Gear Review: Suunto Core Wrist Watch

Let’s be honest gents, a wrist watch is more an item of jewelry these days than a functional timepiece as it once was. We have the time and so much more on our phones, computing devices, and in our car. You may think your black clad military looking watch sets you apart from the stainless Rolex dive watches, but it doesn’t. Yep, still jewelry.

One such watch is the black clad Suunto Core. Suunto wrist watches are a familiar site on just about any adventure, along with a few other similar watches such as the Casio Pathfinder. These watches are in a category called ABC (A=Altitude B=Barometer C=Compass) and are also referred to as wristop computers. Suunto released the Core watch back in 2007 and there have been 25 different versions since. All of them have the same functions, just cosmetic differences such as wrist strap and bezel.

Featured here is the Suunto Core Classic. Entirely black, plastic moving bezel, and elastomer wrist strap. The only noteworthy improvement over the years with the Core Classic, is the switch from a painted metal bezel to a plastic one. I have to think the metal bezel will hold up better under abuse, but the black plastic holds its good looks over time. Remember, with watches it’s all about presentation and perception. Jewelry.

For me, the Suunto Core’s simple looks make its operation both visually and instinctively pleasant to use. Toggling through modes such as compass, altimeter, and time options, with a touch of button. Entering a menu tree with a simple long press of the same button. On screen ques make button and option selections idiot proof. The Core’s chassis and face is relatively low profile and combined with a well thought wrist strap, fits and stays put. A nice touch, the wrist strap keeper fits positively into the wrist strap, preventing movement readjustment and tinkering.

As cool as the black on black scheme looks, it makes reading the watch more difficult than I anticipated. I expected a better contrast adjustment. I was hoping for more brightness and contrast after replacing the battery, no love. Using the watch here in Colorado, the altimeter is the biggest disappointment. With Colorado’s ever-changing weather, the barometric based altimeter is consistently off by thousands of feet. There is an option to plug in altitude reference points during each new adventure, but I’m not that geeked-up.

All in all this is a well-made watch and priced appropriately. The Core series lacks real ruggedness and for that it belongs in town and not in the field. Suunto however does make it’s Vector series, a rugged multi-function watch which will hold up to some abuse on any adventure.

Suunto Core

$299

Sunnto Vector

$199