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Reviews > Electronic Devices > Watches > Suunto Vector Wristop Computer Watch > Jim Sabiston > Field Report
Suunto Vector Wristop Computer  Photo courtesy Suunto Date: June 4, 2006 Reviewer Information:
Backpacking Background:
Product
Information:
Specifications as listed on the Suunto Website:
A Brief Description of the Vector: The Vector is the original Suunto Wrist Computer, according to the web site. Part of the large presence that the Vector has is due to the rotating bezel which sits on top of the watch body. The Vector model comes in various colors including black, khaki, yellow, light blue and X Black. The LCD screen can be ordered in the more typical black characters against the neutral LCD background or with a black background and contrasting alphanumeric characters. The Vector is quite large, but the size seems to be an advantage given the multi-function nature of the watch. The various functions are accessed by four large buttons located at the side of the four 'corners' of the watch body. The buttons stand a bit proud of the watch body and each has three tiny, raised knobs which make the buttons easy to locate by touch, which should be a real benefit in the dark. The combination of the large body and the large buttons make it very easy to operate the watch and to access the various functions. The large LCD screen and characters make the Vector easy to read. Holding the 'Mode' button in the pressed position activates the backlight so the watch can be used in the dark. The backlight stays on for about five seconds. The watch I received is completely black except for the LCD screen. The wrist band is made of a heavy black rubber with what appears to be a stainless steel buckle. The rotating bezel is marked with compass degrees in 30 degree increments. The bezel requires a rather firm push to move, but this will likely prove to be a good thing, as it will not be easy to shift it accidentally. The bezel sits higher than the rest of the watch body and looks as though it will also provide some protection for the LCD crystal, which is slightly recessed within it. The bottom of the watch body has a series of grooves molded into it. These radiate from what appears to be the sensor location for the altimeter and barometer functions. The battery cover, a circular plate slightly larger than a quarter (US $.25 coin), is also located here. The battery cover is partially bisected by a groove designed to accept a small coin, and a quarter seems to be a good fit. The watch is packaged with a manual which is intimidating in its bulk. It is not large, fitting easily in my hand, but it is just over 1/2 in (13 mm) thick! I was relieved to find that the reason for the thickness is that the manual contains dedicated sections in no less than eight languages! These are listed right on the manual cover: EN (English), FR (French), DE (German), ES (Spanish), IT (Italian), NL (Netherlands), FI (Finnish), SV (Swedish). Included with the manual is a small quick-reference card. The card is designed to fold in half and, once folded, is about the size of a typical business card. The card has a light plastic coating which should help preserve it in the field. For a more detailed description of the Vector, please refer to my Initial Report.Field Experience: The Vector interested me as it is a fairly basic example of a wrist computer and seemed to minimize the 'superfluous' bells and whistles while retaining a desirable set of navigational and reference aids. My field experience to date has generally shown this to be the case. I have used the Vector primarily on several overnights in Harriman State Park and a series of dayhikes in local parks, such as Connetquot River State Park and Fire Island National Seashore, as well as canoeing on local rivers. The three primary outdoor functions, Altimeter, Barometer and Compass received most of my attention, as these are the ones that suit my style of backpacking and several proved to be very useful. The Vector may be the simplest Suunto wrist computer in the line, but it still has some mildly esoteric functions which I found to be of little use or interest to me. I will note these in each of the respective sections, below.Time mode: There is little here that I found new or surprising. All the basic watch functions are represented: Date and Time information presented on the main display are easy to read. The only Time Mode function I use regularly is the Alarm Function. There are three alarm memories, allowing up to three different alarm settings. I do not generally like to awake to an alarm in the morning when backpacking. However, there are occasions when trying to either make miles or we have to make an early morning exit to meet other obligations and an early start is desirable. The alarm is not very loud, comparable to most watch alarms that I've used, and is not adjustable, but it is generally sufficient to wake me from a normal sleep. Setting any of the three alarms is a snap. Pressing the Select button while in the Time Mode drops me right into the Alarm Sub Menu and from there setting an alarm is a simple matter. One of the things I really like about the Suunto design is that the various function menus all use the same menu access structure. Pressing the select button drops me into the desired Sub Menu. Holding the Select button for two seconds activates the 'set' functions of that particular menu and steps through the items to be set. Pushing the '+' or '-' buttons makes the desired adjustments. Finally, pressing the Mode button locks in the changes. Simple and easy to remember. One curiosity of the Vector reflects its multi-function personality. There is a ring around the perimeter of the LCD screen that, in Time Mode, denotes the passing seconds by switching on and off little LCD rectangles, which appear to move around the outer edge. However, there are not sixty of these rectangles to match the number of seconds in a minute. Instead, there are thirty-six rectangles which denote the compass points in ten's of degrees. Suunto gets the 'counting seconds' job done by using an odd stepping motion around the screen edge. A close look at the photo below (Fig. 2) will show the process in progress. Look at the LCD edge right next to the '300 degree' mark on the watch bezel. The 'inch-worm' effect is functional in an odd sort of way, but the result is not easy to use for timing purposes.
