Runner's World Reviews Quest

We love it when gear reviewers give the equipment the full treatment and really demo the goods! The people at Runner's World do an excellent job at giving real-world helpful advice about using a piece of equipment.

Here's their latest video review of the Suunto Quest. It's really helpful to see the watch in real use, and with a detailed explanation of it's features.

Leadville Trail Qualifiers Announced

The six qualifying events for the 2012 Leadville Trail mountain bike race have been announced. Last year was the first time the race was built on a qualifier system, rather than the previous lottery system, and this year will require racers once again to prove their mettle to get into the elite event.

We're hoping to see Suunto superstar Rebecca Rusch in the scrum, defending her women's champion title at the tough, high-altitude race, which happens August 11th in Colorado.

Cycling News has a great story about the qualifying events, including the list of locations. Read it here.

And if you want to relive Rebecca's awesome domination of the race in 2011 - including setting a new course record - here's Cycling News' coverage of that too! Of course, you'll also want to check out Reba's recap of the day, as well.

Hooray for The Queen of Pain!

Movescount is now an App!

We are excited to announce our Movescount app is now available at the Apple App Store.


All the elements you love about Movescount are now available on the go via your iPhone. Now you can instantly keep tabs on your moves wherever you are. Movescount is your chance to really take advantage of the tracking capacity of your Suunto equipment. Store every single workout you do with the amount of detail you want. Share your most memorable workouts with your friends and the online community. Join groups of likeminded athletes and compare your results at competitions and events.

It's incredibly simple to use - login to Movescount.com and record your workout, share it, talk about it!

Make your Move, track your progress, share it online.

Suunto Core Featured in Backcountry Skiing Canada

Backcountry Skiing Canada has done a great and thorough review of the Suunto Core's 75th Anniversary Edition.

The 75th anniversary last spring commemorated the Tuomas Vohlonen invention in 1936 which led to liquid filled compasses and became the basis for the technical watches of today.
The folks at BSC really give the Core the full treatment, and it is a very informative and helpful review of all the features, from design to technical features.

Comments from the review:
"No mater how good the features are, if the design is not striking, people will just not pay attention. Lucky for the Suunto Core it is not only functional but also simple in design and striking in appearance. The Suunto Core 75th Anniversary edition is sleek and elegant thanks to the beautiful anodized green bezel design, but these are mere cosmetics, the real design appeal comes in the industrial design - that is to say the form of the Suunto Core."

Read the full review here.

Blue Ridge Outdoors

Blue Ridge Outdoors has put out their Top 40 gear guide for 2011, and we're proud to find the Suunto Core at #3 on the accessories list.

The good folks at Blue Ridge are wise enough to note that:
"The most important backcountry tool may not be in your pack, but on your wrist."

We couldn't have said that better!

Read their full review here.

Suunto is at The Running Event!

The Running Event starts today!!

If you are hitting the big show at the Austin Convention Center, you'll want to come visit Suunto at our booth (#728).

We'll be featuring the Quest athletic outdoor training watch:

“Suunto Quest is made for people who are passionate about training outdoors and value advanced planning, training, and analysis tools, but also want a sleek design combined with ease of use,” says Nora Stowell, Suunto North America Vice President and Business Director. “This new Quest series is the perfect solution for athletic quests in the outdoors.”

We'd love to share it with you at The Running Event. Come get all your questions answered about Quest and the entire Suunto line of precision sports instruments.
See you there!

Easy on the Eyes

Do you like pretty pictures? We sure do.

That's why we team up with great photographers like Adam Barker. Adam's images are stunning and we are happy he's in the Suunto family. Check out his work on his website - he even offers some great advice to aspiring photogs.

Eye Candy
by Adam BarkerPhotography.com

Extreme Skiing - Antarctica Edition

Suunto athlete Kim Havell went on another incredible adventure - Skiing Antarctica? Yep.

