasonably priced.  The drawback is that you still have to touch your wrist with your off hand at the end of a lap, which you don't normally do while swimming, but it's better than trying to press a tiny button.

Speedo has a watch called the Fastskin with a large digital readout which is slightly tilted to make it easier to read at a glance. However, other than the display, the fact that it has a stopwatch, is water resistant to 50 feet, and bears the Speedo brand, I'm not sure how this qualifies as a swimming watch.

And then there are the Casio Baby-G Dolphin and Whale models with a couple of interesting features like a dive log and the time at 10 popular dive sites around the world. As it turns out, though, it appears that the Baby-G Dolphin and Whale line is more about saving marine animals than swimming with them since part of the proceeds from each sale goes to environmental protection initiatives. Still, not bad looking Baby-Gs.

Speaking of Casios, the G-Shock GW-400J is a reasonable choice for the water. The vibrating alarm was designed for water sports like swimming, surfing, and water skiing where it's difficult or impossible to hear the typical faint beeps of most alarms. It also sports some interesting water-related features like a tide graph and a thermometer that measures both air and water temperatures.

But if your focus is strictly lap swimming, another solution is a finger-mounted timer like the SportCount. The smaller display is harder to read, but the button is easier to press since it's located right next to your thumb. Like the Zoggs Lap Pro, the SportCount provides fastest, slowest, and average stats, plus a lap counter and total time elapsed. The only problem is that we're watch fanatics, and as such, we'd prefer a wrist-mounted solution like the Zoggs any day of the week.

By Paul Hubbard and Christian Cantrell

Casio has decided to try their luck at another GPS watch. While their first GPS watch was more of a smallish hand-held GPS strapped to your wrist, the GPR-100 is actually the smallest GPS watch available (63.1mm x 49.5mm x 17.1mm). And it actually looks like a watch, so it won't get you pulled out of an airport security line and escorted into a mysterious back room.

This time, Casio has decided to focus on runners. It's going to be a while before you can strap a really functional general purpose GPS to your wrist (why bother when there are so many amazing and compact hand-held GPS devices out there), so I think it's smart of Casio to narrow down their focus.

Why is GPS such important technology for runners? As long as a GPS device can receive a signal from at least three different satellites, it can can tell you where you are, how fast you're moving, how far you've gone, how much further you have to go, and it can calculate information on your pace. That means no more measuring your route with your car's odometer. The obvious advantage to packing all this functionality into a watch is to make it comfortable to run with, and easy to glance at.

The Casio GPR-100 isn't available in the US yet, so I'm having to glean details from Casio's Japanese site. As far as I can tell, here are the big features:

• Automatic time zone adjustment. The watch gets its time and location from the GPS signal, so it can automatically adjust to your location. It also automatically adjust for daylight savings.
• Points of Interest (POI). Record where you are on the globe, and what time you were there. Up to 100 POIs can be stored. The watch will also calculate the distance between where you are, and one other point.
• Automatic electro-luminescent backlight. Lift up your wrist and tilt it toward your face to automatically illuminate the LCD. (Useful while training in the early morning.)
• Water-resistant to 5ATM, 50 meters, or about 165 feet.
• Stopwatch with 1/100th of a second resolution. You can also record data (lap/split times, total time, average pace, total distance and more) on up to 50 workouts.
• Pace verification. Since the watch knows how fast and how far you're going, it can give you feedback on your pace and let you know whether you need to speed up or slow down.
• Countdown timer.
• Rechargeable battery (recharging cradle is included). Unfortunately, the battery only lasts about 2 hours in "normal" mode, and 4.3 hours in "low power" mode (if you are in good enough shape to run longer than that, you'll have to stick to more conventional training methods). The Casio GPR-100 takes about 3 hours to fully recharge.
• Standard alarm.

The Casio GPR-100 isn't cheap. It goes for 54,000 yen, or about $467.00, as of today. I can see paying that much for a high-end training watch, but frankly, they're going to have to extend the battery life significantly. In case you can't wait for Casio to get around to shipping this watch to the US, check out the Garmin Forerunner 205 (they claim a battery life of 10 hours). I've used its predecessor, the Forerunner 101, pretty extensively, and it's a pretty decent training watch, so I'm anxious to get my hands on the 205.

View the Highgear Enduro photo gallery.

The Highgear Enduro is a durable and affordable sports watch that has a lot going for it. The look is tough and distinctive, and the fit is light and comfortable. It's not the most feature-rich sports watch I've seen, but it has everything most of us needs, and even a few little interesting surprises.

