Suunto Blog

The new Suunto Ambit3 Vertical was designed for athletes who travel light and fast up tough ascents. Here’s how the watch’s vertical speed mode can help you rise to the top! While road runners focus on pace – minutes per km or mile – mountain athletes like champion trail runner and ski mountaineer Kilian Jornet keep a close eye on their vertical speed. VIDEO: Kilian Jornet and Remi Bonnet were 1st and 2nd at the first Ski Mountaineering World Cup of the season in Andorra. “I use vertical speed in my everyday training to calculate an average of how long it will take me to do an ascent, or to know if I’m going faster or slower than average during a familiar ascent,” says Killian. “In a vertical kilometer running race, my vertical speed is around 2000m/h and in a vertical kilometer skimo race it’s about 1700 to 1800m/h.” "It’s comparable to running pace on a flat surface" Those are both vertical speeds that few can match. However, Suunto’s Ambit family product manager Markus Kemetter says many people are interested in using vertical speed as a tool to improve their performance. “It’s a really useful performance indicator because it’s a direct measurement of how fast you’re going uphill,” Markus says. “Basically, it’s comparable to running pace on a flat surface, but vertical speed takes into account only the altitude as a means of measurement. “The new Ambit3 Vertical calculates meters or feet the user is ascending per minute and it makes this measurement with a pressure sensor, rather than GPS, because it provides the most accurate altitude reading." “GPS is good over longer distances, but is less accurate for measuring shorter, faster ascents.” Vertical speed can be added to selected sports modes in Suunto App. Vertical speed is under the Altitude section in the Display Screen options. Markus says trail runners and ski mountaineers often use vertical speed alongside the lap function in their watch for interval training and so they can analyze their performance later. “Press the lap button at the start of your ascent and then again at the end of the ascent and then after you’ve uploaded that move you can isolate each lap on the graph to see the vertical speed. Below the graph, you can also see your average vertical speed, your maximum vertical speed and your minimum speed, which is useful for checking your downhill speed. You can use this information as a guide or as something to beat during your next training session.”    Learn more about Suunto Ambit3 Vertical

Understand there’s no magic solution Breathable, waterproof, windproof – remember there’s no magic gear solution that works for everything. It’s possible to go cross-country skiing in -15ºC in just a base layer and shell. Wear that while ice climbing and you’ll start turning blue pretty quickly. Equally, you may need all the layers you can wear in +5ºC if it’s wet and windy. Remember there are always compromises – and you’ll never get it totally right. Greg Hill pushes through an icy day. © Bruno Long Experiment with what works No two people are the same – a big guy with a lot of mass may be quite happy in little more than a t-shirt while if you have the figure of an ironman athlete, you may need an insulated jacket and mittens to enjoy the same level of warmth. Experiment between synthetic and wool base layers. If you’re a copious sweater, you may lean towards the former. If you need the warmth, go for wool. Bring spares - of everything! There’s nothing better after a strenuous hike to a summit peak than ripping off a sweat-soaked base layer and putting on a fresh one. OK, the stripping-off part is not so fun – especially if it’s windy! – but we promise it’s worth it. On longer days, taking your boots off and swopping socks will also make your smiles last longer. Change your gloves regularly, see below… © Bruno Long How many gloves is ok? How many pairs of heels is it ok for a girl to have – probably not as many as the number of gloves it’s ok for the winter sports athlete to have. Have a look in any winter climber’s closet and you will find dozens and dozens of pairs. Take two to three with you on the hill. Cheap fleece gloves are awesome for when you’re moving and in between technical sections. Switch gloves between stages, depending on your activity. Keep the spare pair inside your jacket to keep warm. Still have cold hands? See #6 & #7. Dress for 15 minutes into your activity Remember that overheating and sweat in particular is the #1 enemy. The best way to chill a bottle of white wine is to stick it in a bucket of iced water and let the breeze do the rest. Dress for how you’ll be in 15 minutes time not how you’ll start. Better to begin a bit chilled and then warm up, than start pouring with sweat after a few minutes and have to stop and shed layers. Put a hat (or anything) on Since scientists debunked the myth that 70% of your body heat is lost through your head, the old adage that ‘if you’ve got cold hands you should put a hat on’ seems out of date. But it’s still a valid reminder that you should think ‘big picture’ when it comes to cold hands. Hands and feet get cold because the rest of your body’s cold; so putting on a warm layer, wearing a hat and pulling up your hood is still a case of old school is best. Remember also there’s no magic pair of gloves out there. Cure your cold hands for good! Always get cold hands or feet? If you’ve suffered from a cold weather injury (such as frostnip) chances are you’ll battle cold hands the next time the mercury drops, but contrary to conventional wisdom, there is something you can do about it (provided it’s not something else like Raynaud’s disease, in which case check with your physician). Doctors at Britain’s Institute of Naval Medicine discovered that rewarming your hands or feet in a warm bath over a course of several weeks can completely reverse the effects of a cold weather injury. Fill a foot bath with water at 40ºC, have a slug of your favorite tipple (alcohol opens up the blood vessels) then soak your feet or hands for 20 minutes. Repeat every night for several weeks. MAIN IMAGE: © Bruno Long

