Discovering the best GPS watch is value a little analysis time as a result of it’s a excessive ticket piece of substances and also you need it meet your wants! In the present day we’re Suunto vs Polar health watches to see how they stack up.
A couple of key variations in Suunto vs Polar vs Garmin:
- Suunto feels prefer it needs to be the for rugged gritty particular person. Google integrations make it extra Android like.
- Polar is targeted on enhancing the main points of your coaching – most correct HR, GPS.
- Garmin provides you all the life-style knowledge too (hormone monitoring, quickest 5K celebration, and so forth)
For those who’re trying to buy your first GPS look ahead to operating, take a look at my put up on GPS watch errors to not make, so that you don’t find yourself getting greater than what you want and spending more cash than needed.
This side-by-side comparability ought to enable you higher perceive the completely different options and slim down your selections.
Suunto vs Polar Function Comparability
Even essentially the most primary of GPS watches immediately embrace the identical options corresponding to coronary heart charge monitor, tempo, distance, calorie monitoring, and lap operate.
The place the 2 manufacturers differ is within the {hardware}, coaching instruments, alerts, and extra knowledge recording options.
Show and Monitoring – Tie
Each Polar and Suunto watches show customizable real-time knowledge, corresponding to tempo, time, distance run, energy burned, and coronary heart charge, plus extra in the event you want. Each manufacturers even have wonderful satellite tv for pc tie ins, so they need to be equally correct on roads and trails.
Abstract data like common tempo, stride rely, and elevation achieve are all additionally out there real-time by the push of a button.
The largest distinction between the 2 manufacturers on this area is available in show customization.
- Each Suunto and Polar help you make modifications through their app to screens after which sync to the watch. No on the fly modifications to show.
- Each watches have coloration show.
- Suunto watches seem to have extra watch face designs that you may obtain. (particularly the Suunto 7OS)
Suunto has been making an enormous deal of those SuuntoPlus screens out there on some modes, however minus the security/climate display screen they appear pretty much like knowledge on many different watches.
Battery Life – Suunto
The Suunto 9 makes use of three completely different battery modes with built-in intelligence techniques that estimate the remaining battery time left on a specific mode. If the watch notices that you simply’re operating low on battery, it should recommend that you simply swap to a distinct mode.
In steady coaching mode, the Vantage V2 lasts 40 to 100 hours, relying on the settings, the place its Suunto competitor the 9 says it could possibly go 24 to 170 hours in numerous GPS mode.
- Carrying with HR on on a regular basis will imply it’s worthwhile to cost watch a little bit extra.
- Nonetheless as soon as per week charging might be the norm.
- Polar has an excellent quick cost.
Mapping and Navigation – Suunto
For these operating new routes or who generally tend to get circled throughout a run, the navigational options on Suunto and Polar watches will be sure to keep heading in the right direction and return house safely. (not out there on all fashions)
For backcountry folks (whether or not operating, snowboarding, or mountaineering), Suunto is well-known for its altimeter and barometric features that make off-trail navigation simpler and safer. Severe backcountry wanderers may even recognize the barometric options out there from each manufacturers.
- Polar and Suunto maps offers you a line to observe and let you know when to show
- For each you’ll plan your route after which load it to the watch
- Garmin can obtain a full topo map giving particulars concerning the space
How Correct is Suunto wrist HR?
Sadly this was the main downfall of Suunto for me. In testing a number of completely different watches I couldn’t ever get a very good studying. To ensure this wasn’t simply me, my husband examined it as effectively and we’d discover it displaying 165 whereas operating simply downhill.
On the flips facet, Polar Vantage V and V2 completely crush on this division.
They’ve been essentially the most correct wrist primarily based readings, I’ve discovered since TomTom got here out a few years in the past.
Vital to know that the V and V2 have a better finish know-how than the decrease fashions, which provides to their accuracy.
Information Administration and Apps – Winner Suunto
In the summertime of 2020, Suunto transitioned from Movescount to the Suunto app. The app is appropriate with nearly all of the brand new Suunto merchandise, with restricted capabilities for decrease finish or older fashions.
All watches can have the flexibility to synchronize and analyze coaching knowledge, add photographs, movies, and descriptions out of your exercise, social sharing, ship notifications out of your telephone to your watch, GPS optimization, and sync to sports activities providers and different companions built-in to Suunto app.
Polar makes use of a program known as Polar Circulation, which is pretty straight ahead. Charts to simply see sleep knowledge, exercises, steps and coaching standing. It’s also possible to maintain extra notes on every session for the way it felt.
It’s also possible to add a photograph, then it should over lay your exercise stats to put up to social.
- Once more Garmin beats each on this space I feel. I do know this isn’t about Garmin, however you have been questioning.
- Coros actually comes out on prime with the flexibility to create energy exercises from a library of actions with demos.
Polar VS Suunto For Operating
Let’s formally take a look at watches from low finish to excessive finish by each manufacturers. You’ll be have the ability to see how they match up and what may finest meet your operating wants.
