More Information
 On: 2007-06-15
The compass is useless. The manual says "1 degree precision" but by tilting it only slightly the direction changes wildly, by 30 degrees or more.
Calibration has no effect on this.
 On: 2006-12-24
This is a review for the Suunto X9mi, not the X9i.
I did a lot of research on this watch before purchase, including reading several trade publication and personal reviews on the Internet. Heres the bottomline on this watch:
1. The Suunto X9mi does everything it claims to do: GPS, Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, Temperature, and Standard Time Keeper. In addition, all of the functions are integrated, meaning the possibilities are unlimited for a smart user, especially if you own a computer. Im away from the states, so havent used the National Geographic TOPO maps yet.
2. I owned the Suunto Vector for several years and if people, myself included, initially think the X9mi is just the vector with added GPS capability, think again. The design and user interface are greatly improved: all of the functions work better, esp. the compass, added weather alarm is a great feature, altimter is more integrated into the other fuctions; I could go on and on.
3. The GPS-does it work, yes it does. Keep in mind that the first time you use it out of the box, it takes a while to get a satellite feed-it took mine one hour. I think some people dont understand this, hence some of the blistering negative reviews about the product. After that, no more than 5-10 minutes before getting constant feed. Note, Im in Europe. I read one reviewer who said he couldnt get a satellite feed in China, which surprises me b/c I never had any problems in Japan.
4. Design and wear-durable and comfortable. I say this after owning and wearing the uncomfortable Vector for years. Obviously someone at Suunto did their homework. With the new wraparound design, most of the time I even forget Im wearing the X9mi, its that well designed.
5. The X9mi has a rechargeable battery that can be recharged 500 times using a USB cable or wall socket power (The watch comes with adaptors to use the wall option anywhere in the world.)
Battery power could be an issue for users who plan on using the watch in a remote area for several months with heavy GPS usage with no access to the power options listed above. One charge will last over one month, but if you turn the GPS on and leave it on nonstop, youll run down one charge it about 24-30 hours.
Who should not buy this watch:
1. This is not a dive watch. Water resistant to 100m but youll it damage if you push the buttons underwater.
2. People who want to use this watch almost exclusively as a "fun and run" GPS device to record time, distance, and mileage during weekly fitness runs. They would be better served with one of the Garmin wrist devices-if they dont mind wearing a cigarette case on their wrist.
The X9mi can be used this way but I wouldnt recommend it for any run less than 5-10 miles out in the open countryside if you expect the results to mean anything.
3. People whos idea of navigation is turning on a GPS and staring at the screen nonstop several hours while performing their treks. Again, the X9mi has this capability, including showing constant distance and direction to your waypoint, but the device is better served by those who know know how to use a compass and know a little bit about map use and terrain association, using the X9mi to periodically confirm location or checkpoints.
For those in the military, search and rescue, outdoorsmen, etc...buy this watch without fear. You wont be disappointed. Its 100% tactical, durable, (X9mi) and in my opinion, a great investment. (One Soldier downrange, based on his review, said the watch didnt work at all. If thats true, and he is using it correctly, Suunto is such a great company, Im sure theyd replace it with no issues.)
And last, dont waste your money if youre too lazy to read the Users Guide and Manual. Both are user friendly, and as much fun as it is to use the watch, its not a toy.
Highly, highly recommended.
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