Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin

[A Former User]

@miniforklift said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

I actually can’t believe so many people are complaining about their watch not lasting 5 years or more. Maybe I’m in the minority or maybe I’m somewhat of a gear junkie, but usually when something new and worthy of trying out is released I’m interested. If I am honest my S9B is the only watch I have owned on multiple occasions (I’ve owned a few of the different models and sold them along the way to fund new offerings from COROS plus a few crappy Garmin’s). I’m now back to the S9B gold edition and hands down it’s the best of the bunch for me at least; watches are absolutely subjective, and with that being said I don’t think people should shoot a brand down unless they have compared it to many of the others out there

FWIW I’d be quite surprised if I still have my S9B on my wrist as my main training/racing watch in 2026; by then I’ll likely be wearing a newer model and hopefully it will be from Suunto. The Ambit3 seems like a blast from the past, I must have owned that one a decade ago. I’d be happy if it were still telling the time today let alone recording workouts

It is one way of seeing things.
I am the opposite. I prefer to “pay more” and be sure in some years the unit is fully functional with some support than having always to upgrade/buy new.
By the time I choose the ambit 2 for example if covered all the needs at the time and some future ones (navigation and support for power meters for example). Only some years later I used them.
If by the time the core features served me, probably they will serve me in the future. Only if my needs changed a lot, or the new feature is a game changer.
Regarding your statement about the ambits, I guess the fact that suunto still sells them helps

[freeheeler]

@andré-faria
I’m happy when products are built to last, but I am also willing to try new features if I see a benefit.
It’s about a good balance between saving recourses vs. keeping up with technology

[diakosmos]

@pavel-samokha Great, (1) how do I get the data off, (2) what format is it in, and (3) what libraries/utilities to read/edit it, assuming it’s binary?

And (4), if this is so easy, why don’t you put info on how to do this top, front and center on the MovesCount website? Seems like a pretty obvious thing to do.

[pavel.samokha]

@diakosmos
I believe everything is described here https://www.suunto.com/Support/faq-articles/transition/how-do-i-use-the-suunto-services-with-ambit2/

[diakosmos]

@PAVEL.SAMOKHA Thank you for that information.

Everything I had read gave me the impression that it was impossible, without some kind of hack, to use the data from my Ambit on Suunto App. Of course, I was tired from over-training, but it seems like I wasn’t really off-base there:

I just found a nice post by DC Rainmaker that explained that, in fact, that was the plan up until a few months ago.

Good of you to backtrack on your original plan to, as I see it, effectively brick my Ambit, but it wasn’t clear to me.

Consider this passage from your website: "Which Suunto products are compatible with Suunto app?
All mobile-connected Suunto products including Suunto 9, Suunto 7, Suunto 5, Suunto 3 (Fitness), Suunto Spartan, Suunto Ambit3, Suunto Traverse and Traverse Alpha Collection watches as well as Suunto EON Steel, EON Core and D5 dive computers are compatible with Suunto app. "

I would naively read that as indicating that my Ambit is not in fact compatible with Suunto app. So now, you are saying it actually IS compatible after all; I just have to install SuuntoLink. Yay! Nice.

So why not have something that pops up on MovesCount to tell me, “hey dummy, you need to install SuuntoLink?”

In the meantime, this AM, I (1) figured out where the *.sml files from my Ambit were on my computer, (2) converted them to *.gpx format, using ambit2gpx (after editing the print() statements to use up-to-date python form), (3) uploaded and plotted my tracks on Google Maps as detailed here..

Oh, and (4) bought an $800 Garmin Enduro.

Turns out (1), (2) and (3) weren’t really necessary after all, but don’t you think you could have put a banner at the top of MovesCount making it clear how to do this?

[freeheeler]

@diakosmos
please keep us updated with your Garmin experience

[cosme.costa]

@diakosmos Here I have to agree with you that Suunto was a bit confusing with its digital transition, they could have done it better, but it is true that the information was there and we, the users, are quite lazy sometimes and we do not like to read or spend time configuring, again, something that was working. We spend time configuring the device the first time and we want to forget about it, only use it.

I would have been good that Suunto had used some/more intrusive pop ups to make people aware of the change, as you have said.

My running partner has upgraded his A3 to an S9B and he was very confused on how to configure his new watch. He initially configured the S9B with MC, had issues with the ascent/descent not beeing counted and he was about to return the watch, thinking that it was broken, when he commented it to me and I solved his doubts/problems. Now his wife uses the A3 and for her and him is quite confusing to use two platforms to one watch and only one for the other. For people that aren’t in this forum, some of the steps to do the transition from MC to SA using an Ambit can be quite confusing and I think Suunto should have put al little bit more information/marketing here.

Regarding your new Garmin, well I guess that if you are upgrading from and A2 you will have a big step forward the same if you would have upgrade to a Suunto S9B, and in my opinion the Garmin Enduro is really an overpriced watch.

