Ma
Gear
This is Spartan !
The Suunto Spartan Ultra brings a new type of beast to the GPS running watch market , and after a month-long wear-testing experience with the unit , I have concluded that this a watch really geared for the serious athlete , like Comrades , Ironman or Epic entrants . – BY ROXANNE MARTIN
OK , let ’ s start with the basics . The Suunto Spartan Ultra is an advanced multisport GPS watch with a colour touch screen and up to 26 hours of battery life in training mode , that can accurately measure your pace , speed , distance , altitude , heart rate ( in HR versions ) and calories . It has 80 pre-set sport modes , including running , cycling , swimming , triathlon and various adventure sports such as hiking or even skitouring , with sport-specific metrics included , and you can follow your progress not only in your own personal best and tracking data , but also by comparing yourself to other athletes thanks to the Suunto Movescount feature that links you to other users of the unit .
Technical challenge ( at first )
My first take on this watch was that it requires a tech-savvy user , because the set-up is not quite a simple one , two , three , and if you are a firsttime Suunto user , I would advise using Google to guide you . But once you are set up , the menu tabs are easy to find , and a simple swipe on the screen will take you through the options – or you can use the three buttons if you prefer .
In the training mode you are presented with what seems a million and one options . Well , 80 to be exact , and that includes every sport imaginable , as well as indoor options for those sports . There is even a stretching option ! At first I was completely overwhelmed , because all I wanted to do was swim , but I soon got the hang of using the watch . The watch keeps you incredibly well informed , from your pace to average heart rate , to split times , and more . It ’ s great having all this information , especially when you compare it over time .
Tech Specs
• GPS Route navigation with digital compass
• Sport expertise and support for over 80 sports or activities , with racing and training use
• Training insights and community-powered progress tools in Suunto Movescount
• Barometric altitude ( FusedAlti )
• Colour touch screen and button navigation
• 100m water-resistance
• 26 hours of battery life in training mode Note : Some units in the range come with a heart rate strap and added HR features .
I also loved that the popular sports like running and cycling have dedicated modes such as interval running , obstacle race running and even treadmill , and in interval running , for example , you can see your latest times in the lap table display while running . You can also create and customise new sport modes from Suunto Movescount , and can sync up to 19 new custom modes on your watch at a time . For example , in trail running you can call up specific metrics for your display , such as altitude or temperature .
But wait , there ’ s more …
Another great feature of the watch is that it measures how many hours training you have put in versus how many hours you have been in recovery , by measuring your activity and training load 24 / 7 . For any athlete training for a big race , this is vital information , as many of us fall into the trap of overtraining , so this simple yet effective function helps you train effectively and efficiently , and get to race-day fresh and ready to race . ( As part of this , the watch has a step-counter , but unfortunately this doesn ’ t seem to be ‘ loaded ’ for you to use on Discovery .)
The Spartan has the functionality to connect to your smart phone , we only tested this on an IOS ( Apple ) phone , so can ’ t comment on the functionality on Android . I found downloading my activities very easy – simply open the app and connect to the watch , and it downloads as simple as one , two three . Another nifty feature is that after exercising , the watch has an option for asking how you felt during your workout , and over time that gives you valuable insight into what works or doesn ’ t work for you , especially if you start seeing that after specific workouts you feel less than great , or better after others .
Who should buy it ?
This is definitely a watch for the more serious athlete , and with a price tag of R11,999 , it should be seen as a long-term investment in your endurance sport . If that sounds like you , place your order now at www . in2sport . co . za , or find the units at Suunto stockists nationwide .
Image : Suunto
42 ISSUE 91 FEBRUARY 2017 / www . modernathlete . co . za