Men's Journal Gear Lab

We swung by Men's Journal Gear Lab pop-up store on Michigan Avenue and look what we saw: The MJ Gear of the Year award-winning Suunto Ambit is front and center right as you walk in!  Check out the pictures that we snapped to document this awesome display. If you are in Chicago, stop by 520 North Michigan Avenue to check everything out. Click here to see more photos of the Men's Journal Pop-Up Shop.

Ambit wins Men's Journal Gear of the Year

 Suunto is proud to announce the Ambit has been named Gear of the Year 2012 by Men’s Journal Magazine.  The annual award is given to gear that stands above the hundreds of products tested by the magazine each year.  

Among other features, Men's Journal chose the Ambit for its above-the-bar functionality and abuse-ready frame. 

"Since it’s packed with an accelerometer, a 3-D compass, and an altimeter and built to be abused, the Suunto Ambit is aimed at high-altitude, hard-charging trail runners, climbers and hikers. In the field, its GPS repeatedly locked in quicker than that of comparable watches, and its accelerometer was responsive and accurate. The recovery-time calculator is cool, too." - Men's Journal 

The Ambit 3D GPS watch also features two software upgrades that unlock technical features based primarily off of consumer feedback making it the only watch on the market that allows you to have access to new features without having to buy a new watch.

T6 at Everest

These amazing photos came from one of our retailers, Anna Gardner of Adventure16 in Los Angeles. They are from her trip to Nepal. The T6 looks great with Everest in the background!

Suunto releases 2.0 Update for Ambit

Suunto released the Ambit 2.0 upgrade - making the Suunto Ambit the only watch on the market that allows you to upgrade features without buying a new watch. The 2.0 update allows Suunto users to personalize the watch by downloading existing apps—innovative new features created by other users in the Suunto App Zone. If users cannot find an app that suits their needs, they can simply create their own. Current apps provide users with expected race finish times, display calories as chocolate bars, and predict hill inclines. To view the full list of currently available apps, users can go to the Suunto App Zone on Movescount.com.In addition, the new 2.0 Suunto Ambit upgrade adds an interval timer and ANT+™ functionality, providing compatibility with Suunto footpod accessories.
Check out the full press release here!
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The Suunto M Series

Suunto provides a wide range of products to accommodate every kind of user. From the trail blazer to the casual hiker, Suunto has a product for every occasion.

The Suunto M series is a collection of four watches perfect for anyone trying to wedge fitness into their crazy, hectic lives.

The Suunto M Series provides users with advice each morning for the day's workout and keeps you going with encouraging messages to help continue your active lifestyle and meet your fitness goals.Complete with a heart rate monitor, the M Series adapts to your workout program if you accidentally miss a workout session.

The M Series is available in the M1, M2, M4 and M5, all providing different functions and features so you can get the perfect watch to match your fitness goals. Check out the full collection at http://www.suunto.com/us/en/collections/suunto-m-series.

Suunto Ambit in GearJunkie

The Suunto Ambit recently received a great review from the team over at The GearJunkie.

"The watch offers some unique features. The best new feature may be the accuracy of the speed data. The Ambit combines its GPS data with its accelerometer data, which leads to a more accurate reading of actual speed."

The review discusses how intuitive the Movescount software is, mentioning how it links and uploads data from the watch to the computer quickly and easily. 

Another Ambit highlight is the battery life.

"Another feature that makes this watch shine is its monster battery life. It will record GPS data for up to 60 hours — the longest on the market for this product type by about 300%."

The review doesn't stop there. Ambit's patented Fusedspeed technology works to detect speed changes quickly, keeping you on track to your fitness goal. 

"You get quicker response to speed changes, as well as a continuous speed-reading even during periods when the GPS signal is temporarily lost. Suunto calls this technology FUSEDSPEED, and it’s an industry first to our knowledge. Smart." 

Check out the full article from The GearJunkie here.