Read her recent Powder Magazine blog post highlighting the beginning of their trip. Here's a highlight.

Kim Havell:

We arrived to a place with no one else, with endless descents and up to 9,000-foot peaks straight up from the ocean. This is a backcountry skier’s dream realm, but it also comes with some harsh realities—Antarctica is a moving target.

With endless route possibilities, Antarctica also puts forth challenging obstacles that have to be carefully navigated: abrupt weather changes, tricky small boat—Zodiac—landings, pack ice movement that can trap a ship, lurking crevasses in the glacier, and other objective hazards.

Cadence Q & A

Recently we asked Suunto Ambassador Adam Chase, long-distance running superstar - who won more than 20 ultramarathons, is captain of the Salomon Trail Running Team, former Prez of the American Trail Running Association, co-author of "The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running"- to explain the importance of running cadence.

Here is the Q and A:

Q: What is Running Cadence?

A: Running cadence is the number of times either your left or right foot hits the ground in one minute. Concentrating on improving your running cadence can make you a faster runner and help you exert less energy while gaining the same amount of ground. Studies have shown that the world's fastest long-distance runners have a higher cadence than the average runner, between 85 to 95 steps per minute.

Q: Is that true? Why is it important?

A: The problem is that the statement is erroneous. While some of the world’s fastest runners do have a high cadence the high cadence isn’t the source of their speed as much as it is the fact that they are less likely to be injured. Those same runners will run at the same cadence on a slow run or fast run, the difference being the length of their stride. Higher cadence is often connected with where one lands on her or his foot. Heel strikers have a tendency to overpronate and exhibit higher impact pressures whereas midfoot and more so forefoot runners are able to better dissipate the shock over more steps and through the more resilient part of the foot and that is why people are taking up minimalist or barefoot running. In a nutshell, the objective of striving for a higher cadence is to minimize injury. Barefoot runners are almost never fast but they are able to train a lot more and that often results in running improvements, including efficiency.

Thanks Adam! Great insight.

Recommended watch for keeping track of your cadence: Suunto Quest.

Core Mountain Values

Mountain Life Magazine showcases the true character of British Columbia’s vast and varied Coast Mountain range. They aim to shed some natural light on the on the culture, history, people and environmental issues within the Sea to Sky corridor and beyond.

In the latest issue they point some natural light at the Suunto Core!


We agree - Core mountain values include such things as premium equipment, designed to perform, and built to survive: Like the Core Watch.

Julian Carr Featured at Whitefish Mountain Films

Pro skier and Suunto athlete, Julian Carr, has been getting ready for the snow season by getting out and touring a bunch of ski videos, making appearances with a host of superstar athletes.

He's been making the circuit including Whitefish Mountain Films in Whitefish, Montana - here he is hanging with Chris Rubens before the screening of Eye of the Condor:

(Click photo for a link to a series of images from the Whitefish Mountain Films show)

Julian has also been to shows in Colorado, Utah and across the country.

If you didn't get a chance to connect with Julian on this film showcase, you'll have to wait until the thaw - now that the powder is accumulating, you can bet Julian will be spending more time doing what he does: killing it in the mountains.

La Ruta Day 2

photo: Cycling News

Suunto superathlete Rebecca Rusch is tearing it up at La Ruta de los Conquistadores.

Here's a sample from her blog of what Day 2 was like for her:

I’m in the hotel room after day 2 with ice bags on my legs. There’s no bath tub here, so I can’t take a full ice bath.
It was a really tough day with about 45 miles of riding and 11,000 ft of climbing. The climbs were so steep that some of them were unrideable.

Ouch.

Rebecca is keeping pace with Adrianna Rojas, who is currently race leader, and they spent a portion of day 2 riding together.

And what does Day 3 hold?

Tomorrow is the big climb up the volcano. There are some really steep parts at the beginning, but most of the climb is a steady paved road where you can settle into a smooth pace. At the top, you head down for about 40 km. It sounds amazing, but the descent is really technical and tiring.

