Suunto 7 and Suunto 9 Peak Comparability Evaluate

I’ve been clicking “begin” on Suunto watches on a regular basis for about 23 years. What began as a easy watch, stopwatch, altimeter, and barometer has developed into one thing a lot extra. Lately, my main wants from a watch are:

• Correct GPS monitoring
• Battery Life
• Vertical
• Altitude
• Breadcrumbs/Trackback
• Following Routes
• HRM measurement primarily for restoration
• Time

The Suunto 9 has been my go to look at since they got here out. I document about 1000 hours of exercise yearly, primarily path working, biking, and mountaineering. I do know my method across the watch and have had nice luck with them.

When the Suunto 9 Peak got here out, with elevated battery life in a good slimmer casing, I used to be on it. Lastly, a watch that will not snag on or bulge out of sleeves.

Now, as a result of we work with Suunto for infrequent initiatives, they generously offered me with their good watch, the Suunto 7. I used to be excited with some new tech and curious to match the 2 in a evaluate.

Suunto 7 and Suunto 9 Comparability Tales

Let’s do that conversational type, I’ll simply inform my story. If you happen to’re after a “How To” or detailed listing of all the numerous options, there are many different websites that present that information. And naturally, Suunto – they do an ideal job with their manuals.

Suunto 7

As quickly because the superlight watch fired up I knew I used to be in for a steep studying curve. Even in any case my years of utilizing Suunto, I had no thought how something labored, nor did it really feel intuitive. The very first thing I had to determine, to keep away from madness, was how one can hold the display on so it wouldn’t frequently flip off with the motion of my wrist. Keep in mind this when you get one!

Shockingly, I sought out a handbook. The very first thing you’ll have to do is get Google Put on OS, which is the place you’ll handle most of the watch settings. That, mixed with the Suunto App permits you to totally customise the watch. Moreover, there are lots of apps for extra performance accessible on the Google Play retailer – yep, you’ll be buying apps in your watch.

As I dug in, it was unusual to see issues like a full colour display and Spotify on my watch. As soon as I began understanding the 7, I made a decision to go all in and activate each function to check how properly it labored.

Whereas merely sitting at house and taking part in with how one can use the watch, what would grow to be the principle challenge with the watch grew to become clear. The battery was dropping quick. Extra on that later.

In making ready for my first run with the 7 I had one goal: get some podcasts on the watch and go away the cellphone behind. I LOVED this. I seamlessly paired my headphones and off I went with The Enormocast alongside for firm.

Whereas working, the lean to wake function took some getting used to. More often than not it really works, however often not. I discovered myself glancing down at a black display. It’s a function to preserve battery life however after some days of use I went one step additional and turned off the display whereas working, which then requires a button push to show it on for viewing.

As I used the watch working, it grew to become very similar to every other Suunto watch, however with a really totally different interface. Keep in mind, it’s a contact display good watch. The pulldown menu from the highest of the display has some key controls. 

I had additionally activated Google Pay on the watch and once more, dwelling in Europe, this was a pleasant function for hut stops. Then once more, if I have to cease at a hut for a snack I’m in all probability on an extended run and have my cellphone. Regardless, Google Pay works properly and is handy. 

The power to learn, and if mandatory, shortly reply to notifications with out pulling my cellphone out of my pack with a tiny keyboard, that truly works. This enables for fast responses, or makes use of a listing of good replies. After all being linked to your cellphone’s web additionally means you should utilize voice by way of Google Assistant if that’s your arrange. I appreciated the flexibility to handle the media and messaging a bit extra and so I discovered myself leaving the cellphone in my pack as a substitute of getting it in my vest’s shoulder strap pouch. Level for the Suunto 7.

Full colour topo maps are additionally accessible on the watch and this function got here in helpful whereas working on new trails in Switzerland the place quite a lot of trails intersect. I used to be in a position to go away the cellphone within the pack and refer solely to the watch. For any main navigation, the cellphone continues to be extra helpful because of display measurement, however the watch did the trick.

The Suunto 9 Peak and Suunto 7 each changed an older Suunto 9 on which I had way back turned off the wrist measurement coronary heart fee monitor (HRM) that was removed from correct. I discovered the 7’s to be significantly better. It nonetheless goes wonky at instances whereas working, however it’s truly excellent when inactive and recovering. My HRM exercise graphs reveal numbers that present me understanding of my workload. Even with the occasional random lack of accuracy, the general numbers are near what I noticed sporting chest strap HRMs for 15 years.

