Suunto Blog

When hitting the trails, many hikers rely heavily on smartphone navigation apps. Phones are undeniably convenient for checking your location, viewing routes, and tracking stats. In the backcountry, however, you frequently run into dead zones, freezing temperatures, or heavy rain that makes pulling out a phone a hassle—not to mention the constant worry of battery drain. That is where a dedicated hiking GPS watch with mapping capabilities comes in. By keeping your location, route, altitude, and distance traveled right on your wrist, you can navigate hikes, treks, and camping trips with complete peace of mind. This article breaks down the key factors to consider when choosing an outdoor GPS watch, focusing on map quality, tracking accuracy, battery life, and specialized trail features. Why a GPS watch is useful for hiking A high-quality hiking GPS watch is far more than just a timepiece. It is an essential piece of outdoor gear that monitors your biometrics, logs your activity, and ensures you never lose your bearings in the mountains. Check your current location and direction from your wrist When navigating remote trails, knowing exactly where you are and staying on course is critical for safety. With a GPS-enabled watch, a quick glance at your wrist tells you your exact location and heading—no phone retrieval required. This is a game-changer on complex trail networks or in dense forests with low visibility, where frequent navigation checks keep you moving in the right direction. Check your route without taking out your phone While smartphone map apps look great, repeatedly pulling your phone out of a pocket or pack during a strenuous trek is tedious. It gets even trickier in the rain, freezing cold, or when wearing thick gloves. A GPS watch allows you to check your route and heading seamlessly on the go, keeping your momentum uninterrupted. Record distance, altitude, and pace Outdoor GPS watches effortlessly track real-time metrics like distance covered, vertical gain, current pace, and heart rate. This data is invaluable for on-the-trail decision-making—helping you gauge your climbing progress, monitor whether you are pacing ahead or behind schedule, and determine the optimal time to take a breather. Review your route and activity log after the hike Another major advantage of a GPS watch is the post-hike data analysis. By reviewing your route overlay, total elevation gain, and splits, you can better plan future excursions. Plus, building a digital logbook of your hikes and camping trips is a deeply rewarding way to look back on your outdoor adventures. Key points when choosing a GPS watch for hiking Selecting a GPS watch for the backcountry requires a completely different mindset than picking a daily tracker. Here are the six crucial factors to evaluate. 1. GPS accuracy | Can it help you track your location on mountain trails? In the wilderness, precise positioning is non-negotiable. Deep valleys, dense tree canopies, and towering peaks can severely degrade standard GPS signals. If you are tackling serious backcountry trails, it pays to invest in a watch with premium satellite tracking performance (such as dual-frequency GNSS). For technical ridge lines or unfamiliar terrain, pinpoint GPS accuracy is your primary safety net. 2. Maps | Does it support offline maps?   Mapping capabilities can vary widely between outdoor watch models. Basic GPS watches only display a simple "breadcrumb" trail line on a blank screen, while premium models offer full topographic mapping right on your wrist. Opting for a watch that supports offline map storage is essential for navigating safely without cellular service. Since network connections are notoriously unreliable in the mountains, being able to download maps before you head out is a massive advantage. 3. Battery life | Can you use it with confidence on long hikes? Battery longevity is the lifeblood of any backcountry tool. Continuous GPS tracking drains a battery far faster than standard watch mode. While a short battery life might suffice for casual day hikes, multi-day backpacking trips and alpine camping demand extreme power endurance. When shopping for a hiking watch, look past the standard daily-use specs and focus specifically on the continuous GPS tracking battery life. 4. Outdoor features | Does it include altitude, barometer, and compass functions? Serious trekking requires specialized environmental sensors—specifically an altimeter, barometer, and compass (collectively known as ABC sensors). The altimeter tracks your exact elevation and vertical ascent, while the barometer monitors atmospheric pressure trends to warn you of incoming storm systems. A digital compass ensures you can orient your physical map at a moment's notice. These dedicated wilderness tools are where specialized outdoor watches truly outshine general watches. 