Suunto Vertical review from a non-target audience

[zhang965]

It’s the moment! The very first Liesheng-Suunto watch is finally arrived!
As I’m a city guy who only runs classico 3k, 5k and 10k, never ever interested in ultra running or mountain, it’s why I use non-target audience in the title. Like previous episodes, the last one for Vertical has finally come.

First, about the advertising, it’s disgusting, yes, it’s DISGUSTING and creepy.
What do you mean by Some people choose a five-star hotel? ( of course there are other creepy statements)
• People choose Suunto because Suunto watch is a five-star watch, So, the 5-star guys will choose you.
• Or Suunto owners are not five-star hotel guys. So these non-5-star hotel guys will choose you.
I saw different culture backgrounds friends had mock this stupid pointless advertising, anyway, if you are happy about it, it’s fine.

The pre-order and delivery were pretty good, I could pay for it very smoothly and the watch arrived the day where is released. (In paris, DHL subcontracts food-deliverer, I thought that I didn’t order any food that day, but the guy pulled out my package from his food bag, it’s still spectacular)
I picked a black one, because the orange is out of stock, because Black is the color for serious man like me, black is the color for prestige, classique, you will never see a five-star hotel paint with orange…

The first impression is impressive, the watch is more bigger than my S9PP (and it’s different than S9P/PP series, it really help some retard to recognize the watches from other watch), but it’s also will balanced, after 1 month of wearing, I’d say, for me, Vertical is more comfortable than my S9PP, in the same wearing condition, my Vertical doesn’t move horizontally on my wrist; but S9PP does, so if S9PP reaches the side of my wrist and I move in the same time, it hurts me a lot. (Especially during sleeping)
But I don’t like the strap, it’s ugly and fragile, and if you want to buy an official replacement, it’s 2 sizes in the same package, in other words, you must pay one size that you don’t need, who cares about the planet when we’re making money? anyway, if you are happy about it, it’s fine.
Now let’s have a look at the watch software.
The watch menu is same shit as S9PP, you have 3 ways to go Media controls screen and 3 ways to set them separately. (Media controls can be turned on or off in exercise preparation screen, Widget menu and training menu; and you and use media controls in lower button menu, widget and during your exercise) Dear ultra/mountaineers, what a boring sport that you need control your media in 3 different ways? And the funny thing is, it seems control your media is a very important topic for suunto target audience, but the bloody watch cannot load any music in its 32GB stockage.
Some people choose a 3-way media control.
Hopefully, you only need configurate it once, the menu is horribly structured, Anyway, if you are happy about it, it’s fine.
The Vertical, like Suunto’s tradition, is optimal for old people: if you live in a modern world, you will notice the lags when you touch the watch. But as I mentioned for S9PP as well, I don’t think it’s a bug or similar case, it’s just an optimization for boomers’ brains, it’s totally fine.
Some people choose a slow cooking watch.
The Vertical watchface is much better designed than the ugly S9PP watchface, but no real custom is available, you can just switch some fields, so if you want to check your HR/BOX etc, you must wake up your watch, push the button or touch the screen several times, and repeat it until you find checking on your smartphone is 10 times easier.
Some people chose to touch their watch screen 5 times to check 2 separated values.

OK, it’s just trivial, let’s begin the serious part, how Vertical works for 3k 5k and 10k.
For all my tests, I wear S9PP in the same arm higher than Vertical, S9PP connect to a HR belt, and Vertical uses OHR.
First, Paris Johnson walking.

It’s the first activity, Suunto Vertical has wrong begin point, but we all know the first activity is not accurate due to its GPS calibration, but it’s still better than S9PP, much better.

Second, Paris Digital walking. Same color code, the first part I didn’t turn on my S9PP, but the S9PP’s GPS is off a lot.

3rd London johnson walking.

Both watches had good performance.

And for Running :
3K running, Vertical’s record is 3K, 11m42s. S9PP’s record is 2.84KM, 11m40s.

