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56 of 57 found the following review helpful:
Ironman Triathlete, Ultra-distance runner/cyclist Review Jan 09, 2007
By D. D. Gabrielson
"d2g"
I have raced bikes and triathlons for over 20 years, and used heart rate monitors since the early 1990's when they were 'brand new' to sports. After buying and using at least 6 different systems, most of them Polar-made, I have come to the conclusion that there are two paths worth taking in HRMs- you can keep it simple and buy a low-cost, quality device that gives your average and training time, or you should go high-end and buy a device that you can download to your PC and thoroughly analyze the data. The gear in the middle provides little added value in my opinion.
I have been sponsored by other companies in the past but never by SUUNTO, so this review is completely based on personal experience.
I have used this HRM system for over a year and it is hands-down one of the best training aids I have ever spent money on. It is expensive, but see my comments above. And the software you get coupled with SUUNTO's Olympic-level research into the science of EPOC and physiology make this an invaluable training tool. Why? Because the hardest thing to know when you have an HRM is how hard to train, and what impact the time you spend training at a given intensity level has on your fitness. It's like having a tachometer on an engine but no speedometer or fuel gauge-- you don't know how fast to go or how far to go to get the most out of a tank of gas. EPOC makes a big difference and you'll be surprised at the improvements in your training efficiency. Wasted miles are the bane of a working athlete's existence and this tool helps reduce them.
I've used the T6 with a running pod for nearly two years, and it's at least as accurate as my Garmin Etrex GPS unit. I do take the time to check the calibration every now and then, and even during a race if it's off, it's never off by much and it's consistent so I can mentally compensate for any differences. I've used the shoe pod to pace marathons on roads and ultra-marathons in the woods. I was first aware of the technology in 1999 when a team I was part of was given a similar system to test in the Himalayas during an adventure race- it was OK then, but now it works. We used my T6 and shoe pod during an adventure race in the Great Smokies in 2006 as a navigation aid (not by itself) by measuring distances at night in a major snowstorm. It was probably not perfect but it definitely helped keep us from getting lost. Handheld GPS wouldn't work in that kind of environment of heavy cover and falling snow.
The bike pod for my T6 hasn't been as good a story, but there are new versions out now that appear to have addressed the issues- the biggest one lies in the distance between the pod and the watch- the transmission range was not long enough to make it work well, you had to mount the watch on the bike as opposed to keeping it on your wrist. I believe that the new pods have improved this but I haven't tested them myself.
The other complaint I'd offer is that you have to send the T6 to SUUNTO for software updates. I had a watch go bad early on, and the replacement had an older software revision in it that I have yet to update because of the mail-in requirement-- but I'll do it sometime soon as my training schedule permits. The good news is that updates are free, and you don't really need them unless you want the new features they offer which are usually pretty minor changes. To be fair, last time I checked, Polar requires you to send them an HRM for new batteries, with the SUUNTO gear you can change them all yourself, including the HR strap. The HRM will NOT work in a pool though, and my Polar HRMs are spotty in the water but sometimes work.
I've used my T6 to train for an Ironman triathlon, multiple ultra-distance road and MTB events, a couple of ultra-distance runs, and other events noted above-- with the exception of my newly-acquired power training gear for my bike, my T6 is absolutely the most effective piece of training gear I have ever owned, and I wish I'd had this ten years ago when I was really competitive. It's an amazing piece of gear and I'm a better athlete because of its use- you have to spend some time learning about EPOC and exercise science but the T6 more than pays it back.
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
The Best HR Monitor, but still not perfect Jan 19, 2007
By D. Blum
I used Polar HR monitors for years before switching to the Suunto t6.
Suunto advantages:
1 - large display that can be somewhat user-specified;
2 - more accurate FootPod than Polar's s1 footpod for measuring distance;
3 - availability of even more accurate (though bulkier) GPSPod, which needs no calibration (unlike footpods of any brand);
4 - user can change battery in chest band and watch.
5 - don't need an IR interface to upload running data to computer.
Polar advantages:
1 - significantly better software;
2 - compatible for use with third-party software (e.g. PC Coach);
3 - user can change ALL lines of display.
4 - a little cheaper because s1 footpod is included in the Polar 625.
5 - I suspect Polar's latest model, the rs800sd that has a new s3 footpod, is equal to Suunto's, but the cost is greater.
As you can see, Polar's got the edge in extras, but Suunto wins when it comes to functionality and that's what counts most.
