Reviews > Electronic Devices > Watches > Suunto Advizor > Kathleen Waters > Initial Report

Initial Report: Suunto Advizor Wristop Computer
April 19, 2006

Contents:
Biographical Information
Product Information
Arrival Information
First Impressions
Test Plan

Tester Biographical Information    <back to top>

Name: Kathleen Waters
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Weight: 128 lb (58 kg)
Email address: kathy at ring dot com or TheMiddleSister at usaring dot com
City, State, Country: White Lake, MI USA

Backpacking Background: My husband and I started hiking in 1998, starting with Mt. Hahn just north of Steamboat Springs, CO. We return to Colorado at least twice a year, summer and winter to play outdoors - winters, we snowshoe.

At minimum, when home in Southeast Michigan, we make it a point to hike 2 or 3 weekdays, usually 6 to 8 miles (10 to 13 km). Weekday hikes take place in nearby Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, a decent mixture of moderately steep hills and flat terrain, heavily wooded. Weekend hikes can end up anywhere!

My style is as light as possible, but comfortable!

Product Information (from website)    <back to top> http://www.suunto.com Manufacturer: Suunto Year of Manufacturer: 2006 Model: Advizor Warranty: If this product should fail due to defects in materials or workmanship, Suunto Oy will, at its sole option, repair or replace it with new or rebuilt parts, free of charge, for two (2) year from the date of its purchase. This warranty is extended only to the original purchaser and only covers failures due to defects in materials and workmanship that occur during normal use while in the period of the warranty. It does not cover battery replacement, damage or failures resulting in accident, misuse, neglect, mishandling, alteration or modifications of the product, or any failure caused by operation of the product outside the scope of its published specifications, or any causes not covered by this warranty. There are no express warranties except as listed above.

Description:
Altimeter: Altitude up to 9,000 m/ 29,500 ft, vertical speed, altitude alarm, logbook, memory capacity for different recording intervals
Barometer: Sea level pressure, absolute pressure, weather trend graph, temperature
Compass: Cardinal bearing, North-South arrow, bearing tracking, declination setting
Water resistant to 30m (100 ft)
Chronograph: Interval timer, stopwatch, countdown timer, calendar, dual time, three daily alarms
Heart rate monitor: Heart rate limits, different recording intervals
Full access to SuuntoSports.com

Product Information (from tester)

Weight: 2 oz (57 g)
Color: Black
Size: Fits wrist circumferences from 5.5 in (14 cm) to 8.3 in (21 cm)
My Wrist Circumference: 6 in (15 cm)

Arrival Information     <back to top> My Suunto Advizor arrived inside a plain white box with "Suunto" and the their "Replacing Luck" logo two sides and the top and the website URL and a serial number label on a third side of the box. I excitedly opened the top of the box to find the Suunto Advizor, Heart Monitor with adjustable strap, a hefty instruction manual and a small pocket reference card. Whee! Now for the fun!

First Impressions    <back to top>

After my initial excitement, my first thoughts of the wristop computer were "Wow, that's big!" "Am I going to be able to wear this thing?" And, "Am I going to be able to USE this thing?"

Happily, within mere minutes, I was able to put my misgivings to rest.

While the Suunto Advizor wristop computer looks big - the face diameter is 1.25 in (3.17 cm) and little more than .25 in (.64 cm) thick - it sits neatly on top of my wrist. Adjusting the strap to a comfortable fit, I have two notches left to spare. The remaining loose strap tucks perfectly in the strap loop and lies flat. It doesn't stick out at all. Weighing in at only 2 oz (57 g), I hardly feel like I have the Suunto Advizor on! The main body of the straps of the Advizor is a smooth rubbery material and has a substantial metal buckle. There are some decorative (?) grooves on the straps near the computer face itself. The wristop computer itself appears to be some sort of coated, non-metallic material. The face has a highly polished surface with a small bubble-like "bump" in the upper right portion. There are four buttons, two on each side of the Advizor, at roughly "two" "four" "eight" and "ten" positions. On the bezel, raised marks correspond to the number positions of a traditional watch. Other markings on the bezel list compass directions.

The Suunto name is imprinted and printed on the strap loop, at the bottom of the computer face and on the back of the wristop computer, very discreetly and mercifully, not on the face itself where anything would distract from the function readouts. The back of the Advizor gives access to a very large coin-turn battery cover and a tiny speaker-like feature.

Once I removed the protective film on the Suunto Advizor, I was clearly able to read the various numbers, but some of the letters were a strain for me to read due to their small size. At my age, I'm resigned to sometimes dragging out a magnifying glass on some occasions and this was one of them!

One look at the manual convinced me that I was going to have to do some serious reading before I started to play with the functions of the Suunto Advizor. While the manual is fairly thick, it is written in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch, so it is only 56 pages per language. Nonetheless, it is challenging. The type is very small and even though I don't wear glasses for reading, it was a strain to read the Advizor manual. However, it is laid out very well, and I was quickly able to follow the step-by-step directions for setting-up the various functions.