Features of the Highgear Enduro include:

• Two time zones. This is one of those nice little features that Highgear could have completely left out without anyone noticing, but that I really like. Holding down the upper right-hand button will toggle the main time display to a second time zone, and holding it down for three seconds will switch the main time display to the second time zone permanently. To view the first time zone again, press the upper right-hand button, and hold it down for another three seconds to switch it back.
• Chronograph. The Enduro has a very comprehensive chronograph which goes up to 100 hours, supports 100 laps, and has a resolution of 1/100th of a second. My favorite feature of the chronograph is the ability to change its readout configuration between four different modes. Customization is good.
• Countdown timer. Countdown timers are a must with sports watches, and the Enduro more than delivers with three countdown timers which can be used in any one of four separate modes:
  1. Stop. This is the simplest timer mode which counts down from a specified time, then sounds an alarm.
  2. Repeat. When in repeat mode, after the time has fully elapsed, the watch will sound an alarm, then start the countdown again.
  3. Up. This mode causes the countdown timer to first count down from a specified interval, sound an alarm, then start counting back up. For instance, if you want to start your run with a 10 minute walk, the watch will count down from 10 minutes, sound an alarm, then start counting back up so that you can time your run, as well.
  4. Train. Train mode is the most complex. It allows you to chain together nine different times to count down from. After each time fully elapses, the timer will sound an alarm, automatically advance to the next time, then begin counting down again.
  Another feature I really like about the Enduro's countdown timer is that an LCD ring encircles the interval to give you a visual reference of how much time is left. A full ring represents the entire interval, then the ring wanes at the appropriate pace so that it's gone when the timer expires. My elliptical trainer has a similar visual cue which I find very useful.
• Digital compass. Another bonus feature, as far as I'm concerned. The Enduro has a built-in digital compass. It can even be adjusted to account for your magnetic declination (the angle between magnetic and geographic north, which changes depending on where you are in the world). Don't mistake the Enduro for a true Casio or Suunto-style hiking watch, but if you like to run through the woods and need to check your position occasionally, this feature is perfect. You can even hit the upper left-hand button while in chronograph mode to jump to the compass and get a quick 10-second bearing check.
• Three daily alarms. The Enduro has three daily alarms which are relative to whichever time zone is currently selected. None of the alarms allow you to specify the date.
• 20-workout memory. The Enduro allows you to store data for up to 20 workouts. You can store splits, best lap time, average lap time, and the total workout time. The data can only be viewed on the watch, and cannot be archived on a PC.
• Electroluminescent backlight. The Enduro's backlight is very bright, and illuminates the entire LCD uniformly. It also has an auto-backlight feature which means it can be configured to automatically illuminate for two seconds whenever any button is pushed. Watch your battery life, though (see below).
• One year battery. That's a pretty short battery life, but if it's any consolation, the Enduro takes a very common watch battery which can be purchased anywhere watch batteries are sold, and can easily be replaced with nothing but a coin to open the back. The Enduro also has a low power indicator to give you plenty of warning before it dies on you.
• Water-resistant to 50 meters, or about 160 feet. That covers rain and swimming.

View the Casio G-Shock GW-5600 photo gallery.

The GW-5600 is a remake of the very first Casio G-Shock: the 1983 DW-5000C. I fell in love with the GW-5600 series the first time I saw it both for its boxy, retro styling, and for its plain but essential feature set. In fact, the GW-5600 has the exact set of features that I believe makes up a complete and functional modern digital watch:

• Atomic time keeping. Calibrates in both Japan and in the US.
• Solar powered. With the power-saving function enabled, the watch will remain powered for up to 25 months with no light.
• Countdown timer with a maximum time of 60 minutes, and a resolution of 1/10th of a second.
• 4 standard daily alarms, 1 daily snooze alarm, and an hourly time signal.
• Stopwatch with a resolution of 1/100th of a second, and split time.
• World time for 30 different cities (29 time zones).
• Automatic calendar.
• Water resistant to 20 bar, 200 meters, or 660 feet.
• Battery power indicator.
• Signal reception indicator.
• Electroluminescent backlight.

The GW-5600 is available in a few different models. I chose the one with the inverted LCD (the GW-5600BJ) simply to have something a little different, however the contrast isn't as high in real life as Casio's depictions would have you believe, which means it's a little difficult to read (I would probably recommend going with the standard LCD of the GW-5600J). Other than that, the GW-5600 is a simple but functional digital watch which manages to be both retro and modern.

