The 15 Best Altimeter Watches for Men

Altimeter watches are known for being expensive, with some of the best ones going for over $300. But there are also budget options on the market, most of which don’t come from easily recognizable brands. The Pyle PSWWM82 is one such product. It sells for less than $50 on Amazon, cementing it as one of the most affordable altimeter watches.

This multi-function sports watch comes with a bunch of features, including a chronograph and a weather forecast indicator. It’s a full-fledged ABC watch, featuring an altimeter, a barometer, and a compass, all of which can be easily accessed with just a few clicks. While not on the same level as the premium products further down the list, the altimeter is accurate enough, which might surprise those expecting it to be subpar, considering the price.

Purchase / $45

Of the three most-represented brands on this list, Casio is the one on the affordable side, offering a wide selection of budget-friendly altimeter watches designed for both casual and hardcore outdoorsmen. The Casio SGW-300HB-3AV easily stands out as the best one under $100. It’s a rugged digital watch, featuring a well-secured frame and a nylon strap, with a water resistance up to 330 feet.

It has a large frame, with exposed screws and four buttons around the case. A multi-function watch, this budget product includes an altimeter and a barometer, both of which are fairly accurate. It can display time in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats, with good readability all around. It has a thermometer, too, but don’t count on accurate readings on that one. Unlike most of the other products on this list, this Casio sports watch doesn’t have a compass.

Purchase / $41

The Lad Weather LAD004-BK-JA is a multi-function watch that successfully blends function and cosmetics, resulting in an outdoor gear that’s both handsome and extremely useful. And to top it off, you can get it for less than $100, which definitely sounds like a total steal. It’s available in different colors, some of which come with a negative display (inverted colors), such as this black model.

Compared to the budget Casio sports watch above, this Lad Weather ABC watch has a slightly slimmer profile, with a less sophisticated face. It comes with a set of large buttons for easy navigation and a durable and comfortable buckled strap. It has a stationary bezel and an acrylic window, the latter of which might disappoint some people. Equipped with an accurate altimeter and barometer and a digital compass, this sports watch is a recommended outdoor gear for hikers and mountaineers who don’t want to break the bank for an altimeter watch.

Purchase / $89

We are now leaving the budget territory, so don’t expect to see any other products retailing for less than a hundred bucks. Our next product in this guide to the best altimeter watches for men is the extremely durable Suunto Core. It’s a tough watch that you can rely on for years, featuring a rugged frame with a rotating bezel marked with the cardinal points.

Stylish and reliable, the Suunto Core has an altimeter, a barometer, and a compass. It’s a great tool for hiking and backpacking, with the weather indicator keeping you informed on whether or not it’s still safe to be out in the wilderness. It’s got sunrise/sunset times for over 400 locations, a useful function during multi-day outdoor trips. Although it appears to be a complicated device, the Suunto Core is an easy-to-use altimeter watch, with a set of buttons that allow for quick and precise navigation.

Purchase / $165

The Casio Pathfinder PAG240-1CR is a solar-powered watch, with the ability to last up to six months on just a single full charge. It’s on the large and heavy side, with a 51-millimeter case made of stainless steel and a mineral dial window. The case comes with a bidirectional bezel, with clearly marked cardinal points for navigation, which is important considering the case (and the dial itself) has a bunch of other markers.

A sports watch that can tell time in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats, the Casio Pathfinder PAG240-1CR includes all the core functions you might expect from such a sophisticated-looking item. In addition to the altimeter, barometer, and compass, this outdoor watch has a countdown timer, sunset/sunrise times, a thermometer, and a calendar, among other features. It has excellent readability regardless of the light condition and boasts water resistance up to 330 feet, making it an all-around outdoor watch.

Purchase / $151

The Casio Rangeman GW-9400-1CR is one of the most popular altimeter watches on the market – and a quick look at its features and construction will tell you why it carries that distinction. It’s a large watch in the same vein as the previous item, featuring a stainless steel case and a mineral dial window. It has a stationary bezel with no cardinal points.

Unlike most of the products on this list, this rugged altimeter watch boasts water resistance up to 660 feet, making it ideal for both high-altitude outdoor activities and casual scuba diving. It’s got a well-secured dial, with textured buttons for easy navigation. It has an accurate altimeter and barometer and features a calendar, a countdown timer, and atomic timekeeping. Considering its rugged design, it’s not surprising that this altimeter watch is on the heavy side, so those with small wrists might find it uncomfortable to wear for an extended period.

Purchase / $198

In regard to size, the Casio Pro Trek PRW-2500T-7CR is a bit more modest than the Casio Rangeman GW-9400-1CR. But don’t assume that it sacrificed durability and toughness in exchange for a relatively less imposing profile. It’s still a rugged altimeter watch, boasting a titanium band and a stainless steel case with a bidirectional aluminum bezel and a mineral dial window.

A digital watch with a Japanese quartz movement, this multi-function sports watch includes an altimeter, a barometer, a digital compass, a thermometer, a calendar, a tide graph, a moon phase indicator, and a countdown timer, among others. It’s also solar-powered, with the ability to last up to 23 months while in power saving mode. Overall, it’s a fantastic altimeter watch that you can use for different outdoor activities, including water-related ones such as kayaking and snorkeling, with its excellent water resistance giving it optimum aqua protection.

Purchase / $230

When sports watches are mentioned, a lot of people instantly picture a bulky watch built like a tank, with different markers around the case. While many products fit that description, there are also products that offer a subtler and more conservative design. The Suunto Traverse is one such product, with its simple but stylish case easily separating it from the previous two Casio watches. It’s an altimeter watch with a 100-hour power reserve and water resistance up to 330 feet.