The manual includes great graphics on front and back cover "flip-out" pages which depict the various computer face displays for each function. The manual instructions reference each of these displays at the relevant point in the instructions, so I always knew what I was supposed to see before, during and after, my actions during set-up.

From "Selecting the Units of Measurement" through "Calibrating the Compass," I worked through each step using the four buttons on the sides of the wristop computer. The "Mode" button is on the top right side and is used to move through the functions of time, altimeter, barometer, compass and heart monitor. The "Select" button on the top left side is used to travel within the functions of time, altimeter, barometer, compass and heart monitor. The lower two buttons on the side allow me to increase and decrease the values as needed - the left being "minus" and the right being "add."

I quickly set the units of measurement up to reflect imperial terminology. Changing the units of measurements from metric to imperial and back is easily done if needed. Each unit of measurement is selected in turn, ft vs m, C vs F, etc. It was then off to setting the local time. Wow! That wasn't bad! The altimeter was calibrated with a trip to my local county airport where the altitude is known to be 980 ft (299 m). Once parked in the parking lot, I was able to input the proper altitude and the altimeter was now good to go.

Calibrating the compass turned out to be a challenge for me. After several tries, I wasn't able to get "North" lined up with a regular compass's "North." Following the instruction manual's steps gained me nothing but frustration. Finally, I decided to take out the wristop computer's battery, re-set the computer and try again.

Opening the battery case was very easily accomplished with a coin twisted in the slot on the case top. After closing the battery case again using the same quarter, I proceeded to re-set the units of measure, time, and altitude. Fortunately, I remembered to note my home location altitude BEFORE I opened the battery case, saving me another trip to the airport!

As I reluctantly re-read the directions for calibrating the compass, I noticed that the compass was reading dead-on! No calibrating was needed at all. I don't know why the instruction manual says to calibrate the compass before using (as well as a host of other situations), but I will pursue this further during field testing. For now, my compass is useable.

The Heart Monitor functions are what set the Suunto Advizor wristop computer apart from and above other similar devices. The transmitter is a chest belt which consists of an adjustable elastic strap which hooks onto a semi-soft flexible piece that houses the actual transmitter. The whole contraption is black with a small white and red Suunto logo in the middle. After adjusting the strap and hooking up the transmitter, I wet the back of the transmitter as directed. During normal exercise, having the back of the transmitter wet won't be a problem as I "glow" quite easily! The transmitter belt is not overly uncomfortable - for the ladies, think underwire bra - but it'll be interesting to see if in the field, the stickiness and constriction become an irritant. So, I am now able to read and do the simplest functions that are available with the Suunto Advizor wristop computer. I can tell the month, day and time, down to the second. I can find north, south, east and west. I can give you the altitude wherever I'm standing. Temperature and the barometric pressure at any given moment. And my heart rate while I sit here and type this report!

None of the set-up was intuitive to me, I had to read and re-read the instructions step-by-step to get to this point. The instruction manual was difficult for me to use due to the small format. Words "hid" in the folds of the pages and the print/type font was unclear/too small for me. I finally downloaded the manual from the Suunto website so that I could easily follow the instructions. I've already misplaced the pocket card - it'll turn up I'm sure.

More than the above information is going to take some time for me to work my way through. I can't wait to put the Suunto Advizor through its paces!

Test Plan    <back to top>

If all goes well, this will be my last year living in Michigan, then it's "westward ho" and off to Colorado! That said, there is still lots to see here in the Great Lakes State and I am looking forward to at least one 2-3 day hiking trip a month all the way through early fall. Tentative plans include the Lake Superior Trail in the Porcupine Mountains, the Little Carp Trail, also in the "Porkies" , day hikes on the Kal-Haven Trail and others.

In May, I'm planning a weeklong trip in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am also hoping in late April, to be in Colorado for a belated birthday trip to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. My first Colorado hiking goal is to section hike the whole Rainbow Trail system in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, starting this spring!

Hiking will mostly take place in terrain that will include the sandy lakeshore dunes of Lake Michigan in western Lower Michigan, the rockier shore areas of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the Wet, Green, Sangre de Cristos and Rocky Mountain ranges of Colorado. Elevation will range from 177 ft to 13,000 ft (54 m to 3962 m) and I anticipate that temperatures over the remaining days of winter, spring and early summer will vary from 35 F to 81 F (2 C to 27 C) in Michigan and 38 F to 88 F (3 C to 31 C) in Colorado. I'm sure to experience cold, wind, rain and heat in Michigan. In the Sangres in Colorado, I expect to add some snow to the mix of weather conditions to be encountered.

