Thommen Analog Altimeter

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Messages 1 - 6 of total 6 in this topic

Mark Force

Trad climber

Ashland, Oregon

Topic Author's Original Post - May 27, 2015 - 09:26pm PT

I have recently been using the a Thommen analog altimeter along with the altimeter that comes with the Suunto Ambit3 Peak. Have always liked well made vintage tools and getting a feel for the Thommen has been fun. Plan on using it backpacking and mountaineering.

Anyone still using one? Any tricks or stories to share?

Here is reference to the Thommen altimeter from the 1985 Chouinard catalog.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

May 27, 2015 - 10:19pm PT

I used to know what the jewels number meant.

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

May 28, 2015 - 01:59am PT

Is this the Kansas thread oops wait at least the cool folks know to look,
Thnx, for posting. 85'was a great time!!

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

May 28, 2015 - 06:36am PT

Mark: thanks for the altimeter reminder and the Chouinard catalog link. I remember being greatly aided by an altimeter watch for predicting weather & route-finding in the late 1980's. I had nearly forgotten that "stand-alone" altimeters still were useful.

I confess to using a GPS for altitude info and the internet for weather forecasts these days.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles

May 28, 2015 - 06:58am PT

I have one and found it to be wildly at variance with topo map numbers. I'd set it in the morning before starting out but invariably it would be wrong throughout the climb.

I can usually pinpoint my location on a topo map so I just use that to find my altitude.

After a few years I retired it to my bookshelf where I used it as a barometer.

Now I just use satellite data from NOAA.gov.

If one were in the backcountry for an extended time with no electronic gadgets it would be fantastic to have one of these.