© Philipp Reiter World Vertical Week has become an annual tradition, and many Suunto users are finding creative ways to get the most out of it. The week is really an invitation to get outside, to push oneself, and find new resolve and strength. It’s also a chance to show that nearby hill or mountain who’s boss. This year, we again ran a World Vertical Week photo competition with three lucky people winning a Suunto 7 or a Suunto 9. We asked our Instagram followers to share an image with a Suunto app data overlay from one of their ascents over the week and tag #verticalweek. We received so many inspiring entries. Thanks to everyone who participated. Check out the winners and their shots below. Congrats!  Firemen to the rescue! Two firemen in Finland went above and beyond the call of duty for World Vertical Week. Henri-Aleksi Pietilainen, 29, and his room mate at the Rescue Academy showed their dedication by donning their protective fire gear and ascended the most popular training hill in Helsinki multiple times – and just after finishing a 24 hour shift. Respect guys! “We thought it was going to be easier (considering my level of training in the mountains and my friend’s latest expedition through Greenland), but the extra 25 kg of weight and unforgettable clothing and gear gave a nice extra ‘touch’ and was really good training,” Henri says. “We did this in a pair because in real firefighting rescue missions it’s good to have a partner to help each other out.”   Cooking up a storm It was Lukasz Bodaszewski’s first time participating in World Vertical Week. The 39-year old chef from Poland runs a catering company with his wife in the French Alps. He aimed to ascend 3000 m over the week, and managed 2300 “But I finished 1000 m in one day and I’m proud of that,” he says. “Vertical Week was good timing because I’m training for the 160 km Val d’Aran UTMB in the Pyrenees and for 145 km TDS at UTMB this year, so it was good to have a specific climbing week.”   Getting out there Casey Sackett didn’t hold back for World Vertical Week. From Hurricane, Utah, Casey aimed to achieve a mile of vertical gain (1610 m) over the week. He notched up a total of 1631 over a series of awesome trips, including mountain biking the Gooseberry Mesa and the rest what he refers to as “desert alpinism” (alpine style lines in a desert ecosystem). “Conditions were perfect all week out here and gave me the opportunity to get out every chance I had!” Casey says. “My favorite push was my last one, trekking/trail running up a mesa to the La Verkin Overlook. My eight-year-old daughter set the pace on the 4 km ascent with almost 243 m of gain. We did it in just 61 minutes! Her endurance blew me away, so proud!”     Thanks again to everyone who got out there and pushed their comfortzone for World Vertical Week. Keep it up!    Lead images: © Philipp Reiter Read more articles The nation that climbed the most in World Vertical Week is ... 7 tips to accelerating your vertical speed How to find your way in the mountains

© Phillipp Reiter   Believe it or not, there’s a hill or mountain somewhere that’s looking down at you laughing. It believes you’re a weakling. Do you have what it takes to shut it up? That’s what Suunto’s annual World Vertical Week is about for the thousands of fans who participate each year. They find a nearby range, hill, or mountain that’s looking at them disrespectfully, and show that large mass of rock and earth who’s boss. As Sir Edmund Hillary famously suggested, there’s something satisfying about knocking the bastard off. Seriously though, World Vertical Week is about the joy of a challenge, of sweating like a beast, and overcoming one’s resistance to fighting gravity to reach a summit. It’s an inexplicable human urge. All we know is we feel incredible after. To make it even more fun, we give you three incentives below to participate! To participate in Suunto World Vertical Week 2020, open Suunto app and click the Vertical Week link in your inbox (the bell symbol on the top of your screen takes you to your inbox).     © Phillipp Reiter New decade, new challenge Starting on Sunday, February 23 and ending Sunday, March 1, this fifth edition of Suunto World Vertical Week also marks the first of a new decade. That’s why we want it to be the best ever. For this reason we are sending out two special, optional challenges: climb 1000 m of vertical in one day during the week. Or, if that’s not possible, climb 1000 m over the whole week. That’s only a puny 150 m a day! Just imagine that arrogant hill sniggering if you fail! Be in to win a Suunto watch To give you extra incentive, we are running a photo contest on Instagram over the week, and will give away a Suunto 7 smartwatch or a Suunto 9 to three of the most inspiring photos that enter. All you need to do is share an image with a Suunto app data overlay and tag #verticalweek. We will decide the winners at the end of the week! Click here to learn how to share your activities with Suunto app. (Terms and conditions apply. Check them here.)  Rep your nation and sport You can join the challenge on Suunto app, log all your efforts, and also compete for your nation and activity type. Last year, Italy came out on top for average ascents during the week. Spain also kicked ass; it came first in three divisions, and was also in the top five for four different activities. Will they continue to dominate? To kickstart your competitive spirit, click here to see the results of last year’s Suunto World Vertical Week! Lead images: © Phillipp Reiter Read more articles! Raising the stakes for Suunto World Vertical Week 7 tips to plan a route in the mountains Which nation runs the fastest? 10 fun facts from 2019 10 ways to make your adventures more sustainble How to find your way in the mountains.

