Tech40 Trail Runner Watch: A Love/Hate Relationship

The Tech⁴0 Accelerator Series Trail Runner Watch with pedometer functioning is genius in theory. Priced between $30-$135 (I believe my particular model is no longer available as I bought it as a closeout sale from the REI outlet) this watch records daily steps taken, calories burned and distance traveled. The watch also includes dual-time features, date stamps, alarm and stopwatch capabilities and an indiglo light.

There is no worry about the positioning of the device in order to yield accurate pedometer results, and from what I can tell, it’s quite accurate to about +/- .04 miles or so.

Love the neutral color. Love the size. Do NOT love the complications, vague customer support and super-short battery life. Their web site stinks.

If you use the pedometer function daily you can expect to replace the battery at least once every two to three months – and the battery replacement is NOT easy. In fact, the stupid manual not only fails to identify the battery required (CR2032), but it also instructs owners to have batteries replaced solely by a licensed store or jeweler.

For normal watches I would be more than willing to take the time to have a jeweler/licensed store replace my watch battery, but this type of watch eats batteries like we breathe air. Therefore, I took it upon myself to force the battery from my watch for replacement (I was CERTAIN I had completely broken it), and while I was at the end of my rapidly fraying rope of frustration, I figured I was only throwing away $40. I did get the watch on close-out at an outlet after all.

The watch is still functioning, but here I introduce super-annoying drawback #2.

Every time you replace the battery the personal information is deleted (height, weight, stride-length for walking and running, time settings [format and dual-time settings], alarm settings, etc.)

If the watch was easy to program I might not care so much, but said programming is both complicated and cumbersome. Maybe I got a lemon, but there is no rhyme or reason to the buttons on my watch. Not to mention that any watch that requires the viewing of online tutorials must be a bit over the top.

I am glad to say that certain features that never worked when I first received the watch now seem to function perfectly. I must've received one that sat on the shelf for quite a while running down that easily drained battery!

I suppose the bottom line is that I'd purchase this watch again, but only if able to find a super-deal similar to the one I got from the REI Outlet. Unless I become a step-by-step/mileage fanatic like both my father and brother, my max offer would be $45. If I recall correctly, I paid about $35, including shipping to my local REI store FREE, for my Tech⁴0 Trail Runner Watch.