5. Durability and water resistance | Is it easy to use in rain, sweat, and outdoor conditions? The mountains are unforgiving. Your watch will inevitably encounter pouring rain, sweat, mud, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Look for military-grade durability and high water-resistance ratings. Choosing a rugged device engineered explicitly for harsh environments ensures your tech won't fail you when you need it most. 6. Screen readability | Is it easy to check outdoors? On the trail, light conditions change constantly—from blinding, direct sunlight on exposed ridges to deep shadow beneath dense forest canopies. Excellent outdoor visibility is vital for reading maps and tracking data at a glance. Look for screen technologies (like Memory-in-Pixel or high-brightness displays) that excel in bright daylight, as display size and anti-reflective qualities heavily impact real-world usability. Do you need a GPS watch with maps for hiking? If you are planning your next gear purchase, you might wonder whether built-in mapping is actually worth the investment. The short answer? On unfamiliar trails, complex junctions, or extended backcountry routes, on-wrist maps provide a level of confidence and safety that basic data screens simply cannot match. In hiking, knowing your current location adds confidence Much of the anxiety on a tough hike comes from navigation uncertainty—wondering if you missed a turn or exactly how many miles are left to camp. A mapping GPS watch eliminates the guesswork by displaying your real-time position directly on the topographic route. Regularly verifying your location makes catching a wrong turn easy, allowing you to course-correct before burning valuable daylight. The difference between smartphone map apps and GPS watches Smartphones boast large, high-resolution displays that make macro-route planning a breeze. However, they fall short when it comes to battery efficiency, ruggedness, waterproofing, and cold-weather operation. Think of your GPS watch not as a replacement for detailed smartphone planning, but as your primary tool for rapid, real-time navigation updates while actively moving. Using a smartphone for deep route planning alongside a GPS watch for on-the-move tracking offers the ultimate backcountry navigation setup. Offline maps are easier to use where signal is weak Mountain ranges and cellular dead zones go hand in hand. With an offline-capable GPS watch, you can pre-load your regional maps at home and navigate flawlessly through deep valleys and remote wilderness without ever needing a cellular signal. Suunto has revolutionized its navigation ecosystem by offering premium offline maps and offline route planning via the Suunto app—completely free of charge. ▶︎See SUUNTO watches for hiking here Battery life is also important for hiking When selecting an outdoor watch, battery performance shares equal importance with GPS accuracy and mapping features. GPS use consumes battery more quickly Pinging multiple satellite networks to record precision track logs requires serious energy. A lifestyle watch that easily lasts a week in the city might die in just a few hours if forced to run high-accuracy GPS continuously. Always prioritize the "GPS tracking battery life" specification over daily wear estimates. Battery needs differ for day hikes, multi-day routes, and camping For quick weekend day hikes, a watch with a dozen hours of GPS tracking is plenty. However, if your passions lean toward multi-day backpacking trips, alpine hut-to-hut treks, or extended camping expeditions, you need a high-end endurance model. When charging outlets are days away, massive battery capacity becomes a safety feature. A long-lasting model reduces charging concerns When your watch has massive battery reserves, trail anxiety vanishes. You can freely utilize advanced features—like active route navigation, continuous heart rate tracking, altitude profiles, and storm alerts—without the constant stress of the screen going black halfway through your trek. The difference between general watches and outdoor watches While lifestyle watches excel at daily health tracking and office connectivity, dedicated outdoor watches are purpose-built to survive and thrive in the wild. Outdoor models are strong in GPS, maps, and durability Standard watches prioritize daily convenience features like text replies, contactless payments, and app ecosystems. Conversely, outdoor watches are engineered from the ground up for extreme scenarios, focusing heavily on dual-frequency GPS accuracy, robust offline maps, phenomenal battery life, ABC sensors, and impact-resistant materials. When choosing equipment for the backcountry, pick the tool designed for the environment, not the office. Features that work in the mountains matter more than everyday functions Miles away from civilization, a flood of social media notifications won't help you. What matters is knowing your exact location, the incoming weather patterns, your current altitude, and your remaining battery life. When weather conditions deteriorate or visibility drops, the depth and reliability of your watch's outdoor features make all the difference. An outdoor watch is convenient for hiking, trekking, and camping The versatility of a premium outdoor watch extends far beyond standard hiking trails; it is the ultimate companion for mountaineering, wilderness camping, trail running, and mountain biking. For anyone who spends their weekends exploring the outdoors, a single rugged GPS watch provides comprehensive performance metrics and safety management across all tracking disciplines. Useful outdoor features for hiking, trekking, and camping When evaluating different GPS watches, ensure these key outdoor utilities are on the spec sheet: Altimeter | Check your current elevation and ascent An altimeter tracks your current altitude and cumulative vertical gain. In the mountains, elevation gain is