Review: Suunto Run

In this review, we introduce Suunto to the senses.se audience. With 85 years of experience as an adventure brand, Suunto is recognized for its high-quality, training-focused smartwatches, diving equipment, headphones, and compasses. While Suunto transitioned to Chinese ownership under Liesheng in 2022, the brand’s production and management remain in Vantaa, Finland.

Our focus is on the Suunto Run, a running watch that lives up to its name. However, the Suunto Run offers more than just running metrics. Its extensive measurement capabilities, diverse training modes, and smart features cater to a wide range of activities. While not a smartwatch in the conventional sense – it doesn’t use WearOS or similar operating systems – the Suunto Run excels in training functionality. With impressive technical specifications, excellent battery life, and numerous training options, it delivers on its core promises.

An Introduction – Suunto Run

Let’s begin with the specifications. In our testing, the battery lasted approximately 5-6 days with typical usage and measurement, including data logging every other day, without engaging power saving mode. The charging dock, while functional, features weak magnets, requiring some care to ensure proper contact. Wireless charging is not supported. Engaging battery saving mode extends battery life, but at the cost of key features, essentially reducing the device to a basic watch. The Suunto Run operates within a temperature range of -22 to +55 degrees Celsius, standard for high-quality training watches, and is water-resistant to 50 meters. The screen is clear and easily readable, even through polarized lenses, and the lift to wake function is highly responsive, particularly useful for quick glances while cycling. For offline entertainment, the watch offers 4GB of music storage with Bluetooth connectivity for headphones.

For navigation, the Suunto Run utilizes five geopositioning systems and dual-frequency GPS. This dual-band approach enhances accuracy and improves connection speed, proving especially effective in dense urban environments. Connection times are typically short, rarely exceeding five to ten seconds. This responsiveness, while seemingly minor, eliminates the frustration of waiting for GPS lock before starting a workout. The watch also measures altitude, sleep quality, recovery needs, and stress levels. Heart rate is monitored every five minutes by default, and continuously during training sessions.

Training Modes

The Suunto Run offers 34 sports modes. Several stood out during testing. The Ghost Runner mode allows users to create programs to maintain specific paces, preventing excessive exertion on recovery days. The Marathon mode provides estimated finish times based on current pace, aiding in consistent pace management throughout a race. The Suunto Run also demonstrates impressive calibration capabilities for track workouts. By specifying the current lane, the watch calibrates itself over a few laps to accurately reflect the track length.

The watch also exhibits intelligent behavior. During a run (or, in our case, a bike ride), if the user boards a ferry and forgets to pause the activity, the Suunto Run automatically recognizes the anomaly. It maintains the recording time but omits the ferry distance from the overall workout data. This is a sophisticated touch.

By now, it should be evident that the Suunto Run is a capable training watch for various activities, including swimming and cycling. But what is the overall user experience like?

The Experience – Suunto Run

The Suunto Run, with its nylon strap and light weight of 36 grams (despite a steel case), offers exceptional comfort. It is easily forgotten on the wrist. Its slim profile of 11.5 mm and rounded edges prevent snagging on clothing or causing discomfort during sleep. However, the most appealing aspect is its prioritization of training. While notifications for calls and messages are displayed, responding requires using a mobile phone. This deliberate separation subtly reinforces a focus on training. The user interface avoids excessive customization options, such as numerous watch faces or unnecessary apps. During training, valuable data is continuously displayed, and the user can easily customize the views to access the most relevant information.

The Suunto App

The Suunto app provides comprehensive visualization of training data. Interactive replays allow users to analyze heart rate and pace in relation to specific points on a map, offering valuable insights into performance during runs or bike rides. This feature highlighted previously unnoticed challenges in certain sections of our test routes, prompting a reassessment of training strategies.

The app also supports linking data from other platforms, such as MI-fitness, allowing users to consolidate progress and achievements even without using other Suunto products.

Things We Don’t Like

Despite its strengths, the Suunto Run has a few shortcomings. The absence of a general screen lock is a notable issue. While a screen lock is available during workouts via a long press on the crown, it’s unavailable outside of training sessions. This can be problematic when showering, as water contact can inadvertently trigger functions and settings.

Notification management is another area for improvement. Dismissing notifications on the watch does not synchronize with the connected phone, and vice versa. This discrepancy can lead to a buildup of cleared notifications on the watch. Eventually, this issue can become irritating enough that the user disables notifications entirely, except for incoming calls.

The media playback functionality is somewhat limited. The lack of native Spotify integration requires manual transfer of music files, and the device only supports MP3 format, which may not be universally compatible with user’s music libraries.

Conclusion – Suunto Run

Price is a significant factor. The Suunto Run offers many features typically found in training watches costing considerably more (4,000+ SEK), yet retails for just under 2,800 SEK, making it a compelling value. While its name suggests a focus on running, the Suunto Run is versatile enough to handle various training types (swimming, gym workouts, walking, cycling, and multisport) without compromising performance. It excels in running, offering specialized features, a lightweight design, and a focus on training at an attractive price point.

In conclusion, the Suunto Run delivers on its promises and provides excellent value. The omissions we noted are not necessarily drawbacks, but rather design choices that further contribute to its core purpose: training!

Suunto provided a review unit for this test. Provision of materials does not influence our editorial independence; our reviews are always conducted objectively with our readers and consumers as our primary focus.

Training modes:

• RUNNING
• Running pace
• Pin to create a route
• Ghost runner
• Foot POD calibration
• Lap table in watch and Suunto app
• Average, max, lap pace in real time
• Interval guidance with pace/pulse/distance for running

• SWIMMING
• Swim pace and distance in pool
• Swimming distance in open water
• Records heart rate when swimming
• Swimming time by pool length, split time, total
• Stroke rate, number of strokes and swimming style
• Stroke efficiency (SWOLF)
• Automatic intervals
• Lap table for intervals

• CYCLING
• Cycling speed
• Average speed in real time
• Interval guidance with power/speed/pulse

• MULTI-SPORTS
• Training summary for multisport in the watch
• Change sport mode during training
• Preconfigured multisport modes
• Post-analysis of multisport training adapted to sport

• SPORTS MODES
• Customizable sports modes and displays
• Graphic display in sports modes
• The watch’s preset sports modes