Suunto Blog

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.

Exploring the outdoors is rewarding, but even experienced adventurers can get disoriented. Here’s expert advice from Lowland Rescue Search Dogs Sussex to help you stay safe. Venturing into the outdoors comes with a responsibility to yourself and your loved ones. By preparing thoroughly, equipping yourself with the right tools, and following expert advice, you can minimize risks and fully enjoy your time in nature. As the saying goes, it’s far better to be in a cozy pub wishing you were on the mountain than to be on the mountain wishing you were in the pub. With the following tips in mind, you can explore with confidence and care, knowing that you’ve done everything possible to stay safe. Adventure responsibly and cherish every moment in the wild – the world is waiting to be discovered! Timeless advice from experts Lowland Rescue Search Dogs Sussex, a volunteer charity specializing in search and rescue missions, emphasizes that preparation is key to staying safe. Their teams, which include highly trained search dogs, are frequently called upon to locate individuals who have wandered off course. While these canine heroes are incredibly skilled, their handlers often remind us that the best rescue is the one that isn’t needed. Their advice below aligns with a broader mission to educate outdoor enthusiasts on safety. From mastering navigation skills to understanding weather patterns, taking proactive measures can help prevent accidents and ensure your adventures remain enjoyable. See the Sussex Search Dogs in action. Suunto has long been a trusted companion for adventurers. Since the very beginning back in 1936 we have designed tools to help you stay on course, no matter where your journey takes you. In collaboration with organizations like Lowland Rescue Search Dogs Sussex, we want to emphasizes the importance of preparation and awareness in the outdoors. While the tools are indispensable, the knowledge you carry with you is just as crucial. Combining technology with foundational outdoor skills ensures you’re ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way. The importance of preparation Getting lost isn’t just inconvenient – it can be dangerous. Whether you’re hiking through woodland trails, navigating rolling hills, or exploring in the moountains, preparation is your best defense. By taking a few simple steps before heading out, you can significantly reduce the risk of losing your way. Check the weather: Always review the forecast before your trip. Weather can change quickly, even in lowland areas, so be ready for sudden shifts. Learn navigation basics: Even if you rely on modern GPS devices, having a solid understanding of map reading and compass use is invaluable. These skills can be life-saving when technology fails. Pack smart: Bring essential items such as appropriate clothing, a first aid kit, food, water, a whistle, and a flashlight. These basics can make a huge difference in an emergency. Share your plans: Always inform someone you trust about your intended route and expected return time. This simple step ensures someone will know to raise the alarm if needed. Also share the planed route with the group. This way you all have the same route available in your Suunto GPS watches. What to do if you get lost Even with the best preparation, unforeseen situations can happen. As a backup, you can use your Suunto to navigate back to your starting point or to follow the path you have taken so far. Also, if you have mobile connection, you can use Suunto app on your phone to plan a route starting in your current location and sync it to your watch.  If none of that helps and you simply have no idea where you are and where to go, here’s what you should do: Stay calm and stay put: Panic only makes matters worse. Remaining in one place increases your chances of being found. Use your phone: If you have a mobile signal, call for help immediately. Provide rescuers with as much information as possible, including landmarks, sounds, or your last known location. Make yourself visible: Use bright clothing or gear to create signals that rescuers can spot from a distance. If you have a whistle, blow it regularly to attract attention. Seek shelter: Protect yourself from the elements by finding or creating shelter. This is especially critical in cold, wet, or windy conditions. Conserve energy: Avoid unnecessary movement, stay hydrated, and keep warm while you wait for help.