The Suunto Traverse packs a number of useful features for outdoor enthusiasts, including an option to retrace your steps. It has an altimeter, a distance tracker, a compass, and sunrise/sunset times, among other functions. Composed of a stainless steel case and a silicone band, this sports watch is easy to use, with responsive buttons and a clear dial. It’s a recommended product for those who prefer a more discreet altimeter watch, one that carries a more modern design.

Purchase / $274

Considered one of the top altimeter watches for men, the Suunto Ambit3 Peak is another multi-function watch that offers a stylish and modern design. It’s got twice the style and twice the battery life of the Suunto Traverse, boasting a 200-hour battery life on a single charge. That’s an impressive battery, one that not many products in the same class can match. It has an elegant and modern look that makes it stand out among all the other products mentioned so far.

But the Suunto Ambit3 Peak isn’t just about style. It also packs a number of features that outdoor enthusiasts will find useful, including an accurate altimeter, a barometer, and a compass. It boasts water resistance up to 330 feet and comes with a tough band. Some might find it too large, though – the increased size is a trade-off for that exceptional battery life. Overall, this eye-catching sports watch is an ideal gear not only for hiking but also for running, cycling, and swimming.

Purchase / $299

Ignore the product description that marks this product as the Suunto X-Lander. This one’s the Suunto Vector, as evidenced by the model name on the case. Compared to the Suunto Ambit3 Peak and the Suunto Traverse, this Suunto sports watch features a more rugged and more traditional design. It has a more crowded face, too. It has large buttons around the case for easy navigation and comes with a buckled elastomer strap.

Offered in different colors, including red and black, this altimeter watch has a built-in barometer and compass and includes a weather trend indicator, a countdown timer, and a thermometer. It’s an excellent watch for hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities – except for scuba diving and other activities where you need to be underwater for long stretches. If both the Ambit3 Peak and the Traverse are too modern for you, then check out the Suunto Vector, which sells for a little over $300.

Purchase / $310

Capping off the Suunto product parade is the Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR, an expensive watch that goes for well over $300. Unlike the Suunto Vector, it sports an undeniably modern design, featuring a clean case devoid of any markers often associated with altimeter watches, such as the cardinal points. It’s got a durable frame, with a stainless steel bezel and a sapphire glass.

Designed for both indoor training and outdoor sorties, this touchscreen sports watch has an altimeter, a digital compass, a distance tracker, and a heart rate monitor, among other functions, all of which are easy to access with just a few button presses. Considering its battery life, this product may not be suitable for hardcore hikers, mountaineers, and skiers, but for casual ones, it can get the job done. It’s built for different sports and offers excellent screen readability.

Purchase / $350

Even with the Garmin Fenix 5 out on the market, the Garmin Fenix 3 still remains a popular product among outdoor enthusiasts. It’s a multi-function sports watch that comes with several fitness trackers, making it an ideal all-around gear for different athletes. It has an altimeter, a barometer, and a compass, with the altimeter standing out for its excellent accuracy.

The Garmin Fenix 3 is another example of an altimeter watch that offers a perfect balance between cosmetics and functionality. It has an uncluttered case, at least compared to traditional outdoor watches like the ones from Casio. The bezel is made of stainless steel while the band is made of silicone, with Garmin offering a model equipped with a titanium band. It has superb screen visibility, comes with a great battery life, and boasts water resistance up to 330 feet. It’s a fantastic modern outdoor gear for running, swimming, skiing, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Purchase / $481

When it comes to the best altimeter watches for men, the Garmin Fenix 5 is easily one of the top three, with many people crowning it as the best one you can get today. That’s an impressive reputation, considering the market is full of excellent options, including solid contenders from both Suunto and Casio. The Garmin Fenix 5X is the largest model being offered, featuring a 51-millimeter face with a sapphire glass.

Like the Garmin Fenix 3, this expensive outdoor gear packs a bunch of tracking and navigation features, including an altimeter, a barometer, and a compass. It boasts a full-color topographic U.S. mapping system, allowing for a quick location reference. Overall, the Garmin Fenix 5X is a top-notch altimeter watch that not only offers a wide range of functions but also puts emphasis on durability. It has a well-secured case with a scratch-resistant window and a water resistance rating of 330 feet.

Purchase / $550

The Garmin Tactix Bravo is a tough sports watch with excellent navigation and tactical features. It comes in a durable reinforced case, featuring a stainless steel bezel and a nylon band, with a silicone band option. It has an all-black, non-reflective finish, allowing it to mesh well with your other tactical equipment. It’s easy to use, boasts a high-resolution backlit screen, and is water resistant up to 330 feet, which is a common water resistance rating for modern altimeter watches.

A GPS watch with a night vision mode, the Garmin Tactix Bravo has an altimeter, a barometer, and a compass, all of which can be easily accessed on the screen. Like with the other Garmin sports watches on this list, this particular model offers accurate altitude readings, making it a reliable outdoor gear for hiking and mountaineering. While not as popular as the Garmin Fenix series, mainly because of its lack of advanced fitness trackers, the Garmin Tactix Bravo is a top-notch altimeter watch that strikes a nice balance between style, durability, and functionality.

Purchase / $551

The Tissot T-Touch Expert Titanium is probably the most unique product on this list, at least with regard to design. It has an analog and digital display, with the latter on the bottom half of the dial. The case is made of titanium, with a unidirectional bezel and an anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire window for supreme readability and protection. The band, on the other hand, is made of genuine leather, though some variations use a different material.

Water resistant up to 330 feet, this titanium watch includes a bunch of functions, including an altimeter, a compass, a chronograph, a thermometer, and a countdown timer, among others. The functions can be easily accessed via the touch-sensitive screen. Like the Casio Pathfinder PAG240-1CR, this altimeter watch is solar-powered, which basically means you get unlimited power.

Purchase / $682