Origo Rendezvous Peak Watch

Test Series by Jamie Lawrence

Initial Report - 7th October 2009

Field Report - December 2009

Long-Term Report - February 2010

Tester Information

Name:	Jamie Lawrence
Email:	jlawrence@publictrustee.tas.gov.au
Age:	27
Location:	Hobart, Tasmania AUSTRALIA
Gender:	Male
Height:	1.70 m (5' 7")
Weight:	70 kg (154 lbs)

 

I was introduced to backpacking/tramping/hiking as a young child in Boy Scouts and through my school physical/adventure education. After leaving school, I mainly did short daywalks until recently when I started to re-walk some of Tasmania's key routes and try others I have yet to attempt. I mainly walk in the winter months, in Tasmania's central highlands area. I prefer light gear, extended walks (3-5 days) in a group of 3 or shorter walks (1-3 days) walking solo. I would generally carry a base weight pack of around 8 kg - 10 kg (17 lbs - 22 lbs).

Initial Report

7th October 2009

Product Information & Specification

Manufacturer:	Origo
Year of Manufacture:	2009
Manufacturer's Website:	http://www.origowatch.com
MSRP:	US$180.00
Listed Weight:	70 g (2.47 oz)
Measured Weight:	74 g (2.61 oz)
Dimensions:	Diameter: 32 mm (1.26 in) Case: 43 mm (1.69 in) Thickness: 15 mm (0.59 in)

Image courtesy Origo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to Origo the Rendezvous Peak (the RP) is 'Designed for the uncompromising athlete, Rendezvous Peak watches are precision instruments that not only perform, but project sophistication. Its competitive nature is hidden behind its handsome exterior. Each multi-sensor watch unites barometric pressure, altimeter and digital compass data in a small, sleek timepiece. The perfect Rendezvous is waiting for you.' 

This RP is available in only Black but with a choice of standard display or reverse display (as pictured above), I am testing the reverse display model. The regular display model has a white background with black numbers/icons.

Trying out the Rendezvous

The RP is a multi-sensor watch that features in-built barometer, altimeter and digital compass. I have never used a watch of this design before but I have seen plenty of them in camping stores so had a good idea of what to expect. My initial reaction on opening the box was that the RP is in fact a nicely designed timepiece that I could easily wear as a casual accessory as well as an important piece of bushwalking navigation gear.

When I removed the RP from the box I immediately needed to adjust the time for my local time zone. I figured that this would be an easy enough task and being a stubborn male, decided not to read the instructions manual. So I set about pressing and holding down all the buttons! Naturally this didn't work and I as confronted with the words KEY LOCKED on the screen. At this point it is worth noting that the instructions manual included with the RP is excellent and clearly explained to me where I had gone wrong. Within a minute or so I was able to correct the time as well as change the output to 24 hour format (my preference), temperature to Celsius and altitude to Meters. For the record, KEY LOCKED is a useful function to prevent the watch accidently changing to 'high power consumption functions such as digital compass, EL back light, altimeter and TIME function', according to page 10 of the manual.

Onboard Functions

The RP has 4 buttons, START/STOP, RESET, MODE and ADJUST/EL. By pressing the MODE button you are able to scroll through the different functions of the RP. Each function is displayed on the screen with the following abbreviations:

MODE	DESCRIPTION
TIME	Current time, calendar, current weather and temperature display
COMP	Digital Compass
BARO	Current weather forecast, barometric pressure and history
ALTI	Current altitude and altitude history
ALTI DATA	Altimeter data logbook for user recall
CHRO	Chronograph with lap and split time
CHRO DATA	Chronograph logbook for user recall
ALRM	2 Alarms
TIMR	Countdown timer

 

The only functions that I have been able to figure out how to use without reference to the instructions manual is the TIME and the TIMR function. From my first quick flick through the manual I know I need to calibrate the digital compass as well as reset the barometric pressure to give both accurate altitude readings as well as barometric pressure changes for the weather forecast display in TIME mode. I have yet to do this as I have not needed to use the functions and given the large size of the watch compared to the simple watches I wear on a daily basis, I am simply getting used to wearing the RP.

Wearing and Using the Rendezvous

I was initially concerned that the RP would not fit my wrist, despite the 10 holes in the band to enable a wide range of fittings. My concerns were not because of the number of holes but more the general design of the wrist band. The large body of the RP is connected to the wrist band at almost right angles, making it a very tight fit. The wrist band also doesn't flex or hinge off the body of the watch, this makes for quite a tight fit on my wrist, especially compared to my usual wrist watch.

The large body of the RP compared to my normal watch	The wrist band of the RP which is not hinged to the body

 

I find that the RP is most comfortable on my wrist when I use the middle holes on the wrist band. I find it really easy to get the watch on, but taking it off is quite hard. I have to really pull at the band to release the pin from the hole. Hopefully this will loosen up with more use. For the most part, the RP is quite comfortable to wear and the display is easy for me to read, with the exception of the small weather indicator icons and battery icon. In simple terms these are just too small for me to see!! Mind you I don't need a watch to tell me if it is sunny or cloudy, I can just look at the sky for that. I find the display is also a little dim, so much so that even in a lit up room I have to sometimes use the EL function to backlight the display. Even with the EL on, which is a pleasant blue colour, the display is still quite dim, but in close to total darkness, the EL function is great. I am not sure if the dimness of the display is because of the reverse display design or not.

Summary

Overall I quite like the Rendezvous Peak as an outdoor timepiece but I need to spend a lot more time reading the instruction manual before I can use it to its full potential. I was quite surprised by how much I was not able to figure out by just 'playing' with the RP as I am usually tech savvy. Lucky the instruction manual is super small so I have no concerns in taking it out in the field with me as a reference.

So far I like the general design and quality of the RP. I look forward to getting to know the full features in more detail in the field. I am a little concerned about the wrist band but assume this will resolve itself after a bit more wear.

This concludes my Initial Report of the Origo Rendezvous Peak Watch. Please check back in December for the results of my field testing. My thanks to Origo and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product

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