Keep tabs on the race at Rebecca's blogsite.

Great videos of the race here.

La Ruta Loves the Queen of Pain

La Ruta de Los Conquistadores kicked off on Wednesday, and runs for four total days over 240 miles and five mountain ranges as it takes racers across the continent from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea.

photo: Cycling News

Suunto athlete, Rebecca Rusch is taking on La Ruta and keeping us informed on her blog. Here's a bit from her Day 1 update:

Day 1 of La Ruta is in the books. I had a great day and it felt so good to be racing and working hard again. I’ve sort of had a couple months of really unstructured training, so I had no idea if my legs would remember how to race. I was pleasantly surprised with how I felt today on what they call the hardest day of La Ruta. There was over 10,000 ft of climbing in about 110 km. The jungle hike a bike portion is a bit of a slip and slide event, but it went OK.

Make sure you take a look at this photo gallery from Cycling News!

Coverguy comes to the NYC Marathon Expo!

Suunto is excited to be participating in the New York City Marathon Expo this weekend!

We've partnered up with the awesome Paragon Sports to host booth #406 and showcase the Quest.

Mikael Hanson, Outside Magazine's September 2011 Cover Athlete will join us! Bring your September issue for some autographing, and bring your questions for this cross-training overachiever!

Check out these magazines and feel the love

We love it when we flip through the pages of our favorite magazines and see Suunto products getting great reviews.

Outside Magazine is featuring the Suunto Quest Pack in their Buyer's Guide.

Powder Magazine likes us too! The Core is their choice in their backcountry recommendations feature.


Mountain Living also digging the Suunto Core for the 2012 Resort Guide.

Extreme in 3D

Alexander and Thomas Huber, better known collectively as the Huber Brothers or Huberbuam, are recognized as two of the world’s best extreme mountaineers.

Check out their new 3D film that documents their ascent up the “Karma route” of Loferer Alm near Berchtesgaden in Germany, which at grade 11 is one of the most challenging climbs in the Alps. This gripping film captures the brothers’ efforts in one of their final ascents as extreme climbers. Both in their 40s, the duo describe it as “their final statement.”

“This route stands as a mark of our teamwork as brothers,” says Thomas, “for all the conflicts that have been and that we have solved.”

In the 2007 film "On the Limit," these two Suunto ambassadors attempted a speed climbing record on El Capitan’s Zodiac face. Although they initially failed to set a record during that particular ascent, they returned later in the year and achieved their goal. And of course they used Suunto every inch of the way.

You can catch the entire film - “Extremkletterer auf ihrer Schicksalsroute”- on Youtube. So grab your 3D glasses and your German dictionary (ja, ist auf Deutsch, but you don't need to speak German to love this amazing film). Prepare for some extreme!

The Gear Junkie's Essential? SUUNTO VECTOR HR!!

No one needed to tell us, of course, but it sure is nice to have the validation from such notables as Stephen Reginold, aka: GearJunkie.com.

In the latest Outside Magazine issue, dear friend GearJunkie sends out his list of Top 10 Adventure Racing Essentials, including the Suunto Vector HR.

Thanks for the nod.

2011 XTERRA USA is all about the race

Although the most talked-about element of the 2011 XTERRA USA - held Sept 24th in Ogden, Utah - was the presence of legend Lance Armstrong as a competitor, in the end it was the race - the water, the dirt, the wheels - that determined the winner.

Not that four-time XTERRA champion Conrad Stoltz was at all intimidated by the larger-than-life Tour d' France champ: "I told him not to bring the 26" bike - he can leave the kiddie's bike at home. Bring the 29er." BOOM!
(check out video highlights here)

Conrad helped douse some of the media hype when he finished 2+ minutes ahead of the superstar Armstrong. His 2:27:30 overall time put him three spots behind this years winner, Nicolas Lebrun. Which goes to show ya: your competition is not always the grandest guy in the room.

