The Suunto 7 is a feature-packed smartwatch that seamlessly blends the best aspects of fitness tracking and outdoor adventure tools with the everyday functionality of a smartwatch. Among its many capabilities, one of the standout features is its integrated mapping and navigation system. This comprehensive review will delve into every aspect of the Suunto 7’s map features, examining how they perform in real-world scenarios, their usability, and how they compare to other smartwatches and GPS devices in the market.
Table of Contents
Overview of Suunto 7 Maps
The Suunto 7 maps are powered by offline maps that are preloaded onto the device, ensuring that you can access them even without a cellular connection. This is particularly beneficial for outdoor adventurers who often find themselves in remote areas with limited or no connectivity. The watch uses GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite systems to ensure accurate location tracking and navigation, making it a reliable companion for hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities.
The maps on the Suunto 7 are detailed and customizable, allowing users to view different layers such as terrain, satellite imagery, and heatmaps. These maps are designed to be user-friendly, with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to plan routes, navigate during activities, and track progress in real-time.
Offline Maps and Downloadable Areas
One of the most significant advantages of the Suunto 7 maps is the ability to download offline maps directly to the watch. This feature is crucial for outdoor enthusiasts who may venture into areas where cellular service is unreliable or non-existent. Before setting out on an adventure, users can download detailed maps of specific regions or trails directly to their Suunto 7. These maps are then stored on the watch, ensuring that they are accessible regardless of connectivity.
Downloading offline maps is straightforward and can be done through the Suunto app on your smartphone. The app allows you to select the area you want to download, and you can choose between different map layers, such as standard, satellite, or terrain. The size of the area you can download is limited, but it typically covers enough ground for most outdoor activities.
The offline maps are detailed and include topographical information, which is essential for navigating through rugged terrain. The ability to zoom in and out on the watch allows you to get a broader view of your surroundings or focus on specific details, such as trail junctions or elevation changes. This feature is particularly useful for hikers and trail runners who need to navigate complex routes or avoid potential hazards.
Heatmaps: A Unique and Valuable Feature
The Suunto 7 maps come with a unique feature called “heatmaps,” which shows the popularity of routes based on data from Suunto users worldwide. This feature is incredibly valuable for both planning and navigation, as it highlights trails and paths that are frequently used by other adventurers. Heatmaps are available for various activities, including running, cycling, and hiking, allowing users to see the most popular routes for their chosen sport.
When planning a route, you can use the heatmap feature to identify well-trodden paths, which can be a good indicator of safe and accessible trails. This is particularly useful in unfamiliar areas, where the most popular routes are likely to be the most reliable and well-marked. During your activity, the heatmap feature helps you stay on course and avoid getting lost, especially in areas with multiple intersecting trails.
The heatmaps are regularly updated with new data from Suunto users, ensuring that they reflect the most current and popular routes. This feature sets the Suunto 7 apart from many other GPS devices and smartwatches, as it provides a unique insight into the collective experiences of the Suunto community. Whether you’re exploring a new city or venturing into the wilderness, the heatmap feature is an invaluable tool for finding the best routes and staying on track.
Route Planning and Navigation
The Suunto 7 excels in route planning and navigation, offering users a range of tools to create and follow custom routes. Through the Suunto app, you can plan routes on your smartphone and then sync them to your watch. The app allows you to create routes by simply tapping on the map, and you can customize your route by adding waypoints or selecting specific trails and paths.
Once your route is synced to the Suunto 7, you can easily access it from the watch’s interface. The watch provides turn-by-turn navigation, guiding you along your planned route with visual and vibration alerts. This feature is particularly useful for navigating complex trails or urban environments where frequent turns and changes in direction are required.
During your activity, the watch displays your progress on the map in real-time, showing your current location, the route ahead, and any upcoming turns or waypoints. This real-time tracking is essential for staying on course and making adjustments if needed. If you happen to stray off the planned route, the watch will alert you and guide you back to the correct path.
In addition to planned routes, the Suunto 7 also supports breadcrumb navigation, which allows you to track your route as you go. This feature is particularly useful for exploratory hikes or runs, where you may not have a predefined route. The breadcrumb trail shows your path on the map, making it easy to retrace your steps if needed.
Navigation During Activities
The Suunto 7’s navigation features are designed to be intuitive and easy to use during activities. The watch’s touchscreen interface makes it simple to interact with the map, allowing you to zoom in and out, pan across the map, and view different layers. The responsive touch controls are particularly beneficial during activities where you need to make quick adjustments, such as zooming in to check your location or panning to see upcoming turns.
The watch also features physical buttons that can be used to control navigation functions, which is useful in situations where the touchscreen may not be practical, such as when wearing gloves or in wet conditions. The combination of touchscreen and physical buttons ensures that you can always interact with the map, regardless of the conditions.
During an activity, the watch provides real-time updates on your location, distance traveled, and distance remaining to your destination. These updates are displayed on the map, along with any waypoints or turns you’ve set. The watch also vibrates to alert you to upcoming turns or if you deviate from your planned route, ensuring that you stay on course.