• Casio G-Shock GW-5600 photo gallery.
• The Casio G-Shock GW-5600 product line.
• Casio G-Shock timeline.

Remember the Seiko Sportura SLQ017? It's one of the new limited edition Kinetic Sporturas. Apparently there were only 1,500 made, and only 400 of those were shipped to the US.

Well, if you missed out on the SLQ017, Seiko just announced the new SLQ019. As far as I can tell, it's identical to the SLQ017, but in carbonized titanium, and with orange subdials. In my opinion, the SLQ019 is one tough looking watch. I've seen the SLQ017 in person, and thought at the time that it was probably the coolest of Seiko's Kinetic line, however I think the SLQ019 is even more compelling. It's sort of the Darth Vader of Seiko's Kinetic lineup. It seems to retail for just under $4,000, however Seiko's are typically discounted 20-25%, so I would expect to pay about $3,000. It looks like it comes with a tool for resizing the bracelet, and an interchangeable leather strap, as well. Nice touch.

• The Seiko Sportura SLQ0019 product page.
• The Seiko Sportura SLQ0017.
• Other watches in the Seiko Sportura line.

I always say that you should pick the right watch for the job. And if the job at hand is running or speeding walking, the Timex OVA (Optimal Viewing Angle) looks like it could be the right watch.

First of all, if you're looking for a heart rate monitor, you won't find one in the Timex OVA (check out the Suunto n3i or the Nike HRM Triax Inspire instead). But if you're looking for a comfortable, simple, and inexpensive watch to wear on your long runs or walks, then the Timex OVA might be one to consider. The primary feature of the Timex OVA is that it is designed to ride on the side of your wrist as opposed to the top which puts the watch into your natural line of site while running. Additionally, the large digital numbers are slanted to further improve the viewing angle, and the band is lightweight and breathable.

Full list of features :

• Optimal viewing angle (hence the name). Even the digits are slightly slanted for better readability.
• Flexible and breathable plastic band.
• Large, easily accessible button below the face for operating the timing functions.
• Stopwatch with 75 laps, best lap, and average lap time.
• Two interval timers.
• Repeat countdown timer.
• Three daily alarms.
• Water-resistant to 100 meters (about 330 feet).

I was in New York for a conference last week, and I ran into a girl wearing a big, dorky (in a cool way), very intriguing watch which turned out to be a Seiko AirPro. I'd never seen one before, and when she told me she'd bought it in Japan, my first thought was that it was a GSM mobile phone watch that had somehow slipped passed my Japanese wrist technology radar. But instead of being a speaker or a microphone, the big contraption below the face is actually a pump which can be used to inflate a small chamber under the case to make the watch fit snuggly against your wrist, kind of like the old Nike and Reebok basketball shoes. I'm not exactly sure why it's useful (the girl wearing it was a designer, and I think she was more attracted to its unique looks than its functionality), but I suppose if you were running, or playing tennis, or otherwise engaged in the type of activity that would send your watch bouncing up and down your arm, it might be nice to cinch it down by pumping a little air into it.

I can't explain why, but for some reason, I liked the watch enough to do a bit of research. I don't know if Seiko is still making the AirPro, but I do know for a fact you won't find one at your local authorized Seiko retailer. I found references to the Seiko AirPro as early at August of 1999, so we're definitely talking vintage technology here. I even found references to a version which actually spoke the time which I'm sure wouldn't get old for your co-workers and cube-mates at all.

View the Suunto n6HR photo gallery.

If you're interested in this watch, I can make the decision really easy for you. As always, I'll go into all kinds of detail below, but for the majority of you, this first paragraph will be all you need. Here it goes: If you're an athlete who wants to optimize his or her workouts by monitoring your heart rate, and you're a geek who wants to be constantly connected via MSN Direct, then buy this watch. Don't hesitate. There are no other watches out there with this combination of functionality, so don't even bother looking. However if this does not describe you, then don't buy this watch. If you're an athlete without the geek part, check out the Suunto t6 or the Nike Triax. If you're a geek without the athlete part, then check out the Suunto n3i, Swatch Paparazzi, or the Tissot High-T. That's really all you need know. But if you came here determined to find more information on the Suunto n6HR, then read on.

TAG Heuer, along with golf genius Tiger Woods, announced a new professional golf watch yesterday. I'm not a golfer myself, but apparently the conventional wisdom has always been that you remove your watch when playing a serious match because it can interfere with your swing in several different ways. TAG Heuer and Tiger Woods set out to change all that by creating a professional golf watch that works with golfers rather than against them.

