AMTASTMulti-Function Digital Altimeter

This altimeter/barometer is cheaply made and therfore affordable. It actually keeps pace with the barometer readings at my local airport. Being able to read the backlit temperature in a cold, dark tent was a bonus. It has read the altitude change of one hill at a time accurately. And it has been predicting upcoming weather surprising well. That said, it is not dependable. It can be frustrating. It can suddenly go dead (even when resting on a desk) and require the battery to be pulled out and the same battery put right back in. That trick has worked several times. It can drop saved data. It is fragile. But it can be quite useful (and fun) if you're willing to learn how to work with its idiosyncrasies. And again, affordable!

I'm giving this product 4 stars because it does well for which I purchased it; which is as an altimeter.It is somewhat complicated to use the functions but if you read the directions, you can learn them pretty quickly.Take the time to calibrate it at sealevel, or a known altitude - settings can be accessed for this.Startup and calibration begins when you first connect it for charge; it can also be accessed in the setup menu.I also have difficulty with connecting the mini-USB as described by others, but it just takes a little fiddling and the charge lasts for a good period of time.My hydrometer is stuck at 1%, but I do not care about this feature very much.Clock functions wellThermometer functions well - Remember: it will pickup your body heat in your pocket or hand so let it sit for a bit in the shade or hang it from your pack as I do for it to be accurate.Compass is accurate after you get it to calibrate (when it tells you to keep it level) but this must be done before relying on it for direction!It is quite magnetically sensitive so do this away from magnetic materials.Would I rely on this device for weather forecasting, direction, or even altitudes above the treeline?Most likely not, but for the price, the clock, thermometer, and altimeter work well for my adventures!

The unit is ok. Just ok. I found it difficult to read and understand the operation manual. The unit appears to work fine but I've put in in my car on a vent mount and watch the altimeter as I drive. It doesn't appear to update a quickly as I think it should and several times it shows negative elevation. I know I'm never below sea level so I'm suspicious regarding its accuracy. I haven't used many of the other features, as I noted, the instructions leave a lot to be desired.

I have tried several thermometers for hiking, and this has worked surprisingly well. It keeps time, provides the temperature, and the altimeter works. I have used to to measure the amount of descent or climb on some hikes, and that has been useful information. (If your hike takes you down 500 feet, you know what you will have to do to return to your trailhead.)

I purchased this item to use for distance shooting. Primarily I was interested in its barometer and thermometer features. It's hard to find a good unit that's suitable for taking into the field. After examining it initially, I was a little disappointed and was going to return it. It uses a dedicated battery, so you can't carry extras with you. Plus, for something that seems like it would be fairly intuitive, the owner's manual is surprisingly complicated. I set it aside for a few days, before deciding that I was going to at least try to set it up. I got it up and running before taking it out to my favorite range. And it's not bad. It seems pretty accurate. The barometer agrees with a different one I have, so I'm hoping that it's accurate. The thermometer definitely is accurate. I can't speak for the altimeter, since I really don't use that function. And the battery seems to hold a charge pretty well. I charged it up a week ago and, despite the fact that it's on constantly, the indicator is still showing a full charge. The compass is the weak feature of this unit. Despite numerous attempts, it simply won't calibrate. No matter. I have a nice conventional compass.

I recently lost my old yellow and black pocket altimeter that had been so great on trips (including up to Everest base camp at 17000 feet), so this "yellow and black" altimeter looked like the perfect replacement. It was less expensive and had a few more functions, so, in spite of the mixed reviews, I bought it. What a disappointment! After initial setup--not an easy task--I attempted to set the altitude. After several failed attempts to get the barometer and altitude to agree, I realized that the altitude display, three large digits followed by one small digit, should be read as one number; the small digit is not tenths. So, ok, I could let it go that the display is non-standard. Then the altitude jumped around second-by-second by up to 20 feet. When I changed my elevation by about 40 feet nothing happened to the displayed value. Hmmm. I tried to calibrate the compass without success. Standing in the open there was no consistent direction displayed. And finally, when the time was set to 12-hr mode the time that followed the 11 am hour is 0, as in 0:13. Don't get this

First, the digital compass (something I barely trust in the first place) is just horrible. With a full charging cycle and having tried it many locations including 1 mile from nearest structure or powerline and the direction marker never displayed the same direction twice. On several occasions, it jumped from whatever direction it first indicated to North.Second, Barometric Altimeter was close to accurate. At its worst at the top of Sandia Mountain, it was off by 575 feet on a clear day. The altimeter on my phone and my analog altimeter were both spot on with the indicated height of my location. I will give most things a second try, this is not one of them.