Small and lightweight, the Suunto X10M wrist-top computer watch combines an altimeter, barometer, compass, and GPS navigator, making it a terrific companion for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. The X10M--which builds on Suunto's decade of experience in creating cutting-edge outdoor devices--stands above most other wrist-top computers thanks to its improved, faster GPS fixes. Even under heavy foliage, you can use the X10M to plot your treks, navigate to a certain spot, or get back to your car, all while keeping your hands free to hold a hiking stick or water bottle. Once back at home, you can share your treks on Google Earth, or use the Suunto Trek Manager PC software to create new routes and plan new journeys.
The Suunto X10M also includes a built-in altimeter, which displays your current altitude and your vertical ascent and descent rate. Accurate to within 30,000 feet, the altimeter is an extremely valuable tool for mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and wilderness travel. The altimeter contributes to your excursion in several ways. If you're standing on or near an obvious geographic feature, such as a ridge, trail, or creek, the altimeter can alert you to your current elevation and help you find your position on a topographic map. Similarly, if you plan on climbing a slope to a certain elevation and then traversing, the X10M can help you stay on course. And, of course, the X10M captures all your altitude information in its integrated logbook, making it easy to analyze your performance when creating a training routine.
The Suunto X10M watch includes an altimeter, barometer, compass, and GPS navigator. |
The X10M's barometer, meanwhile, measures and records air pressure to help you predict changing conditions--from sunny skies to hair-bending electrical storms. The barometer helps you decide whether to bring a soft shell or rain shell jacket when the skies look ominous, or even when to high-tail it back to the car. In general, low pressure brings inclement weather, while high pressure brings stability and clear skies. If you've arrived at camp and notice the pressure starting to plunge, it's probably a good idea to secure the tent and crawl in. Likewise, if you're on a climb, it would be prudent to find shelter and retreat. Even at home, the X10M's barometer can look beyond office walls, skyscrapers, and nearby hills to help you plan for upcoming activities.
And no outdoor watch is worth its salt without a digital compass, a great tool for keeping track of your direction while skiing, hiking, or exploring a new city. Simply point the top of the watch toward your intended destination and lock it in. Other features include an Activity Mode that records your speed, distance, and altitude information, along with any memory points you define along the way; a Track Back mode that guides you back the same way you came; a long-lasting battery; up to 50 routes, 25 tracks, and 500 waypoints; water-resistance up to 330 feet; and all the standard watch functions, including a 12/24-hour display, a stopwatch, a calendar clock, and three daily alarms. As with all Suunto wrist-top computers, the X10M carries a two-year warranty.
Specifications: - Altitude alarm: Yes
- Vertical speed: Yes
- Temperature compensation: Yes
- User-removable logbook files: Yes
- Resolution: 1 meter
- Altitude range: 1,600 to 29,500 feet
- Logbook function: Yes
- Stopwatch: Yes
- Max number of split times in memory: 29
- Automatic magnetic declination adjustment: Yes
- Guided calibration: Yes
- Heading in degrees: Yes
- Declination setting: Yes
- Cardinal directions: Yes
- Bearing tracking: Yes
- North-South indicator: North indicator
- Distance measurement: Yes, via GPS
- GPS resolution: 3 feet
- Routes: 50
- Speed: Yes
- Tracks: 25
- Waypoints: 500
- Water resistance: 330 feet
- Menu-based user interface: Yes
- Display: Dot matrix
- Backlight type: LED
- Software: Suunto Trek Manager
- Time: 12/24 hours
- GPS time synchronization: Yes
- Calendar clock: Yes
- Dual time: Yes
- Daily alarms: 3
- Absolute barometric pressure: Yes
- Weather memory: 7 days
- Weather alarm: Yes
- Trend graph: Yes
- Temperature range: -5 to 140 degrees F
- Sea level pressure: Yes
- Battery power indicator: Yes
- Rechargeable battery: Yes
- Warranty: 2 years
About Suunto Suunto was founded in 1936 by outdoors man and a keen orienteering enthusiast, Tuomas Vohlonen, who had long been bothered by a problem: the inaccuracy of traditional dry compasses and their lack of steady needle operation. Being an engineer with an inventive turn of mind, he discovered and patented the production method for a much steadier needle, better readings, and a new level of accuracy.
By 1950 the company was exporting compasses to over 50 countries around the world, including Canada and the United States. In 1952, Helsinki was hosting the Olympic Games, and the torches carried to light the Olympic flame were Suunto products. The next step was improving the stability and accuracy of marine compasses. The first marine compass, the Suunto K-12, was launched onto the market in 1953. In 1957, Suunto started manufacturing hypsometers, which measure the height of trees.
In the 1960s, the compass range grew further and Suunto introduced its first diving compass--initiated by the divers themselves. A British sports diver attached a Suunto compass to his wrist and found that the device also worked underwater. Thanks to his feedback and initiatives, the new business category was found. Suunto's exports and business grew steadily and Suunto then focused on combining its strength in precision mechanics with new skills in electronics. Accuracy, reliability, and ruggedness have been Suunto's key values from the very beginning of the company history.
Today, Suunto is a leading designer and manufacturer of sports instruments for training, diving, mountaineering, hiking, skiing, sailing, and golf. True to its roots, Suunto is today the world's biggest compass manufacturer. Prized for their design, accuracy and dependability, Suunto sports instruments combine the aesthetics and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers that help athletes at all levels analyze and improve performance. Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Suunto employs more than 500 people worldwide and distributes its products to nearly 60 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Helsinki-based Amer Sports Corporation with the sister brands Wilson, Salomon, Atomic, Precor, and Mavic.
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
This watch was a great purchase for the first few weeks that I had it; as far as functionality it has performed superbly. A few weeks after I purchased this watch (the X10 Military) I deployed to Iraq and planned on using this watch with my work in the Army here.
The watch has continued to serve fairly well, until I had about 2 months in country. The bezel/upper-case (a flexible rubber ring) is only attached by two rubber flanges that fit into the hard plastic body of the watch. First (at about 60 days) one of the flanges failed, then in another 30 days, the second flange failed. I have been able to superglue the bezel back onto the case (and probably voided the warranty, but I can't wait months to get this back and forth) but I am very dissapointed that a watch that cost me $500.00 USD and is listed as a "military" model, cannot handle exposure to the elements on my wrist for less than 3 months.
I think the concept and design of this watch is great, but I hope that Suunto is able to better incorporate some "painful" product testing before you market something to the military who will depend on it.