Javier Gomez wins 2012 XTERRA World Championship

Suunto athlete Javier Gomez won the 2012 XTERRA World Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on the island of Maui recently. Gomez completed the 1.5K swim, 30K mountain bike and 10K in 2:26:54 with the second place winner coming in nearly a full minute after Gomez.

Photo: XTERRA. Courtesy of Triathlete Europe 

The Xterra World Championship consisted of 750 athletes from around the world, competing in a "tropical roller coaster" to swim, run and bike race through Hawaii's pineapple field and forests. 

Check out the full story here. Congratulations, Javier! 

Suunto Video Page

Suunto is determined to deliver the best products and service to customers.

On the Suunto website there are a series of videos that users can access to find out information regarding products, updates that you need to get the most out of your Suunto experience. On our video page you will find support videos, instructional videos and footage of Suunto goods in action. Topics include the Suunto Ambit, the Suunto Core, the Suunto Quest, Movescount, Suunto Training and Suunto Diving. 

Visit the Suunto video page to access videos on your favorite Suunto products.

Kim Havell runner-up for Best Outdoor Personality

Suunto USA athlete Kim Havell is listed as a runner up in the Best Colorado Outdoor Personality category. And with good reason! 

Elevation Outdoors hosts an annual Colorado poll to determine the Best Outdoor Personalities each year. It's not just about the women who can make the biggest drops or who can tackle the toughest terrain. It's about the women who can get outside every day and make a difference. We're so happy that we have the opportunity to work with such an amazing athlete. Congrats, Kim! 

Gear Junkie team wins Checkpoint Tracker Championship Race

Stephen Regenold and Team Gear Junkie won the Checkpoint Tracker Championship Race after 29 hours and 110 miles of distance tackled in the wilderness. The team traveled and fought for their title on foot, bike, boat and riverboard in the New River Gorge of West Virginia.

Trailrunning 

This annual event attracts the top endurance racers from across the US to team up and tackle the elements for the championship title. This year’s course included whitewater rafting, trail running, mountain biking, orienteering and riverboarding.

Riverboarding 

Check out Stephen Regenold below sporting a Suunto in his victory photo.

Justin Bakken, Thomas Puzak, Kelly Brinkman, Stephen Regenold

Hats off to the GearJunkie/WEDALI team for an amazing performance and a great win. 

Concluding the Salomon Trail Tour

Suunto Participates in Salomon Trail Tour 

September is coming to an end which means that winter is officially on its way and the Salomon Trail Tour is celebrating an amazing couple of months. The Salomon Trail Tour is a mobile trail running tour that travels across the country providing running clinics, tips from the pros, prizes, giveaways and demo trail running shoes to all who attend. It’s an event to bring people together in the spirit of urban trail running. Suunto teamed up with Salomon for the event to demo the Suunto Ambit. 

If you were able to come out and join us for a trail run, thank you for participating. If you were unable to make it, plan on it for next year. In the mean time, enjoy our photos from the 2012 Trail Tour. 

Greg Hill is an even BIGGER part of the Amer family.

As we’re sure you’ve heard, ski mountaineer and Suunto user Greg Hill recently signed with Salomon. Suunto is happy to announce that Greg Hill is now a BIG and amazing part of the Amer family, representing both Salomon and Suunto.

 While running through the airport recently, Greg sat down and answered some questions from Backcountry SkiingCanada. He’s a wonderful athlete and we’re proud to have him on our team. 

We couldn’t be happier to have you Greg! 

Suunto Announces September Updates

As of Tuesday, August 14^th, 2012, Suunto has released two free upgrades to the Ambit that will take its award-winning technology and functionality to new heights. Since its Spring 2012 launch, Suunto has relentlessly sought to update its technology to meet the needs of Suunto customers. 

After careful consideration from the feedback of Ambit users, Suunto is pleased to announce two free upgrades that will add insurmountable value to the technology of the Ambit. The first update available at the end of September will include:

-          On-screen route navigation

-          Online routes to download

-          Location displays in 14 local grid references (includes US, UK, and key European countries)

-          Plus chrono, GPS time keeping with a constant backlight and five new languages (Italian, Portugese, Dutch, Finnish and Swedish).

