Suunto Verticalchat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

Multiple users describe noticeable UI lag, calling it unacceptable on an $800 watch and noting it has persisted across Suunto generations, though some feel the issue is overstated relative to its real-world impact.

@DesertTriDad

Dave I had the Vertical 1 and race 2, and I loved the vertical 1 but it needed an update so I tried the race 2. I had the same early run HR issues. I also had numerous software bugs and major ones were HRMs and zonesense. Finally the biggest deal breaker was how horrible it was at handling intervals. Just open trail runs were great but any structured workout was light years behind Garmin or COROS. I also found the battery wasn’t as good as advertised but that could have been early software. Overall it’s an amazing piece of hardware but leaves a lot to be desired on the UI front. The app (awesome) and watch UI is pretty but it’s janky. Currently trying the nomad and it’s been awesome at $350launch

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October 9, 2025

@Asthbendriel

I really like this watch: great battery life, nice design and good feature set. The only thing I don't seem to like is the lag in the interface. I've had a Polar Vantage M2 for around 2 years and whilst it is true it has some delays here and there randomly and you kind of get used to it when you use it, this watch seems to do it every time in the parts the UI has some problems and these parts are the equivalent common I use in my watch like, every day. For a \"cheap\" watch like the M2 it is kind of acceptable, and I don't mind it much using it every day, but on a watch this expensive it's kind of letdown.\n\nI'm considering on upgrading my M2 for a more rugged built watch as I do quite a lot of mountain biking now, along with its relatable smashing and crashing 😅 and also the outdoor features of these watches are a good addition to it, I like the Polar ecosystem but the Grit X Pro is getting outdated because of the competition and kind of fast. I will wait a while more (also while I save as these are not cheap toys hehe) and I hope Polar can catch up to the competition, either way there are very compelling good options out there now.launch

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May 12, 2023

@Syndokit

I really like this watch! However, I'm having a hard time deciding between this and the Forerunner 965, Fenix7 (or SS variant). But what seems to be an issue is the UI lag, and the poor heart rate results, based on other videos I've watched. I have a Venu 2 right now, and I love it, but I want to upgrade to a different watch that has better training info. On my mind is the Coros Apex 2, as well. Ah, the difficulty in so many choices. But overall, I think this watch is great.launch

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May 12, 2023

@tyresejackson9665

I felt like DC Rainmaker answered a lot of great and relevant questions as to whether or not this watch is worth your time, but he never answered if it's worth $800+. Yes, it appears to be better than the Suunto 9 series, but it still appears to be more of the same (user interface, display quality, etc.) and appears to be suffering from the same problems of their previous watches. Like why are we still talking about lag? It's almost like the lag should be listed as an unique feature of all Suunto products. So again, all of the updates are good and great. But is it worth $800+ when you compare it to the Garmin Fenix 6/6X or the Fenix 7/7X? You could even find a Garmin Epix Gen 2 or a FR955/965 at a better price if you're patient. I would be willing to try this device for fun if it were significantly cheaper, but being that that's not the case, I'm thinking it's a hard pass...unless I find one used at some point. And that's if it's still relevant.launch

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May 10, 2023

Several commenters report wrist HR readings 10-20 bpm off from other devices, especially at the start of activities, prompting some to pair external chest straps instead of relying on the optical sensor.

@tarnad1

Suunto Race 2 user here (more than a month now). After 10+ years with Garmin, it feels like Suunto’s acute load and recovery metrics are a bit off.\n\nFor example, a 3-hour gravel ride at an almost recovery pace shows 2–3x more load than a 40-minute Hyrox workout at high intensity that completely smashed me for the rest of the day. I was running a Fenix 6 Pro in parallel, and it showed the opposite, much higher load and recovery impact from the Hyrox session.\n\nOverall, Garmin’s Load and Recovery metrics feel much more accurate to me.launch

