Overview
As you may know many smart watches that are on the market are geared towards an everyday phone user or your tech savvy consumer. On the other hand there aren’t a broad range of smart watches geared towards the individuals who enjoy tech gadgets and the adventurous activities of the outdoors. Casio’s new WSD-F30 Pro Trek Smart watch is more than capable when it comes to combining the tech features of a top notch smart watch that coincides with the activities of even your most seasoned outdoorsmen. The watch is developed and based on the Wear OS by Google app and this is Casio’s latest edition in their Pro Trek series. This watch being slightly smaller than their last model watch, the WSD-F20, by about 4 diameters may draw in more consumers being that the face of the watch is obviously smaller and more appealing to wear.
Design, & Build Quality
The WSD-F30 has military 810G standard specifications, designed to withstand the natural elements of the outdoors from low temperatures, humidity, impact, vibration and water resistance based by the U.S. Department of Defense. Its design appears to be slightly more stylish yet maintains the appeal of an outdoors watch than its predecessor the WSD-F20. There are 3 buttons for accessing the map, power, and tools on one side and on the opposite side of the watch there’s a sensor and a magnetic port for the charging unit. The watch fit comfortably on my wrist with enough notches provided so that it didn’t feel too tight nor too loose, it fit just right. The strap is sturdy and nicely designed and even after wearing the watch for sometimes of upward to 12 hours, it felt like that it wasn’t on my wrist at times which is a plus. I like that the touch screen on the watch happened to be very responsive and no delays when your exploring its many functionalities and features. Also, I like how the design of the watch contributes to the screen being protected by the outer bezel, for example, if you were to drop this watch on a hard surface, the impact will likely make first contact with the outer bezel first before touching the screen which can provide some reassurance that your watch is nicely protected.
Features
The Casio WSD-F30 was designed around three key concepts that include, full color maps, GPS which is available online and offline, and lastly Casio partnered with outdoor app companies to further optimize the utilization of the WSD-F30. There is a broad variety of apps available to use for different outdoor activities which include trekking, cycling, skiing, fishing, rowing, horseback riding, golfing, surfing, swimming, exercising, and running. For example, while attending the Casio WSD-F30 review event at the Mountain Creek ski resort in New Jersey the watch proved useful for skiing using the “Ski Tracks” app. While on the slopes, the ski track app can record the user’s activities for an entire day which ranges from speed, altitude traveled, and gliding status.
There are multiple smartwatch functions that are available to the user with the Wear OS by Google app such as Support (google, translate), Communication (receiving incoming call notifications but keep in mind that voice communications is not available when only using the watch), and entertainment such as Google Play Music and Media controls. Even though this smartwatch can be used with an android or iPhone, the iPhone’s iOS platform has yet to support the many apps that Casio has partnered with so with that being the case android users are more likely to get the full experience of the watch’s full features at the time of writing this review.
Specifications (Courtesy of CasioProTrek.com)
*GPS– Compatible (including GPS, GLONASS and Michibiki)
*Color Maps-Compatible (Supports offline use, can save up to five offline maps)
*OS– Wear OS by Google
*Display– 1.2 inch dual layer display Color OLED (390×390 pixels) and monochrome LCD
*Touchscreen-Capacitive Touchscreen (anti-fouling coating)
*Water Resistance– 5 bar (50 meters)
*Environmental Durability– MIL-STD-810 (United States military standard issued by the U.S. Department of Defense). Low temperature resistance (-10 degrees Celsius)
*Sensors– Pressure (air pressure, altitude) sensor, accelerometer, gyrometer, compass (magnetic) sensor
*Microphone-Yes
*Vibrator-Yes
*Battery– Lithium-ion battery
*Wireless Connectivity-Bluetooth V4.1 (Low Energy)
Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)
*Buttons-MAP button, Power button, TOOL button
*Charging Method– Magnetic charging terminal
*Recharging Time- Approx. 3 hours at room temperature
*Battery Life (When GPS Not in Use)- Normal use (color display): 1.5 day, roughly
*Multi Timepiece Mode (timekeeping and sensors only) : 1 month roughly (varies according to use)
*Size of Case– Approx 60.5 x 53.8 x 14.9 mm (H x W x D)
*Weight– Approx. 83 g (including Wristband)
*Included Accessories– *AC adaptor *Special charger cable
Verdict
If you’re in the market for a new smart watch and like to partake in adventurous outdoor activities, then I will say that the Casio WSD-F30 is for you. With a price point of $550 it can slightly deter some consumers from purchasing the watch being that some competitors of Casio have a lower price point for similar smart watches. But with its broad range of functions, apps, (particularly more so for android phone users at this time) and features, you are absolutely getting what you paid for and your money will not go to waste with this watch. I personally feel that individuals who are enjoy outdoor activities will enjoy this watch more so than a normal smart watch consumer being that many of the watch features are geared towards outdoor activities.
