The new Suunto 9 BARO (non BARO version also available) showcases Suunto’s new FusedTrack feature. Here’s how it works and it only works for running: GPS positions are sampled infrequently (Endurance Mode 60 secs & Ultra Mode 120 secs). Between those points the Suunto 9’s motion sensor provides inputs to a directional algorithm to joint…
Suunto are teasing the above image on Instagram and on Twitter. The strap detail is like the SPARTAN SPORT BARO…and only the BARO …NOT the ULTRA and not the other SPORT variants. The buttons and bezel look the same as several existing variants. So, maybe it’s a new product or variant. Rather than speculating too…
STRYD have just announced an important firmware upgrade for those of you who have WALK/HIKE sections of trail runs. Even in competitive trail events there are sections where walking may be more efficient than running, such as on very steep gradients. Previously STRYD did not produce power on walk sections. There is now a firmware…
Great news today as my Fenix 3 returns home after a long enforced absence – a ‘friend’ ‘borrowed’ it and ‘forgot’ it was on his wrist! Unfortunately, as you can see from the above image, my 920XT has now ‘gone walkabout’…sigh. 🙂 It was a great time to put the Fenix 3 to my GPS-test-of-doom…
I knew something was wrong when the autolaps were quite a bit different from each other. With the new gps algorithm, with GLONASS enabled, and with firmware v1.6.14, I re-did my standard GPS test for the Spartan Ultra and the Spartan Sport I followed this methodology and this precise, standard route: https://the5krunner.com/courses/test-route-for-gps-devices/. That link also has all the…
Today’s new firmware for the SPARTAN is annoying as I now have to re-do a GPS test I did last week 🙂 although hopefully this line from the Suunto update notes “This update also brings a new GPS firmware to improve general tracking accuracy” suggests that the test might be worth re-doing and will find increased…
Suunto claim to have addressed GPS accuracy issues experienced by some users, see below. Release v1.4.6.624/10Nov2016 I’ve had some good experiences with GPS accuracy of the existing version <here> so, no doubt, the situation will be made worse for me and better for others 🙂 we shall see. I will say it how I find…
Suunto have registered their optical HR version of the SPARTAN at the FCC. Is the bump back? It is called the SUUNTO SPARTAN TRAINER Thank you TF for this link: https://fccid.io/document.php?id=3178841. And thank you for the comments below (some of you are more observant than me, changes made). Whilst the SPORT and ULTRA share the same…
Garmin’s upcoming Fenix 4 is rumoured <here> to have a new and improved EXO-2 antennae. How does this development in the quest for Garmin’s GPS accuracy sit compared to the SPARTAN’s SirfStar V (SirfStar 5) chipset? ** FENIX 4 – Some hardware specs leaked HERE. Certainly there seems to be a mixed bag of opinions on the SPARTAN’s GPS…
After a Half-Iron distance race at the weekend, today was still a recovery day. 10k on a bike seemed sensible enough as did the thought of combining that into a GPS test. The cunning plan was to circle the Roundabout-of-GPS-Doom. Perhaps a faster-moving me might give rise to different GPS results than previous running-based tests?…
Suunto’s two current SPARTAN models are the ULTRA and the SPORT. They’re near-identically featured at the moment other than the ULTRA is a bit thicker to accommodate a larger battery with longer battery-life and it has a barometric GPS. Consequently the menus are nearly identical. As time progresses and new features are added, this post may become outdated.…
Suunto Spartan Ultra vs. Suunto Spartan Sport vs TomTom Runner 3. Well, you’d expect two identical lines and one that is a bit different wouldn’t you? Two near-identical Suuntos? Not quite. This is my inadvertent test to belatedly see how the ULTRA handles GPS Ephemeris Data. I’m tapering, so this was a short run (4k) and…
The Suunto Spartan SPORT arrived today. It’s a bit thinner than the ULTRA with a consequential drop in battery life – but it’s more wetsuit friendly by the same token. Apologies, in advance, for the OCD-types amongst you for this photo. (You know what I mean). It looks good, IMO. I like the metal bezel. Looking…
The main purpose of this test was to put my mind to rest about what seems to be great hardware in the Suunto SPARTAN ULTRA using last week’s firmware v1.1.30. Hopefully my GPS test might, or might not, also allay the fears of some AMBIT 3 users contemplating a Suunto upgrade for Christmas. Backstory: I’ve probably used…
Here is an interesting price history of the Garmin Fenix 3 – one of the base models. It’s in GBP but the same principle applies for other currencies. The likelihood of a Fenix 4 in 2016 is now low. The likelihood of one in Q1.2017 is quite/very high, in my opinion. I expected and hoped…
I had a sneaky little multisport session tonight with the SPARTAN ULTRA and found that the STRYD power data invisibly fed through to a TRAIL running profile. Probably as it should, if you think about it. I’d had a few power problems over the last few days with my PM failing so welcome news to…
I’ve amended this post as it was misleading. 31aug I did a loooooong bike ride. I had various gadgets. The SPARTAN ULTRA was in bike mode but only paired with a STRYD HRM (HRV, per second) and had BEST GPS mode. The ride was 8hr45 long and by the end the battery was down…
This was just an excuse for a couple of nice photos. I waved around the Spartan like an idiot for about 2 minutes before resorting to taking some pictures. Great location, wannabe photographer still in training. I should have come back a bit later as it got darker. The Nathan water bottle is both reflective…
Gerald has a youtube closeup of the Suunto Spartan ULTRA (below). You’ll have to wait until September, maybe, for my coverage of the extra functions that should be released then. I shall resume my look at the Spartan in September. Off on holiday now. Holiday=training-somewhere-else 🙂 In the meantime here is a nice-ish shot of the…
I’m on firmware v1.124 and I guess this is the v1.1 manual that corresponds if any of you are interested. HERE IS THE: Suunto Spartan Ultra User Guide And here (sic) is the latest state of play regarding new featurettes. Suunto Spartan software release 1.1.24 Possibility to answer upcoming phone calls on the watch Multisport…