 Fig. 2: Vector Time mode. Note the menu bar indicating the active Mode. The available sub-menus in the Time mode are a stopwatch and a countdown timer. I've not used either, as I am not one to measure my trail performance. The countdown timer might be useful for timing meals, such as counting down the ten minutes while waiting for a freeze dried meal to rehydrate or the seven minutes that a Lipton Sides packet is supposed to boil and simmer. Altimeter Mode: Using a barometric altimeter requires a bit of a learning curve. The altimeter uses changes in barometric pressure to determine altitude. I must confess to being a bit skeptical at the outset of the test as to the accuracy of an instrument that uses something as changeable as atmospheric pressure to determine altitude. Experience has shown my skepticism to be badly misplaced. This instrument is surprisingly accurate, but one must keep in mind that the medium (air pressure) is constantly changing and known reference points are a must for proper calibration. A topographic map is essential for this process. The altimeter must be checked for accuracy at known elevation points as often as practical. An example of this in practice can be made with a bit of a funny story: I checked and set the altimeter at the trailhead on a Catskill hike, preparing to climb a mountain just shy of 4000 ft (1219 m) in altitude. The elevation at the trailhead was 1300 ft (400 m). One of the interesting things about the Catskill Mountains is that, during the summer months, camping above 3500 ft (1067 m) is prohibited (an effort to protect the unique alpine flora above that elevation). Accordingly, all the marked trails to the various summits which exceed 3500 ft (1067 m) have a sign which marks that elevation. I intended to use the sign as my first checkpoint after the trailhead. I carefully monitored the Vector and watched it gradually mark off the elevation gain until it displayed the desired elevation a couple of hours later. I commented to my companions that we should see the marker any moment now, at which point they happily pointed out the fact that the sign was right above my head! I must confess that I was rather surprised at this degree of accuracy! I devised another test to check the accuracy of the Vector's altimeter. I work in New York City and have access to certain high-rise buildings. It occurred to me that I could use the Vector to check the design information on one of these. So, after reviewing the construction specs (ground elevation 30 ft (9 m), building elevation 503 ft (153 m)) I dutifully set the Vector altimeter to 30 ft (9 m) while standing in the lobby, hopped into an elevator and headed for the roof. The high-rise elevator speed exceeded the ability of the altimeter to keep up, but this is hardly an issue while hiking! The altimeter lagged by only a few seconds anyway. Once on the roof, I checked the reading and was pleased to find the display showing 530 ft (162 m) true elevation. An actual height of 500 ft (152 m) above ground level, which was spot on. Note that the altimeter has a resolution of 5 ft (or 1 m). I use the Vector primarily as a navigation aid. When hiking in the mountains, knowing the elevation can be an enormous aid in determining one's location with precision. The Vector is very good in this application. There are number of what I consider 'bells and whistle' functions which I have found little use for. These are all memory log based functions which provide a number of analytical options: - An altitude log, which records altitude vs time. A calculation is made by this function and there is a small dedicated display at the top of the LCD screen which displays a 'feet per minute' average. I have not found this of any particular navigational use and, if anything, it tends to depress a slow climber! - An altitude difference measurement, which measures and records elevation change from a user set reference altitude. - A Logbook mode, which allows the user to record altitude information over a programmable interval. The minimum interval is a ten hour record recorded every twenty seconds and the maximum interval is ten days at 60 minute intervals. This latter option might be of interest on a prolonged multi-peak hike in order to determine total accumulated elevation, but it is otherwise something I will be unlikely to use. These memory and analysis functions are actually things I try to avoid when backpacking, as I get exposed to too much of this sort of thing at work and there is no direct navigational benefit to me. My interest from a navigation standpoint is of the 'where am I now' variety. Where I was and how long it took me to get there is of little use or interest. The altimeter is very useful and accurate, but the rest is just technological fluff to me. The one exception is the 'Altitude Alarm'. When navigating and looking for a certain altitude for a reference point, such as that Catskill 3500 ft (1067 m) marker, the alarm is very useful, assuring that I won't climb right past it while enjoying the view, which seems to happen all too often!  