Users will be able to download routes online or input their own waypoints with this update, making it possible to see routes in real time, including their start point position and most importantly, the route ahead.

Location displays in local grid references allow users to pinpoint where they are on their map to better plan their routes geographically.

Suunto's second launch of updates is scheduled for November.  

Suunto event at Outdoor Retailer!

Outdoor Retailer starts next week and we’ve gotten all of our final details together so we can start getting excited for all the awesome events that are going on at the show. At the top of the list is our ever-so-exciting Suunto Trail Hour!

It’s going to be epic. Aron Ralston will be there, there will be chances to win tickets to the Keller Williams concert,

the chance to win a Suunto Ambit,

and libations, snacks and swag will be provided. See you all there! 

Suunto Quest for Shape Adventure Essentials

Summer is the time to get outside and get active. But what inevitably makes your outdoor activities just a little more fun and a lot more productive is the quality gear you use for your adventures.

Shape Magazine recently did an article on Outdoor Adventure Essentials featuring the gear, tools and toys needed to “conquer the water, road and trails.”

The Suunto Quest was featured under the running section as the only watch on the page. It was paired with the footpod and heart rate monitor to track distance, speed and intensity. It’s a pretty great piece if you ask us! 

GearGuide gives the Suunto Core Crush 5 stars!

Check out the GearGuide Top ABC Watch Reviews. 

"The search for a perfect ABC watch goes back several years for us at GearGuide. We were enamored with the idea of a wrist altimeter, barometer and compass for hikes in the Sierras and other activities. We looked and looked, but was never quite satisfied with what we found. Too expensive, not accurate or reliable, and retailers advising us to keep our money in our wallet. Well, how times have changed."

Suunto is proud to say that our very own Suunto Core Crush watch not only made the cut but also was the only watch to receive five stars. Check out the full review on their website! 

Kim Havell shredding every day like it's winter

We simply can't keep up with Suunto athlete Kim Havell--a professional skier and mountaineer who spends her days climbing and  shredding every hill she can get her planks on. As you can imagine, North American summers sometimes put a dent in these plans--at least for most people. But Kim simply finds the snow.

Kim recently took a trip up to Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in Alaska to satiate her skiing addiction. Because we couldn't be there we were super stoked when we saw she had done stories in National Geographic and Powder about her travels so we could live vicariously through her. It's stories like this that hold us over until winter rears her head again.

Kim is now on a mission to climb Mt. Kenya with Challenge21, Africa's second highest peak to document the peak's rapidly disappearing glaciers. 

Warren Miller releases Flow State trailer, features Suunto athlete Julian Carr

Our buddies from Warren Miller recently put out a trailer for the flick Flow State and every second of it puts us at the edge of our bindings. Suunto athlete Julian Carr is featured in the film, shredding lines and talking about the out-of-body experience that is extreme skiing. We get goosebumps just thinking about it.

Flow State set to release fall of 2012

Suunto at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2012

Summer is officially underway and we’re spending every waking moment we can find hiking, running, biking, climbing, fishing, running and enjoying every ray of sunshine Mother Nature has to offer. Despite our attempts to spend all of our time exploring the outdoors, we've also been working hard in prep for our biggest summer trade show, Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2012.

Outdoor Retailer is a trade show in Salt Lake City sponsored by the Outdoor Industry Association. We prepare all year for summer and winter OR so we can show up among hundreds of other exhibitors throughout the country, put our best foot forward and stand out among the masses.

This year at Suunto’s OR booth we’re celebrating our new booth location and hosting a party on the first night--“The Trail Hour” with special guest Aron Ralston. We’ll be giving away tons of swag and Keller Williams Tickets!

Come check us out at OR for your chance to win! Please post any comments or questions you have below and be sure to share this invite with your friends.

Suunto.com launches MySuunto support site

At Suunto we strive to wow our customers – at all times. That’s why Suunto came out with MySuunto, a personal help site for customers providing manuals, how-to videos, answers, reviews and tracking information for Suunto products.