often a much better indicator of fatigue and energy expenditure than flat distance. Tracking your ascent allows you to pace yourself intelligently and manage daylight hours effectively. Barometer | A reference for changing weather Mountain weather is notoriously volatile, making an on-wrist barometer an invaluable early-warning system. A sharp drop in barometric pressure typically indicates an approaching storm. While you should always check professional local forecasts, real-time pressure trends on your wrist provide an extra layer of situational awareness. Compass | Easier direction checks At whiteout peaks or faint trail junctions, a digital compass allows you to orient yourself instantly. When cross-referenced with your map, it ensures your body and your route line are pointing in the exact same direction. Route navigation | Check whether you are still on your planned route Route navigation lets you follow a pre-loaded GPX track with turn-by-turn or off-course alerts. When trails become obscured by snow, overgrown brush, or darkness, this feature acts as an invisible guide keeping you safely on track. Sport tracking | Useful for activities beyond hiking With multi-sport profiles covering everything from trail running and cycling to gym workouts, a premium outdoor watch seamlessly transitions into a comprehensive daily fitness tracker. This cross-functional capability ensures you get immense value out of your investment, even during mid-week training sessions. Who should choose a GPS watch for hiking? A rugged GPS watch isn’t reserved solely for elite mountaineers. It offers massive benefits to casual day hikers, backpackers, and car campers alike. People who want to check routes while hiking or trekking If you regularly explore new trail systems, national parks, or routes with poorly marked intersections, on-wrist navigation is invaluable. It takes the stress out of navigating, letting you focus entirely on the scenery. People who want to reduce smartphone battery use Constantly firing up your phone's screen to check GPS maps is the fastest way to a dead battery. Offloading your active navigation to a dedicated GPS watch preserves your phone’s battery for emergencies and photo opportunities. People looking for a watch that is useful for camping and the outdoors Outdoor watches provide excellent utility even around the campsite. Quick access to sunrise/sunset alarms, barometric trend alerts, and weather profiles makes living outdoors significantly more comfortable and predictable. People who want to record and review their hikes Logging your trail metrics is incredibly rewarding and highly practical for fitness progression. Analyzing your data allows you to see your endurance improve over time, compare historical paces, and accurately estimate times for future trips. People who want an outdoor watch they can also use every day Modern premium outdoor watches blend rugged functionality with sleek, high-end aesthetics that fit right into an office environment. If you want a highly capable watch for the workweek that transforms into a reliable navigation tool on the weekend, an outdoor GPS watch is the ultimate choice. Suunto Vertical / Vertical 2 is ideal as a GPS watch for hiking As we have explored, the ideal hiking watch demands an uncompromising combination of class-leading GPS accuracy, offline mapping, market-leading battery endurance, and robust ABC features. The Suunto Vertical / Vertical 2 embodies these requirements perfectly. Engineered for hikers, trekkers, and outdoor enthusiasts, it delivers flawless route tracking, massive battery longevity, and exceptional durability, while maintaining a refined profile suitable for daily wear. If your goal is to navigate the backcountry safely from your wrist, minimize your dependence on a vulnerable smartphone, and own a tool that adapts seamlessly from camp to city, the Suunto Vertical series stands out as a premier option. To dive deeper into how the Suunto Vertical / Vertical 2 elevates your trail experience and to find the perfect model for your needs, explore our comprehensive breakdown below. ▶︎Related article: Why Suunto Vertical / Vertical 2 is suited to GPS watch use for hiking Summary | Choose a GPS watch for hiking by maps, battery life, and outdoor features When selecting the ultimate GPS watch for your hiking and trekking adventures, focus on the big three: First, look for superior satellite tracking and intuitive offline mapping that keep you oriented without cell service. Second, prioritize battery endurance that can easily survive the duration of your longest trips. Finally, ensure it features reliable environmental sensors like an altimeter, barometer, and digital compass for robust safety management. While standard watches are great for the city, choosing a purpose-built outdoor watch ensures you can step into the wilderness with absolute confidence. With its free offline maps, unrivaled GPS accuracy, solar-boosted battery life, and comprehensive outdoor toolsets, the Suunto Vertical / Vertical 2 is built to handle whatever the trail throws your way. ▶︎View product details: Suunto Vertical / Vertical 2

Find the coordinates. Start the race.  For 90 years Suunto has been creating tools for people who explore the world beyond the ordinary. To celebrate this milestone, we are inviting adventurers everywhere to take part in a global challenge. 