Conrad ripped that race apart, of course, but it is a harsh road to run.

QUICK STATS*
1.5k swim / 28k mountain bike / 9.8k trail run
Swim course distance: 1,500-meters (0.93 miles) Combines two 750-meter laps (no run in-between)
Elevation at Port Ramp Marina for swim start: 4,900-feet
Water temperature: Expected to be in the 65-degree range
Mountain bike course distance: 28-kilometers (17.7 miles)
Total climbing on bike: 3,400-feet
Elevation at highest point: 7,300-feet (where Sardine Peak Trail meets the ridgeline)
Elevation at T2/Snowbasin Resort Lodge: 6,400-feet
Trail Run course distance: 9.8-kilometers (6.1 miles)
Total climbing on run: 700-feet
Total climbing on course: 4,100-feet

The U.S. Forest Service started work on the Sardine Peak Trail near Snowbasin Resort three years ago and for the first-time in XTERRA racing history, it was ready to ride. The new 7+ mile section of single and double track is the sweetest and smoothest piece of trail on the mountain, and makes the bike course “a true mountain race course that weaves in-and-out of aspen glades and pines,” said Snowbasin Resort sport event operations director Steve Andrus.*

Congrats to Conrad on his awesome finish, and to all the other competitors that ripped that track up!

*from XterraPlanet.com

The Queen Of Pain in NYC

The Queen of Pain and Suunto Athlete, Rebecca Rusch is wrapping up her SRAM Gold Rusch Tour with multiple social events in New York City.

First: An evening with Rebecca Rusch and fellow pro Katie Holden. There will be food and drinks and a great opportunity to meet and greet these amazing women. This event will be on October 6th at Sid's Bike Shop.

Second: October 8th Rusch and Holden will host a FREE Women's Mountain Bike Clinic at Highbridge Park 10am to 4pm.

If you are interested in meeting with Rebecca for a media appointment you can contact Amy May (amy@outsidemedia.com), the sooner the better.

Suunto Athlete Kim Havell Representing in New Winter Film

Suunto athlete and mountaineering ripper Kim Havell stars in Solitaire, a new backcountry ski, snowboard and telemark film. Solitaire tells the story of a team of earn-your-turns backcountry buffs who find themselves among (and sliding down) some of the most intense peaks in South America.

SOLITAIRE: A Backcountry Skiing, Snowboarding, and Telemark Film from Sweetgrass Productions on Vimeo.

The Gear Junkie Puts the Suunto Core to the Test

The Gear Junkie Stephen Regenold Climbed Utah's King's Peak in a fraction of the time it usually takes to summit the state's tallest peak. Regenold's goal was to pack as light as possible and hike fast and light. Among his state-of-the-art backpacking gear, Regenold utilized his Suunto Core watch to track his altitude and elevation gain. Watch the video that chronicles this Gear Junkie's King's Peak adventure and see some great shots of the Suunto Core hard at work.

Fast & Light on Kings Peak, Utah - Brought to you by Timberland™ from Gear Junkie on Vimeo.

Suunto Athlete Kim Havell Breaks Trail

Suunto athlete Kim Havell is part of a new backcountry ski film. "Breaking Trail" by Powderwhore Productions is screening all across the US this month and next. We're excited to see what Kim and company put together!

Check out the trailer.

Suunto Quest on Fox 13 at Outdoor Retailer '11

In case you missed it, the Suunto Quest was featured on Fox 13 during the 2011 Summer Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Quest is great for personalizing your workouts to keep you on track to get your next PR. It tracks your heart rate, speed, running cadence, and laps in real time. You can also share and analyze the data from Suunto Quest with Movescount.com.

Outdoor Informer is giving away an M5

One of our favorite outdoor gear and information sites, Outdoorinformer.com, is giving away a Suunto M5 for its September reader promotion! Don't miss out to win this multi-functional watch and fitness monitor--as you've probably heard by now, it is easy to use and works to help you set and achieve your personal fitness goals.