Finances Operating Watches
I wrestle a bit to place these in the identical class as a result of it appears like Suunto has fairly a bit extra included. The Pacer is really designed to be that scaled again entry degree watch.
- Polar Pacer max battery life 35 hours, Suunto 5 GPS battery life as much as 40 hours
- Suunto contains Altimeter and maps
- Polar has 3 satellite tv for pc choices, Suunto has 5
- Roughly the identical measurement and weight
- Each watches can be utilized for swimming
- Each supply HR monitoring and sleep monitoring
- Each monitor Distance, Energy Burned, Exercise, Sleep, Coronary heart Charge, Steps, Exercise Velocity, Time
Polar Pacer ($199)
That is now what’s thought of an entry degree operating watch and it has EVERYTHING together with good watch options. No have to overspend to only get the essential knowledge it’s worthwhile to run.
- wrist primarily based HR, sleep monitoring
- GPS options
- Security options, good telephone notifications
- VO2Max
It’s an awesome worth after I assume I paid greater than this for my first Garmin that might solely monitor how far I ran!
Suunto 5 ($172)
Having eliminated many earlier fashions that is now their entry degree watch and it contains EVERYTHING you might presumably want, particularly as a path runner.
Options embrace primary features + altitude measurement, route navigation and monitor again, interval exercise planner, operating cadence, and activity-based restoration time. I say throughout my testing, I discovered the HR monitor to be very unreliable.
In order for you one thing easy to make use of that data your whole operating knowledge and affords a bit extra feature-wise than the Garmin Forerunner 55, this can be a nice decide.
Midrange Operating Watches
The variations begin to turn out to be extra obvious right here.
- Suunto 7 max GPS battery life 12 hours, Polar M2 GPS battery life 40 hours
- Garmin barely lighter at 70 grams to 45.5 grams Suunto
- Suunto supplies a superior map expertise
- Each watches can be utilized for swimming and a large number of different sports activities
- Each monitor Distance, Energy Burned, Exercise, Sleep, Coronary heart Charge, Steps, Exercise Velocity, Time
Polar Vantage M2 ($299)
For about $100 extra, you will get the Polar Vantage M…however I’m gonna say maintain out and go for the Vantage V! It positively has extra bells and whistles, however I’m telling you the V is value it in the event you’re upgrading.
This watch will monitor operating, swimming, and biking and let you know your floor contact time stability, stride size, and extra.
- HR Monitoring
- GPS
- Longer battery life
- Multisport, waterproof to swim
- Coaching Load, altitude, ascent and descent monitoring
- Good telephone notifications
Suunto 7 ($400)
As famous I imagine they might part out the Suunto 5 and as an alternative increase the 7 line as they’ve with the 9.
This watch goes to cowl your whole each day bases, whereas including in a few of these larger degree options you need to begin tailoring your coaching. Like coaching load, altimeter, music controls, dawn/sundown monitoring to assist time your path selections, in addition to coaching load suggestions.
Excessive Finish Operating Watches
You’ll discover with each excessive finish GPS watches that the value depends upon all of the options you need included. The extra involved you’re about sturdiness, altitude or climate extremes, the upper the value.
Right here I’m offering for the essential Garmin Fenix 7 and Suunto 9 Peak. These watches are bigger than different fashions, except you get the Garmin Fenix S (which I like to recommend for anybody like me with a smaller wrist).
- Suunto GPS battery life as much as 170 hours, Polar as much as 100 Hours in GPS mode
- Suunto is heavier at 84 grams to Polar 34 grams
- Suunto maps are nonetheless superior
- Polar has higher wrist primarily based HR monitoring
- Each watches can be utilized for swimming and a large number of different sports activities
- Each monitor Distance, Energy Burned, Exercise, Sleep, Coronary heart Charge, Steps, Exercise Velocity, Time
Polar Vantage V2 ($499)
As famous above that is the watch that I personally am operating in each day and loving wholeheartedly. I beforehand beloved the Vantage V, but it surely’s been improved upon with the screens and knowledge that’s available.
- Wrist primarily based HR monitor – most correct I’ve examined in a very long time
- Coaching load, HRV, sleep monitoring
- Smartphone notifications, climate and music on watch
- GPS, energy meter, fueling reminders, route steering
Principally we’re now prime of the road. You may learn a full evaluate of the Polar Vantage V2.
Suunto 9 Peak ($600)
The Suunto 9 is designed for endurance athletes who desire a lengthy battery life for day lengthy actions.
The Suunto 9 Baro features a barometer to supply extra correct altitude data and ascent/descent values. If storms are frequent the place you run, then the watch will warn you of dangerous climate with a storm warning alarm.
Right here’s a full evaluate of the Suunto 5, which is one step down from the 9…besides that it has a ton of options for monitoring that the 9 doesn’t and prices much less!
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