The better prepared you are the more likely the trip is a success. © Arc'teryx / Piotr Drozdz While deep in the mountains you are on your own. Take a wrong turn and you might be waiting awhile for the cavalry to arrive. That’s why respect is so important, and one shows that respect for mountain terrain by preparing well. In the first article in this series on how to navigate in the mountains, we looked at map reading and location awareness. In this second post, our resident navigator-in-chief Terho Lahtinen takes us through the steps of planning a route. Start somewhere familiar For the purposes of practice, consider starting somewhere you are familiar with. That way you won’t be afraid of getting lost and will have more confidence to navigate by map and compass. “Another attribute of a good training terrain is it offers enough features to study on the map and in the terrain,” Terho says. Choose your destination This seems obvious, right? But it’s important to be clear about this and not have a vague idea. “Choose an area, a specific destination, some other target to visit,” Terho says. “Then consider how much time you have available and what kind of distance you can cover within that time.” Be realistic Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Consider the fitness and skill level of your group, and make sure you factor that into your planning. It’s always good to be a little on the cautious side. Explain your trip plans to the group so you are all on the same page. © Dean Leslie / Red Bull Content Pool Study the map Ok, you’ve chosen a destination and considered your group, now it’s time to channel your inner nerd by studying the topographical map of where you intend to go. Notice we said “topographical map”; no tourist maps allowed – they don’t offer enough detail. Here’s what to look at on your trusty topo map: Terrain features: First get an overview. In mountain areas, it’s essential to recognize the ridges, valleys, passes, rivers and other big formations. Trail difficulty: If you intend to follow trails, find out what level of difficulty they are. Trails are often rated as easy, medium and difficult, and marked with different dashes on the map depending on the rating. Trip options: What are the options on the map? For example, is there an easier versus more difficult route? Is there more than one way in and out? Is there a route that offers more shelter? Is there an easier plan B if plan A turns out to be too challenging for the group? Distance: Measure the distances between points. You can do this by knowing the scale of your map. Every 1 cm on a map in 1:25 000 scale represents 250 m of terrain. Every 1 cm on a map in 1:50 000 scale represents 500 m of terrain. The average walking pace on flat terrain is 4 km/h, and can halve in difficult or steep country. What distance is possible for your group? Remember, the slowest in the group sets the pace! Ascent/descent: As we mentioned in the previous article, look at the contour lines on the map. Where do they stack together, indicating steepness, and where are they spaced further apart, indicating more level terrain? Calculate the total ascent and descent sums to estimate how hard or easy certain routes would be. It’s advisable to calculate 300m/h for ascents and 500m/h for descents. Consider the time available and the fitness of your group, and choose a route that ensures you avoid pushing people too far beyond their comfort zone. Technical difficulty: Look for areas that might prove challenging, such as exposed trails above the treeline, snow cover in shadowed places, ground covered in rocks or tree roots, steep ascents or descents, river crossings, dense forest, or narrow trail. To help understand, research the area online. Try to find trip reports people have written about the area. Shelter: In the event the weather turns nasty where on your route can you find shelter? This might be natural or manmade shelter. Water: For overnight or multi day trips, look for water sources on your map. Accommodation: If it’s on overnight or multi day trip, look for where you will sleep. If you’re camping, find where you are allowed to pitch your tent. If you want to sleep in a mountain hut make sure there are enough beds available and book early. Be generous with time On longer day trips or overnight trips, remember to factor in breaks in your planning. “Breaks are not only for resting, they are for enjoying and observing nature, for relaxing and immersion,” Terho says. “They are an essential part of the experience.” So make sure you are generous in affording break time. Terho recommends to plan a five to 10 minute break each hour, or 10 to 20% of your moving time. Allow for delays Take into account the potential for unplanned delays along the way. A sudden lightning storm, torrential rain, a snow-covered trail, a dangerously swollen river, or a flooded trail – there are many things that could slow you down. “The bigger the group, the more delays there will be as people adjust their gear, change clothing, or have pee breaks,” Terho says. “Factor this in.” Practice makes perfect Time for your homework! Using a local topo map, plan a route at home by following the above, and then go out and test the plan in the terrain. When planning, pay attention to the details and terrain features on the map that you should look out for on the trip in order to know you’re staying on the right course. Make a game of trying to identify as many of these features as you can when following the route. Keep track of time, the degree of difficulty, delays you encountered, and once you are back at home compare how the trip unfolded in comparison to how you envisioned it based on your planning. What was different? What took more time than expected? What was easier? Stay tuned for the next article in the series: Staying on course in the mountains! Lead images: Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash © Dean Leslie / Red Bull Content Pool Read more articles: How to find your way in the mountains 7 tips to find a safe track up the mountain 8 avalanche safety checks to tick off before the ski season