Outdoor Informer's Prep and Approach Giveaway runs from September 1-30, 2011. Residents of the U.S. and Canada 18 or older can enter once per day. Promotion entrants must "like" Suunto's facebook page in order to win.

Ask Reba Giveaway

Every month Suunto athlete Rebecca Rusch gives away some of her favorite products. Today is the last day to win a Suunto T6d from the Ask Reba contest on her website.

Rebecca says, "It's my training partner, my motivation, and my record keeper. This little red number tells me how my training is going, if I'm on track, if I'm over-reaching and keeps me honest." The Suunto T6d may be simple but it gives you a lot of information: distance, speed, and altitude. Not to mention a whole physiological analyses on Movescount.com

So Ask Reba A Question and win this awesome training partner who will help you analyze and improve your performance. Just one day to go!

Kilian Jornet Wins North Face Race

Last weekend, Suunto athlete, Kilian Jornet won the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc for the third time in his career. The UTMB is 170 km long with 9,700 meters of elevation gain in the mountains of the Mont-Blanc massif. It is considered to be one of the most difficult and prestigious races in the world of Trail Running.

"This year's UTMB has been very special, as it has probably been the UTMB race with the highest level. Just looking at the list of competitors was scary," said Kilian after coming in first with a time of 20:36.43 hours.

Kilian says, “The weather conditions were really tough. We set off with rain and snow in the highest areas, which made the first part of the race particularly tough. This context, however, brought about some remarkable moments, such as the sunrise in Col de la Seigne, the light, the moon still visible, the sun, the snow and some impressive colors. It was an incredible moment.”

For most of the race Kilian ran with a group of runners, some of his closest friends. But 25 km out from the finish line in Chamonix, he sprinted away from the group and kept his distance until the very end. The public shared a warm welcome to the Catalan racer. “The UTMB is a very special race. This year I felt the public’s support in all the areas, no matter whether French, Italian or Swiss. There were a lot of people supporting and cheering me on. It truly was a very special experience.” says Kilian.

For the next few days Kilian is going to rest up and get himself ready for the race on September 17th in South Africa, part of his 5 Races, 5 continents project.

Results: UTMB Mens

1. KILIAN JORNET. 20:36 h. (Team Salomon)

2. IKER CARRERA. 20:45 h. (Team Salomon)

3. SEBASTIEN CHAIGNEAU. 20:55 h. (Team North Face)

Results UTMB Women's

1. Elisabeth HAWKER. 25:02 h. (Team North Face)

2. Nerea MARTINEZ. 27:55:34 h. (Team Salomon)

3. Darcy AFRICA. 28:30:28 h. (Team Pearl Izumi)

Who Will Win the North Face Race? Predict and Win!

On August 26, the 2011 North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc will commence, and the starting line will be nothing short of power-packed. Some of the world's finest endurance athletes --including our own Kilian Jornet, Mike Wolfe, Nick Clark, Jez Bragg, Geoff Roes, Miguel Heras, Dakota Jones, Hal Koerner, Scott Jurek and Tsuyoshi Kaburaki-- will take this mountainous ultra head-on, competing against each other and Mother Nature herself.

It's going to be an intense showdown in some stunning country ... question is, who will cross the finish line first?

Go ahead, take a guess ... and be entered to win! Suunto has teamed up with iRunFar to put together a contest. All you have to do is predict which competitor will win and what his/her time will be. Post your prediction as a comment; if you've got the winning time, we'll give you a Suunto M5 Running Kit!

Stoup and Havell See the Sights in Spitsbergen

Spitsbergen is the name of a breathtaking Norwegian island along the Arctic Ocean. Boasting fjords, mountains and glaciers, Spitsbergen is home to reindeer, polar bears and a host of marine mammals.