Fig. 3: Vector Altimeter Mode. Note the altitude alarm indicator above 'TIME'. There is reference in the Vector manual to the effect of of temperature on the accuracy of the altimeter. The manual goes into some detail and gives several examples of how to calculate the effect for increased accuracy. My first reaction when studying this section was one of dismay. I was concerned that I would have to do a mental calculation each time I wanted to use the altimeter. After studying the imperial scale example, I decided the temperature effect was too small to concern myself with. The example given in the manual generates a 100 ft (30 m) error after climbing 6560 ft (1999 m)! Well, seeing as a typical Catskill climb is in the 2000 ft (610 m) range, I can accept the possible 35 ft (11 m) error! Note that the error can occur only as an effect of total accumulated elevation gain (or loss) since the last fixed reference. This underlines the importance of frequent reference checks. Barometer Mode: Now here is a function I can use! Changes in barometric pressure are a long honored tool used in predicting weather. I used the Vector to track both short term and long term barometric changes. Because the changes in barometric pressure over time, and the rate of those changes, has a direct effect on the weather the memory functions provided in Barometer Mode are extremely useful. One of the more useful features of the barometer is the Barometric Trend Indicator in the upper left quadrant of the LCD screen. This shows the barometric trend over the last six hours (in two three hour increments) in a simple graphic display. It provides no detailed information, but serves as a visual alert when the change in barometric pressure exceeds more than 2 mbars in the last three hours. A rate of change lower than this indicates a stable (or at least slow moving) weather system. I've found that the indicator showing a single dropping or rising arrow does not indicate a major weather change, but two arrows showing six hours of steady dropping or rising pressure are pretty accurate in acting as a weather alert. This indicator is displayed and remains active on the main screen of all the main modes: Time, Altimeter, Barometer and Compass, but goes off-line for the submodes. A note regarding the Altimeter and Barometer functions is in order. Both functions rely on the same sensor and only one can be used at a time. This is not a limitation of using a single sensor, but a result of the two functions having different requirements. A reliable barometer reading requires that the user be relatively stationary and/or that the user's elevation does not change. A change in position means the air pressure measured by the sensor likely will not be the same as the user's original location and therefore becomes useless as a measurement. (This can be offset somewhat by taking comparative readings at known matching elevations). The altimeter function assumes the user is moving across varying terrain. I have used the altimeter to check the elevation of my campsite, only to check it again in the morning and find I dropped 100 ft (30 m) or more in my sleep! Of course, my campsite did not drop, but the barometric pressure is constantly changing and this is why frequent checks at known reference points are essential for accuracy with the altimeter. I have been able to glean useful weather information by noting the changes in barometric pressure overnight, but the trend is broken once I am moving again. I followed the pressure trend for a month using a local weather station as a reference point. Accessed through the Weather Underground web site (www.wunderground.com) I found a station just a mile or so from my house. The weather data was checked every evening and compared to the pressure data shown on the Vector. The resulting chart and comments are shown below.  Fig. 4 April 2006 Barograph, Bay Shore Marina
Fig. 5 April 2006 Vector and Weather Station Barometric readings with weather comments. A number of things become evident in the chart in Fig. 5. First, the readings generally show little variation between the Vector and the weather station. As the readings are often exactly the same and the variances are not regular, I suspect the variances represent actual pressure differences between the two locations, which I did not expect as the weather station is only a mile or so away from my home. This indicates the barometric sensor in the Vector is accurate. Second, there is a clear pattern of bad weather showing up when the Vectors Graphic Indicator shows a hard drop. The worst weather coincides with a double hard drop. Steady or rising pressures coincide with good or improving weather. The only exception is on April 23rd, when steady readings occurred on a very rainy day. Note that the 23rd is sandwiched between two periods of rapid change and, as can be seen in Fig. 4, is actually in the middle of a pressure decline. Accordingly, my experience is that the Vector can act as a very reliable weather indicator. The Graphic Indicator gives a quick visual reference and acts as a handy alert. Checking this information along with the Barometric history gives a highly accurate weather prediction tool. Unlike the Altimeter, I find the barometric history records are very useful. The log is automatic and requires no attention on my part. It records four days worth of barometric readings. The log is accessed with two pushes on the Select button. I can step forward or backward through the history using the '+' or '-' buttons. The log retains the most recent six hours of readings in one hour increments. All readings are recorded 'on the hour'. Once out of the six hour window, all other readings are retained at six hour intervals, at 6:00 am, 12:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 12:00 am. The date and time information are displayed along with the barometric pressure reading as I scroll through the memory. Very handy and it gives me a quick and accurate read on the current pressure trends which is ideal for weather prediction. The temperature reading is also accurate, but requires removing the Vector, as the sensor will pick up my body temperature when I'm wearing it and it seems to read a pretty steady 86 F (30 C)! My habit is to take the watch off at night and either hang it somewhere in my tent or in an accessible spot outside the tent. Suunto recommends that the watch be left for at least fifteen minutes for an accurate temperature reading once it is taken off.  