Short version: The Suunto Core Light Black (henceforth referred to as the CLB) is more than just a wristwatch. It’s a timepiece sure, but it’s also a chronograph, altimeter, barometer, and compass as well. That makes is particularly ideal for folks in areas with extreme weather, like the Sierra Nevada mountains. The CLB’s quality, fit and finish, and design make it an ideal timepiece for daily wear or for outdoor activities.

Pros:

• Easy to read face
• Comfortable fit
• Features ideal for outdoorsmen

Cons:

• Large face
• Difficult to replace the strap
• Battery life can be an issue

Suunto Core Light Black

Suunto’s Core Light Black is a big watch. In fact, there’s a reason that they call is a “wrist computer” in the marketing literature. I’m not a small guy, and the face on the watch is close to overpowering when I wear it. One thing of note however, due to the materials used in the construction process, the watch is quite light. The display is extremely easy to read, and switching functions is easy, even when wearing gloves. From a fit and finish, and functionality standpoint, it’s an excellent watch. The strap is unique to this particular design, and has non-standard threaded lugs. As such, a replacement strap will need to be designed specifically for this watch. I’m not a fan of resin watch bands in general, but that’s just my personal preference. The stock resin band does fit well and looks appropriate with this watch.

Given that that CLB is considered a wrist computer, I’m comfortable referring to the watch as having software. A little research on the web shows some very vocal and unhappy customers with older versions of the watch that have had problems with them. I’ve worn the CLB extensively and had no problems with it. The really interesting thing about this watch is that it’s really easy to use. You wouldn’t expect that from a watch that has this level of functionality. It of course tells the time, has a stopwatch, countdown timer, alarm, and date. The CLB also has a built in altimeter/barometer/thermometer, and in my non-scientific tests were accurate to a reasonable expectation. Keep in mind that the altimeter reads off of atmospheric pressure, and not off of a GPS so it is reasonable to see some fluctuation while you’re reading it. The barometer read the same as my home weather station, so I’m confident that it reads accurately as well. The thermometer works as well, however keep in mind to get an accurate reading you need to remove the watch and set it down, as your body heat will definitely impact the reading. The compass reads magnetic north accurately, and required no calibration in order work. The watch will also log your altitude changes, barometer readings, or even depth changes depending on what you prefer. The altimeter reads up to 30,000 feet, but it will also register down to 30 feet underwater (and is water resistant down to 100 feet).

I like this watch. It works well, it’s easy to read, and it’s extremely comfortable to wear. I did see mention of some issues with the watch from reading comments from other people, but I feel it’s important to remember that someone who’s having an unpleasant experience will be much more vocal then someone who’s happy. I mentioned the battery life as I am certain that the battery would need to be replaced more often then with a normal watch, however I didn’t have to at any point during the review period. I’d compare this watch to the Tissot T-Touch, and not only will is save you a couple of hundred dollars on the purchase price, I found the Suunto to be easier to use. I would recommend this watch to anyone who spends time outdoors and might find themselves in a situation where you need to be aware of the weather, or a compass in a survival situation.

It’s also worth mentioning that Suunto has any excellent website that really lets you (virtually) try the different functions of the CLB. If you’re curious to see exactly what I’m talking about regarding how easy this watch is to use, I recommend you check it out. It explains the function far better then I can. MSRP on the Suunto Core Light Black is $389, however if you shop around a bit you can probably find if for around $250. I would recommend going though an authorized dealer, as this is a fairly complicated watch.

Product Page: Suunto Core Light Black

I’ve been testing quite a few training watches of late. Mostly it’s because I’ve been trying to get into shape and the only thing that has really succeeded was getting huge stomach cramps and going on an IV in the ER (lost 8 pounds! Thanks Oprah!). Sickness is the ultimate weight loss regimen. That’s neither here nor there.

So When Suunto sent me the t6c I was pretty excited. The watches I tried so far have had a fatal flaw – maybe the footpad was too big or the connection was poor or the heart rate monitoring was flakey at best. During my runs I’d constantly go back to the Garmin Forerunner 405, one of my favorite watches, simply because it had GPS built-in along with HR monitoring, making it considerably more useful than anything else I’ve used.

So how does this watch compare? Well, the Suunto is much lighter and with an optional foot pod you can assess distances run with a high degree of accuracy.

The Suunto watch also as a special feature called Training Effect. The watch gives you a 1-4 rating of your current effectiveness. There’s a little book included that tells you all the tips and tricks. I won’t go into those here.

It also has an altitude monitor to watch your ascents and descents in real time and customizable screens that allow you to add different settings to the watch face.

The heart rate monitor includes min and max heart rate alerts along with training tools like a countdown timer, stopwatch, split times, and, with the foot pod, vertical speed. It is water resistant to 330 feet.

Now – the big differences. Well, first there’s the price. The watch without foot pod costs $429 although I’ve seen it for about $325. The 405 is $299.99 and the 405CZ, the next-gen watch, is $369.99. All of these prices will fall by an order of magnitude in real settings, but off the bat I’m leaning towards the Forerunner. The Triathlon pack with foot pod, bike pod, and cadence pod, costs $629.95 at Amazon.

However, there is build quality. I’ve seen the Suunto factory in Finland and I came away impressed: for a mass-market, commodity device there is a lot of care put into the manufacture of these pieces. The t6c is much lighter and more compact than the 405 and when you’re running ever gram counts. The user interface is also slightly more streamlined than Garmin’s cascade of menus.

Sadly there is no OS X support for Suunto products, another ding against this watch.

Bottom Line
Of all the heart rate monitoring watches I’ve tried in the past few months, this model is the most powerful and easiest to use. It still hasn’t replaced the 405 on my wrist but it comes in at a close second.