MySuunto allows customers to send their questions directly to the Suunto help desk or publish the question to start a forum to get other Suunto users' input. If for any reason Suunto users need to send in their product for repair, he or she can start the process from the MySuunto site.

MySuunto was published in all Suunto.com languages on June 18, 2012. Check it out! 

Conrad Stolz works with the Wounded Warrior Project

Suunto athlete Conrad Stolz spent his time with the Wounded Warriors team last weekend, founded by former Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps Jeremy Stols. The Wounded Warrior athletes parachute into the XTERRA Richmond start of the race to complete a run, bike and swim race.

Image courtesy of ConradStolz.com
 Corporal officer Todd Love participated in the swim while his teammates carried him the rest of the race in a specially made backpack due to previously losing an arm and both legs in an explosion. Check out the full article here. 

Losing another outdoor warrior to Mother Nature

The outdoor community lost a brave warrior as three-time World Champion ski mountaineer Stéphane Brosse suffered a fatal fall while traversing the Aiguille D’Argentiere on June 17, 2012. Brosse headed out early Sunday morning with fellow athlete and friend Kilian Jornet to traverse Mont Blanc. The two were working on the Summits of My Life project, the first of a four year endeavor of speed record attempts for six different peaks worldwide.

While Brosse was on his way to Barbey Couloir a snow cornice gave way under his weight, causing him to fall more than 600 meters.

Image courtesy of SDPnoticias.com

Our thoughts go out to Stephane and his family and friends. All of us at Suunto offer or deepest sympathies.

Suunto Ambit Giveaway Winner!

During the month of May, Suunto hosted a social media contest for our incredible online community to have a chance to win a Black Ambit HR.

An ad was published in Outside Magazine with a hidden Suunto fact in the image. We asked you to find the hidden fact and submit it as a comment on our blog and we would pick a correct answer at random.

We had more than 75 submissions! (We didn't publish them all right away because since so many people got the answer right pretty early in the game, we didn't want to totally give the answer away.)  

Our randomly selected winner for the 2012 Ambit contest is Jimmy P! Congratulations, Jimmy! The correct answer is that 1936, the year Suunto was founded, is the same reading of the watch face. 

Stay tuned for more contests and giveaways throughout the year! Thanks again to all who participated. 

Suunto Movescount helping you succeed every step of the way

When you buy a Suunto watch, it comes complete with our patented MovesCount software, the only program of its kind, allowing users to track their progress over time with each use of their Suunto product.

Suunto MovesCount tracks your “moves” so you can see just how much you have excelled over the course of your training. In Scoreboard, a program within MovesCount, you can track your latest moves, your future moves, moves from other members, discussions with other members, and more.

MovesCount is a Sunnto specific program that no other watch producer has been able to match. We want you to be able to track your progress every step of the way so you can know exactly how close you are to reaching your next goal. We know that every step you take matters.

Check out the entire rundown of MovesCount here and get the most of your Suunto watch. 

Suunto goes on the road for Salomon Trail Tour

The Salomon Trail Tour is halfway through its nation-wide road trip, bringing the spirit of Salomon running to trails near you.  Suunto is teaming up with Salomon at select locations in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and California so come check out what we’ve got going on! The following are the locations at which Suunto will be joining Salomon.  

Tues May 29^th – Boulder Running Co. – Colorado Springs, CO

Wed May 30^th – Independence Run and Hike – Carbondale, CO

Thur May 31^st – Ute Mountaineer – Aspen, CO

Wed June 6^th – Arlberg Sports – Wenatchee, WA

Sat June 9^th – Alpine Experience – Olympia, OR

Mon June 11^th – Shortt Supply – Hood River, OR

Mon June 18^th – Road Runner – Campbell, CA

Thurs June 21^st – Alpinglow – Tahoe, CA

Sun June 24^th – Squaw Valley Store – Squaw Valley, CA

For more information visit http://www.facebook.com/SalomonTrailTour
See you on the trail! 

National Trails Day, comin' up!

