Product Description

Suunto T3 is more than a heart rate monitor. The Suunto T3 helps you maximize results by providing real-time information on the training effect of your workout. Transcending the conventional heart rate monitor, the Suunto T3 logs your workouts, tracks your physiological progress, and displays training effect, the cardiovascular benefit of your workout on a simple, on-to-five scale. Are you over or under training? Sweating hard enough to each your goals? The suunto T3 knows and tells. It also tells heart rate, calories burned, and speed and distance with optional Suunto PODs. Additional functions include dual time, date alarm, and stopwatch with splits and laps. Equipped with optional PC POD and software, you can transfer data to our PC and easily maintain a personal training log

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62609 in Sports & Outdoors
• Color: Black
• Brand: Suunto
• Model: ss012688110 - black
• Released on: 2006-09-15

Features

• Versatile heart rate monitor watch in contemporary black color
• Displays current heart rate, average heart rate, and calories burned
• Training Effect function measures how hard your body is working
• Includes Suunto heart rate belt; dual-time, date, and alarm functions
• Interference-free digital ANT transmission; water-resistant to 100 feet; 2-year warranty

Amazon.com Product Description
You're sweating, your heart is racing, and all your hard work is starting to pay off. What's your next move? If you're smart, you'll take the guesswork out of your training with the Suunto t3 heart rate monitor watch. Bundled with a Suunto heart rate belt, the t3 lets you accurately monitor your real-time heart rate, average heart rate, and calorie consumption. The watch also tracks your real-time Training Effect, a quick and accurate measurement of how hard your body is working at any given moment. By knowing your Training Effect, you'll enjoy a more intimate understanding of your body's workout "sweet spot," an essential tidbit if you want to achieve your targets without setting yourself back by under- or over-training.

The Training Effect works intuitively: The watch first notes the info from your personal fitness profile, and then analyzes your physiological progress and translates the data into a simple one-to-five scale. For example, if you want to improve your aerobic fitness at a moderate tempo, you should exercise until your TE meter reads between 3.0 and 3.9, two to four times per week. To improve your aerobic condition more rapidly--but without the risk of over-training--you should push yourself harder once or twice per week, so your TE meter reads 4.0 to 4.9, with a few recovery sessions in the TE 1.0 to 2.0 range. The Training Effect is relative to each individual. While a novice runner might achieve a TE of 4.0 on a four-mile jog, a professional runner might have to complete an uphill marathon to get the same reading. In other words, both runners will have to exercise hard to achieve a TE of 4.0.

The Suunto t3 also offers interference-free digital ANT transmission, making it easy to pair your heart rate monitor with the HR belt and an optional Suunto training pod. Training pods are small units that attach to such items as a running shoe or a bike to calculate your speed and distance while you exercise. Pods are ideal for athletes who aren't satisfied with half-hearted training efforts, but really want to monitor their training routines down to the last detail. Finally, the t3 includes a training logbook that compiles your progress and personal stats. You can even conduct a more thorough analysis of your workouts by using the Suunto Training Manager Lite software.

Specifications:

• Color: Black
• Stopwatch: Yes
• Max number of split times in memory: 50
• Timers (interval and warm-up): Yes
• Average heart rate: Real time
• Training effect: Real time
• Calories: Real time
• ANT digital coded signal: Yes
• Memory capacity: 15 logs
• HR limits and HR zones: Yes
• Suunto heart rate belt: Yes
• Suunto comfort belt: Compatible, sold separately
• Suunto memory belt: Compatible, sold separately
• Water resistance: 100 feet
• Selectable metric/imperial units: Yes
• Menu-based user interface: Yes
• Dot-matrix display: Yes
• Backlight type: Electro-luminescent display
• User-replaceable strap: Yes
• Software: Suunto Training Manager Lite
• Low battery warning: Yes
• User-replaceable battery: Yes
• Button lock: Yes
• Compatible with pods: Yes
• Watch: 12/24 hour
• Calendar clock: Yes
• Dual time: Yes
• Daily alarms: 1

Manufacturer's Warranty
Two-year warranty

About Suunto
Suunto was founded in 1936 by outdoors man and a keen orienteering enthusiast, Tuomas Vohlonen, who had long been bothered by a problem: the inaccuracy of traditional dry compasses and their lack of steady needle operation. Being an engineer with an inventive turn of mind, he discovered and patented the production method for a much steadier needle, better readings, and a new level of accuracy. By 1950 the company was exporting compasses to over 50 countries around the world, including Canada and the United States. In 1952, Helsinki was hosting the Olympic Games, and the torches carried to light the Olympic flame were Suunto products. The next step was improving the stability and accuracy of marine compasses. The first marine compass, the Suunto K-12, was launched onto the market in 1953. In 1957, Suunto started manufacturing hypsometers, which measure the height of trees.

