A long time ago there was a saying, no one ever got fired for buying IBM equipment. It just worked, and the same is true of Casio watches. Use them, abuse them, they just keep working. The new Pro Trek PRT-B70T-7 is yet another solid performer in the Pro Trek line, and the smartphone app offers some nice features for the avid angler.
The Pro Trek series of ABC watches - that's altimeter, barometer and compass functions to you watch newcomers - has always been solid, both in quality of construction and in value. For straight up features per dollar it's hard to beat a Pro Trek, and the new PRT-B70T fishing watch is both tough and pretty, with a titanium band and stainless steel buckle. We've called it the Gal Gadot of watches. We are still waiting on a phone call from Ms. Gadot. She is apparently very busy and hasn't had time to call us yet. We remain hopeful, even as the Sheflogger remains doubtful.
The B70 starts off with the basic Pro Trek build: slightly chunky mineral glass face, aluminum/resin construction, and rotating direction bezel all enclosing Casio's proven Quad Sensor with ABC + temperature, and also a step counter that uses the built-in accelerometer. The watch is secured to your wrist with a comfy silicone band and it's water resistant to 200 meters, so fish on. Also in accordance with its Pro Trek DNA the B70 includes plenty of navigational functions like waypoints and the ability to view route profiles using bluetooth to connect to the smartphone app.
Beyond the comprehensive timekeeping functions - and they are ALL there and then some - a handful of features make the B70T's 'fish mode' specifically interesting to anglers: moon data, tide graph and fishing timer, all of which access a database of 3,300 ports around the world to help you zero in on the best fishing times. Beyond fishing there are even some basic fitness features like a step counter and calories burned calculator, so you can make the (super unconvincing) argument that your fishing time qualifies as a workout.
The software has improved somewhat since we reviewed the Pro Trek BRT-P50 last fall, but it's still a bit clunky. The good news is you don't really need the software for most functions if you take the time to learn the watch interface. The exception is the fishing function set, which actually works well enough on the app, so you're good to go. And let's face it, fish are fickle, so they are likely to ignore all your technology and do what fish do, which is to fool all the people. New is a Fish Memo function that allows you to add pictures of the fish you caught with some basic info, which gives you a pretty cool fishing diary.
All in all the B70 is a classic Pro Trek, which is to say it's a great watch at a good price, and everything from the color to the construction to the fishing features makes it a perfect companion for anyone who spends time outdoors and on the water, fishing or not.
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