Suunto watches

A snowHead

The other half and I are both looking at getting ourselves a Suunto watch, and i'm just looking for some feedback from any SH's that use one. The reason we're looking at Suunto specifically is simply I get 30% discount as a ski instructor via their pro club.

It'll be used for walking/hiking, cycling (road and MTB) and maybe skiing also (probably for touring).

In particular the good lady wants the navigation as she's an expert at getting lost, even on routes we've walked many times. So when she's out on her own with the dog, would like it as a safety net.

Any thoughts from users, particularly if you've used it for similar scenarios as we're likely to? Thanks.

A snowHead

I've had suunto watches for, perhaps 20 years and find them excellent.

The batteries last for years and do not need recharging unlike the likes of garmin that need daily recharges. They are also easy to buy and replace

The altimeter is accurate but you need to recalibrate when you can, for example at marked altitudes on the map. I find this very useful in the mountains where, for example, the guidebook tells you to turn east at 2800m.

The compass is handy , but doesn't really replace a silva.

I've even used the altimeter to determine the height I've climbed on mutipitch routes to determine where to start looking for a stance (my wife starts getting worried when I've run out 55m with a 60m rope)

It will record your total height gained or lost during a day's skiing if you want, though I cannot see why this would be interesting.

It is my only watch and I'm wearing it while walking around madrid. At least I know which way I'm looking.

I wouldn't be without it.

Ps last week I used the barometer to calibrate a total station I was using for surveying.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I've used Suunto and Garmin. Suunto for full disclosure was sponsored so never paid for them, pay for my Garmins. Look at what mapping the watch comes with to make sure it's good enough. In general i found them both much of a muchness - although the software and interfaces for the platforms they synch to are very different. Battery use when you use GPS is very watch dependent and i've not had to do daily recharges on any of them, I know the Fenix I had was a bit battery heavy but not daily. Screen res and backlight as well as sensors is what kills the battery so PulseOx and Wrist HR both v battery heavy so turn them off and use a chest strap for HR if required. Honestly, a lot of it boils down to asthetics and how much you want to pay.

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@swskier, if you know anyone in the military (possibly other rescue/public service orgs) or a student, there's similar discounts available on Garmin.

I've used both, but of different generations - my Suunto was pre-mapping (breadcrumbs only) whereas my Garmin has street level maps of most of the world on it, including many ski resorts (lift/piste maps). I'm now all-in on Garmin since I and my whole family use the full ecosystem (bike computers, inreach, scales, live tracking and group messaging etc.).

If you cycle and think you might get a dedicated cycle computer at any point, there's probably an advantage in going Garmin. When I had it, I was very happy with my Suunto - it was very well made and had usability features (e.g. the ability to user-configure each screen via your phone) that were ahead even of today's Garmin.

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I rode with the Suunto guys, back in the day. They're all too big for my wrist, at least when I've tried them. Very macho though. I have a Garmin "Venu 2s". That needs a recharge every day for all-day snowboarding at least, if you leave the wrist HR thing running, as I do. No bother anyway. It runs about a week or so otherwise, logging walks and stuff automatically. It think me walking to the pub is a remarkable bit of amazing running, and constantly congratulates me about it. I think therefore they're intended for idle folk, really.

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I’ve used Suuntos for years and have just replaced an Ambit 3 with a 9. The new one is much less chunky and a significantly better battery life. Much better than Mrs SL’s Garmin in that respect. I’ve always found them reliable. The only issue I’ve ever had is the control buttons can get knocked accidentally e.g. when taking a layer off and hence scan stop whatever you are recording.

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Thanks everyone.

We've ordered the Peak Pro 9 for her, and we'll see how she gets on with it, and then i'll decide whether to get the same watch, or a different model.

After all it is free

@swskier, I was havering over the Peak (I think) but liked the Fenix S aesthetically better. I think they're probably much of a muchness.

One Garmin feature - it may be on the Suunto? - is that it can be set to automatically send a tracking link to e.g. one's partner who worries slightly when one goes off trail running into hunting territory ...