Features of the TAG Heuer golf watch

• Lightweight titanium construction. When a watch has to be lightweight and strong, titanium is the only way to go. Apparently the TAG Heuer professional golf watch is 60% lighter than TAG's other steel watches.
• Integrated clasp design. The clasp is actually integrated into the case of the watch to keep it out of the way. To release the strap, press the two safety release buttons at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions.
• Inverted crown position. The crown of the TAG Heuer golf watch is at the 9 o'clock position rather than the traditional 3 o'clock position to keep it from digging into the golfer's wrist or snagging on his glove. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing non-sports watches designed that way.
• Silicon, slide-proof strap. It's lightweight and very flexible, shock absorbent, and can expand and contract with the golfer's wrist as necessary.
• Shock resistant. Over time, many watches can be damaged by the repetitive shock of a good, solid golf swing, but not the TAG Heuer professional golf watch. Apparently, the watch can absorb 45 times the shock generated by a typical golf swing.
• Quartz movement. Automatic watches can be damaged by the rotor revolving too violently during movements like tennis or golf swings, so TAG Heuer wisely went with quartz for the professional golf watch.
• Tiger Wood's logo on the dial and signature on the caseback. I don't know how much that will actually help your game, but it's a nice touch.
• Luminous hands and hour markers.

Update (1/30/2005): Wrist Watch Review just posted a good review of the n6HR.

Suunto Watches (the website, not the actual manufacturer of Suunto watches) has started taking pre-orders for the long-awaited $399.99 Suunto n6-HR Microsoft SPOT watch which is supposed to ship January 6, 2005. It looks like the Suunto n6-HR, if it indeed materializes, will be the first MSN Direct SPOT watch to combine a heart rate monitor with the MSN Direct service which offers wireless connectivity through FM radio waves to deliver things like news, weather, stocks, movie times, instant messages and more, directly to your watch.

The Suunto n6-HR looks very much like the Suunto n3i, though with a redesigned band, and a heart rate monitor. Features will (allegedly) include:

• MSN Direct compatible.
• Heart Rate Monitor (with two customizable limits & three training zones).
• Stopwatch with multiple lap and split times.
• Training Logbook with 20 logs.
• Chrono with three training timers.
• Interval timer.
• 3 programmable daily alarms.
• Dual time (shows the time in multiple time zones, and updates automatically as you move from one time zone to another).
• Water resistant to 100 meters (10 BAR, 10 ATM, or 330 feet).
• Plastic case with a scratch-resistant mineral crystal.
• Suunto n6-HR Training Manager PC Software included.
• USB recharger included.

The Nike Lance 4 Titanium Cycling watch is the star of Nike's ACG Oregon outdoor watch collection. Inspired and partially designed by five-time (consecutive) Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, the Nike Lance 4 packs an impressive set of features into a relatively lightweight and even fairly nice looking (in an outdoor sports watch kind of way) titanium case.

Before I list all the features of the Nike Lance 4, I want to talk about one feature in particular: the altimeter. Since cycling -- and especially the Tour de France -- is so much about ascents and elevation, naturally the Lance 4 contains an altimeter. The problem with most altimeters which are built into watches, however, is that they are barometric altimeters, which means they attempt to measure your altitude by measuring the atmospheric pressure, and in some cases, the temperature. That also means natural changes in atmospheric pressure dramatically influence altitude measurement. Usually the best way to use a barometric altimeter is to calibrate it before you begin your ascent using a GPS, map, or a nearby sign, then to measure your ascent as quickly as you can before the atmospheric pressure changes. Since that obviously won't work for races that span days or weeks and hundreds or thousands of miles, Nike incorporated their patented Zero Drift technology into the Lance 4 cycling watch. Zero Drift technology is apparently able to determine whether a change in atmospheric pressure was caused by changing weather patterns, or by an actual change in altitude. Very clever, assuming it works.

If you're looking for a moderately priced, high quality, very cool, and totally unique looking watch to surprise someone with this holiday season (or even to surprise yourself with), you might want to check out something from Seiko's new Sportura collection. The inspiration for the Seiko Sportura design was high performance sports cars, and each watch clearly has the feel of a complex but exhilarating dashboard in the type of car I will probably never be able to afford.

