User Review: Highgear Summit

Highgear Summit
Above: The current Summit, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed October 18, 2007 by Tom Chymbor

Rating:
Price Paid: $149.95

I bought a Highgear Summit watch in July of 2005 and was excited with the triple sensor features. In the fall, we hiked through the Grand Canyon and I was anxious to review the elevation changes throughout the hike. Five days later on the trail up the South Rim the altimeter ceased to function. I called Highgear and explained the situation and they authorized a return. I received a new watch a week later (November 2005) and all seemed OK.

In July 2007 I started to experience problems again. Now the barometer would not change and since the altimeter is tied to the barometer that too was incorrect. I procrastinated calling Highgear and with an upcoming vacation planned to the Teton’s in September 2007 I wanted to have a functioning altimeter. However, the watch then signaled a low battery by beeping and flashing a number of times and went blank. I replaced the battery and nothing. Total blank. I tired the complete reset maneuver (holding all four buttons simultaneously) and still nothing.

When I called Highgear and explained all the problems, the customer service person was nice and did a lot of searching to find my original contact in 2005 and the authorized return. She informed me that the replacement watch was within the 2-year warranty and likely they would replace the malfunctioning watch. I was told I would get an email with the RMA. That never happened. A week passed and no email. I called again but never got through to a person as the customer service number immediately transferred to voicemail. I left my contact information repeatedly but never received a call back.

Upon returning from the vacation, I called again and customer service still transferred directly to voicemail. I called back but choose technical support and talked to a technician. This person was either having a bad day or did not like taking support calls. His first reaction was that I did not know how to change the battery. His second reaction was that I was using an expired battery as a replacement. When I insisted I had a fresh battery he then informed me I would get an email with an RMA (sound familiar) and to send the watch back with a copy of my receipt and Highgear would either replace or repair after they evaluated the watch. When I told him that the watch had been replaced by Highgear in November 2005 and that a previous customer service contact indicated the replacement watch was within warranty he just repeated his instructions without any comment about the prior replacement.

I never received the email with the RMA and at this point no longer interested in any Highgear solution.

Pros:
The watch is attractive and I received a lot of compliments on its look.

I liked the large size and large numbers.

The backlight feature was strong and there were times I used it as a quick “flashlight” in a dark tent.

Cons:
The mechanism failed in two watches in two years through normal wear and tear.

Customer support and technical support do not follow up on their commitments.

Here’s the bottom line…The watch was not cheap and should have more durability than I received. I could understand one watch having a problem but for two watches to fail in two years seems very odd and a bit concerning. Since I am in the market again for another watch, I have read more reviews on triple sensor type watches and have learned that all seem to have issues, regardless of manufacturer, mainly in the barometer and altimeter features. It may be too much to ask a timepiece to accommodate the triple sensor technology.