 Throughout the anniversary year our elite athletes will hide special Suunto chests in environments that represent their natural playground – from alpine mountains and northern wilderness to deep forests, open water, and vibrant city landscapes.  When a chest is hidden, the coordinates are released to the world. From that moment the race begins.  Anyone can join the challenge. 

The mission is simple: reach the location first. The first person to physically arrive at the chest wins the prize inside, while the next explorers to reach the location will receive runners‑up rewards. Every challenge will take place somewhere different. 
Some locations may be remote. Some might be closer than you think. But every one of them will invite you to step outside, explore new terrain and follow the coordinates to adventure. The Suunto 90 Challenge is our way of celebrating nine decades of exploration – by inspiring people around the world to get outside and discover what adventure means to them.   Sign up for coordinates How the challenge works: 1. Sign up below: Subscribe to Suunto newsletter to be the first to hear when new coordinates are released. 2. Get the coordinates: When a Suunto athlete drops a chest somewhere in the world, we will release the coordinates in our newsletter and @suunto Instagram – and the race begins! 3. Start the race: From that moment anyone can attempt to reach the location. Plan your route, prepare your gear and start moving. 4. Find the chest: The first explorer to reach the chest wins the prize inside. The next explorers will receive runners-up rewards.  

Lace up your running shoes, hop on your bike, or put the climbing skins on your skis. It’s time to head outdoors – and climb. From February 23 to March 1, we challenge you to get out there and collect vertical meters. Climb for yourself, for your country, and for the outdoor community. See how far you can go and help us reach our shared goal in support of Protect Our Winters Europe. To join, simply track your activities with your Suunto. Every vertical meter gained through muscle-powered activities during the week counts toward your total elevation. In addition to pushing your own limits, we’re climbing together. Join the Vertical Week Strava Challenge and help the community reach ten million vertical meters. For every 1,000 vertical meters climbed, Suunto will donate €1 to Protect Our Winters Europe – a non-profit dedicated to protecting the places and experiences we love from climate change. So get out there and do something good for your body and the planet. Every meter counts. 10 million vertical meters with Suunto & POW This year the stakes are even higher, so join the 10 million vertical meters with Suunto & POW Vertical Week Challenge on Strava and help reach the elevation goal and support POW Europe! Your job is easy, for every 1000 vertical meters you collect, Suunto donates 1€ to Protect our Winters Europe (capped at 10 million vertical meters). Our friends at Protect Our Winters (POW) are working to protect the places and experiences we love from the impacts of climate change. All you need to do is sign up and collect vertical meters by using your muscles to get you higher. After you’ve climbed 150 vertical meters, you will receive a 15% discount voucher for Suunto.com as well as the chance to win the rare Suunto Vertical 2 Titanium Limited Edition watch. Join the Challenge on Strava If you are not using Strava yet, sign up at strava.com and connect your Suunto account with Strava: Go to your Suunto app profile and connect to Strava under ‘Partner Services’. See full terms and conditions for all details. Join Protect Our Winters Winters are becoming more unpredictable, and glaciers are disappearing at an alarming pace. Our friends at Protect Our Winters (POW) are working to protect the places and experiences we love from the impacts of climate change. Join one of POW’s local chapters or support their work across Europe. Learn more and get involved at protectourwinters.eu Nobody needs to be perfect – but we can all take steps to do better than yesterday. Learn more about Suunto’s sustainability work and commitments here.