The Seiko Sportura collection consists of four models (SLQ017, SNL015, SNJ005, and SNA451), each with its own unique look and feature set, and each in a different (but relatively affordable) price range. All the watches in the Sportura collection start off with the following set of features:

• Jet black dials.
• Scratch-resistant, anti-glare sapphire crystals.
• Screwdown casebacks and crowns.
• Stainless steel bracelets (also available in leather, however).
• Double-locking clasps with push-button release.
• Water resistant to 100 meters (10 BAR, 10 ATM, or 330 feet).
• Japanese quartz movements (though only two of the pieces in the collection actually require batteries).
• Very bright luminous hands and markers.

Now that we know what all the watches in the Seiko Sportura collection have in common, I'll cover each watch individually, starting with the least expensive.

View the Nike Triax Inspire photo gallery.

The Nike HRM Triax Inspire is a simple and solid watch that pretty much does one thing, and does it well. Although it is equipped with basic versions of your standard sports watch features, it's primary purpose -- with the help of the included chest transmitter -- is to optimize your workout by helping you keep your heart rate squarely in a predefined zone.

Features of the Nike Triax Inspire include:

• Heart rate monitoring. Decide what kind of workout you want, configure the minimum and maximum heart rate that corresponds to your goal, and adjust your pace accordingly in order to keep your heart rate "in the zone." The Triax Inspire calculates and reports your heart rate in beats per minute from data received over a short-range radio signal broadcast by the chest transmitter.
• Stopwatch. Nothing fancy. Your standard chronograph that supports a single split time and maxes out at 23:59'59".
• Alarm. Again, very standard. Sounds a little on the quiet side for 20 seconds.
• Time and date. Day of  week, too.
• Nice big numbers. When you're running, biking, jumping rope, aerobisizing -- whatever it is you do -- you really don't want to have to squint at your watch. The Nike Triax Inspire is very easy to read.
• Ergonomic watch face orientation. I don't know if the word "ergonomic" is supposed to be used outside the office, but what I'm trying to say is that the face of the watch is rotated probably a good 35 or 40 degrees clockwise which means you can glance at it while keeping your arm in a very natural bent position, and the numbers will appear straight.
• Backlight. Adequate, considering you probably don't do a lot of running in the dark.
• Water resistant. 50 meters, 5 ATM, 5 BAR, or 165ft. That should keep the sweat out.
• Mineral glass crystal.
• Rugged construction . Resin case, polyurethane strap, stainless steel back and buckle.
• Compatible with most treadmills. The watch and chest transmitter use the same frequency as most treadmills in gyms, so you can monitor your heart rate either on your watch, or using the treadmill's console.

Unfortunately, I don't own this watch, and even more unfortunately, it's likely I never will. There were only 1,500 made world-wide, and only 400 of them found their way to the US. It's a shame because I think this is an absolutely fantastic looking timepiece, and I've always had a soft spot for Seiko ever since I worked for them at their world headquarters in Japan for the better part of a year. This was some time ago, however, and unfortunately, all I left with was an inexpensive stainless steel Chronograph (which I still really like), and a few of those funky Alba Spoons which people in Japan were falling over themselves trying to get back then.

The Sportura, as the name implies, is a sports chronograph, which means it's primary function (aside from looking very cool) is to time events. If you're an Olympic track coach, you're still going to be better off with something in the digital realm with multiple splits, etc., but if you just need to time the occasional yacht race or something, the Sportura will work, and look, just fine.

In 1966, Heuer (before it was TAG Heuer) patented the first miniaturized electronic timekeeping instrument accurate to 1/1000th of a second. Now, 38 years later, TAG Heuer releases the first wristwatch capable of the same level of precision: the Microtimer.

Features of the Microtimer

• F1 racing timer. Measurements precise to 1/1000th of a second.
  • Time each lap individually, and quickly recover the fastest lap in Best Lap mode. (Maximum lap time of 59 minutes, 59 seconds, and 999 thousandths of a second.)
  • Lap indicator. While in F1 racing mode, the watch displays the number of the current lap. (Maximum of 80 laps.)
  • Total race time. In addition to the time of the current lap, watch the total time of the race.
• Alarm (sounds for 60 seconds).
• Chronograph (stopwatch) with split times. (Measures to 1/1000th of a second, maximum time of 99 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds, and 999 thousandths of a second.)
• Date.
• Dual time zone display.
• Quartz movement.
• Water-resistant to 100 meters (10 ATM, 10 BAR, or 330 feet).
• Scratch-proof, anti-reflective sapphire crystal.
• Water-resistant, vulcanized, anti-UV treated rubber strap.
• Backlight (illuminates for six seconds).
• Low battery indicator (battery life between 2 and 3 years, depending on use).
• "Screen saver." Turns the watch display off when not in use.