Endurance training is more than just logging hours or kilometers; it’s about training smart. One of the most critical factors in effective endurance training is intensity. Training intensity determines the type of adaptations your body makes, how efficiently you improve, and even how well you recover. Whether you’re preparing for a marathon, a cycling event, or simply aiming to improve your fitness, understanding and managing training intensity can be a game-changer. Let’s dive into why training intensity matters and how to use it to maximize your performance. Stimulating the right physiological adaptations Every workout you do triggers specific physiological changes in your body. The key to endurance training success is to target these changes effectively by working at the right intensity: Low intensity (Zones 1-2) This is the foundation of endurance training. Low-intensity workouts improve aerobic capacity, boost your body’s ability to use fat as fuel, and enhance overall cardiovascular efficiency. These sessions are often referred to as “base training.” Moderate intensity (Zone 3) Training in this zone focuses on improving your ability to sustain effort over long periods. It’s ideal for tempo or threshold workouts, which help build endurance for race-pace efforts. High intensity (Zones 4-5) High-intensity sessions, like intervals or hill sprints, target anaerobic capacity and increase your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise). These efforts are shorter but crucial for building speed and power. Each intensity level serves a purpose, and balancing them ensures that you’re building all the systems needed for peak performance. Avoiding the "Gray Zone" One common mistake among endurance athletes is spending too much time in the “gray zone”—a moderate intensity that’s too hard to be easy and too easy to be truly effective. While these sessions might feel productive, they don’t provide the distinct benefits of low- or high-intensity training. For example, too much moderate-intensity training can leave you fatigued without significantly improving aerobic capacity or speed. This is why many elite endurance athletes follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of their training is low intensity, and 20% is high intensity. This polarized approach maximizes gains while minimizing the risk of overtraining. Balancing stress and recovery Training intensity isn’t just about pushing hard; it’s also about knowing when to back off. Low-intensity sessions play a crucial role in recovery, allowing your body to repair and adapt while still maintaining movement and circulation. High-intensity workouts are effective but stressful. Without sufficient recovery, they can lead to burnout, injuries, or overtraining. A well-designed plan alternates between different intensity levels to ensure that you’re challenging yourself without breaking down. Periodization and progression Endurance training isn’t static; it evolves over time. Periodization—the systematic planning of training—relies heavily on varying intensity to achieve peak performance at the right time. Base phase Focuses on low-intensity workouts to build aerobic endurance and lay the foundation for harder efforts later. Build phase Introduces moderate and high-intensity sessions to develop specific fitness qualities like speed, power, and endurance. Peak phase Prioritizes high-intensity efforts to fine-tune your performance for race day. By manipulating intensity throughout your training cycles, you can ensure steady progress without hitting a plateau or risking overtraining. Mental benefits of intensity variation Training intensity doesn’t just impact your body; it also affects your mind. Low-intensity sessions can be meditative, helping you relax and build mental resilience. On the other hand, high-intensity workouts teach you how to push through discomfort and develop mental toughness. This variation keeps training engaging and prevents monotony. Knowing that each session has a specific purpose can also boost motivation and focus, making it easier to stick to your plan. Tracking intensity: tools and techniques To train effectively, you need to measure and monitor your intensity. Here are the most common methods: Heart rate Heart rate monitors are a reliable way to track intensity. Zones are typically calculated based on your lactate threshold. Low-intensity efforts should feel easy and keep your heart rate in Zones 1-2, while high-intensity efforts will push you into Zones 4-5. Pace Runners and swimmers often use pace as a guide, especially for interval or tempo workouts. Knowing your lactate threshold pace and training at different percentages of that pace can help fine-tune your efforts. Power Power meters are popular among cyclists and increasingly among runners. Power provides an objective measure of effort, regardless of terrain or conditions. It’s especially useful for maintaining consistent intensity during intervals or long efforts. Suunto ZoneSense Suunto ZoneSense measures heart stress through heart rate variability (HRV), offering real-time insight into training intensity. ZoneSense is driven by the advanced DDFA index, which tracks changes in metabolic state, and provides accurate feedback on whether your intensity is aerobic, anaerobic, or reaching VO2 max levels. This helps you to stay in the optimal training zone regardless of the activity type or the day.  Learn more about Suunto ZoneSense here. Perceived exertion The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale is a subjective but valuable tool. On a scale of 1-10, low-intensity efforts feel like 2-3, moderate efforts like 5-6, and high-intensity efforts like 8-10. RPE can be used alongside other metrics or when technology isn’t available. Combination of metrics For the most accurate picture, combine multiple methods. For example, use heart rate and perceived exertion during a long run to ensure you’re not pushing too hard, or pair power or pace with heart rate to track fitness gains over time. If your heart rate is lower with the same power or pace as before, it can indicate improvements in your fitness. Conclusion: train smarter, not just harder Training intensity is the cornerstone of effective endurance training. By understanding how different intensity levels impact your body and incorporating a mix of low, moderate, and high-intensity sessions, you can optimize your training, avoid plateaus, and achieve your goals. Tracking intensity with your Suunto watch and utilizing tools like Suunto ZoneSense you can ensure that every workout meets its purpose. Remember, endurance training isn’t just about working hard; it’s about working smart. Prioritize intensity, listen to your body, and watch as your performance soars. Read more: Suunto ZoneSense revolutionizes intensity insights with heart stress measurement Figure out your training zones and supercharge your fitness