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January 12, 2026

@DesertTriDad

Dave I had the Vertical 1 and race 2, and I loved the vertical 1 but it needed an update so I tried the race 2. I had the same early run HR issues. I also had numerous software bugs and major ones were HRMs and zonesense. Finally the biggest deal breaker was how horrible it was at handling intervals. Just open trail runs were great but any structured workout was light years behind Garmin or COROS. I also found the battery wasn’t as good as advertised but that could have been early software. Overall it’s an amazing piece of hardware but leaves a lot to be desired on the UI front. The app (awesome) and watch UI is pretty but it’s janky. Currently trying the nomad and it’s been awesome at $350launch

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October 9, 2025

@scottiebones

I've had the verticle titanium solar for a few months now, yes it is a quality watch, but there are some issues with the watch, I will explain. First is the price, it's rather expensive. the UI, it doesn't feel intuitive, and is kind of awkward to navigate, particularly if you came from using a samsung watch where the UI is amazing and very intuitive. Next would be the screen, if you've come from a watch that has amoled or equivalent screen, then you're going to be kind of dissatisfied with the mip screen, but I guess that is why the watch retains a much better battery life. The heart rate monitor is kind of clunky and doesn't always like to work properly, the lack of watch faces as there are about a dozen to choose from and all are rather average looking.. could do with a revamp.. more third party apps for the watch is needed that aren't necessarily just sports/fitness related. Apart from that it is a beautiful watch and high quality builtlaunch

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January 13, 2025

@1989Tod

I have been using the Non-Solar version for over a year now, and no problems with anything I came from Garmin and never going back! Battery is mega I have completed several 100mile races over 34-35 hours long and no issues at all while having the navigation on! It is a great watch for ultra runners, Only thing is the HR but I bought the Coros HR strap and it works fantastic with the watch :)launch

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October 22, 2024

Several commenters question whether the watch justifies its $700-800+ price given lag, UI issues, and feature gaps compared to similarly priced Garmin alternatives, calling it a hard pass for some.

@Renato.P

I like so much the Suunto design in general, they are including proper navigation into many models you can get for even around 300eur/usd at the moment, I'd happily take the race or race 2, even this vertical 2, but it's crazy that in 2025 you don't have music (spotify/apple music/etc) on each and every brands' watches. Garmin's monopoly on the spotify enabled watch market is insane to me. If I am outdoorsy I have to choose between having music without proper navigation, navigation without music, or need an 800-1000 eur/usd watch. This is really disappointing.launch

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October 23, 2025

@tyresejackson9665

I felt like DC Rainmaker answered a lot of great and relevant questions as to whether or not this watch is worth your time, but he never answered if it's worth $800+. Yes, it appears to be better than the Suunto 9 series, but it still appears to be more of the same (user interface, display quality, etc.) and appears to be suffering from the same problems of their previous watches. Like why are we still talking about lag? It's almost like the lag should be listed as an unique feature of all Suunto products. So again, all of the updates are good and great. But is it worth $800+ when you compare it to the Garmin Fenix 6/6X or the Fenix 7/7X? You could even find a Garmin Epix Gen 2 or a FR955/965 at a better price if you're patient. I would be willing to try this device for fun if it were significantly cheaper, but being that that's not the case, I'm thinking it's a hard pass...unless I find one used at some point. And that's if it's still relevant.launch

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May 10, 2023

@charlesoutthere

Finally a decent upgrade, which Suunto didn't deliver in years, since the Suunto 9. I would say they're still at least 2 years behind in terms of software (finally adding maps, it was about time...), but are catching up in terms of hardware (nowhere near leading). Battery life is pretty good (although behind Coros and Garmin), the bezel still horrendous, solar still feels like a gadget (gains are nice, but not game changer yet). But the interface really needs to be redone. Flashlight using the screen is a bad idea ; the sustainability argument is a greenwashing marketing argument to me ; and the military grade actually doesn't mean much to most. And the price is way too high for what it is.launch

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May 9, 2023

@davidmaskew

Thanks for another great review. How does this compare with say a Garmin 955 navigation wise. It looks more premium but I'd have to go for the stainless steel non solar version due to cost. I've been looking at the 955 or 965 as I prefer the size (less bulky) over the Fenix and I'm not too bothered about Amoled. I had a Suunto Core years ago and I liked it as a basic ABC watch. I'm not a runner, more MTB and Hiking and would like a watch with offline maps as a backup more than anything. My only reason I may stick to Garmin is due to having other Garmin devices for cycling etc. but I think I like the Suunto more and it's got better water resistance than 955 also Suunto try very hard to be carbon neutral if that's something you take into consideration.launch

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May 9, 2023

Users note maps aren't routable on the fly like a handheld GPS, trail visibility disappears at certain zoom levels, and overall map detail lags behind Garmin, limiting off-trail navigation reliability.

