Suunto - Core All Black: Long Term Review
Suunto
All-Black Core
$380 (NZD)
The Suunto Core is a watch that has been around since 2007 and still continues to be used by many outdoor enthusiast looking for a watch that goes further than just telling the time. The All Black Core came out after and apart from its difference in appearance and a few small tweaks it is still the same ABC (altimeter, barometer, compass) time piece.
Overview:
In the last two years my All Black Core has hardly left my wrist and I have used it extensively in many different environments. I can confidently say I’ve used to its full potential and although it’s been more-or-less what I expected I would not buy this watch again. The Core is dated, for the same price today you can buy something much more modern with improved and better features.
Appearance: 3/5
Performance: 2/5
Value: 3/5
Perfromance:
Durability - I will start by saying this durability ultimately let this watch down for me. An outdoor watch, I would expect, would be a lot more rugged but in the time i’ve had it I have replaced the strap twice, lost the bezel after it popped of and will have to replace the buttons for it to function properly; which started seizing up after 8 months. I will add though, Suunto support was great to deal with and they replaced the straps (which have 1 year warranty) but I will not bother with fixing the rest. Looking online many others experienced these same issues and it seems to be something that has not been resolved.
Features - The ABC functions work okay. I got a lot of use out of the altimeter over the years and it is fairly accurate up to about 20 meters give or take. The barometer works well to and even using it on the automatic mode both stayed fairly on point. The compass was never accurate and so I never used it. The watch also has a temperature reading, unfortunately it stays at or around 26 degrees even in cold temperatures.
Battery - I really appreciated the battery life on the watch and with regular use in Altimeter mode I still only replace the battery every 4-6 months. It takes a CR2032 battery - about $5 from the supermarket.
Waterproofing - for the most part I had no issues even after free diving and swimming but at altitude there was always moisture behind the glass which made it hard to see the display.
Display - another downfall, the watch is very hard to read in the sun and the green backlight doesn’t help unless its dark. Often I have to cup the face to read it. Apart from that the watch layout is nice and simple and very easy to navigate/adjust on the go.
Appearance:
For me, this watch is the perfect size. Not obnoxiously big but stands out and the screen is a practical size for an outdoor watch.
I like the slick All Black design much more than the original Core but the bezel wears quickly making it look pretty rough in no time.
Value
When the All Black Core was first released the price now would have been reasonable but with so many other sports and outdoor watches on the market I would much rather pay an extra $100 - $200 and get a Garmin Fenix or Suunto Traverse.
Conclusion
In today’s day and age you can get much more out of an outdoor watch for a similar price. The Suunto Core has had its day and in my opinion; in 2018 there is just so many more choices on the market. Its durability issues are a problem that has never been resolved and let the watch down for me. It is simple however, and because you don’t have to worry about charging or replacing the battery it would make a great watch for somebody who just wants a tact-ti-cool looking watch for light use in the outdoors - especially if you can find one cheap!
CONS:
durability
out-dated
expensive
Pros:
battery life
accuracy
slick appearance