HR :

Avg 166 vs 169
max 181 vs 182

5K running
Vertical : 5.01 KM 19m43s
S9PP: 4.91KM 19m43s

HR:

AVG : 168 vs 172
MAX: 182 vs 179

10k
Vertical : 10K 40m59s
S9PP: 10K 41m

HR:

AVG : 175 vs 178
MAX : 186 vs 187

In summary about the GPS/HR:
• Vertical has very good GPS performance, so far, very stable.
• I rencounter fewer speed drop with vertical than S9PP. I do remember, when I run my 10K, at the beginning, S9PP has more distance, but sudden S9PP has a huge speed drop then its distance is lower than Vertical.
• When I run, my S9PP always has a lower distance counter, for example Vertical always reaches the 3k 5k 10k mark before S9PP, in the track, for 3K the difference seems huge.
• But when I walk, S9PP always has longer distance than Vertical.
• Vertical’s GPS is more stable then S9PP, there is not any evidence that S9PP’s GPS has the same performance as multiple band GPS, if someone told you so, there must be 2 possibilities:
o This guy is stupid,
o This guy is a liar,
o Or this guy is a stupid liar.
• Vertical’s OHR surprised me, it’s almost the same level as the chest belt sensor, if you are running in lower HR zone, I think you can use Vertical’s OHR instead of belt, it’s the first time I had such (good) experience with Suunto OHR, my OHR on S9B/S9P/S9PP were horribly wrong.
• But with the new suunto Strap, it prints the hole marks on my wrist, it’s a little bit disagreeable.
https://forum.suunto.com/assets/uploads/files/1686750000194-screenshot-2023-06-14-152315.png

About the map,
The map experience is difficult to say, I only used 3 times map, 1st time was OK, the map has a pretty good reactivity in was in Paris. 2nd time, the route became triangle and map became black during half of walking in Paris, so I re-downloaded the map and new load UK map for 3rd time, then the map shows nothing.
Some people choose a watch with black screen map. anyway, if you are happy about it, it’s fine.
And I saw my john is not fully shown on the watch, I don’t know why. (The issue present on S9PP as well)

Conclusion:
Finally, Liesheng shown us their ambition with Vertical, the first Liesheng-Suunto watch reflects a modern watch that we wanted since long time.
There is a lot of imperfections, of course like every singly suunto watch, anyway the multiple-band GPS is still a must have. It’s way more stable.
The OHR has improved, sadly I’m not an OHR guy, but when I see the OHR value, I’m still happy with it.
Forget S9PP, the last Suunto baby born at end of 2022, there is nothing you can do with it, about 6 months without update, horribly GPS/OHR performance. Blood high priced. Poor quality in 3 different ways.
For the future, Liesheng is now preparing changes, they are recruiting new developers for Suunto in China and building a sport specified AI center for the future. We will get updates more often. I cannot wait to see the new Suunto HR belt.
So, I encourage you to buy a Vertical, specifically the titanium version, even though the solar is useless for someone, we are in 2023 now, keep the S9PP for grandpas.
(any way, if you are a 5-star hotel person, vertical just costs your 1 or 2 nights; if you are not a 5-star hotel person, you are probably already saved enough money for vertical right?)

My only dispointment is Vertical does not come with payment, I still think it’s a must have for city guys, last time when I back from a run, I saw a sexy wet Watermelon, when I pick up my wallet and come back, the watermelon was gone, forever gone. it’s one dark, lonely, sad moment in my life.

Stay strong, stay together, stay young and stay hungry, don’t be stupid, dont be Brad-ish.

BR

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@zhang965 this is by far the best Vertical review one can find on the Internet. And it had noting to do with on-map-drawings. Not at all.

