I have a HighGear Axio Max Steel altimeter watch. It's kinda on the heavy side, but I like being able to quantify my environment at the touch of a button. The light has stopped working. You know the button you press to light up the screen when it's dark? Now it just goes dark.

I called HighGear. It turns out the brand is no longer in business, and do not repair things out of warranty. I guess the mother company is still around, but it won't fix things even if you pay them. I regret ever buying their stuff.

So what are my options? I am guessing this kind of electronics needs trained technicians and factory parts to fix.

While it might be possible for you to find someone who is good at fixing altimeter watches to do this off-warranty, my expectation is that you still wouldn't be able to get this fixed. If the backlight has failed, the chances are that you won't be able to obtain the parts.

If I were you, I would look for a replacement or carry a small light suitable for checking the face of your altimeter watch. Casio has altimeter watches starting at under $50, which is certainly less than any attempt to repair it would cost.

Casio Watches for the win. Most technology for the dollar I have found so far.

i have an older model altitech from high gear.

try changing the battery. worked for me.

How did your watch behave, Agent Smith? My backlight comes on momentarily, then the whole display goes dark. If I let go of the light button, everything comes back to normal.

That really does sound like a battery issue, not a broken backlight issue.

The reason it sounds like that to me is that the backlight takes up far more power than normal watch operations. If the battery is low, taking the additional current makes the voltage on a nearly exhausted battery sag so much that everything goes dead. Once the light is turned off, the current requirement goes way down and the voltage comes up enough to operate the watch again.

This is just about the best news you could have asked for :-).

agent?
just as you described.


what he said.
and as we know, batteries are cheaper than a new unit.
i bought a garmin wristband gps unit that i use. little pricey, but it does what i need it to as well having a lot of features that i don't use.

Yes, ETS for the win!

so can we assume you replaced the battery and life is good again?

Yep! My watch is back, lighting up darkness like a fire burning in the night! Thanks again, ETS!