One of the dilemmas that many sports and fitness enthusiasts have when it comes to watches that can track their activities is many of those watches lack the battery power to keep up.
Step forward the Suunto 9, whose battery life, makes it a marathon runner, whereas most others are no more than middle-distance runners.
Suunto 9 GPS Sports Watch
It is often the case that because they sound somewhat Japanese, people are shocked to discover that certain technology companies are actually Finnish.
This applied to cellphone pioneers Nokia, and no doubt many think that the Suunto 9 is the latest in Japanese technology.
We have to tell you it is definitely Finnish and comes from Suunto, a company who has been manufacturing high tech products for over 80 years. The Suunto 9 is their flagship watch which follows on from the highly successful, and very popular, Suunto 7 watch.
There is also a variation of the Suunto 9, with the tag name ‘Baro’ which costs more and includes a barometer altimeter, to measure elevation, rather than GPS, which the standard version uses.
Who is This Watch For?
As with all watches, you could simply buy this for its looks and ability to tell you time, and if you never so much as jogged a single step with it on your wrist, we’re sure you would still love it.
However, it has so much more potential than that, especially with regards to tracking exercise activities, and so the main audience for the Suunto 9 will undoubtedly be those keen on keeping fit and healthy.
Within that group, there will those who are frustrated that their current watch lacks any decent battery life, and as you will discover when we go into more details on the Suunto 9’s features, those frustrations will soon disappear, when they use the Suunto 9.
What’s Included?
Not much to explain here other than what you will find in the box is your Suunto 9, a charger cable, a quick guide, and the warranty card.
Overview of Features
The features of Suunto 9 are plentiful, and we will truly not be able to do it justice, but we will try our best. First, it is waterproof up to 330 feet , therefore it is ideal for those who love water sports or activities such as scuba diving.
Other physical attributes include scratch-resistant mineral glass, clear display, vibration alert, a backlight, and a weight of just 2.5 ounces.
Some of the functions it offers for those wishing to track their health and fitness are a heart rate monitor, advice and support for over 80 sporting activities, training summaries including tracking, graphs, and tables, and ‘Fusedtrack’ for long-distance training.
You can also track your sleep and recovery, calories burned and with the GPS tracking, you will always know where you are.
We mentioned the battery life previously, and this is what is going to appeal most to many people.
It will obviously vary based on what function is running and what battery mode it is in, but it could last up to an astonishing 120 hours in training modes, and 14 days, if it is just being used as a watch.
How to Use Suunto 9 GPS Sports Watch
As with any technology product, we could write a book on all the various functions and options that you have with the Suunto 9, but as we are writing a limited article, we will limit ourselves to getting you started.
On the point about getting started, we genuinely encourage you to read the full instruction manual, because you will get so much more enjoyment and use from your Suunto 9, than if you try to pick it up as you go along.
The first job in terms of using the Suunto 9, is setting your language, and then downloading the ‘Suuntolink’ software to your computer. By then connecting your Suunto 9 to your computer, you can update its own software.
Next, download the Suunto app to your cellphone, and then pair your phone with your Suunto 9 so that you can use the app in conjunction with it.
Pros
- Heart rate monitor
- Touchscreen display
- Fitness tracking apps
- Over 80 sports guides
- Superb battery life
Cons
- No custom training workouts
- No offline music option
Alternative
If you like the Suunto 9 but want to take your fitness tracking to another level, then the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro, is a watch that fits the bill.
It has a multitude of tracking functions along with GPS, heart rate monitoring, and altimeter. It is also a very robust watch, so ideal for sports and activities that may take place away from the comfort of the gym.
Conclusion
The Suunto 9 is going to appeal to a lot of people, and especially so to those who are on a fitness and health journey and wish to monitor their progress.
With a great design, lots of functions, and an awesome battery life, it is a winner.