I find Suunto watches too large for my......slightly wimpy.....wrists, although they are great devices.

I have a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and being able to choose from 3 different sizes was a big plus for me when I was upgrading from an older ABC watch a year or so back.

I dont find the battery a problem in everyday use (inc using the HRM 24/7). If the GPS is enabled, it inevitably uses more battery power but its never been an issue - whereas my Garmin bike computer uses a hell of a lot of battery !

The ability to personalise the watch face and data shown was something I wasnt aware of ahead of purchase, but I find it really useful.

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I too was a great fan of Sunnto, plus helped also with a 30% discount, but there again that discount was pretty widely available, and even on some websites they sell at nigh on 30% off RRP.

Then Suunto fell behind with their apps (Movecount)and the all-important Strava integration and I ended up buying a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro.

Now I have a cupboard full of bike comps (Garmin) and watches and they all have their glitches, however (famous last words) I've been impressed with the Fenix, mainly to do with their additional sensors.

And for me, what I now find almost a crutch in my daily life, and the OH accuses me of being obsessed with, is the sleep, stress & HRV data as well as acclimatisation data, and it has helped me cut back my alcohol intake considerably as I see the effects that has on the data, maybe that's an old age thing?

Either way I'm sure Suunto now have good products and tech/software apps.

Fenix 7 now has the capability to act as a Heart ECG Shocked

I should also add that when on the road-bike I still have a Wahoo Elemnt that I use as it's far easier to read the data, but all the recording is still done with the Fenix.

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@Weathercam, you had me worried there re Strava, as we both us that, but it seems the Suunto's are now compatible with them.

It should arrive Thursday or Friday, so she'll get to use it over the weekend, and we'll see how it goes, before I look at getting myself one also.

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You know it makes sense.

@Inboard, yeah apparently Fenix etc lack the nec hardware

not quite sure what an ECG function adds?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Have we reached "peak tech" ? I've just worked out that when I go out for a bike ride, I have 13 battery powered connected devices all sharing data!

Front & rear gears
Power meter
Rear radar
Arm HRM
ECG HRM
Left & right shifters
Left & right aerobar shifters
Garmin head unit
Garmin watch
Phone

A snowHead

A snowHead

@snowdave, power meter pedals as well

And music headphones if you use them Laughing

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Weathercam, DCRainmaker (in that article you link) reckons we can assume new Garmins (above a certain price point) coming out from this year will likely have the ecg tech built in. So perhaps Fenix 8. But Fenix 7 is already out and def doesn’t have it.

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Blimey I didn't realise how old school I am.: map compass and altimeter.

I wouldn't know what to do with my ecg while climbing.

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@snowdave, what about those blue-tooth sunnies/goggles that let you read messages Laughing

And then if you have a dog as well, you have to charge his GPS tracker Very Happy

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I’m struggling to see the current (haha) value in the “ECG” function …

After all it is free

I think you need a new inReach Messenger too. 18?

I’m struggling to see the current (haha) value in the “ECG” function …

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@phil_w, true, could add that on as well... I have one already, but haven't cycled anywhere remote enough to use it for that. 18.

@Weathercam, I think Garmin has discontinued its Garmin glasses. However, if other makes are available we could make it 19.

@under a new name, I think it has 3 uses: 1) for hypochondriacs, it provides a new set of stats to worry about, 2) for those with a some hidden conditions, it exposes it (e.g. Atrial Fibrillation is surprisingly common in the endurance athlete community and benefits from early diagnosis and management), and 3) if you already have a condition, it potentially enables you to manage it better and avoid/delay aggressive treatment.

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@swskier, latest one looks like they are catching up! This is always the site to go and geek out on reviews.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2023/05/suunto-vertical-gps-review.html

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@kitenski, but it doesn't really diagnose arrhythmias ... it just tells the wearer if they're possibly in atrial fibrillation, and if suggested, see a doctor. No more than that.