Saturday June 2nd marks the 20th annual American Hiking Society (AHS) and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) National Trails Day, a holiday celebrated by outdoor enthusiasts from all 50 states alike.

More than 2,000 National Trails Days events will be taking place across the country thanks to the AHS and the BSA joining forces. Events will include but will not be limited to trail maintenance projects, hikes, bike and horseback rides and trail dedications.

The Boy Scouts of America will be offering a collectible patch for all scouts participating in the event to commemorate the 20-year mark for National Trails Day.

Check out the full article from the American Hiking Society here.

Hit the trails, have fun, and be sure to log your vertical, check weather trends, monitor your pace and find your way with Suunto products. 

Suunto Welcomes Jean-Yves Couput to the Head of Marketing

Suunto is pleased to announce the promotion of Jean-Yves Couput to the position of Global Marketing Director for the Suunto brand.

Jean-Yves Couput

Couput previously worked as the Global Outdoor Brand Manager for Salomon as well as Marketing Director for Amer Sports Winter and Outdoor Americas (ASWO). 

Couput is set to start at his new role August 1, 2012. Congratulations Jean-Yves Couput!

Check out the full press release here.

iRunFar reviews the Ambit

Travis from iRunFar recently reviewed the Ambit. In great detail he goes over the size, shape, features, settings, battery life, accuracy, and the associated Movescount software component. Travis covers the ins and outs of the watch which is greatly helpful if you’ve recently purchased an Ambit, or if you're considering getting one. Check out the full review here.

Ambit Contest Giveaway!

Listen Up!
The Outside Magazine Summer Buyers Guide is here! Suunto has published an ad that can ONLY be found within the Summer 2012 edition of the Buyers Guide. Hidden in the ad is a piece of Suunto history for readers to locate. Suunto will be GIVING AWAY a Black Ambit HR to the reader who can correctly identify the part of the ad that represents Suunto history. Here are the rules.

1. The ad is only published in the Buyers Guide for Outside Magazine so go grab your copy!

2. There is only one piece of hidden history in the ad (hint: the answer is NOT in the QR code.)

3. Once you have figured out the secret historical factoid, submit your guess in the form of a comment at the bottom of THIS post. (Only one comment per person, please.)

5. At the end of the contest, Suunto will publish all of the guesses and pick a winner from the submitted correct comments at random. So, if a bunch of you all guess the same answer, your names are going into a hat and we'll pick one of you to win.

6. The winner will be contacted via the email address they commented through and will receive a FREE Suunto Black Ambit HR at the conclusion of the contest.

7. This contest is only for those of you in the USA since we can only ship this award stateside.

If there are any questions or comments regarding the contest, please feel free to ask through the comment section below. (Just say "don't publish" and we won't publish it to the comment thread.) The contest ends at 10:00 p.m. on May 31st, 2012. Good Luck!

Head's up! We ARE receiving your comments. We don't want to publish them until the end of the contest to avoid piggy-backing answers. So far we have more than 30 submissions, some right some wrong. We will pick a winner at random at the end of the contest, so get commenting! Contest ends May 31st! 

Stolz takes 1st in Xterra Race

Suunto athlete Conrad “The Caveman” Stolz of South Africa had yet another race for the history books, taking first in the Xterra West Championship at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, NV on April 14th, 2012.

Stolz’s win can be credited to his 1:09:09 30K bike split which even in the biking world is nearly unheard of.

Stolz claimed he thought about his recently passed father for the majority of the race, recalling memories they  shared together. This is the fourth Xterra win for Stolz, who finished with a final time of 2:08:22

Tactical Gear Ambit Contest Giveaway

If you’re a Suunto fan, it’s your lucky day. Or your lucky 5 weeks, for that matter. TacticalGear.com is offering a free Suunto Ambit for the person who uploads their best advice for training in the outdoors, including videos, expert advice and photos and WHY this strategy works for you. Your tips should be easy to understand and applicable to Suunto users. Contestants have been asked to visit TacticalGear.com to upload their answers in the comment section. On May 31^st, 2012 TacticalGear will select a winning entry and publish it on Facebook and Twitter on June 1^st, 2012. This contest is open to US residents only.

