Suunto Oy is a Finnish manufacturing company of dive computers, sports watches, compasses, and precision instruments. Suunto, based in Vantaa, Finland, hires over 300 people globally and sells its products in over 100 nations. Despite its global reach, the company’s headquarters are located next to the factory, where the majority of the work is still done by hand. Suunto is a subsidiary of Amer Sports, which has been operated by Anta Sports since 2019 and has sister brands Atomic, Wilson, Salomon, Precor, Sports Tracker, and Arc’teryx.
The brand’s name is derived from the Finnish word suunta, which means “path” or “direction,” or “heading” or “bearing” in navigation. Suunto watches are known for their reliable precision and price. To know more about it, this is the article for you.
Suunto Sports Watches
Suunto watches, such as the Vector, Core, X-Lander, Ambit, and X10, are multi-function electronic pieces that can offer a range of functions, including altitude, training effect, compass bearings, and even GPS location, depending on the model. Suunto’s multi-sport electronic sport watches are designed for a variety of activities including hiking, mountaineering, sailing, golfing, and alpine skiing.
The X-, T-, S-, and G-series of sports watches hail from a time when items with a 9 were considered as professional or high-end, 6 as advanced, and 3 as entry-level.
Vector
The Suunto Vector was the first outdoor watch in the industry to include ABC (altimeter, barometer, and compass) features. It was first unveiled in 1998 and remained remarkably stable until it was phased out in 2015. Vector had an HR version that added basic heart rate operations.
T-Series
At the time of its launching in 2004, the Suunto T6, along with its later models T6D (=Dual belt) and T6C (=Comfort belt), was among the most innovative heart rate monitors on the market. It has an altimeter based on air pressure, EPOC and training effect calculation, rate-to-rate heart rate recording, and assist for external POD devices quantifying distance and speed, among other attributes.
Suunto T3 (and its D and C variants) had several great training features for a lot less money than Suunto T6. The T4, also available in C and D editions, was similar to the T3, but with the addition of an electronic coach. In the T-series, there were also T1 and T1C, which were very fundamental heart sensors. All T-series models have been discontinued till 2012.
M-Series
The M-series is a follow-up to the T-series excluding the T6. The M-series is a more entry-level wellness collection, whereas the T-series is geared more toward sports training. The M-series includes the basic heart monitors M1 and M2 with different heart rate straps, as well as the M4 and M5 with more advanced features, the majority of which are electronic coaching for concrete objectives like physical performance or weight loss. The M4 was discontinued in 2013.
Ambit
The first variant of the Suunto Ambit model was unveiled in 2012, and later versions included the Ambit2 and Ambit3 selections. ABC functions, updatable software, GPS, advanced training functions, and a rechargeable battery are just a few of them. Many of Ambit’s features can be customized to suit the customer’s preferences. There are a variety of applications available, and users can even generate their style. Since June 2015, the Ambit2 S Black Limited Edition has been present in small quantities. The biggest gain in Ambit3 is the inclusion of smartphone connectivity.
Ambit3 Peak Nepal Edition was launched on September 29, 2015. Aside from the “Nepal Edition” text on the screen and a slightly distinct bezel, there are no other differences between this and the standard variant. However, a portion of every watch sold is bequeathed to the Red Cross for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Nepal. Ambit3 Vertical was released on January 7, 2016, and it incorporates a redesigned body and contributes more thorough vertical movement monitoring.
Core
Suunto Core is an ABC watch that has been released in over 30 different versions since its initial launch in 2007. Although they all serve the same purpose, their external appearances vary. The majority of the variants have plastic frames, but two have stainless steel frames and some have aluminum frames. The majority of Core editions are no longer in use today. The core is available in several limited editions, including the Red Bull X-Alps Edition where only 864 were made in honor of the race’s length. The Everest Edition in honor of Apa Sherpa’s 21 ascents of Mount Everest, and the Extreme Edition in honor of the race’s length, are also made in limited edition with 8,849 and 3,000 pieces, respectively.
Suunto’s 75th anniversary was commemorated by the release of the Anniversary Edition, also known as the Alpine Edition, in some nations. Core All Black is frequently misidentified as Core Military or Core All Black Military, but such designations are unofficial, and no “military” versions prevail. The core is said to have gotten its name from the fact that it contains all of the essential components for this type of watch.
Lumi
Suunto Lumi is a women’s watch, and it mostly performs the same functions as Core. Lumi can be worn as a pendant with the use of a spectacular adapter. Lumi is a Finnish word that means “snow,” and the series was only available for a few years after it was released in 2007.
Traverse
On October 1, 2015, Suunto Traverse was made public. A heart rate monitoring, GPS receiver, and ABC functions are all included in the watch. Many of the functions of Ambit3 are included, but it is intended to be a follow-up to Core and Vector as an outdoor wristwatch.
In Conclusion
Suunto previously used Suunto ANT and ANT+, which were based on the ANT network standard protocols for wireless communication. Beginning with the Ambit3 series, new versions are based on Bluetooth low energy. Analog signals were used in the earliest heart rate monitors.
Although the majority of the sports watches are manufactured in Finland, some of the products are manufactured in China by a different company. T-series with the exclusion of T6, Quest, M-series, Lumi, Core, and most PODs are among them. Suunto has been successful in its efforts to reduce production in China and increase the proportion of Finnish production.