Fig. 4: Vector Barometer Mode. Note the menu bar labeled 'BARO'. and the temperature reading near the top center of the LCD. The Compass Mode: The digital Compass is one of the primary functions of the Vector and gets quite a bit of use. To date most of the use has been general navigation reference. The manual states that the Vector should be removed from the wrist to take a bearing, but I have not found this to be necessary. A good thing, too, because that would be a real nuisance. It is necessary to use the leveling bubble to get an accurate bearing. I played with the compass at several 'out of level' positions and it quickly became clear that the bearing reading can be badly affected when the Vector is not perfectly level. The bubble level is a critical feature and must be used to achieve an accurate reading. I have no difficulty doing this with the compass on my wrist and accuracy does not seem to be affected at all. I have even used the Vector compass like this in my canoe with no problems, albeit on the flat protected waters of the Peconic River. Using the Vector like this is certainly more convenient for quick course checks. The manual states that the compass should be recalibrated before each use and this is sound advice. I have noticed that the Vector's compass can go badly out of calibration. I suspect this is a result of being exposed to various electromagnetic fields (I am around very large electric motors (such as high rise elevator drives) fairly often and the Vector seems to be affected by this. This simply means that I should run the calibration sequence at the trailhead, which is no problem, as the calibration sequence is simple and quick. The Vector has a declination adjustment which is retained once set, even when recalibrating the compass. The declination adjustment is found in one of the Compass Mode sub-menus. I have set the declination to 13 degrees West, which is the adjustment for pretty much all of New York. There are two primary compass viewing modes: Standard and Bearing. The 'Standard' mode is the one most people are familiar with: point the compass in a direction and the compass tells you what the degree bearing for that direction is. The compass displays a pointer on the LCD rim which always points towards North and serves as a handy reference. The indicator can be seen in Fig. 5, right near the '210' degree reference mark on the outer bezel. Note the corresponding 'South' reference marker (the three squares near the '30' degree marker on the outer bezel). I am most familiar with this mode and use it frequently.  Fig. 5: Vector Compass Mode. Note the leveling bubble (out of level in this photo). The other compass option is the 'Bearing' view. In a bit of a break with the menu consistency found in the other functions, the Bearing view is accessed by holding the Selector button down for two seconds. Once accessed, I set the view to 'ON' with the '-' button. The bearing is then set by using the '+' and '-' buttons. Once set, pushing the Mode button locks the settings. The 'Bearing' view is the same as the 'Standard' mode, as the main display continues to show the bearing of the direction I am facing, but instead of the direction in line one (the 'SE' -southeast- in Fig. 5) the target bearing is displayed. The deviation from the desired bearing is displayed as an arc of indicators on the LCD rim. I simply have to turn towards the deviation shown and my course is corrected! At first, I preferred the more traditional view and still do when on a hike requiring frequent bearing changes or canoeing. The 'Bearing' view is growing on me, though, especially when the hike is essentially along a fixed course and frequent adjustments to the set bearing are not required. I have found the bezel to mostly ornamental. It does provide some functionality as a quick reference to 'North' when it is turned to the north bearing indicator position on a targeted course, assuring my eye goes quickly to the right position on the LCD rim. Aside from this, the bezels greatest value seems to me to be the protection it affords the watch lens, which has only received a very minor scratch so far. Summary:Likes: 1 – Good quality, well made product. 2 – Easy to read large LCD screen. 3 – Light for its size. 4 – A veritable laundry list of useful functions. Dislikes: 1 - Size. This is a big watch, but it is much more than a watch. Is there a way to keep the big LCD and all the great features and trim the size down? There is much to like here. The Suunto Vector is packed with enough goodies to keep any gearhead busy. I have found all the primary functions of use in the field, especially the Compass and Altimeter. The Compass and Altimeter functions have proven to be highly accurate and excellent boons to quick and convenient navigation when matched with a good topographic chart. I expect the barometer will be especially useful during an upcoming week long canoe trip in the Adirondacks when we will be out of range of radio based weather reports and there will be virtually no elevation changes. I hope to use the compass for navigation on the larger Adirondack lakes as well.
Read more reviews of Suunto gear Read more gear reviews by jim Sabiston Reviews > Electronic Devices > Watches > Suunto Vector Wristop Computer Watch > Jim Sabiston > Field Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||