@silent-voyager

Who would the first online reviewer to point out to the map limitation where trails disappear from the map beyond the 500ft zoom level? So far none of the reviewers have ever mentioned that. In the original Race and Vertical it used to be 0.5mi zoom level - the last zoom level where maps were still visible. But shortly before the Race 2 release, Suunto has changed it and scaled trail visibility by two zoom levels down for US users and by one zoom level down for users who use metric units. And as we can clearly see in you video, even at the 500ft zoom level, trails are kind of hard to see especially with all the contour lines because trails are rendered with thin dotted lines and the color contrast isn't great.\n\n@DesFit, what is your opinion about this? Do you think the maximum trail visibility at the 500ft level where that covers only 1-2 mins of walking or running is sufficient enough?launch

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January 12, 2026

@harlanstockman5703

My 1st experience using it to navigate was mixed. I mainly go off-trail, through the woods and cliffs. Yesterday I chose one of my old routes, and my only option was to \"navigate\" on it. Near the end I chose to take another route down. After I was 50m off the \"old\" route, I got a few beeps (probably asking me if I wanted to end navigation), and by the time I checked my navigation had ended, and the activity (which I had actually started before I decided to show the old route) terminated. I really wish we were allowed to put a route on the map for reference, but not have it tied to navigation or an activity. I now realize I could have put much more detailed maps on a garmin 965 (I used to make my own garmin maps); the Sunto maps are about usgs 100k detail. Buyers remorse.launch

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June 7, 2023

@MontyPython82

The only thing that %90+ people want out of these watches is quality maps functionality (names, route planning...) and super long battery life. The Garmin answers that, the Suunto still doesn't on the maps front. However, if Suunto comes up with a bare bones watch that just has Garmin level maps functionality and insane batttery life AND NOTHING ELSE, then they will win, because Garmin have added so much useless stuff that the Suunto can capitalize on that and launch a skeleton winner. A powerful flashlight would be nice too, the garmin Enduro 2 has that and its surprisingly not a gimmick.launch

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May 17, 2023

@harrythehandyman

Great work, always with loads of details that no other covers. Just after watching the entire video, I am still quite confused about the differences between Suunto's navigation and Garmin's. Aside from the turn by turn navigation, it seems that Suunto's watch will work with a map and traditional navigation skills coherently, and Suunto's app has route planning better than Garmin's (I have heard Garmin's still need a computer software to do route planning). But it was mentioned by other reviewers that Suunto watch's map is not as detailed as Garmin and not routable on the fly (like a handhold GPS) on the watch itself without using the phone app.launch

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May 14, 2023

Multiple commenters describe the available watch faces as average and few in number, calling for a face creator in the companion app with more customization options.

@scottiebones

I've had the verticle titanium solar for a few months now, yes it is a quality watch, but there are some issues with the watch, I will explain. First is the price, it's rather expensive. the UI, it doesn't feel intuitive, and is kind of awkward to navigate, particularly if you came from using a samsung watch where the UI is amazing and very intuitive. Next would be the screen, if you've come from a watch that has amoled or equivalent screen, then you're going to be kind of dissatisfied with the mip screen, but I guess that is why the watch retains a much better battery life. The heart rate monitor is kind of clunky and doesn't always like to work properly, the lack of watch faces as there are about a dozen to choose from and all are rather average looking.. could do with a revamp.. more third party apps for the watch is needed that aren't necessarily just sports/fitness related. Apart from that it is a beautiful watch and high quality builtlaunch

