I have owned at one time or another 5 different Suunto watches -- or wristop computers as they like to call them -- and without question, Suunto manufactures Great products.Without calling this model bad, I WILL say that it is not only the least expensive, but also the cheapest built model I have seen. I couldn't help but notice the number of reviews that state the watch looks almost entirely different in person than it does in photos...and I HAVE to admit that this watch looks vastly different in person than it does on my computer.Specifically smaller--a LOT smaller.Now there is nothing wrong with a small watch, but this one almost looks like a feminine version.NOT what I had in mind when I decided to get a good heart rate monitor for while I work out.
Suunto is notorious for using plastic faces on their watches making them more apt to get scratches than average watches. If you are considering buying this for your primary means of telling time, you simply MUST reconsider for two major reasons...No. 1 the watch face can scratch at the drop of a hat.Seriously, I feel that a good stiff wind has the potential to mar the plastic face.No 2 has to be Suunto's penchant for claims that their watches are Water Resistent way more than they actually are.Once again, I get worried if I walk into a sauna wearing a Suunto if it won't get waterlogged and die on me.
All that aside, Suunto DOES make technically capable wristop computers that can do a variety of really amazing things, the least of which is tell time.Whether you want to determine your altitude or your bearing with a compass, Suunto's are dependable and quite accurate.My personal favorite is the Observer -- not only is it my favorite, but probably the best-looking Suunto as well.But we're talking about the T1.ALL of the Suunto models I have owned were relatively easy to program and figure out, but with the T1 you practically needed a certificate of membership to MENSA in order to figure out.The button sequence to shift from one section of the functions to another is simply confusing to say the least.I don't want to make it out that I think of myself as some kind of genius (because I'm not) but I have a large watch collection and some have some complicated set-up features and they all pale in comparison to the confusing order you have to do things in order to just set the watches time and date function.Then -- as with all Suunto models -- you have to arrange it depending upon whether you live in a Metric country or standard like we have in America and, well let's just say reading the manual quite thoroughly is pretty much essential if you plan to get anything of value out of your T1.
The heart rate monitor works great by the way.I've used it several times already checking the accuracy against other sources and since there really is no point in spending this kind of money on something that won't work you ought to know that once you decipher the heiroglyphic manual enough to get it working properly, it really DOES work well.
Bottom Line: If you need a heart rate monitor and you have some time to devote into reading the manual that (for me anyway) seems written in a somewhat confusing manner, and you aren't planning on wearing it for everyday use, the T1 can be a valuable addition to your workouts.Either way I recommend attempting to find a model and inspect it IN PERSON before buying because the photo you see here and what it looks like in reality on your wrist really is quite different.
***UPDATE***
After more use, I have decided that I was more harsh than necessary in regards to how difficult it is to learn to operate the T1.While the instruction manual is FAR from being the easiest to understand, and while sophisticated, the T1 could use a little update on becoming a bit more user-friendly.But overall, I have to admit that once you get past the tedious programming phase (setting the day, date, time, your age, weight, height etc) the watch is pretty accurate and at a glance can tell you a LOT of info.I'd recommend updating the instruction manual to make it a little easier to understand and I would then offer the T1 a full-4 stars.I just wish it were a bit larger.
'Nuff said.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Suunto T1 Coded Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer watch (Berry)
Product Description:
111836BRY000 Features: In real time it will display calories burned as well as current heart rate, average heart rate and maximum heart rate; heart rate limit with alarm 3-tier zone training system with alarms: Zone 1 is ideal for burning fat and improving cardiovascular health; Zone 2 ups the ante with increased calorie-burning and cardiovascular benefits; while Zone 3 is ideal for serious endurance training Log memory for 1 workout; workout totals for current week, previous week, current month and previous month (counts, calories burned, training time, and time in and outside of each zone) As a sports instrument it features a stopwatch with lap-split; 30 splits max; as a watch, it has dual time, date and alarm Heart rate belt included Water resistant to 30 meters Features are rounded out with an electro-luminescent display, interchangeable bands and a user-replaceable battery Summer 2009 Specifications:
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