[DMytro]

@zhang965 said in Suunto Vertical review from a non-target audience:

What do you mean by Some people choose a five-star hotel? ( of course there are other creepy statements)

Completely agree btw. I also found ‘I always stop for the horses…’ ad very weird when s9p was revealed. A bit off-topic, but I wish overall ads would be more to the point, i.e. here are pros/cons against our compatitors, please choose us so that we don’t starve.

[isazi]

I found the ad campaign good enough for launch, in the release video and the product page, to highlight that the watch was designed as a simple, no-frills, tool for adventure. But now, a month after, I find it stale and irritating at times. Like when they put the ad “some people choose to watch tennis” (in Zegama I think) during the Roland Garros. In my personal opinion is stretching too much and should be toned down.

[deserthike20]

Nice review! I assume that first picture of the Vertical is on a “5 star” hotel stationary pad?

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@isazi compared to the original 9P campaign - the one for Vertical seems very unoriginal and flat. As if Suunto wanted to appear to Garmin or Coros crowd (with similar style and voice).

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@deserthike20 private helicopter pad.

[gone troppo]

I love this guys reviews maybe you should be a watch reviewer although your 9pp review was better with all the “wtf is this” hahahahaha

[zhang965]

Damn…Now I do understand why this guy said no significant difference between dual band and mono band.

Damn, Prophecy！

[Egika]

@zhang965 what do you mean?
In open space conditions with a good view to the sky, I would not expect any bigger advantage for dual band as well.

Anyway, it is on by default, as battery lasts long enough anyway.

[Brad_Olwin]

@zhang965 What I said is correct, I do not run around in ovals on asphalt so that is not my testing ground. Neither do I run on concrete with tall buildings nearby as I prefer trails and mountains. My 9PP, Vertical and an AWU all have very similar GPS tracks and give indistinguishable differences in distance when considering the stated accuracy of the watches. Single tests are difficult to judge, which hand the watch is worn on and different days will see different results. I live in an arid environment where there is a lot of open sky. I would not expect significant differences in GPS performance under these conditions. Certainly where the conditions are more difficult I have seen differences and commented on them. The dual band Epix 2 was far better in slot canyons than the 9PP. I mentioned that as well. Perhaps you never read that one, which clearly demonstrated the dual band was better in tough GPS conditions.

[gone troppo]

The dual band is most certainly better when tested under the most difficult conditions of tropical rainforest canopy with zero sunlight and heavy rain.

[Brad_Olwin]

o This guy is stupid,
o This guy is a liar,
o Or this guy is a stupid liar.

Below are traces from two runs. The first is a 160k with a Vertical and an S9PP. The second has two dual band watches and the S9PP. To avoid being labeled with the above quotes pick which trace is the S9PP in each run correctly, if you are wrong pick the label you most like:)
160k Run

13k run

I have many, many more examples

[sartoric]

@Brad_Olwin said in Suunto Vertical review from a non-target audience:

o This guy is stupid,
o This guy is a liar,
o Or this guy is a stupid liar.

you forgot “boomer”

[Brad_Olwin]

@sartoric said in Suunto Vertical review from a non-target audience:

@Brad_Olwin said in Suunto Vertical review from a non-target audience:

o This guy is stupid,
o This guy is a liar,
o Or this guy is a stupid liar.

you forgot “boomer”

Not everyone can be a proud boomer, you have to have been born at an important time in our history (USA)

[MiniForklift]

As a kiwi I’m proud to be from the country where ‘okay boomer’ originated from, I don’t think Chloe imagined it blowing up like it did when she said it

[Umer Javed]

@MiniForklift that was a great speech, and I’m an ocean away in Canada

[MiniForklift]

Chloe is cool, as far as politics go she’s a breath of fresh air

[zhang965]

[inkognito]

@zhang965 It sure drifts slightly. But, regarding the offset to the south-east (which you also showed in one of your previous posts in this topic), mind that satellite layers are not always perfectly aligned. It might actually be the satellite image that has an offset here…

Lovely example can be seen here: bridge in Melbourne where two different satellite footages connect. The misalignment is approx. 10 m.