Just ask polar explorer and expedition leader Doug Stoup. Expedition leader and founder of Ice Axe Expeditions, Stoup takes Suunto products along for all of his journeys, which include dozens of trips to both the North and South poles.

Most recently, Stoup and his team explored the wild and snowy sights of Spitsbergen. Coincidentally, Suunto athlete Kim Havell was also on this epic trip--see her smiling face hiking to a top of a ridge at about 36 seconds into the video.
Check out the video:

California Waters + Kayak = Adventure

We can't get enough of the stories Suunto athlete Ross Herr brings back from his kayaking adventures. We especially love all of the pictures he and his fellow kayakers take along the way, and once again he's shared with us some pretty sweet shots!

Ross checked in with us from sunny California, where he's been paddling some fantastic water. This trip is part of his nationwide campaign to raise $50,000 for First Descents, an organization that puts on adventure programs for young adults who are fighting cancer. To reach his goal, Ross will spend six months kayaking a combined 50,000 vertical feet.

Below is a shot from Ross' trip down the Fantasy Falls on the Mokelumne River, which he deemed, "An epic adventure with all the essentials of a California Classic."

On his blog, Ross had this to say about Fantasy Falls: "We had a map of the area and my Suunto watch with altimeter to track how far we had made it ... One of the craziest parts about Fantasy is how much the river fluctuates throughout the day. We placed a stick in the beach first where the water was when we arrived, then again at the high point from the night. When we woke the level was over a foot lower."
Before Fantasy Falls Ross paddled Dinky Creek, which is "known for having some ultra clean drops, beautiful surroundings and as much challenge as you wanna bite off."

Check out Ross' blog for more about his team's California adventures, including the rescue of a fellow kayaker!
Looks like an awesome trip, Ross -- we can't wait to hear more!

Suunto Supports Big Blue Adventures

The Big Blue Adventure series is in full swing in sunny California, and August has ushered in some of its biggest races. Along with cheering on the racers, Suunto is excited to announce its support of the Big Blue events themselves.

All Big Blue Adventure competitors will receive special discounts on selected Suunto products, which will be available through Alpenglow Sports, Lombardi Sports and Tahoe Mountain Sports.

We'll also be adding one of our Suunto Core watches to the $700 Tahoe summer prize package that will be awarded to Big Blue race winners. This prize package will include gear from KEEN, Platypus Hydration, Sol Sunguard and kayak rentals from Tahoe Adventure Company.
You can help grow the amazing Big Blue Adventure series by liking Reno Tahoe USA on Facebook!

Reba 3, Leadville 0

Saturday, August 13 was a gorgeous day in Leadville, CO. It was also the day that Suunto athlete Rebecca Rusch smashed her own record in the Leadville Trail 100 ... winning the famed mountain bike race for the third time in a row.


Reba rolled across the finish line with a time of 7:31:45, almost 16 minutes faster than the course record she herself set in 2010. Rusch spent the first half of the rugged Rocky Mountain race in fifth place, charging up the epic Columbine climb to take the lead.

"I'm a diesel, so it takes me a while to get going sometimes," says Rusch in this cyclingnews.com article.

And 'get going' she did, once again conquering a race that is no small feat: 103 miles long at an elevation of 10,152 feet.

We knew you could, Reba -- congrats on another record-breaking win!

Reba vs. Leadville Trail 100 ... Round 3

"I was blown away ... by the magnitude of the race and the spirit of cycling and endurance racing..."
--Rebecca Rusch

That's what Suunto athlete Rebecca Rusch had to say about the Leadville Trail 100 2010, not long after she pedaled it home for the win. And that was the second time. For the past two years, the "Queen of Pain" has won the infamous Leadville Trail 100. In 2010 she crossed the finish line as both a victor and the women's course record holder, with a time of 7:47:35...and on August 13, 2011 she'll be back to do it again.