27 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Awesome but not perfect Jul 08, 2006
By bayareakirk
This watch is for running and biking and training in those sports. If you buy it for other reasons, you are more likely going to be frustrated. I have trained with it for over a year and love it.
Pros:
1.Easy to use, even intuitive. Easy to read as well.
2.Provides more data and more accurate data than any watch out there (instant speed, avg speed, instant altitude, rate of climbing or decending, heart rate, accurate distances in running and biking (with foot pod for running and bike pod for biking), and more.
3. Quality build. does not break or show wear. Crystal does not scratch. batteries last long.
4. Hooks up to computer and downloads, analyzes, and saves all work out data.
5. Good support from Suunto. good warranty. Good online user groups as well.
Cons:
1. Have to get used to resetting altitude before a workout as it only stays accurate while barrometric pressures are fairly steady.
2. Computer software is great but could easily be much better. Suunto is trying, but slowly and imperfectly, to improve software.
3. Bike pod will not fit on one of three of my bikes. (new pods are coming in the fall and look to solve this).
Other people may have a different list of pros and cons, but this is what stands out for me.
It is expensive. for me it is worth it.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Once you get past the little bugs... Nov 02, 2006
By Michael Bowen
"Coach/Running Bureaucrat"
I've had my T6 for nearly two months and like it a great deal. As a coach of runners it's allowed me to see graphically (via the software) the effects of a particular workout. The user-friendliness is not what I would like, but since I use the T6 as my main watch - and work out 8-10x/week - knowing what it will and will not do has come quicker.
The s/w has helped me to figure out, as I've looked closer at my training trends, the duration of run that will best help my training at a particular point in time. Take the fitness levels with the amount of salt (grain, shake, shaker, entire box) necessary to make it palatable; right now it says my fitness-level is world-class, I tend to disagree. However, it does let you know when your overall fitness is improving or declining.
It's more accurate in the HR pick-up tham nost other monitors, which is a big plus.
My only disappointments are these:
1. No Mac-compatible s/w. Suunto has no intention to make it OSX-friendly, either. However, with the new dual-processor Macs I guess this is a moot point. For Mac guys like me, though, a Windows emulation program is a must.
2. The foot POD has crapped out on three runs since I changed the AAA battery. Reinstalling the battery and ensuring the contacts are good seems to have corrected the problem, but be careful.
3. The chest strap has blipped out once or twice, also, but I think it's more of an operator-interface error (failure to adjust tension as torso size decreases) than anything else.
4. Customer service, as someone else said, is not what you would expect for an item with this price tag. However, it's better than I expected. I've had little problem since the first call right after I received my T6.
Is it worth the money? Yes, yes, and yes...especially if you are one of those folks who want to know ALL the relevant information, if you have a coach who likes to see data, or if you are a self-coached/remotely-coached athlete. Hard numbers are only part of the story, but it's better than no story at all.
16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
 Software Disappointment Apr 13, 2007
By M. Kingery
"Mindanao Mike"
I have used Suunto dive computers for years, and had good experience with them. So when Suunto offered the t6 wrist computer and heart rate monitor, I bought it - the high price is reasonable if the item does what it claims. I used the computer for 3 months in my exercise program. I am 74 years old, and need to monitor my heart rate to avoid a dangerous situation. One of the main features selling me on the t6 was the Training Manager and the ability to download heart data from the t6 to my PC for analysis and record filing. When I loaded the Training Manager, a warning message popped up on the screen advising me that the software may not be entirely compatible with Windows operating system (XP). I went ahead and loaded the software and it worked. Then, MS updated my WindowsXP operating system. I believe that in that process, a Suunto DLL file was found to be in the Windows area reserved for Windows System DLLs. The Suunto DLL was relocated, and that was the end of Training Manager. It will not even load, much less work. The newest editions of Training Manager will not work, either. I have contacted Suunto for a new DLL, but as you might have guessed -- there has been no help from Suunto. No kind of answer to my inquiry. The software, like the hardware, is a Finnish product. The Suunto US supplier is just that - a supplier. Any solution to this problem has to come from Finland. Lots of luck everyone! This software problem has spoiled what is a fine piece of hardware. Suunto and First Beat Technology the software developer, put this item on the market knowing full well that there was a compatibility problem between the TM software and the Windows operating system. There is no hint of this problem until you purchase the item and install it. Gotcha!!
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