Suunto Suunto 9 Baro

We’ve read the reviews across the web for the Suunto Suunto 9 Baro and summarize the results below:

Universal Ranking

PeakScore: 87 (out of 100)
User Rating: 4.6 stars 
Expert Rating: 3.9 stars

Number of Ratings Reviewed: 597

Pros & Cons

Reasons to buy:

User Reviews

  • The feature that lets you know how much daylight is left is very useful while hiking.
  • Accurate sleep monitoring program.
  • The heart rate is very accurate when paired to a Suunto heart rate monitor, although it is finicky when measured from the watch.
  • The display is easy to read, in the open and in different water conditions.
  • Great battery life for running ultra-marathons.
  • Straps can be easily interchanged for different styles.
  • The watch features work well.

Expert Reviews

  • Specialized for ultra endurance events.
  • The battery is optimized for long-haul usage.
  • The touch screen makes the watch easy to control.
  • The GPS is very accurate.

Reasons NOT to buy:

User Reviews

  • The heart rate monitor is inaccurate.
  • Poor communication between the two user apps.
  • The time does not automatically sync when changing time zones.
  • The lock/unlock feature on the screen is not easy to use.
  • The company’s customer service and support are not very helpful.
  • The pedometer is inaccurate.
  • The apps cannot update automatically.

Expert Reviews

  • The app that is paired with the watch is difficult to use.
  • The battery life is poor when not being optimized for sport use.
  • The wrist band cannot lay flat, so it does not fit all wrists well.

Summary:

The Suunto Suunto 9 Baro is a smart fitness watch that offers some of the best battery life out there, with several different modes that optimize battery power depending on need. Although the battery power is exceptional, the other watch features are fairly average, with a nice touch screen, selectable sport modes, and a sleep monitoring program. Unfortunately, the watch feels quite overpriced considering the clunkiness of the software, inaccuracy of the heart rate monitor and the pedometer, and some problems with the accuracy of the GPS, making it a watch for very niche uses.

Multimedia:

Note: User and expert rankings were reviewed across the web, including here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.