Kilian Jornet Ends Season with Switzerland Win

Suunto athlete Kilian Jornet ended his ski mountaineering season with a victory in Switzerland at his second Patrouille Des Glaciers with team Bon Mardion and Matheo Jacquemot last weekend. The race starts in Zermat and concludes in Verbier, covering more than 4,000 meters altitude difference. Though the Swiss team started off in the lead, Jornet and his team launched their attack and pulled ahead halfway up through the first ascent. Jornet’s team was in the lead when the race had to be cut short due to avalanche danger. He has also won races Pierra Menta and Mezzalama, a feat only three other men have ever achieved.

OIWC Network Night Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Arpil 24, Suunto will be teaming up the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition to host an OIWC Quarterly Network Night at the Amer Sports Winter and Outdoor Americas offices in Ogden, UT. The evening will run from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Keynote speaker Kristen Ulmer will join us to discuss the designated topic, “Change For Yourself."

Kristen was previously a mogul skier on the US Ski Team and now devotes her time to researching the mental side of sports, running "Ski to Live", her very popular mindset-only ski camps. and working as a spiritual counselor. Join us for this enlightening opportunity! 

ITU Giveaway

The ITU World Triathlon is coming up soon in San Diego. We've teamed up with one of our dealers - Triathlon Lab - to give away a male and a female race entry to the run. We're excited to watch the fun!

Here's a note from Tri-Lab's Facebook Page:

We just registered for the ITU World Triathlon expo in San Diego, May 10th-12th. This is an innovative series that allows the world's top athletes to compete head-to-head on an ongoing basis. San Diego will be the second stop in the 2012 season and feature Age Group Sprint and Olympic distance races along with Elite Men and Women's races.


We'll see all of you in San Diego!

3D Compass is accurate at all angles

You won't have to worry about getting lost when you are wearing the new Suunto Ambit. The built in 3D-compass will give you accurate compass readings even it you aren't completely level yourself.

Climbing that 30 degree trail and need to know if you're still on true north? The Ambit 3D Compass has you covered.

No matter what angle you find yourself in.

Q: What is a 3D compass?

A: 3D compass is a compass unique to Suunto that will show accurate readings also when the compass is tilted. Hence, you don’t need to keep the compass on level to get steady readings.

Kim Havell Gets "Chamified" in the French Alps

Photo courtesy of Kim Havell

Adding to her list of conquests, pro skier Kim Havell recently tackled one of the Alps' most beautiful valleys, Mont Blanc, in Chamonix, France.

“Home to some of the highest and best concentrations of glacier-ridden steep skiing and alpine ice and rock routes on our planet, it is a hotbed for the elite mountain community,” says Kim, in a story she wrote for National Geographic Adventure last week.

Photo courtesy of Kim Havell

“The valley ebbs and flows with a ‘who’s who’ of the best of the best, and it is a proving ground for those who wish to test their own merit.” Kim states that those who are new to Chamonix often end up “Chamified, completely entranced with all this valley has to offer.”

Kim spent the past few weeks savoring the enchanting lure of the Alps, starting with her Salomon Freeski Mountain Collective team meetings in Annecy and then quickly heading up the mountain to La Clusaz for resort testing.

From there Kim and a few brave comrades took off to Chamonix.

“We spread ourselves across the valley, touring out from all the main resorts and sampling a small sliver of what this mind-blowing area has to offer.”

Photo courtesy of Kim Havell

Kim was able to hit up Hellbroner, Les Grand Montetes, Les Houches and the Aiguille du Midi.

Photo courtesy of Kim Havell

When asked how she felt about the conquest, she replied, most humbly, “I felt the same way that many had before, I just wanted to stay and explore some more, and more, and more.”

For the original National Geographic article, please visit: http://adventureblog.nationalgeographic.com/2012/04/06/skiing-chamonix-france-a-french-education/

Images courtesy of Kim Havell, National Geographic