The Suunto brand is very popular among outdoor watch brands. It’s one of the best selling brands on Amazon as well, but which is the best Suunto watch?
We will take a look at different Suunto watches in a side-by-side comparison to see which ones are best suited to different kinds of situations.
Suunto Core Wrist-Top Computer Watch with Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, and Depth Measurement
First we will take a look at the top of the line Suunto Core Wrist-Top Computer Watch. The sheer wealth of functions, its design, its ABC accuracy, and the beautiful graphics display on the Core are pretty much as good as it gets. The material, readability, and push button experience is strong as well.
With a display in reverse format (background black, alpha-numeric symbols in white-silver), it is pleasant to look at. With the contrast adjusted, you can make the display as clear and easy to look at is you want. I prefer black letters on a white background, but this is still easy to read.
The responsiveness of the buttons is great, and they are easy to press. Navigating through the menus, the “View” button and “Mode” button must be pressed in various combinations to get the results you want. This may be slightly confusing at first, but after you get the logic of the layout, it’s fairly easy to understand. It may just take a day or two to get the feel of this type of functionality.
The good thing is, the ABC is extremely accurate. Their readings are comparable to real ABC instruments. The accuracy truly is phenomenal. Air pressure will cause the storm alarm to change accurately, which is impressive. Also, the electronic compass works wonderfully. Having set your course, the Core’s bearing indicator will show an arrow and “left” and “right” telling you which way to go. This is an extremely useful and clever feature. The Core features batteries which the user can replace by him/herself, which will of course save money in the long run.
The only faults I found were that the directional rotation ring was hard to turn. This will require fingernails. If you don’t have any, good luck—and the alarm is kind of soft and not easy to hear. Also, the wrist strap seems a bit cheap for the caliber of the watch. The illuminator isn’t as bright as I felt it could be, too.
[thrive_link color=’blue’ link=’http://www.amazon.com/Suunto-Wrist-Top-Altimeter-Barometer-Measurement/dp/B001G7QVVS’ target=’_blank’ size=’medium’ align=”]View More Details[/thrive_link]
Suunto M5 Heart Rate Monitor with Movestick
The Suunto M5 Heart Rate Monitory is a great watch. It has a wonderful dial which features a bright, clear screen. It is simple to read even when you’re riding a bicycle, running, or swimming. The buttons are easy to press, which is a necessity for anyone who is really looking at tracking workouts. Everything on this watch is so intuitive and well thought out that it makes the manual really unnecessary. The buttons you need to press for this feature or that is made very clear in the layout and design. With a comfortable chest strap, this watch is a must for someone looking for the best product out there for monitoring your heart rate during physical exercise.
One of the best things, if not the best, about the M5 is the Moveslink USB connector and the software that goes with it. The USB stick is very small, and is not easily broken. The software used for the upload is really very simple to use. It updates and monitors your progress and goals quite simply. Again, this is another very intuitive feature, and reading the manual won’t be necessary to use this feature as well as many others. Really, the M5 could even teach Apple one or two things about great intuitive simplicity in product operation and user-friendly design.
Hands down, this watch is easier to use and better than the Polar, the Timex, the Cateye or any of the other heart rate watch competition.
[thrive_link color=’blue’ link=’http://www.amazon.com/Suunto-Heart-Monitor-Movestick-Black/dp/B00842WSJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455205503&sr=8-1&keywords=Suunto+M5+Heart+Rate+Monitor+with+Movestick’ target=’_blank’ size=’medium’ align=”]View More[/thrive_link]
Suunto Core Dusk Gray Outdoor Altimeter Barometer Compass Climbing Diving Silicone Watch SS020344000
This is a stunning watch. It’s got an excellent aluminum bezel, the dusk gray watchband makes the watch distinct but not garish or loud. In direct sunlight, the display is easy to read, but when viewed from the side or in the shady, it is harder to see. The numbers don’t quite stand out. As an often cheaper alternative to the Core (depending on which Core you get), this is a very good Suunto watch. It’s simplicity and ease of use are quite simply amazing. Everything is where it should be.
When viewed in the dark, it doesn’t glow in a way that is horribly distracting but is bright enough to see. The backlight works well, too. At night or in the dark, the whole display is illuminated nicely and the face is clear, but it is just subtle enough to not ruin your night vision or disturb others.
The band is comfortable and fits most. The watch is easy to use on the base level, and there are several Youtube videos explaining the additional features. This watch also includes a serviceable battery, like the Core. All around it is a great watch.
[thrive_link color=’blue’ link=’http://www.amazon.com/Suunto-Altimeter-Barometer-Climbing-SS020344000/dp/B00II85VG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455205646&sr=8-1&keywords=Suunto+Core+Dusk+Gray+Outdoor+Altimeter+Barometer+Compass+Climbing+Diving+Silicone+Watch+SS020344000′ target=’_self’ size=’medium’ align=”]View This Watch[/thrive_link]
