There are only two people in the world: people that have just one watch (or none) and people that never miss a chance for adding another (essential!) piece to their timepiece collection.
With the number of features on the smartwatches nowadays, you don’t even to be either. Gone are the days when watches would only tell (accurately, for sure) time. We live in an era when doing just one thing isn’t enough, no matter how excellent the craftsmanship or the quality of the materials may be. The ideal watch for the millennials (yep, we have that all over the place now) shows you where you are in the world, plays your favorite song, shows your running progress and informs you how your heart is doing. It still tells you time, no worries. But it’s also the most reliable companion when running or going for a hike.
Who is Suunto?
Suunto Oy is a Finnish company that manufactures dive computers, sports watches, compasses, and various precision instruments. Its products are sold in more than 100 countries, and its headquarters are in Finland.
Its name comes from the Finnish word “suunta” which means “path” or “direction.” It also refers to “heading” and “bearing” in navigations.
Founded back in the 30s, Suunto has become a respected name within the multi-functional watches that stand by you while adventuring into the wild. The impressive list of functions and the robust build are the selling points of Suunto watches, and any true outdoor or sports enthusiasts appreciate them for so many things.
What’s to say about Suunto 9 series in a nutshell?
It was only a while ago when Suunto released the new generation series of high-end multisport watches, the Suunto 9.
The line is designed to continue the previous Suunto Spartan Ultra range of GPS watches, which does stand out as the most expensive option from Suunto.
Even if the Suunto 9 is replacing the Spartan Ultra, the changes are only for the better. The series includes many exciting features that no competitors offer at the moment. The series is the most apparent proof the Suunto paid attention to the hardcore endurance athletes, creating the watch they needed for some time now.
You can use Suunto 9 for your cycling, running, and hiking and every other type of outdoor activity that you like. As watches within the series are going to handle most sports or outdoor activities you love practicing.
One of the selling points of Suunto 9 watches is the three predefined battery modes (Performance, Endurance, and Ultra) which may sustain from 25 hours to up to 120 hours of recording time, while the GPS tracking is on. Once you begin recording, you’re getting an estimate of how much battery you still have left with the mode you’re currently using. You may switch to one of the other modes when you think it’s not going to be enough for your activity.
In the case of the long ultra runs, the battery life is essential and limitations for the recording distance and the precision of the tracking. Let’s not forget that GPS takes a lot of juice for working. Here’s where the unique FusesTrack algorithm from Suunto works together with GPS and the motion sensor data for improving both the distance precision and the tracking. You can save the battery life as you’re reducing the GPS power, without sacrificing on the accuracy.
You can also pair Suunto 9 with the new Suunto app for tracking all of your experiences while keeping an eye on the long term trends, sleep, and daily activity. You may share your significant results and connect with other people in the app community too.
All in all, Suunto 9 is designed and built to match the high standards of professional athletes. It’s tested in the most extreme and harsh conditions by Suunto’s internal testing team and athletes rely on it in every challenging adventure.
The features, the build and the functions of Suunto 9 Multi-sport GPS
Suunto 9 Multi-sport GPS watch isn’t the regular watch that you can define in only a couple of phrases. It’s going to take a lot more than that so let’ begin with the most important features:
The power and innovation
As we’ve already mentioned, the Suunto 9 comes with predefined battery modes that help you take your eyes off the battery level while running, even if the GPS tracking is on. Besides, Suunto 9 also uses quick reminders related to your activity history, making sure you have enough energy for the next sports adventure. Once the watch decides that you’re running low on battery, it’s going to suggest you go with another battery mode.
Suunto 9 Multi-sports GPS also presents the special FusedTrack algorithm which combines the motion sensor data and the GPS for increasing your accuracy for tracking and distance. You get a longer battery life as the GPS isn’t going to use the same amount of power without worrying about precision.
The build
Suunto 9 Multi-Sport GPS comes with stainless steel bezel which gives the watch the toughness it needs for the outdoor experiences. The sapphire crystal for the glass is another proof the Suunto made no compromises for the quality of the materials when manufacturing the rugged watch for the outdoor use. The case material fits the description too as it’s glass fiber reinforced polyamide.
The strap is made of silicone, which feels soft onto the skin. Even though the watch isn’t the lightest out there, it sure feels comfortable on the wrist. It stays in place even when you get all sweaty.
The functions
The watch comes with dual time and one vibration alert. You can also use the stopwatch timer and the countdown timer. The watch comes with built-in wrist heart rate and automatic timekeeping, as it never compromises on the primary function of watches- telling time!
We also need to include the digital compass on the list, with tilt compensation and declination correction. The compass resolution is 1 degree, whereas the compass accuracy is 5 degrees.
When it comes to activity tracking, Suunto 9 Multi-Sport includes Step counter, activity targets (steps and calories), calories burned, calorie burn rate& heart rate during your daily activities. You can also get your activity history and check your daily minimum heart rate tracking.
For the sleep tracking, you can get more info from the following functions: sleep duration, time awake and bedtimes.
In the case of GPS tracking and navigation, the list of functions is long, so we’re only going to name some of them. GPS, Glonass, Qzss are for the satellite systems, whereas zoom levels in navigations, route planning with altitude profile, breadcrumb trail in real time, route planning with heatmaps, personal route library synced to watch and many more are also on the list of functions.
The functions for the altimeter are multiple, and any outdoor enthusiast is going to use them regularly. The GPS altitude, vertical speed, total ascent/descent, log recording rate, resolution, range, altitude in daily mode, barometric altitude are on this list.
Sunrise/sunset times, sea level pressure, pressure resolution, temperature, temperature resolutions, automatic Alti/baro profile and even storm alarm are included in the weather function.
The heart rate functions are many, and you need the HR belt or the wrist HR monitor for it.
As for the sport functions, the watch is going to do it all for you. You’re not going to need a personal trainer again as the Suunto includes no less than 80 sports modes. You can use it for swimming, cycling, running, training and everything that requires physical effort.
Are there any flaws?
The price is out in the open, and the watch is far from being cheap. Its price tag is going to scare some, for sure.
Also, the design could also need some improvement. For the buck you’re paying, some think there’s little to no attention to the style. However, we believe that performance, reliability instead, and functionality is what counts most for this type of watch.
What’s the final take?
Are you always using your free time for some running or cycling? Do you ever check the weather to see when you can go for a ride on your bike? If that’s the case for you, Suunto 9 Multi-sport GPS watch is the next best thing you need for improving your performance in the outdoors. As once you start running, the only way is up. You are always wearing a Suunto watch.
RESOURCES
Long-Term Review: Suunto 9 Baro | Outside Online
Monthly Suunto Update – October 2018 – GPSRumors
Suunto 9 Baro Black – GPS sports watch with a long battery life