One other new function I attempted was the sleep monitoring. I truly wore the watch to mattress (don’t overlook to show off the display earlier than mattress) and let it do its factor. Actually, I had no thought what that was, however then, growth, within the morning I had knowledge. I discovered it to be correct and attention-grabbing. I don’t know after I sleep frivolously or deeply or go into REM, however apparently the watch does. I trusted the info much more when it revealed how a lot I used to be awake at night time. Which I used to be, because of my cat parking herself on my head. In the end, it offers a graph of how a lot you sleep every night time and what kind of restoration you might be gaining from the kind of sleep you get. What you study might properly have you ever taking extra naps. One other level for the Suunto 7.

After just a few weeks of use, issues are working properly. However, one main challenge stays. The battery. I discovered myself frequently managing the battery and popping it on the charger earlier than I’d go away the home. 

The usual routine: rise and shine, go concerning the morning routine, gear up, watch on and… see that it’s at 50% for the reason that night time earlier than. Pause. Fortunately the watch costs terribly quick so I’d virtually all the time give it a couple of minutes. Or, I’d proceed out and if wanted, make the most of the function that permits you to change the Energy Saving controls whereas recording. 

After experiencing all of this, I gave the watch and its consumer group some thought and realized, I’m not that man. Even with the justified naps.

I exploit a Suunto watch method an excessive amount of, want a bomber, lengthy lasting battery and above all, I would like simplicity in managing the important thing options I exploit. I’m actually not a techy dude, I’m going to the mountains to go to the mountains. My cellphone is about as much as do what I would like and I just about all the time have it alongside.

That mentioned, for folks not pushing time and limits, this might be an excellent handy watch.

I see metropolis folks loving this, or newer runners and cyclists, and particularly youthful athletes not but accustomed to Suunto’s longtime button management system.

Lastly, this watch is function wealthy and I’m solely scratching the floor of what it could do. It’s loaded with many helpful issues that you could be or might not want. The extent of what’s doable is large – keep in mind, the watch works along with your cellphone and its connection permitting for some all new choices – like map particulars and accuracy. To essentially find out about all of the options as in comparison with the Suunto 9, head over to Suunto and click on on Evaluate for each of those watches and also you’ll have a aspect by aspect function listing.

Suunto 7 Factors

+’s

• Google Pay
• Podcasts and music with out cellphone is nice
• Capability to regulate watch whereas it’s recording
• HRM is correct
• Maps are helpful
• Sleep monitoring appears to work
• Superlight. However, how robust?

-‘s

• A number of battery checking & administration
• Display on and off to avoid wasting battery is a bit annoying

Suunto 9 Peak

Now we’re speaking! My first thought unpacking this little gem was simply that, it’s so little! After years of cumbersome GPS watches hanging like a Swiss cowbell on my small wrist, there’s lastly a smooth, even attractive, new choice.

Apart from the tiny housing, Suunto has re-engineered the buttons and the press that comes with them looks like a precision instrument. It’s humorous how satisfying a bit click on may be. They’ve additionally up to date the watch bands with a brand new system to stop the necessity for keeper loops. Now the watch band simply clips closed to your measurement.

If you happen to’ve used earlier variations of the 9, arrange and use will probably be acquainted. 

Good to their phrase, the battery goes and goes. Suunto claims 25 hours with GPS on “Finest.” I’ve additionally seen that my tracks overlay instantly on the paths, that is an enchancment from close to the path. In tour mode, the watch will get a staggering 170 hours of monitoring time. I’ve by no means examined this for GPS accuracy.

In comparison with the Suunto 7, I do suspect barely much less correct HRM numbers, however significantly better than my older 9.

There’s not so much to be mentioned, it is a properly designed and crafted instrument for actual mountain sport athletes. If you happen to’ve used Suunto earlier than, the 9 Peak merely has all of the options you realize in a a lot smaller and harder physique.

Suunto 9 Peak Factors

• 25 hours battery life in Finest and as much as 170 hours in Tour mode  
• Capability to regulate media playback
• HRM is pretty correct
• Bomber supplies. Sapphire crystal glass with stainless physique.

Suunto App Updates

The Suunto App now permits for a number of watches to connect with the App, with particular person settings and customization saved. That is what allowed me to commute with two watches. The one deal is it’s a must to specify which watch is linked, which is so simple as deciding on the watch within the listing of obtainable watches. The App will disconnect the present and reconnect the chosen watch.

In the previous couple of years, Suunto has executed an ideal job of saving what began as a reasonably messy platform. The earlier model, Movescount, was each a cellphone app and browser based mostly with little helpful performance. Now, the Suunto App is cellphone solely and affords an enormous quantity of information in your information: coaching knowledge, helpful maps and routes, and a enjoyable private heatmap of your individual actions seen on a worldwide map. That is solely a small pattern of what’s accessible. 

If you happen to’re a Suunto consumer, you owe your self a while digging into the brand new app, it’s wealthy in options and knowledge evaluation.

By Dan Patitucci