Suunto is proud to work with many amazing athletes and adventurers from all over the world, including our global ambassadors. We caught up with some of them to ask about the highlights of 2015 and what’s happening for them in 2016. Speed alpinist Ueli Steck – the Swiss Machine Highlights: Retaking the speed record for climbing Eiger was one of Ueli’s most satisying moments in 2015. Climbing all 82 of the 4000 m mountains in the Alps in a couple of months was also a great and liberating experience for him. His goals for 2016: To climb a new route on 8027 m Shishapangma’s south face, to take on some ultra distance trail races over summer, to keep moving physically and to continue developing his skill set as an alpinist.In one word, Ueli feels: “Great!” © Ueli Steck Mountain athlete Kilian Jornet Highlight: Enjoying everyday, achieving great results and staying versatile in all distances and disciplines is what Kilian is most pleased with in 2015. His goals for 2016: First, it’s the ski mountaineering world cup. Then, the big project is attempting a world record speed ascent on Everest over summer as part of his Summits Of My Life project and, finally, some trail races. “To wake up, see a mountain every single day and go for it!” he says is his main motivation for 2016. In one word, Kilian is feeling: “Excited!” © Kilian Jornet Underwater explorer Jill Heinerth Highlight: Being a TED presenter at the annual TED Youth broadcast in New York City was one of Jill’s proudest moments in 2015. Her talk reached more than 100,000 young people worldwide. Her goals for 2016: To slow down a little and enjoy her second passion in life – cycling. Aside from riding trails in Ontario, Jill and her husband hope to make cycle trip across the US, from Florida to their home in Canada. Jill is also returning to Newfoundland to explore a flooded iron ore mine and also WW2 shipwrecks. One word, Jill is feeling: “Excited!” Triathlete Åsa Lundstrom Highlight: Receiving emails from fans telling her that she has been an inspiration to them is one of Asa’s most rewarding experiences in 2015. Her goals for 2016: To place in the top 10 of women at the Ironman World Championships 2016, plus smaller goals for each discipline, and to be on the podium at every race she competes in. In one word, Asa is feeling: “Fortunate.” © Orca Backcountry skier Greg Hill Highlight: For Greg, 2015 has been a year of rehabilitation after a serious injury in 2014. He turned 40 this year and is proud of where he’s at in life. “To be happily married, with two great kids, a cosy house and a reputation for being a solid mountain adventurer – it's all I could I'd ever ask for,” he says.His 2016 goals: To get as strong as he has ever been, some big 40,000 ft (12200 m) days in the mountains to celebrate his 40th, and speed traversing his local mountain range. The 200 km plus traverse normally requires two 10 day trips, but Greg aims to do it in two to three days. In one word, Greg is feeling: “Energized." Mountain athlete Emelie Forsberg Highlights: The fact that she still loves running, skiing and mountaineering as much as she does after years of it being her "work" is something Emelie is really happy about. Her four skyrunning victories and setting a new record at the Mount Marathon Race in Alaska were also satisfying achievements. Her goals for 2016: To become a faster and more all-round runner.In two words, Emelie is feeling: “Super excited!” © Selu Vega-Transvulcania MAIN IMAGE: © Jordi Saragossa

Suunto ambassador Ueli Steck has set a new speed record on Eiger for the third time, beating his previous record by 25 minutes and the 2011 record set by Daniel Arnold. Ueli Steck, the Swiss Machine, took advantage of good climbing conditions this week and clocked a lightning fast 2h22m summit of Eiger via the classic Heckmair Route. The Eiger (3970 m), a mountain in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps, has long been an iconic testing ground for alpinists because of its severe north face and accessibility. The Heckmair Route boasts 1800 m of vertical gain. In 2008, Steck smashed his own record by over an hour, clocking an impressive 2h47m summit. This week he broke Daniel Arnold’s 2011 record of 2h28m. “I didn’t push myself as hard as in 2008.” “This time I had a good track, good conditions and I was pulling some gear that made it quite safe and I believe it makes much more sense this way,” Ueli says. “I didn‘t push myself as hard as in 2008 and I felt very comfortable. This made this ascent a beautiful experience and a great day.” He adds: “We can never compare ascents on a face like the Eiger because the conditions and weather are always different. This is what makes alpinism interesting and unique. For me it’s the personal challenge and your own experience that really matter.” The record breaking accent was a finale for Steck after spending the last few weeks taking advantage of good conditions to attemp a number of routes on the Eiger with fellow climbers and trail runners Nicolas Hojac and Killian Jornet. More about legendary climber Ueli Steck