I will also be supplementally testing the Advizor's heart monitoring functions extensively while using my treadmill. For an hour each weekday, I use a variable grade treadmill that simulates hills up to a 50% grade. It will be a treat to accurately gauge my heart rate, keep track of my average heart rate, maximum and minimum rates, and time spent in and out of my target heart rate zone.

Being female with an engineering-degreed husband for 36 years has left me technologically challenged! Hubby loves all kinds of electronic toys and gadgets and usually hoards anything with buttons and batteries from the moment the big brown truck pulls out of the driveway.

In the past, when hiking and backpacking, I have been content to ignore things such as altitude, air temperature, time, etc. My husband bought a GPS and still I ignored measurements, records and the like.

However, since getting more serious about hiking and joining BGT, I've become very aware of the need to know what's going on around me while I'm enjoying the great outdoors. How hot or cold, how high or low, how long and far all affect gear (and my) performance and test results. Besides, knowledge of natural conditions actually enhances my hiking experiences and helps me prepare for them, making me a safer and ultimately happier hiker.

I am now eager to assert my independence and take a more active part in the logistics of backpacking and hiking.

I haven't used a compass since my Brownie days (don't ask how long ago - oh, yeah, right, my age is in the bio)! I think that it is important that I (re) learn to orient myself without the aid of my husband and his GPS. Not being dependent on power-hungry battery-operated equipment will free me from the worry of equipment failure. Quite frankly, I haven't even a clue what the differences between "magnetic north" and "true north" or "cardinal point" and "half-cardinal point" are. I need to learn! Having and knowing how to use a compass will be very useful in the vast Bureau of Land Management lands just outside the boundaries of my new home-to-be. Right now, the skill of navigating by compass will also come in handy when geo-caching, a new pastime of mine.

An altimeter with an accompanying log will be a great help answering the inevitable question: "are we almost there yet?" I would be able to chart time versus descent/ascent to calculate the rate of travel. This will be invaluable for planning trips. No more surprises - well, at least, no more surprises as to how high I started, am, and have to go! No more wondering, "is this the top or is this a false peak?"

While the throbbing in my head is a relatively good barometer preceding a storm, a scientific method of predicting a storm will be a welcome feature of the Suunto Advizor! Rather than getting caught unaware, with the wristop computer, I will be able to see the weather coming before it arrived. In the mountains, particularly, it is important to be very aware of storms. The barometric trend indicator and the hourly storage functions will allow me to see, well, trends and plan accordingly. Ready access to accurate temperature readings will alert me to changes that might mean a change in hiking plans is needed.

Oh wait - this thing tells time, too! Handy! I've never worn a watch while hiking, so this will be a new thing for me, to actually know what time it is. Instead of guessing how much time I have left to be pounding the trail or conversely, sleep, I will with a flick of my wrist, know. The built-in alarm will insure prompt morning start times, too. I like the idea of dual time zones since I often need to be aware of Colorado vs. Michigan time.

Questions to be answered:

Comfort in Design:
Does it get in the way of my clothing, i.e. do all my long sleeved shirts/jackets fit over or at least, under it?
How does it feel on my wrist over the long haul?
Is the material comfortable on my skin in all temperatures?

Design Utilization: Is the Electro-luminescent Display readily visible in all lighting conditions? Bright sunlight? Flash or headlight? The dark?
Are the function buttons easy to operate in the field? Are they located so that accidental activation is minimized?

Durability:

Is the Advizor really water resistant?
While I highly doubt I'll be testing the extremes in temperatures the Advizor is rated for, will I notice any irregularities at any of the temperatures that I do encounter?
How long will the batteries last? How easy are the batteries to change?
Under normal hiking/backpacking conditions, will the strap hold up? If not, how easy is it to repair or replace?
Under normal hiking/backpacking conditions, will the display resist scratching?
Does the Advizor require any "special" care?
Should there be a problem, where can I get the Advizor repaired?

Ease of Use:

What kind of batteries does the Advizor use? Are the batteries readily available?
Is the low battery alarm distinctive? Will I know it is not the altitude or clock alarm?

Questions specific to individual functions:

Altimeter: How does the Advizor's measurements compare with published altitudes? A GPS? How useful is the logbook?
When does the altitude alarm sound? Is it loud enough to hear?
How well does the Advizor compensate for temperature?
How does it handle altitude under 1600 ft (500 m)?

Compass: What is a "bubble level"?

Chronograph: Can I find a practical use on the trail or in camp for the countdown timer?

Clock: Are the 3 alarms easily set? Changed?
Are the 3 alarms sounds the same or different?
Can I hear the alarms? Are the alarms loud enough to wake me when I am sleeping?

Lastly, SuuntoSports.com: What exactly is "SuuntoSports.com"?
How easy is it to use?
What is the value of SuuntoSports.com to me?

I will also report any other issues that arise during the testing period.

Kathy Waters

Reviews > Electronic Devices > Watches > Suunto Advizor > Kathleen Waters > Initial Report