The 171-km race around the Mont Blanc massif is the most prestigious trail ultra in the world. With the new SuuntoPlus sports app, you can test the challenge wherever you are! The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) is one of the most prestigious and challenging trail running races globally. Its origins are rooted in the desire to create a race that encapsulates the grandeur and difficulty of running through the mountainous terrain surrounding Mont Blanc. The first race was held in 2003. This year, runners will line up for the start at Place du Triangle de l'Amitié in the heart of Chamonix on August 30. It can be hard to grasp how long the race actually is. To give you a feeling of the challenge, we have created the Virtual UTMB SuuntoPlus sports app that tracks your cumulative progress towards completing the legendary route. Whether you are looking for a fun way to motivate yourself or aiming to one day run the race yourself, this sports app is for you! The Virtual UTMB sports app shows your progress towards running the distance of the 171 km Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc: the top row shows your total distance and progress towards the goal, below you see your current activity distance and duration. Here’s how it works: Go to the SuuntoPlus Store in the Suunto app and sync the Virtual UTMB sports app on your watch. Before starting your next run, go to ‘exercise settings’ and select the Virtual UTMB sports app in the SuuntoPlus section. Start your activity. The Virtual UTMB sports app will be added as an extra screen. You will be notified as your reach the distance to various aid stations on the course. The next time you use the same sport mode, the Virtual UTMB sports app will be there by default and keep adding distance towards your cumulative total of 171 km – the distance of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. Suunto is the official technical partner of the UTMB World Series. Learn about the races at utmb.world.

The route altitude profile in the Suunto app and as part of route navigation in Suunto watches has taken a major step forward. With the release of Suunto Race S, we brought the new Climb Guidance also to Suunto Race, Suunto Vertical, Suunto Ocean and Suunto 9 Peak Pro GPS watches (software version 2.35.34 or later). It will help you both in the route planning phase and out on the trails. Use it to optimize your pacing, make your race-winning moves, or simply enhance your outdoor experience. Learn the climbs while planning The elevation profile grows in real-time as you plan your route. Color codes on the elevation profile match the colors on the map.   When planning a route in the Suunto app, the route is split into sections – climbs, uphills, downhills, descents, and flats. These sections are visualized with color coding both on the map and in the altitude profile below. A climb is marked in red, uphill in orange, downhill in lime, and descent in green. Flats are marked in blue. The section categories consider the length and steepness of the ascent (or descent). In the categorization, climbs are harder than uphills and descents are bigger than downhills. The elevation profile of your route keeps growing in real-time as you plan your route. Already in the planning phase, you can scrub the altitude profile and see where each point is on the map. This is a useful way to get to know the route you are planning to navigate.   Get alerts and zoom in on the details during activity   Overview of the elevation profile (left) and a zoomed in climb section (right).   The Climb Guidance sections are synced to your watch along with the route you planned. When you start navigating the route, by default you will see the route on one screen and an overview of the elevation profile on the next. You can zoom in on the elevation profile using the digital crown on the Suunto Race and Race S watches. On the Suunto Vertical and Suunto 9 Peak Pro, press the upper button to zoom in and long press it to zoom out. (Tip: Similarly, you can zoom in and out on the map view. The zoom-out level was updated to 20km in this latest software update.) When you zoom in from the elevation profile overview, you will see the current section in more detail. You will, for example, see the ascent covered and ascent remaining on that section along with your position on the elevation profile.   A notification 100 meters before the start of a new section (left) and a full-screen notification with details as the section starts (right).   When you are approaching a climb, a notification is given to you 100 meters in advance. As the section starts, you will get a full-screen notification with section details (vertical, distance, gradient). You will get a similar notification before a descent. Notifications are not triggered for uphill, downhill or flat sections of the route. Climbs are categorized on a scale of 1–4 and HC (hors categorie) based on their difficulty. The section notifications can be turned off in the exercise settings. Before starting an activity, go down to exercise settings and select ‘Climb Guidance’. You can then toggle the notifications off and on. You can also select whether you want to see the gradients in percentages or degrees. By default, the gradient is shown in percentages. The climb notification and grade settings are persistent per activity type; they are automatically remembered the next time you start the same activity.