What I'd like to see improved on the Vertical
-
Hi all,
Background - I am a long time user of both Polar and Garmin watches. This is my first Suunto watch. Let me preface by saying that Suunto has gotten many things right with the Vertical - things like the build, battery, overall readability of the display (e.g. Garmin has not figured out how to implement both Sapphire and touchscreen so that the watch is still readable), and maps implementation. But there are a few niggles that I’ve encountered and one more serious improvement that I think should be made. So starting with the biggest item:
Major:
- Wrist OHR just doesn’t work well for me. It kind of works if I’m really well warmed up, but with the arrival of cooler weather here, this takes 30 minutes or never happens. I don’t think I’m the only one with the issue. The performance reminds me of my Vantage V1, or my Fenix 3 HR. It seems a couple of generations behind. Maybe there’s an algorithmic fix, or maybe the issue is with the sensor. Regardless, if this isn’t working well (and many training metrics use it), then you have to provide decent options for external HR sensors. But there is only the ability to pair one sensor at a time, and I find this to be a bit limiting. For instance, I cannot wear a chest strap all the time in the summer months due to chaffing, so I have both an arm OHR strap and a chest strap.
Minor:
- Notes on phased workouts are tiny and hard to read while you are working out… The font should be bigger, and the display of current pace, HR, etc on the data page should be customizable (maybe there is a way, but I couldn’t find it). I think there is too much information displayed currently, but it also might be helpful to know which rep in the current phase that you’re executing.
- You can’t see much text for notifications - you almost always have to go to your phone to read them. So a better display of this info, even if it requires scrolling, would be helpful.
- Better control over watch faces and complications - maybe a couple more options? People have already written about this, so I won’t belabor the point.
- It’s too easy to go into a sport mode when sleeping by depressing the upper button - maybe when DND is activated, maybe only have the middle button active? Not sure here how to fix this.
- The backlight implementation could be cleaner. Right now, you can turn the backlight on/off through settings->backlight, but then you also access through settings->general->backlight where you get access to the rise to wake feature. The latter is not available in the sport modes, and it should be. Maybe there should be a single menu (general->backlight?) where you can have Gesture high/low, off, high and low. This should also be accessible through the sport modes. Implementation of gesture mode while in a sport mode would allow for even better battery life.
- You have to move from the map screen to another screen if you want to pause an activity - not sure how to fix this, but it’s an inconsistency within the UI.
- It would be nice to display HR, pace or both in the map screen. I run a lot of trails and would appreciate the HR display.
That hits most of it for me. I really like the watch - I think the minor stuff could be addressed fairly ‘easily’, and I hope that the major item could be addressed, but maybe this is the hardest item on the list above.
Suunto Vertical Ti Solar, Garmin Enduro, Polar VV2
-
@DrSilverthorn You’re right about the OHR. It is much more consistent on warmer days than the colder ones. For me it works best to wear the watch one notch tighter than normal so it is really fixed on the wrist. Your mileage may vary.
A chest strap will give you the best results of course
-
I agree with you on the OHR it is a complete toy for me and random number generator. Even if only going for a walk it gives bs numbers occasionally it will read correctly but that’s only walking forget about it for instense and excercise. Heck I sometimes question what I see on the graphs in just day to day walking around when not in sport mode. I think the only time it has decent accuracy is when sleeping and sitting at desk.
Certainly it is many generations behind be great if the vertical could have the latest sensor Garmin are using or apple.
Watch is mostly great otherwise but this is a big one
-
Hi, regarding the OHR for me just works. I have a Suunto 9 Peak full Titanium edition and wear it on one hand and the Suunto Vertical Titanium on the other hand. The HR it was super close both during the workout until the end(running). I ran at 20c + outside and 0-2c+ and had the same results overall.
I even bought a chest strap and tested against wrist HR on vertical and 9 peak. Very, very close.I have pale skin not much hair on the wrist and I’m pretty fit. I wear the watch just a notch on the upper side of the wrist pretty tight. Anyway, I did test both watches with a friend of mine and for him the numbers are off compared to the chest strap.
For some people no matter what brand or what version of a watch they wear HR wrist just doesn’t work for them. -
@Marton-Attila To be sure it is very individual. Saying that, I have tried the Fenix 6/7 and Vantage V2, and they all read my HR pretty well (almost as good as arm strap). This is not the case with the Vertical.
-
@DrSilverthorn totally agree. I sold my SV due to that terrible OHR… it is not usable at all and I do not want to wear an external HR sensor.
And I must say that I loved my SV: battery, display, build, maps (awesome). But that OHR…
-
@DrSilverthorn said in What I’d like to see improved on the Vertical:
@Marton-Attila To be sure it is very individual. Saying that, I have tried the Fenix 6/7 and Vantage V2, and they all read my HR pretty well (almost as good as arm strap). This is not the case with the Vertical.
I have a Fenix 7 now and it reads my HR very well in different situations (splits, trail run, long runs, hills). Not as accurate as a chest band, but good enough.
-
I have the same problem. OHR on the Vertical is completely unusable for me. The values are not right at the back and front.
I don’t have these problems with other watches (V2, Forerunner 955 or Apple Watch). That’s why you can probably rule out incorrect operation.It’s really disappointing and I’m thinking about selling the Vertical again…
-
@cloudstein said in What I'd like to see improved on the Vertical:
I have the same problem. OHR on the Vertical is completely unusable for me. The values are not right at the back and front.
I don’t have these problems with other watches (V2, Forerunner 955 or Apple Watch). That’s why you can probably rule out incorrect operation.It’s really disappointing and I’m thinking about selling the Vertical again…
Well… When you see vertical price in second hand market, you will be disappointed again…
-
OHR is completely unusable for me on my SV too, but this is the same on most watches I have used so I ended up buying a HR chest strap
-
OHR is really disappointing and I have to use a strap as well. I recently bought a Polar Verity Sense optical arm HRM and it works really well on forearm or upper arm.
-
I was already crying at the prices on the second-hand market.
I already have a chest strap and I use it for longer sessions.
However, I don’t feel like putting on the chest strap for a 30-minute session. Above all, OHR works very well for me with other manufacturers.
It’s very frustrating with such an expensive watch.