For trail runners and hikers, the elevation profile feature is particularly useful. The Suunto 7 displays a detailed elevation profile of your route, showing the climbs and descents ahead. This information is crucial for pacing yourself and managing your energy levels, particularly on challenging terrain.
Integration with Wear OS
The Suunto 7 is powered by Google’s Wear OS, which provides additional mapping and navigation features through apps like Google Maps. This integration allows users to access a wider range of navigation tools, including turn-by-turn directions for driving, cycling, and walking, as well as public transit information.
Google Maps on the Suunto 7 is particularly useful for urban navigation, where you might need to find specific addresses, businesses, or transit stops. The app works seamlessly with the watch’s GPS, providing accurate and up-to-date directions. However, it’s worth noting that Google Maps requires a connection to your smartphone for full functionality, including live traffic updates and transit schedules.
In addition to Google Maps, the Wear OS platform allows users to install third-party navigation apps, providing even more options for mapping and route planning. These apps can be downloaded directly to the watch from the Google Play Store, allowing users to customize their navigation experience to suit their needs.
Battery Life and Performance
One of the most critical factors in any GPS-enabled smartwatch is battery life, particularly when using mapping and navigation features. The Suunto 7 offers a battery life that is sufficient for most day-long activities, but it may require careful management for extended use during multi-day adventures.
When using GPS and maps continuously, the Suunto 7 can last up to 12 hours on a single charge. This is sufficient for most day hikes, runs, or cycling sessions, but it may not be enough for ultra-long-distance events or multi-day treks. To conserve battery life, users can adjust settings such as GPS accuracy and screen brightness or switch to power-saving modes that limit certain features.
The watch also offers a unique feature called “Tour Mode,” which extends battery life by reducing GPS accuracy and limiting the use of certain sensors. In this mode, the Suunto 7 can last up to 48 hours with GPS enabled, making it a viable option for longer adventures where charging opportunities are limited.
In terms of performance, the Suunto 7’s maps and navigation features are generally reliable and responsive. The GPS lock is quick, and the maps load smoothly, even when zooming or panning. However, like many GPS devices, the Suunto 7 can occasionally experience signal loss in heavily forested areas or deep canyons, although this is generally minimal.
User Interface and Usability
The user interface of the Suunto 7 maps is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, even for those who are not tech-savvy. The watch’s large, high-resolution display makes it easy to view maps and navigate through menus, while the touchscreen controls are responsive and straightforward.
The interface is highly customizable, allowing users to choose which data fields are displayed during activities. This includes information such as distance, elevation, pace, and heart rate, which can be shown alongside the map. This customization is particularly useful for athletes who need to monitor specific metrics during training.
One of the standout features of the Suunto 7’s interface is its ability to display multiple map layers simultaneously. Users can switch between standard, terrain, and satellite views with a simple swipe, providing different perspectives on their surroundings. The ability to overlay heatmaps on top of these layers adds another dimension to route planning and navigation, making it easier to find popular trails and paths.
Comparison with Other Devices
When compared to other GPS watches and outdoor devices, the Suunto 7’s mapping and navigation features hold up well, especially considering its hybrid nature as both a smartwatch and an adventure watch. However, there are key differences to consider when comparing it with specialized devices like Garmin’s Fenix series or Polar’s Grit X.
Suunto 7 vs. Garmin Fenix Series
The Garmin Fenix series is often seen as the gold standard in the outdoor watch category, known for its robust build, extensive features, and superior battery life. When comparing the Suunto 7 to a device like the Garmin Fenix 6 or 7, several points stand out:
- Mapping and Navigation Features: The Fenix series offers more advanced mapping features, including highly detailed topographic maps, multiple satellite system support (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo), and turn-by-turn directions for both hiking and driving. The Fenix watches also support a broader range of activity profiles, each with tailored mapping features. In contrast, the Suunto 7 focuses on user-friendly, visually appealing maps with heatmap integration but lacks the deep customization and breadth of mapping options seen in the Fenix series.
- Battery Life: Garmin Fenix watches typically offer much longer battery life compared to the Suunto 7, especially in GPS mode. For example, the Fenix 6 can last up to 36 hours in GPS mode and even longer in battery-saving modes, whereas the Suunto 7 provides around 12 hours in full GPS mode. This difference can be a critical factor for ultra-distance athletes or multi-day trekkers who need reliable performance over extended periods without charging.
- User Interface and Ease of Use: The Suunto 7, with its Wear OS integration, offers a more intuitive and modern user interface compared to the Fenix series. The touchscreen interface of the Suunto 7 is responsive and familiar to anyone who has used a modern smartwatch. Garmin’s interface, while highly functional and customizable, can be less intuitive for new users due to its complexity and the reliance on buttons rather than touch controls.