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a helpful metric for endurance athletes. Read on to learn why there’s a buzz around it and how to use Suunto to track heart rate variability. First, it is good to understand what Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is. As an example, when your heart rate is 60 beats per minute, each interval is not exactly one second. There’s a slight variation in the duration between the beats. HRV is a quantitative measure of the variation in the time intervals between consecutive heartbeats. The interesting point with HRV is that it serves as an indicator of the balance within the autonomic nervous system and offers valuable insights into an individual's overall health and stress levels. More variation generally means the parasympathetic nervous system is doing its job as a regulator. Various factors, such as heavy training, mental stress, or the presence of an illness like the flu, can influence HRV readings. Suunto Vertical 2, Suunto Vertical, Suunto Race 2, Suunto Race S, Suunto Race, Suunto Run, Suunto Ocean and Suunto 9 Peak Pro GPS watches can track your HRV during your sleep. Nighttime measurement is a reliable and easy way to gather comparable HRV data. Continuous HRV monitoring allows for the calculation of the average Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD) value, a commonly employed metric for quantifying HRV. You can see the HRV data anytime as a mini widget in your watch and in the Suunto app’s Training zone.   Your recovery status is evaluated by comparing your 7-day average HRV with your normal range.   Interpreting HRV Data Heart rate variability is highly individual. As said, higher HRV values generally indicate better autonomic balance, although the assessment should always be contextualized within an individual's normal range. At Suunto, we define your normal range over a 60-day period and then compare your rolling seven-day average with that baseline. A minimum of 14 measurements needs to be gathered over the 60 days to define your normal range. For the seven-day average, a minimum of three measurements is needed. So, if you are new to measuring HRV with Suunto, you will have HRV data even after the first night, but the data will get more defined as more data is gathered. By comparing the long-term values with short-term trend, you will get an understanding of load and stress you are putting on your body. If your HRV values consistently fall below your normal range, it is an indication of a compromised recovery state. This could be caused by chronic stress, inadequate sleep, overtraining, or an underlying health condition. It is normal that after a very hard effort or a race, your HRV drops below the normal range for a day or two. If your HRV rises abnormally high (above a certain standard deviation) within a day or a few days, the app indicates with a yellow or red that you are likely experiencing abnormal amounts of recovery (parasympathetic nervous system activity). This is often in response to accumulated amounts of stress. Suunto app visually represents your HRV recovery status as a bar indicator, offering insights into your recovery.   How to use HRV in daily training with Suunto Suunto utilizes overnight measurements to capture HRV data. To obtain HRV measurements, it is necessary to wear the watch while sleeping and ensure that sleep-tracking functionality is activated. Sync your watch regularly with the Suunto app to see the latest data. Compare your HRV measurements with your training load. Look for patterns and relationships between your HRV values and the intensity or volume of your workouts. This can help identify how your body responds to different training stimuli. Compare your HRV values with your resting heart rate. Generally low resting heart rate and a high heart rate variability are good indicators of sufficient recovery. If your HRV readings indicate a decrease or significant deviation from your baseline, it may suggest a higher level of physiological stress or insufficient recovery. Consider modifying your training plan by reducing the intensity or volume of your workouts to allow for adequate recovery. Use HRV as a guide to schedule regular recovery days or lighter training sessions when your HRV values indicate a need for more rest.    Remember that HRV can vary between individuals, so it is essential to understand your own personal baseline and response to training. It's important to note that with HRV it's good to look at other factors that impact recovery state such as training stress balance, sleep volume and changes in feeling.    Heart rate variability measurement is available in Suunto Vertical 2, Suunto Vertical, Suunto Race 2, Suunto Race S, Suunto Race, Suunto Run, Suunto Ocean and Suunto 9 Peak Pro GPS watches.