Suunto app saves millions of workouts every year, creating a veritable treasure trove of training data. When our data team crunches that mountain of numbers – while respecting personal privacy laws, of course – they discover some surprising sport insights. Our data nerds have just finished calculating the 2019 workout stats generated by users in nations across the world. Continuing the age old tradition of friendly international sport rivalry, we looked at which nation is the fastest, which nations runs for the longest distance, as well as other stats. We’re sure you’ll find the results as interesting as we do. Flat and fast: Denmark sets the pace According to our analysis of all the workouts in 2019, runners in Denmark are lightning. The average pace of our Suunto-wearing Danes is 5:11 min/km! Whoop! That’s quick. Perhaps it’s not surprising given a 2017 Eurostat survey found Denmark, a nation of 5.6 million, exercises more than all other EU nations, apart from Suunto’s own Finland. Apparently exercise, whether cycling the small nation’s famous bicycle path network or running along its gorgeous coastline, is a core element of Denmark’s culture. Respect! Click here for tips on how to improve your running economy! The long run: Portugal goes the distance Portugal, a nation of 10.3 million, likes to run! Our data shows people in Portugal ran the longest average running distance – 10.3 km/run. It’s the only nation to break the 10 km average distance mark. Bem feito! Click here for tips on running the distance! Sleep tight: who sleeps the most/least? Analyzing all the sleep data proved an interesting exercise. People in Chile, Finland, New Zealand and Ireland enjoy a good night’s sleep; on average they get more than seven hours a night. Conversely, people living in Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea, seem to like burning the candle at both ends; on average they get less than 5.5 hours a night. We hope they’re getting enough recovery time! Click to read how sleep can make you a better runner!  Feeling great: the most common feeling vibe It seems like Suunto users are positive bunch – must be all that outdoor exercise. We checked what is the most common feeling recorded after all the workouts, and we discovered “excellent” came out on top. That’s a really good sign. Feelings are a great way to keep track of how your training is going, and to monitor whether you might need to rest more. Magnifique: the French LOVE trail running When comparing their trail running to treadmill workouts, the ratio in France is 12.9:1, almost 13 times more trail than treadmill. In the US, by comparison, the ratio was 1.6:1, and in Spain 4.8:1. We’d love to know what causes this big difference! Around the clock: trail runners move for the longest Respect to all the trail runners out there. It’s the most popular activity for 12+ hour long activities. That’s a solid length of time to be on your feet moving. We hope you are fueling and hydrating well. Read to learn how to transition from road to trail running! By foot wins: running and walking the most popular Running came out as the most popular activity among Suunto users, followed by walking, and cycling in third place. Sport lovers: Suunto fans enjoy four activities On average Suunto users did 4.3 different activities during the year. But some were much more varied; one user tracked 74 different activity types, another one did 72! That’s an impressive performance! We wonder how they found the time! Go guys! Men walk more Out analysis shows male Suunto users walk a little more than women. Men walk on average 9446 steps a day, and women 7969. Ladies, show them next year!   Lead images: © Graeme Murray / Red Bull Content Pool Read more articles: 7 tips for running in the dark Hunter or the hunted? 7 race tactics for the trophy Fuelling the engine: 6 principles of nutrition for athletes

Greg charges his electric car onroute to the mountains. © Greg Hill With the release of his latest film, Electric Greg, skimo legend and Suunto ambassador Greg Hill showed how the adventure lifestyle can be more sustainable. He climbed more than 100 mountains without using any fossil fuel, instead relying on his small electric car to get him into the mountains. Also a weekday vegetarian who grows his own vegetables, Greg has researched how he can “be a little better'' in terms being kinder to the planet. He says it’s not about being perfect, but just trying to improve incrementally. “As outdoor enthusiasts we are the ones who appreciate and get so much back from nature, so we should be the ones doing the most to preserve it,” Greg says. “Snowboarder Jeremy Jones is the ideal example of that. He recognized his impacts and looked for ways to change it. In creating Protect our Winters, he enabled change on so many levels, from personal to political. We can all make a difference.” Follow the cardinal rule Before even thinking about other ways to be more sustainable, make sure you are following the cardinal rule of outdoor recreation: pack it in, pack it out. “It’s a pretty simple mantra,” Greg says. The only thing you should leave in the outdoors are your footprints, and the only thing you should take are photos. For a month, Greg restricted himself to cycling to and from all his trips © Greg