At 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, Rebecca will join her fellow Leadville competitors on a starting line that sits at 10,152 feet. From there she will cover some of the toughest trails the Colorado Rockies have to offer, conquering country that is unforgiving as well as figuratively (and literally!) breathtaking.

It's Reba vs. the Leadville Trail 100 ... and it's going to be one incredible race.

In addition to the Leadville 100, August also means it's time for another great Ask Reba giveaway -- and you'd better start brainstorming, because this month's prize is definitely worth a good question.

This month Rebecca will be giving away a Suunto T6d (with Movescount), which she has deemed her "single most beloved piece of gear."

The T6d is an in-depth, easy-to-use training tool that will help you push your workouts and races to the next level. To enter the giveway, just visit Rebecca Rusch's website and ask away ... may the best question win!

Suunto On Target During 'Bowcast at the Bird' Event

You could say that hunting is one of the world's oldest extreme endurance sports. It requires rigorous hiking, agility, patience, strength and incredible skill — and just like any other endurance sport, hunting has evolved over time. Here at Suunto, we're continuing our commitment to grow and expand right alongside it (and every other endurance sport!) with our signature product line.

There is an up-and-coming new generation of bowhunter, and its members are tuning into Full Moon Productions' (FMP) Bowcast. This podcast speaks to today's archer, keeping them current on the latest in news and gear in the archery world. A unique new breed of archer requires a unique breed of technology, and Suunto's cutting edge products are up to the challenge.

Suunto recently partnered with Sportsman's Warehouse and FMP Bowcast for the 2011 Bowcast at the Bird event, a 3D archery shoot that is held annually at the Snowbird Resort in Utah.

Archers from across the nation —along with two hailing from the Netherlands— attended this year's Bowcast at the Bird, which was a huge success! Our Suunto watches made dozens of appearances throughout the weekend, and we had a blast meeting all of the talented people who either participated in or helped put together this great event.

On the "weekend events" target, Bowcast at the Bird hit the bull's eye — we'll definitely be back next year.

Suunto Supports Active, Healthy Kids Through Kidz Passport Program

We are ready for another amazing week at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2011, and we're all looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new faces as we showcase the latest in cutting-edge Suunto products.

In addition to all of the booths, events and special guests, OR hosts dozens of family friendly activities throughout the week, making it easy to bring the kids along with you. We're all for supporting these activities, which is why Suunto is taking part in theGeoPalz Kidz Passport Program.

GeoPalz specializes in colorful, uniquely shaped pedometers designed specifically for kids. In continuation of its ongoing effort to get kids up and active, GeoPalz designed the Kidz Passport Program for kids who will be visiting OR with their families.

Here's how it works: First, families stop by the GeoPalz booth in the New Exhibitor Pavilion (PV#103) and sign their children up for the program. Kids then recieve their own GeoPalz, which allows them to measure the steps they take from booth to booth. They fill out a special "passport" as they go, and when they return the completed passport back to the GeoPalz booth they become eligible for dozens of different prizes -- including some from us at Suunto!

We believe it's important to spark your child's sense of adventure and encourage the exploration of the world around them -- and Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2011 is a great place to start.

Famed Climber Ueli Steck Coming to Outdoor Retailer

Suunto athlete and all-around global speed climber/mountain goat Ueli Steck is headed for the Americas and coming to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2011 next week in Salt Lake City.
Mountain Hardware is also a big Steck sponsor and hosting a Ueli event at its booth on Friday, August 5th at Outdoor Retailer from 4-6 pm backed with refreshments.
Ueli will be signing posters in front of the Mountain Hardware booth and then raffling off some prizes that would be included in a Ueli "gear kit." You could win raffle items that are similar to what he wears while running up mountains in the Himalayas. Within this sick raffle will be a Suunto Core!
So, if you will be at Outdoor Retailer next week, be sure to stop by the Mountain Hardware booth (#26001) see the Swiss Machine and enter to win a Suunto Core!