In the 1960s, the compass range grew further and Suunto introduced its first diving compass--initiated by the divers themselves. A British sports diver attached a Suunto compass to his wrist and found that the device also worked underwater. Thanks to his feedback and initiatives, the new business category was found. Suunto's exports and business grew steadily and Suunto then focused on combining its strength in precision mechanics with new skills in electronics. Accuracy, reliability, and ruggedness have been Suunto's key values from the very beginning of the company history.

Today, Suunto is a leading designer and manufacturer of sports instruments for training, diving, mountaineering, hiking, skiing, sailing, and golf. True to its roots, Suunto is today the world's biggest compass manufacturer. Prized for their design, accuracy and dependability, Suunto sports instruments combine the aesthetics and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers that help athletes at all levels analyze and improve performance. Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Suunto employs more than 500 people worldwide and distributes its products to nearly 60 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Helsinki-based Amer Sports Corporation with the sister brands Wilson, Salomon, Atomic, Precor, and Mavic.

Customer Reviews

Wow - at last the perfect HRM for me.
Hi - I've used a lot of training devices in the past. My list includes Polar HRM of several models, the garmin 301 GPS model, stopwatches and a finger, even the new Nike/iPod combo and this one really takes the cake for me. I have a scientific background and work in the tech industry, but even though I understand math and engineering, it's not what I want when I am working out. I want simplicity, reliability and features that sit there until I ask for them. I don't want to get a degree in deviceology to make it work each and every time I'm out for a run, hike or bike. Sometimes I am training for a marathon or triathlon - so I'd prefer my unit be capable to help me reach those goals when I need to plan workouts and analyze data about how my training is going - but the wrist unit itself has to be intuitive and stay out of the way when I just want to work out.

This model can expand with GPS, or two different bike modules, or a foor pod if distance measurement is something you want in addition to HRM and time of training data. It also can be used with the SmartBelt (which cost extra). The smartbelt will work with the T3 during exercise (just like the included HRM measurement belt that you wear around your chest), but the optional Smartbelt stores advanced workout metrics so you could geek out with PC/coach and truly train like the pros if you wish.

The unit is well designed, thin, utilitarian yet not overly geeky (I would take it off for a black tie event, but that's about the only time it's not appreciated on my wrist as a watch). The batteries in the watch and transmitter are consumer servicable and the built in training software is a joy to use. Yes, there are five overall modes to the watch and there are no tiny text to help remind you what buttons do which - so you do need to read the manual or get help from someone else (Suuntu discussion boards are free online help from other users of the products). Once you master the basics of how the buttons affect the watch software - you will feel comfortable focusing on your workout and not operating a device.

I am really impressed how well the unit works and the intelligence and design that went into the interface, the training software that is built in - as well as how well the display works. The built in logs also are great with detailed review of the 15 most recent workout, plus cumulative and summary data for the current week, last week, and each of the last 6 months data.

Great Function, Bad Form, Fat Price
The health functionality of the watch is quite nice - the ability to track workouts over time is helpful for those serious about trianing. Seeing progress in fitness level over time is also motivational.

Unfortunately the quality of the watch is subpar. The watch face is plastic and seems like it will easily scratch. The band on this particular version of the T3, though it looks nice in the pictures, is also cheap plastic. The spring loaded and locking clasp somewhat makes up for the cheap band. The inverted LCD on this model also looks cool in the pictures but makes the watch more difficult to read.

Overall I'm impressed with the functionality of the watch, and the ability to add additional features with pods is nice. But the price is far higher than it should be for a watch of this quality, and the pods are far too expensive. Other heart-rate watches cost 1/3 what the Suunto T3 does, and adding a $80 pedometer or $130 GPS only increases the cost without adding features that are really necessary except for all but the most serious training athletes.

Great watch
I traded in my Polar and waited for this watch to be released. I had doubts about the Training Effect feature, but after using it a couple times at the gym, it works great and helps to push me to make sure I get a good workout. The only drawback is that the face of the watch is plastic and may scratch, but I guess that is what you get for a watch under $200. So far though, I am very happy with the watch and its features, its very easy to use and since it has a 3 line display, you can get all the information you need while working out without hitting the buttons all the time. Both batteries can be user replaced which is nice and the belt has no crosstalk with the other machines, ie. other gym equipment. I would definitely suggest this watch if you are serious about getting into shape or monitoring your workouts. The other nice thing is that you can switch out the bands if you don't like a certain color or want to change the looks of the watch.