Garmin GPS Watches: Suunto Core Wrist-Top Computer Watch with Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, and Depth Measurement (All Black) Review

Have had this watch a little over a week, and decided to write an review for it.

Just a brief comparison between two top-notch ABC watches:- the Core, and the Casio Pathfinder PAW-1500 Titanium, which I purchase a little over three weeks ago as well. I would say, the cosmetic design, the wealth of functions, the ABC accuracy, and the graphical display of the Core, is better than the Pathfinder. However, the built material, the readability, and the push button feel, is not as good as the Pathfinder.

The display is in reverse format, meaning the background is in black, and the alpha-numeric letters are in silver-white. Adjusting the contrast in the Suunto hidden menu does help, but of course, still not as clear as the normal black letter on white background. No fault of Suunto, but just the way the design is. The buttons are responsive and easy to press. To navigate through the menus, the "Mode" button and the "View" button have to be pushed in different combination to get what you want. It might seem confusing at first, but once you understand the logical layout, it's fairly easy to remember. Give yourself a couple of days to get used to it.

Compliments: Extremely accurate ABC. I compare their readings with the actual ABC instruments. The accuracy is incredible and beats the Casio Pathfinder in the dust! The storm alarms reacts to the air pressure change accurately as well. The electronic compass is awesome. Once you set the course, the bearing indicator would display an arrow and directional words (left and right), to guide you to the correct course, which is a great feature. User installable batteries which is great to save a lot of money down the road.

Complaints: The directional rotation ring is difficult to turn. If you have finger nails, you'll need to use them, if you bite your finger nails, good luck. The alarm is a bit soft and hard to hear sometimes. The same problem as the Pathfinder. I wish they can make it louder. The wrist strap looks and feels cheap. The illuminator is a bit dim too.

Tips: This watch has earned a lot of bad reps due to poor quality control in its manufacturer plant in China. It's been tons of complaints and reported problem. After doing some research, it appears that Suunto has finally fixed the hardware and software bugs. When you order the watch, make sure the serial number stars from "918xxxxxx" onward. Mine is "924" and so far so good. You should email the seller, to make sure they send you the updated version as noted above, then your new watch won't spend most of its life going back and forth in the delivery trucks.

Follow up review (please read and rate):

It's been nearly a month I have been wearing this watch, thought I should provide more feedback to help those who are interested in this watch.

I have worn this watch to a two-weeks trip to Eastern Europe. I used all ABC functions intensively, especially the altimeter log and compass functions. To begin with, all readings are extremely accurate as it has always been. The only inaccuracy is its barometer when worn on the wrist, which is understandable due to the body temperature influence. The watch functioned flawlessly during the extreme weather, ranging from 1 degree in Celcius (outdoor), all the way up to warmer than 40 degrees Celcius (I wore it to the hotspring pool for hours). I have also used the daily alarm twice a day, illumination for 3 times a night in average, and the battery is still kicking like a champ. Many reported the battery died out after a month or so even with light use, it appears that Suunto has fixed this major flaw. Yet, it's been just a month of intensive use so I can't say for sure. Even if I have to replace the battery every 6 months, I think it's still worth is as the battery costs less than a couple of dollars to replace. So, my conclusion is: The Core has reclaimed its reputation in my book. I have no doubt that it will continue to perform well. Just make sure that you buy the one with the latest firmware (serial number after:92xxxxxx SW: 1.1.0 HW: 3A. Please rate and comment if you find this helpful

