Good, beatiful and expensive

By passosjd1555381 Ranked #149 - Heart Rate Monitors March 4, 2010

Bought this watch about 4 months ago with one main objective: Outdoor cross-sports activity; also, I wanted a watch I could use on casual ocasions and was hoping this same gear could be a backup altimeter for skydive.

First impressions: the watch is very beatiful and well constructed. It could be sold by any "designer brand" without any major modifications. It's size is adequate (even smaller than I tought at first, looking at the pictures) and so is the weight, which is amazingly light for an all-metal watch (thanks to the lightness of titanium).

Yet, this is a very expensive piece of gear, so you couldn't expect less than that from X6 HRT. Although I have to admit that if you compare it with an equivalent watch (in terms of materials, beauty and quality) from a designer brand, it might be even cheaper.

As a gear, I think it performs accordingly to it's designed objetives. It has tons of functions which, combined with an average heart monitor, can be used pretty well for cross-sports, hiking, mountaineering, climbing and other sports and activities where information about the environment, and your own body, are critical.

Nevertheless, I have the feeling I'm just getting an approximate information when I, for example, look at the altimeter. It's good enough, and precise enough, for my hikings, but it might be unsuitable for more extreme activities, where really dedicated devices are more adequate.

As a consequence, I don't have enough confidence to skydive with it as my main altimeter (and suunto itself doesn't recommend you use it at all). I made a few jumps with the X6, and compared it to the altimeter. On some extreme occasions, I had a 400ft difference between them, and after landing the suunto wasn't marking right the initial altitude (differing from 30ft to up to -80ft).

Of course this may look "ok", and if everything goes as planned, there isn't any problem getting a 30ft "error" in my altitude, but if something goes wrong...

The same thing (not very accurate measures) appears to happen with the heart monitor, altough on a minor scale.

Bottom-line: if you have the money, and will use it casually as well as for climbing, hiking and other cross-sports activities, buy it. It is your best option.

But I wouldn't use the suunto as a one activity watch (as a running heart monitor for example), because there are probably other equivalent options for 1/3 the price.

But combining heart monitor with weather, compass and recording the whole activity, and yet looking good, that's something you can expect the X6HRT to excel.

PROS:
- Beautiful
- Indestructible
- Tons of functions well combined
- Ease of use

CONS:
- Price $$$
- Not as precise as expected (heart monitor)
- Refresh rate of altimeter is low and has a margin of error (as it's calculated from variations in barometric pressure)
- Software is from 20th century
- Cable to connect watch with the computer is also from 20th century (why don't use an USB interface???)
- Strap quality could be better....

View Details: Suunto X6HRT Titanium Heart Rate Monitor Watch

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