- Smartwatch Features: The Suunto 7, powered by Wear OS, excels in smartwatch functionality, offering seamless integration with Google’s ecosystem, including Google Assistant, Google Pay, and third-party app support via the Google Play Store. The Fenix series, while offering basic smartwatch features like notifications and music control, is more focused on fitness and outdoor capabilities, making the Suunto 7 a better option for those who want a balance between everyday smartwatch functions and outdoor adventure features.
Suunto 7 vs. Polar Grit X
The Polar Grit X is another competitor in the adventure watch category, known for its rugged design and features tailored to endurance athletes.
- Mapping and Navigation: The Polar Grit X does not feature full-color topographic maps like the Suunto 7 but offers turn-by-turn navigation via the Komoot app, as well as a “back to start” feature to retrace your steps. The Suunto 7’s integrated offline maps and heatmaps provide a more visually engaging and comprehensive navigation experience, especially for those who rely on detailed terrain information.
- Battery Life: The Grit X offers superior battery life compared to the Suunto 7, with up to 40 hours in full GPS mode, which can be extended to 100 hours with power-saving options. This makes the Grit X a better choice for long endurance activities. The Suunto 7’s battery life, while adequate for day-long activities, may require more frequent charging during multi-day adventures.
- Training and Recovery Features: Polar is renowned for its advanced training and recovery features, such as Training Load Pro, Nightly Recharge, and FuelWise, which are designed to help athletes optimize their performance and recovery. While the Suunto 7 offers solid fitness tracking features, it does not match the depth of training analytics provided by the Grit X. This makes the Grit X more appealing to serious athletes focused on optimizing their training regimen.
- Smartwatch Integration: Similar to the comparison with Garmin, the Suunto 7’s Wear OS platform provides a richer smartwatch experience than the Polar Grit X, which has limited smartwatch functionality. This includes access to a wide range of apps, notifications, and the convenience of Google’s ecosystem.
Usability for Different Activities
The Suunto 7’s maps and navigation features are versatile, making the watch suitable for a range of outdoor activities. Here’s how it performs in some of the most common uses:
Hiking
For hiking, the Suunto 7 offers an excellent balance of detailed offline maps, heatmaps, and real-time GPS tracking. The ability to download and store maps for offline use is crucial for hiking in remote areas. The watch’s detailed topography and elevation profiles are helpful for navigating mountainous terrain, and the heatmaps can guide you to popular trails. However, for multi-day hikes, you might need to manage battery life carefully or consider carrying a portable charger.
Trail Running
Trail runners will appreciate the Suunto 7’s lightweight design and responsive touchscreen, which make it easy to check maps and navigate on the go. The heatmaps are particularly useful for finding popular running trails, while the real-time tracking and breadcrumb features ensure you stay on course. The watch’s elevation profiles and heart rate tracking add valuable insights for managing your effort on varied terrain. However, the battery life might be a limiting factor for ultra-distance runs.
Cycling
Cyclists can benefit from the Suunto 7’s navigation features during road or mountain biking. The watch provides turn-by-turn directions and detailed maps that make it easier to follow routes in unfamiliar areas. The integration with Wear OS allows for additional apps, such as Strava, to enhance the cycling experience. The watch’s large, bright display is easy to read while riding, and the combination of touchscreen and physical buttons ensures you can operate it in different conditions. However, the limited battery life in GPS mode might require frequent charging for longer rides.
Urban Navigation
In urban settings, the Suunto 7’s integration with Google Maps via Wear OS shines. Whether you’re walking, cycling, or using public transit, the watch provides reliable and accurate navigation with up-to-date information. The ability to search for specific locations, get turn-by-turn directions, and even find public transit routes makes the Suunto 7 a capable companion for city exploration. The smartwatch features, including Google Pay, further enhance its usability in everyday urban life.
Conclusion
The Suunto 7 is a versatile smartwatch that offers a unique combination of outdoor adventure tools and everyday smartwatch functionality. Its mapping and navigation features are robust, particularly for users who value the ability to access detailed offline maps and heatmaps while on the go. The integration with Wear OS adds a layer of convenience, making the Suunto 7 not only a capable outdoor watch but also a practical daily companion.
However, the Suunto 7’s battery life is a key consideration, especially for those who engage in long-distance or multi-day activities. While the watch performs well for day-long adventures, users might need to manage battery usage or bring additional charging options for extended trips.
Compared to specialized outdoor watches like the Garmin Fenix series or the Polar Grit X, the Suunto 7 offers a more user-friendly interface and richer smartwatch features but may fall short in terms of battery life and advanced training analytics. For those who want a device that can seamlessly transition from the office to the outdoors, the Suunto 7 is an excellent choice. However, ultra-endurance athletes and those who require extensive battery life might find the Suunto 7’s limitations in those areas to be a drawback.
Overall, the Suunto 7’s maps and navigation features make it a strong contender in the smartwatch market, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts who value detailed mapping and real-time GPS tracking. Whether you’re hiking, trail running, cycling, or exploring a new city, the Suunto 7 provides the tools you need to navigate with confidence and style.