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Product Description:
Building on the success of the venerable Suunto Vector, the Suunto Core keeps you informed of conditions while you hike, bike, or camp, making it a terrific companion for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. What can the Suunto Core do for you? For starters, it can sense an approaching squall even when the sky looks clear. This intelligent Storm Alarm--one of several intelligent features designed to keep you safe and secure--is activated by a rapid drop in air pressure over a three-hour period. Once the Core senses the change, the Storm Alarm sounds and flashes, letting you know that something unpleasant is fast approaching. The built-in altimeter, meanwhile, displays your current elevation, shows how much you've climbed or descended, and records your entire session for later analysis. Accurate to within 30,000 feet, the altimeter is an extremely valuable tool for mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and wilderness travel. Add in such additional features as a barometer, a digital thermometer, a weather trend indicator, and a digital compass and you have a terrific wrist-top computer for almost all your outdoor needs.
The altimeter contributes to your excursion in several ways. If you're standing on or near an obvious geographic feature, such as a ridge, trail, or creek, the altimeter can alert you to your current elevation and help you find your position on a topographic map. Similarly, if you plan on climbing a slope to a certain elevation and then traversing, the Core can help you stay on course. And as a bonus, the Suunto Core includes a unique start-from-zero function, so you don't have to enter a reference altitude. Instead, with the single push of a button, the altimeter will begin tracking your ascent and descent.
The Core also includes a barometer, which measures and records air pressure to help you predict changing conditions--from sunny skies to hair-bending electrical storms. The barometer helps you decide whether to bring a soft shell or rain shell jacket when the skies look ominous, or even when to high-tail it back to the car. In general, low pressure brings inclement weather, while high pressure brings stability and clear skies. If you've arrived at camp and notice the pressure starting to plunge, it's probably a good idea to secure the tent and crawl in. Likewise, if you were on a climb, it would be prudent to find shelter and retreat. Even at home, the Suunto Core barometer can look beyond office walls, skyscrapers, and nearby hills to help you plan for upcoming activities.
If you want a weather forecast that extends out a few hours, you can turn to the built-in weather trend indicator. The indicator shows the barometric history for the last three and six hours, helping you predict the weather with amazing accuracy. What's more, the watch doesn't give you a regional forecast posted earlier in the day, but rather the most current information about the weather directly overhead. And no outdoor watch is worth its salt without a digital compass, a great tool for keeping track of your direction while skiing, hiking, or exploring a new city. You can set and follow a bearing with a traditional rotating bezel, or simply point the top of the watch toward your intended destination and lock it in.
Additional features include several traditional watch functions, including dual times, a date display, and an alarm; predicted times for sunrise and sunset to help you maximize your daylight hours; an automatic Alti/Baro mode that senses movement or lack thereof and switches between the altimeter and barometer accordingly; a depth meter that provides accurate water depth readings to 30 feet; and the ability to function in English, German, French, and Spanish. Available in such colors as all black, aluminum black, light black, black orange, aluminum brown, light green, black yellow, and steel , the Suunto Core carries a two-year warranty.
Specifications:

The Suunto Core watch includes an altimeter, barometer, compass, and weather indicator.

The watch is compatible with several different straps (sold separately).

About Suunto
Suunto was founded in 1936 by outdoors man and a keen orienteering enthusiast, Tuomas Vohlonen, who had long been bothered by a problem: the inaccuracy of traditional dry compasses and their lack of steady needle operation. Being an engineer with an inventive turn of mind, he discovered and patented the production method for a much steadier needle, better readings, and a new level of accuracy.
By 1950 the company was exporting compasses to over 50 countries around the world, including Canada and the United States. In 1952, Helsinki was hosting the Olympic Games, and the torches carried to light the Olympic flame were Suunto products. The next step was improving the stability and accuracy of marine compasses. The first marine compass, the Suunto K-12, was launched onto the market in 1953. In 1957, Suunto started manufacturing hypsometers, which measure the height of trees.
In the 1960s, the compass range grew further and Suunto introduced its first diving compass--initiated by the divers themselves. A British sports diver attached a Suunto compass to his wrist and found that the device also worked underwater. Thanks to his feedback and initiatives, the new business category was found. Suunto's exports and business grew steadily and Suunto then focused on combining its strength in precision mechanics with new skills in electronics. Accuracy, reliability, and ruggedness have been Suunto's key values from the very beginning of the company history.
Today, Suunto is a leading designer and manufacturer of sports instruments for training, diving, mountaineering, hiking, skiing, sailing, and golf. True to its roots, Suunto is today the world's biggest compass manufacturer. Prized for their design, accuracy and dependability, Suunto sports instruments combine the aesthetics and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers that help athletes at all levels analyze and improve performance. Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Suunto employs more than 500 people worldwide and distributes its products to nearly 60 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Helsinki-based Amer Sports Corporation with the sister brands Wilson, Salomon, Atomic, Precor, and Mavic.

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