BTW I will also join the dark side, I have ordered a Garmin Edge 530 (not received yet) for my bike to retire my beloved Sigma ROX 10.0 which still works but lacks some features and is not supported anymore. Will see how it works. I hope the Garmin maintains the excellent accuracy and durability of the Sigma launched around 2014 and I bought more than 5 years ago. Before I had any GPS watch I used the Sigma for my runs too. I will keep using my S9B as my daily/running/trailrunning/everything except biking…watch.

[A Former User]

@diakosmos said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

So why not have something that pops up on MovesCount to tell me, “hey dummy, you need to install SuuntoLink?”

Not sure why you didn’t receive any notification, but for a while I was encountered by a pop-up about digital transition every time when I logged in to Movescount.

[A Former User]

@andrasveres said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

@diakosmos said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

So why not have something that pops up on MovesCount to tell me, “hey dummy, you need to install SuuntoLink?”

Not sure why you didn’t receive any notification, but for a while I was encountered by a pop-up about digital transition every time when I logged in to Movescount.

The pop up is still there.

I wasn’t able to click on read more, but I assume it would go to the transition site.

[A Former User]

@cosmecosta said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

@diakosmos
BTW I will also join the dark side, I have ordered a Garmin Edge 530 (not received yet) for my bike to retire my beloved Sigma ROX 10.0 which still works but lacks some features and is not supported anymore. Will see how it works. I hope the Garmin maintains the excellent accuracy and durability of the Sigma launched around 2014 and I bought more than 5 years ago. Before I had any GPS watch I used the Sigma for my runs too. I will keep using my S9B as my daily/running/trailrunning/everything except biking…watch.

It is a very complete device the Edge 530, and till now for me, no issues, but it is a bit annoying with so many menus and sub menus.

Here just received a Garmin 45, I wanted to test all the sleep/stress/body energy/syncronization between devices and garmin connect platform without spending too much (it was about 120eur refurbished).
The level of customization is very nice, let see how it performs during the days.

[cosme.costa]

@andré-faria said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

It is a very complete device the Edge 530, and till now for me, no issues, but it is a bit annoying with so many menus and sub menus.

When I started my search I was between the Bryton 750 and the Sigma Rox 12.0. Probably I would have ordered the Sigma, I think it is a really good device, with one of the best UI, but I have read that the battery doesn’t age well and it’s a little bit more expensive than the Garmin. The new Bryton looks good too but costs nearly the same than the Garmin and the maps for MTB are not very good from what I have read, at least in my area. Both of them are touchscreen but can be handled with buttons too.

Finally I went to Garmin because of the good reviews and that there is a lot of people using it that can help in case of issues or doubts. I discarded the 830 because the lack of buttons to manage it (mainly touchscreen ) and because it is much more expensive.

[zvonejan]

what about karoo 2?

[A Former User]

@zvonejan said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

@andré-faria

what about karoo 2?

Everyone I spoke with which has the Karoo 1 says wonders. Same with wahoo.
But for me they have an “issue”. They are , afaik controlled by an app.
I bought this unit to do the interval trainings and routing for biking man Corsica. I don’t want to be dependent on an app for anything .
For someone that won’t go for something extreme or are very very sure of their smartphone/app I guess both wahoo and Karoo are more pleasant to use than garmin.

[cosme.costa]

@zvonejan said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

what about karoo 2?

I didn’t thought about it

[vgnjhd]

After years of love and hate relationship with Suunto as of tomorrow (waiting for delivery) going for Garmin 6 Pro solar.
Will give my old Suunto Ambit 3 Peak to someone who might still enjoy its last hear beats as a charity.

[Bulkan]

[Patrick Löffler]

@vgnjhd What are your reasons? I do not want to lower your excitement but the 19.20 firmware update process for the Fenix is bumpy and this seems to me getting the new normal at Garmin.

[ChrisA]

@patrick-löffler yes, they’re not good at that. The new update for my wife’s Venu 2 is awful too, causing frequent restarts and black screens…

[A Former User]

@patrick-löffler said in Goodbye Suunto, hello Garmin:

@vgnjhd What are your reasons? I do not want to lower your excitement but the 19.20 firmware update process for the Fenix is bumpy and this seems to me getting the new normal at Garmin.

Honestly more and more I understand that there are no perfect brands, regarding models, only the ambits were perfect heheh
Regarding the instability of garmin, yes it is known.
On the 945 LTE there are small ( and big bugs) that almost seems impossible that a device gets out to the market like that…

Here 945 vs 945 lte on the right…with heart rate number being minuscule…
but it has other advantages…specialy regarding customizability. And I think sometimes it makes you “forget” the bugs. Depends on the uses…and needs.
Regarding the fenix 6, I had a 6s sapphire and I think it was stable, it was just unconfortable for me.
For Suunto I guess the stability is better, construction also, but missing some customization and features. And sometimes it “annoys” some users, because you can see those features even in cheaper garmins.
So the best is to have both

[surfboomerang]

@andré-faria Personally I prefer a stable watch with less features then a buggy one with tons of features.
The first one I can trust what I have and what I can expect. The other one… well, I think I would go to a casino if I want a gamble.