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January 13, 2025

@joelpepin3392

I wear the Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar daily since many months and I'm still happy with my choice! No issue with the software. Some new exciting customizable watch faces would be great to add though. Regarding the hardware, what a great looking watch!launch

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March 19, 2024

@peakproofuk

Spot on review. Had the Titanium from the start. The only thing I’d add is that creating routes and sending to the watch is best in class - reliable and pretty great to follow too. Bit reroutable as Des mentions. Also, watch faces are probably worst in class. Suunto need to add a face creator page in the phone app - complications etc.launch

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March 19, 2024

Some wearers report the downward-angled, sharp lugs dig painfully into the wrist during activity, unlike flatter-fitting Garmin watches, and ask whether this is a common issue.

@RyanMartin-k1l

Thanks for such a great review! I've been reading on posts and watching videos that many people find the more downward angled and sharper lugs (compared to say Garmin) dig into their wrists during activity and is quite painful. Have you noticed this? Do you find the watch design comfortable for all day wear? It seems like a good option compared to the Fenix or Enduro... the lug to lug distance is even smaller than the Fenix 47mm options... good for my 16mm wrists. Cheers!launch

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March 27, 2025

@CraigEggleton

2 week review of the Vertical and why it is ultimately not the watch for me...today. First I love the design (one exception) and feel of the watch and the software and hardware are getting there for Suunto. 2 reasons I am sticking with Garmin. Garmin race predictor helps tremendously when training for marathons. Might be psychological on my part but I need it. Secondly as much as I like the look of the Vertical, the watch lugs sit too high up and dig into my wrist. I've never had a watch do that and the Garmin watches lay much flatter.launch

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May 31, 2023

The watch lacks Spotify or Apple Music integration, which one commenter calls disappointing given Garmin's near-monopoly on music-enabled outdoor watches at this price point.

@Renato.P

I like so much the Suunto design in general, they are including proper navigation into many models you can get for even around 300eur/usd at the moment, I'd happily take the race or race 2, even this vertical 2, but it's crazy that in 2025 you don't have music (spotify/apple music/etc) on each and every brands' watches. Garmin's monopoly on the spotify enabled watch market is insane to me. If I am outdoorsy I have to choose between having music without proper navigation, navigation without music, or need an 800-1000 eur/usd watch. This is really disappointing.launch

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October 23, 2025

A user confirms with Suunto support that pairing a second Bluetooth heart rate channel isn't supported, defaulting back to the wrist sensor, limiting use with platforms like Zwift alongside dedicated activity recording.

@stephencarr9342

I got this watch two weeks ago, it’s generally very good. My issue is the Suunto software - the watch obviously connects to external heart rate monitors via Bluetooth - but if you want to use a dual HRM ( for example using Zwift on a treadmill and also to record activity with the watch) you can’t do it even though the tech is in place. Exasperated after trying with a wahoo trackr and a garmin dual hrm I contacted Suunto who said dual Bluetooth receiver is not supported- if you try to connect a second HRM channel the watch defaults to the wrist optical sensor even if that is turned off- period. \nThis is a real shame, because it does work with my Apple Watch 10 and presumably other brand watches, but I wanted my data in Suunto. The optical isn’t terrible, but it’s nowhere near the standard of a chest strap.\nOh.. and when doing an activity you can’t go back to the menu or Home Screen unless someone can advise otherwise?launch

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February 19, 2026

One long-term owner who otherwise praises the watch calls its blood oxygen readings plain bad and unreliable despite generally good HR and sleep tracking.

@blackhawk69100

Rocked this watch for a year. Where I live I’ve never had it charge, but the discharge is very slow indeed. I go nearly a month in summer, and around 2.5 weeks in winter. I do one activity a day for an hour, running, biking, gym, swimming etc. GPS is pretty good and maps, especially route planning is fantastic. I don’t have notifications on. Weather alerts seem fairly accurate also and HR in my case is fairly good and sleep tracking seems more or less on point. However blood ox is crap. It’s just plain bad. But over all I’ve found it a great watch and would recommend it, or the Race if you don’t want to spend so much.launch

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November 1, 2024