Hill Find backyard adventures Often times, destinations further afield seem more exotic. While it’s great fun to explore far away places, exploring our local recreation areas helps us to feel more connected to the land where we live. It’s fun to get a topographical map of your local area, note points of interest, and visit them all. It’s also a fun adventure project to walk, hike, bike or run every single trail in your local mountain or forest park. Move to the mountains If working remotely is a possibility for you, consider moving somewhere closer to the mountains. “If you love adventure, find the ideal town and move there, and then backyard adventure forever,” Greg says. This will result in less travel time, therefore less carbon emissions. And every morning you will look out the window and see the mountains waitining for you! Greg is a weekday vegetarian. Studies show eating less meat is good for the planet. © Angela Percival / Arcteryx Use rail when possible One of the great things about living in Europe is the rail network. Sure, you might need to factor in more time to get to and from the mountains, but using rail, rather than driving a fossil fuel powered car, definitely helps us to be a little better. And after a big day in the mountains you can sit back on the train and enjoy a well earned beer or coffee. Buy quality gear In this age of fast fashion and disposable culture, we are conditioned to shop for the best bargain. But the best bargain is often not the best deal. Some outdoor gear – like Suunto watches, for example – have been designed and built to last. It’s also possible to send our watches back for repair, extending their lifespan. Other gear, like these running shoes designed by Salomon, can be recycled and turned into ski boots. Yes, good quality, durable, hardy gear usually comes with a higher price tag, but ultimately it will save you money in the long run because it will last longer and perform better. While cheap quality products wear out quickly and end up in landfill. Maintain your gear To help make your gear last, get professional advice about how to maintain it properly. When you get home from a big hike, for example, clean your footwear properly with the correct cleaner, and keep your leather boots waxed so the skin doesn’t dry out, potentially cracking. And wash your rain gear with washing detergent designed for the job. Go electric Buying an electric car is awesome, but if it isn’t possible for you then another option is to rent one when you do visit somewhere by plane. “On the last trip that I had to fly to, I landed and rented an electric car,” Greg says. “It was a Tesla Model X and it was amazing!” Remember, it’s not about being perfect, just a little better. Reduce microfiber plastic pollution One of the big challenges for the outdoor gear industry is reducing microfiber plastic pollution. All the plastic-based sport clothing people wear sheds trillions of microfiber plastics when they are washed, which ends up in the ocean. It’s estimated there are now more than one million trillion microfiber plastics in our oceans. That’s about 200 million microfibers for every person on the planet. Ouch. You can help tackle this problem by choosing to use clothing made of natural materials, such as wool, or you can use a Guppyfriend Washing Bag to prevent microfibers going into the waterway when you wash your plastic-based outdoor clothing. Choose ethical companies “Buy from companies that have good ethical policy towards the environment and are pushing change at their corporate level,” Greg says. “Many companies are now working hard at being better.” Visit company websites and see what they are doing about sustainability. Suunto’s environmental policy is here. Avoid packaging Plastic packaging is a big problem for the planet’s ecosystems. It’s out of control. So, instead of buying flapjacks, for example, make your own. Take a reusable water bottle, reusable food containers, and do everything in your power to phase out packaging! Lead images: © Angela Percival/ Arcteryx Read more articles: Fuelling the engine: talking nutrition with Greg Hill Proving electric adventure is the future How to find your way in the mountains 8 avalanche safety checks to tick off before the ski season

The more people in the group who can navigate confidently the safer it is. © Arc'teryx / Piotr Drozdz Knowing how to read a map, use a compass and find a safe route through the mountains are essential outdoor skills for hikers, climbers, mountain bikers and trail runners. These skills, the basis of good wayfinding, make our adventures safer and more enjoyable. In this series of articles, Terho Lahtinen, who works in Suunto’s Emerging Business team, will explain how to develop these essential mountain navigation skills. Terho was lead navigator in an adventure racing team that competed all over the world for eight years. He recently led a clinic on wayfinding at the Arc'teryx Alpine Academy, and helped dedicated adventurers gain greater confidence on their trips. “The confidence that comes from knowing how to navigate in the mountains helps you to relax on their trips, making them more enjoyable,” Terho says. “Location awareness, map reading and compass orientation are also fun in of themselves.” In this first article of the series, Terho explains where to begin to develop your wayfinding ability. Don't be dependent Yes, it’s true we have GPS nowadays, but digital navigation technology isn’t a replacement for these essential skills; as we explain below, mobile phones and GPS devices should play a support role only. What happens, for example, if your smartphone runs out of batteries or falls in a river? What if the reception