So @snowdave's "1) for hypochondriacs, it provides a new set of stats to worry about" is about the end of it, no?

You know it makes sense.

@under a new name, it's medically approved and tells you it has suspected AFib, pretty damn good diagnosis IMHO. When I first had issues every time I went for an official ECG I was in sinus rhythm so hard to prove/diagnosis without wearing a holster for a few days (which is what I ended up doing), all this was prior to owning an Apple Watch.

If you've never had one and it tells you it's diagnosed one it's pretty damn handy!

Also very useful for measuring burden/how often they appear, how long they last etc etc

Loads of examples ie a quick google https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/apple-watch-lifesaving-health-features-read-5-peoples-stories/

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@kitenski, ah, ok that's fair enough, interesting, afib not my specialist subject (despite having had ablation against it last year, while they were doing everything else, as valve repair is a risk factor).

It's a bit of an edge case for a mainstream type device, no?

A snowHead

@under a new name, don't think it's edge case at all? I think from my reading that there are loads of undiagnosed cases around.....

from the NHS: Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting around 1.4 million people in the UK.

Over 2 million in the United States have atrial fibrillation, which is about 1 in every 150 people.

A snowHead

Endurance sports, a target customer base for Suunto/Garmin, are also a risk factor for AF. One large study showed >10% prevalence in long-distance recreational x-country ski racers vs 0.5% in age-matched general population, so it's probably more important/relevant than at first glance.

At the suggestion of my cardiologist, I use an independent unit - a Fourth Frontier ECG heart rate monitor, which gives continuous realtime ECG. My AF is almost always induced by exercise, and through the ECG, I've can identify and largely avoid the patterns that tend to drive it. I'd previously had to abandon endurance sport, and tech has enabled me to restart - that's life-changing for me, tho' I appreciate I am getting into the edge case scenarios!

@kitenski, and I have both been told the same by our (different) cardiologists - episodes of AF cause more episodes of AF, so the more you can avoid triggering it, the longer you can avoid treatment.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@kitenski, yeah, but it's pretty limited on a thing you wear all the time? I mean, once you're diagnosed, is it really so helpful?

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@under a new name, I basically have episodes of Afib that may come and go, it's really useful

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@snowdave, That's interesting recently mine appears to also be triggered by exercises, what patterns have you found? I can't seem to get anything nailed down, something I do one week might be fine then a similar effort the next week might trigger it!

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@kitenski, pardon my ignorance, how does it help you manage that?

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@snowdave, interesting, (I’d missed your post.)

After all it is free

@under a new name, lots of ways - off the top of my head - do I need to change medication, take an extra pill? Do I need to take some extra rest? Do I flag a major change to the GP/consultant? Do I consider another ablation?

@kitenski, we may be heading off-piste from "Suunto watches" Happy

Then again, we're 4 pages in...

I review my ECGs after each session, and score myself from 1 (AF whole session, didn't revert at end, 2 - AF but reverts, 3 some short runs of AF, 4 lots of ectopics maybe 1 short run AF, 5 a few ectopic beats, nothing more). This helps me & my coach look for patterns.

Risk factors for me are
1) Long duration in preceding days/weeks (for me, any single exercise over about 10hours, particularly if sustained over multiple days).
My heart seems to carry the effect of fatigue for a long time. Months in the case of LEL, so although I feel fully recovered, my heart is not.
2) Disturbed sleep, particularly jetlag
3) Hard sessions - definitely if combined with either of the above. I can only afford one high intensity session a week.
4) V high sugar consumption - I posted on another thread about my addiction to sugar...

I find that when I have problems, I need to reduce intensity/duration of training and keep it lower for a few weeks until things improve. However, what I'm also finding is that lots of low-intensity work, with no rest days at all, is delivering very similar fitness gains to a more traditional higher intensity program last year.

Key thing for me is to get to a baseline that has no problems at all, then slowly build. At the first sign of trouble, back off a bit.

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to try and stop the thread drift I've started a new thread on arrhythmia! https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=5134561#5134561

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Suunto watches

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