Freezing temperatures and strong winds scuttled the Swiss Machine’s attempt to climb 7861 m Nuptse in Nepal. Is he disappointed? No, he feels stronger than ever! Suunto ambassador Ueli Steck and climbing partner Colin Haley reached 6900 m on Nuptse before abandoning their attempt to reach its summit. Nuptse. © Ueli SteckWhile a borderline weather window opened on October 23 and 24, conditions were poor with a temperature of -28°C and a 50 km/h winds at the summit. The weather report for the following days predicted worse; -35°C and 80 to 100 km/h winds. “We decided to give it a go on the south face anyway,” Ueli says. “We scooped a fast, less technical line and hoped to at least reach the top. But from the beginning the meteorological test wasn’t positive.” No one has successfully climbed Nuptse via its highly technical south face since Russian climbers Valeri Babanov and Yuri Koshelenko first did it in 2003. Climbing the south face. © Ueli SteckUeli, Colin and two French climbers began the attempt from Chuckung valley at 04:30 and reached the base of the south face two hours later. After changing boots, they began the climb, which included sections of ice at 75° degrees, but mostly between 35° and 45° degrees. “It was beautiful climbing,” Ueli says. At around 14:00, they reached 6900 m and set up camp for the night. The following day they planned to summit and return to camp. But it wasn’t to be. Strong winds that night and in the morning made it too dangerous to continue so they packed up and returned to Chuckung. “It’s just impossible with 50 to 60 km/h winds to climb at that altitude without getting frostbite,” Ueli says. “There was also a significant amount of fresh snow so avalanche danger was also a factor.” © Ueli SteckDespite not achieving his goal, Ueli says he learns and grows as a climber from every climb, whether successful or not. Another attempt on Nuptse is on the cards in the future. “It’s the perfect mountain to me,” Ueli says. It’s almost 8000 m, which is definitely another game than climbing 6000 or 7000 m peaks. “Also, it’s not a remote mountain that takes weeks to get to. I like the climbing, but I don’t like too much hiking.” Over the coming winter months, Ueli plans to work on and present slideshows of his big summer in the mountains. In spring next year, he and German alpinist David Goettler will attempt to climb 8027 m Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world, via its technically demanding south face. © Ueli Steck For now, he's back in Switzerland enjoying some well deserved rest time. “I am super postive from the trip to Nuptse,” Ueli says. “I didn’t have many restdays and I climbed and ran a lot. I feel stronger then ever!” Click the links for part one, part two and part three of our series on Ueli Steck’s Nuptse expedition.

Strong winds above 7000 m in the Himalaya have made things more difficult for Suunto ambassador Ueli Steck. But a good weather window might open just long enough for him to make a dash to the summit of 7861 m Nuptse. Here’s part three of our four part series. Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck is ready to make an attempt on Nuptse any day now. While he’s been enjoying good weather in Khumbu Valley, where he’s been acclimatizing since late September, strong winds above 7000 m have forced him and climbing partner Colin Haley to consider an easier line up the notoriously difficult south face of the mountain. Ueli caught up with fellow Suunto ambassador Kilian Jornet. © Ueli Steck“We might start tomorrow or the day after tomorrow for an attempt,” Ueli says. “We decided to choose a different route because of the conditions and weather. “The weather window is quite short and the conditions are not great. But we will try!” No one has successfully climbed Nuptse via its highly technical south face since Valeri Babanov and Yuri Koshelenko first did it in 2003. However, whereas the two Russian climbers climbed it with fixed ropes, Ueli and Colin intend to climb it in the far more challenging alpine style, which means a one-time single push to the top. Click for more about Nuptse Kilian Jornet is training in Nepal. © Ueli Steck Meanwhile, Ueli has been enjoying perfect weather up to about 6000 m. He’s been spending his days running and climbing smaller peaks. Suunto ambassador and mountain runner Kilian Jornet is also in the valley and the pair caught up and went climbing together. “Kilian, Helias Millerioux and myself did a little tour climbing today,” Ueli says. “It’s just great to hang out with these guys. It’s very inspiring for me. The hope for Nuptse is still alive!” Tenji Sherpa on the summit ridge of Cholatse. © Ueli Steck Ueli also teamed up with Tenji Sherpa, a Nepalese mountain guide, and together they climbed 6440 m Cholatse via its north face. In 2005, Ueli made the first solo ascent via the north face. “Tenji became the first Nepali to climb this difficult face,” Ueli says. “It’s so cool to see this new young generation of Sherpa that loves to climb and not only for business!” Stay tuned for the next report on Ueli’s attempt on Nuptse. Click the links for part one and part two of our four part series.