Suunto is a world-class manufacturer of sport watches and fine precision instruments. The company got its start in Finland in 1936 when Tuomas Vohlonen received a patent for his liquid-filled field compass, the only one of its kind at the time. Since then +Suunto has been equipping adventurers and military alike with some of the best orienteering devices.
The Suunto Core is an award-winning exploration watch and I'll say that since I've had it I've used it countless times in different scenarios. The features on the Core is what makes it perfect for back country hiking, snorkeling in the reefs, mountain climbing or for the person who just wants to better understand where they are.
Features:
- altimeter
- depth meter
- temperature gauge
- storm alarm
- sunrise/sunset alarm
- barometer
- digital compass
- stopwatch
- date
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| 360° compass |
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| altimeter |
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| depth meter |
During my travels on the road the feature I had the most fun using was the altimeter. As I was traveling from Texas to the east coast to Colorado I used this feature to better help me understand the topography and shape of the land. However, the usefulness of this feature isn't quite as accurate as I hoped. I've noticed that when I set a reference for the altitude it has a hard time holding that set number. For example, in the lift shacks on the mountain we have the altitudes posted so I used this as my reference but when i leave and come back the altitude is consistently off by 100' or so.
Another feature I use often is the temperature gauge. The only problem with this feature is that you have to take the watch off to get an accurate reading otherwise your body temperature throw it off. When I do take it off say to know the temperature of natural hot springs I feel like the numbers I get are accurate. If I am hiking I take the watch off and strap it to my belt loop or my backpack for better precision.
The depth meter is also a fun and accurate tool to use. Some friends and I took turns using the watch to see who could dive the deepest in open water. The watch is great for snorkeling and shallow diving but nothing to deep because the Core is water resistant to 100ft. If you're looking for a serious dive computer then check out the Suunto Dx.
The barometric pressure and storm alarm work fine when you're actually summiting a peak or camping out for a few nights. If you have the storm alarm turned on and you're living your day-to-day life in the city then this alarm will go off whenever you step in and out of buildings due to pressure differences. You better have the storm alarm turned off until you head out to the woods for a couple days and to help conserve battery life.
The battery life is fairly decent lasting about a year with the automatic switch feature between barometer and altimeter turned off. The battery is easy to replace and only costs a few bucks from your local grocer.
Overall, I really like the look of the watch. The screen is easy to read, the settings are intuitive and the instruments are reasonably accurate. It's built tough with mineral crystal glass so I get a lot of use out of it anywhere and it's at an affordable price point of $300.
If you're looking for a watch with all the features of the Core plus a GPS system then the Suunto Ambit2 has it all. It's equipped with a heart rate monitor for training purposes and instrument precision is improved with the GPS.
pros: utility, durable, sleek, user replaceable battery
cons: some inaccuracy, rubber wrist strap prone to ripping over time
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