Customer Reviews

Cool features, sleek, stylish, but.. Review by Charles

Rating

5/31/2010
I'm not sure if I got a lemon or not... but I ended up having to return this watch. I had problems with the accuracy of the Barometer and Altemeter from the start. At first I assumed that I simply didn't know how to properly use the features (I didn't) so I studied the manual. However, even after I set the Barometer to the correct reference pressure level I still got readings of -30' when sitting on the beach. I also didn't like how faint the display looks in daylight (I had the all black version), and how faint the night light is. The compass is difficult to use - the north "arrow" is two tiny tic marks on the fringe of the dial. The markings on the compass ring are also not luminescent.

Unlike the Vector, you can't switch between the Barometer and Altemeter - you have to go into the menu and change the "profile" first. I believe this is because the watch calculates one value based off the other, so it makes sense - but is still annoying when you're or trail running and want a quick look at both values at the same time. There is however an "automatic" feature that will display barometric pressure until it notices your elevation starting to change and then will display the altitude, and will switch back when you've been at the same altitude for awhile.

There are a few small features the Core has that the Vector lacks - for example, it has sunrise / sunset data for major cities all over the world, so you can pick the one closest to you and know (roughly) how much daylight you have left. The storm alarm is also a very cool feature, though since my watch didn't work well I got a lot of "false alarms."

With that said - if you get one that works, I'm sure this is a great watch. It has an attractive design and is sleek / thin enough to wear to work with a shirt and tie (maybe not to some jobs, but I work as a civilian on a military base). (Posted on 10/12/11)

Suunto Core All Black Military Review by Joyce

Rating

1/3/2010
I purchased this watch as a Christmas present for my husband, who's currently deployed in Iraq. It replaces a Casio G-shock he had for years. So far, he's had nothing but good things to say about it. The face is a little bit larger than he expected and the manual is pretty extensive for a watch. Aside from that, he loves it. (Posted on 10/12/11)

Doing just what it is supposed to do Review by Steve

Rating

4/24/2011
I bought the Suunto Core all-black for my husband in February of 2010. He had wanted one for quite some time, but with all the negatives reviews about the watch malfunctions I was a little hesitant to get it for him. So far, so good though. It's working just as it should. My husband loves it. We have been on several trips and the altimeter is working great as is the ascend/descend feature. When we backpack, it's nice to have the thermostat on it and the north/south indicator. He uses the alarm clock everyday, and it works just fine. He has had no trouble with any of the features, and he uses a lot of them. He is mechanically inclined, though, and read the manual before setting everything so I'm not surprised it's working well for him. I know that some of the watches have had some problems in the past, but several of the reviews I read I think I would chalk up to user error. This is not a watch for someone who doesn't like to read the user guide. Once he got everything set, it's been great. The all-black watch face can be difficult to see in the sun as some reviews have noted, but what would you expect? My phone that isn't all-black is difficult to see in the sun. So if you're concerned about being able to see your watch in direct sun, don't buy this watch. But if you don't mind walking a few steps to find shade, then you shouldn't have a problem. All in all- great buy. My husband, the tech-geek/mountain man loves it. Oh, and the battery has been working just fine- haven't had to replace it yet. I know that was a problem noted in some reviews. (Posted on 10/12/11)