sucks? Or you are dependent on someone in your group to be the navigator and he or she gets it wrong? The more people who know how to navigate the safer the group. Even if you usually follow well marked trails, knowing how to navigate with a map and compass can come in handy. A few moments of distraction while passing a fork in the path, and you could go in the wrong direction and an hour or so later find yourself wondering where the heck you are. It happens. Location awareness is key It all starts here. Without this ability, the other skills will be shaky. Location awareness is more than just knowing where you are. “It’s an attitude of consciously and constantly observing things around us and a sensitivity to notice the essential landmarks,” Terho explains. “It’s almost an intuitive feeling for the landscape around you.” This honed sense of location awareness makes orientation more straight forward. Orientation is the attempt to determine one’s location by relating your position to nearby objects or landmarks. This depends on being able to relate what you see around you to what you see on a map. It takes time to develop this, but with regular practice it will come. Start observing To cultivate location awareness, learn to be more observant. “Start observing things around you, studying maps, correlating map information and the real world to each other, and it gets more and more interesting every day,” Terho says. “If you are using phone apps for navigation, stop using automatic guidance and just use your location on the map, choose the way yourself, and study what’s around you and how it appears on the map or a satellite image.” The more you use topo maps, the more you’ll come to love them. © Arc'teryx / Piotr Drozdz Practice with topographical maps We all agree that Google Maps is possibly the next best thing to sliced bread. It is immensely helpful when running late for an appointment while navigating in an unfamiliar city, for example. But digital technology has its limitations, too. We should avoid becoming dependent on it. Terho suggests buying a topographical map of an area you know well and start studying the map and relating what you see around you. Doing this over time will give you a sense of how maps communicate land formations. “Paper maps never run out of batteries and they won’t break if they fall on the ground,” Terho says. “They contain much more detailed terrain information than most digital maps and are much more practical for planning and for studying larger areas and longer routes.” Learn the contours The number one thing to learn is correlating contour lines on the map and topographic shapes in your surrounding landscape to one other. The map should tell you what you can expect to see around you. With time and practice, you get a feeling for this. “Contour lines describe the shape of the earth’s surface and that’s the most important information on any map for outdoor activities,” Terho says. “Studying maps at home is a great exercise for getting the feeling, comparing map and actual terrain is even better.” Practice makes perfect In each article of this series Terho will suggest some homework for you to do to cultivate your wayfinding skills. This first article’s homework will keep you busy! Map study Get a terrain map for an area you know well (where you won’t get lost). Study the map at home, spot familiar places on the map and find out how they are illustrated. Compare the map with your memory of those locations. Terrain recognition Remember your latest activity in the map area and identify your route on the map. Study the contours lines and look at the intervals between them. Where are the hills? How high are they? Are there any valleys, ridges, gorges, or saddles? Is the slope in a specific location steep or flat? What is the highest point on the map? The lowest? Where is the steepest slope? Field study Time to take the map into the field. When you’re out there, align the map with the surrounding terrain (north on the map pointing to the north in the terrain). Look around at what you see and compare it to your map. This can be visualized by imagining the map is fixed to north and you are walking around it, depending on which direction you are going to or looking at. If you are looking south, you are on the north side of the map and north on the map is pointing at you. When changing direction, you are turning, not the map. You are always holding the map in front of you and the map is pointing to north. Now, choose a route that you’re familiar with. Follow your progress on the map, and spot every detail that’s drawn on the map and identify them in the terrain. This is a great way to learn how the map and the terrain relate to each other. Panoramic view Find a spot where you have a sweeping view of the landscape. Keep the map aligned, north pointing north, with the terrain. While looking in different directions, find distinctive terrain features, such as cliffs, peaks, valleys, buildings, and rivers and then locate them on the map. Guide a buddy Head into familiar hills with a friend. Make a route plan in advance, explain the plan to your friend including the different terrain features and other objects you are going to use for navigation waypoints. While out there, explain all the things you observe in the terrain and show where they are on the map. Then let your friend do the same. Stay tuned for the next article in the series: how to plan your route through the mountains! Lead image: © Arc'teryx / Piotr Drozdz Read more articles: 7 tips to find a safe track up the mountain 8 avalanche safety checks to tick off before the ski season Born to shred in the Arctic Proving electric adventure is the future