Tracking our activities is something we all love to do, if it isn’t on Strava did even it happen? Let me introduce to you a game-changer on the sports watch market. A watch that brings both incredible possibilities in terms of tracking capabilities, but one that also delivers a stylish design which most other brands, lack. Say hello to the Suunto 7.

The Look of the Suunto 7

As many know I am a self-confessed adventure seeker, who takes part in a multitude of activities, I’m not just a runner or a swimmer, I climb, I paddle, I hike. You name it, I do it. For me, I need a sports watch to be both versatile in activity and that I could wear constantly. This means, I need to be able to wear it for activities, casual wear, or even for a dinner, without it feeling or looking like a sports watch.

Looking at the design above, the colour I’ve got is super chic in appearance, with a sandstone shaded strap that doesn’t have the same ‘chunky’ look and a watch face, that others do. It isn’t bulky but the big screen is ideal to read all your information clearly. This is quite a delicate feminine look, which makes it ideal to become an all day, every day sports watch. You can even change your digital watch face design to cater to preference and your personality

Colour options of the watch

  • Sandstone Rosegold (my one)
  • Black and lime
  • Graphite – limited edition
  • Black
  • Graphite cooper
  • White burgundy

The different colour options really do cater to all tastes, which is something that sets the Suunto 7 apart in design from other brand offerings, you’re normally extremely limited on choice.

The strap is made from silicone and the actual watch face is gorilla glass with the case material being a glass fibre reinforced polyamide. The watch face is also 50mm in size which is a decent size, and even though that might seem big, because the watch is somewhat minimal in design it doesn’t feel massive like other brands do.

The basics of the Suunto 7

Firstly this watch is touch screen with buttons on the sides, much like the rest of the watch, these buttons aren’t bulky. They allow users to navigate through the device very easily, however, you’re able to use the touch screen as well.

This watch is compatible with Google which is fantastic. I particularly loved being able to link up to Google because my life revolves around my account, for example Google Fit, Google Pay, and my emails can all be synced to my watch. This allows you to manage not only the sporting activities we do, but general ‘life’ management as well.

Not only can you track your activities, you can track your sleep. This is a massive part of the watch I loved. A lot of sports watches miss this, and I need to track my sleep to ensure I’m well rested for my epilepsy. Sleep and recovery is also an area athletes and activities lovers should have as part of their training. If you recover properly then you’ll be able to do more the next day. Big fan of this feature.

The Suunto 7 activity tracker

When you sync your Suunto 7 watch to your phone, you’ll do this via the dedicated Suunto app and also Wear by OS. Here you’ll be able to adjust the watch face as mentioned before. Within the Suunto app you’ll be able to track every activity you do, and take part in some fantastic Suunto specific challenges. This for me was great because during lockdown it has helped me push and feel motivated to check off the challenges, but look on my activity history and progress. You will be able to link up with friends from Facebook and make some new fellow Suunto friends too.

You can link to Strava and many other tracking apps, but you’ll be able to get all your training information directly in the Suunto app, which for me made using this watch nice and simple.

What types of apps can the Suunto app connect to?

  • Training planning
  • Training analysis
  • Route planning
  • Coaching tools
  • Nutrition
  • Insurance
  • Weather services
  • Synchronisation
  • Charity
  • Corporate wellness
  • Sports data visualisation
  • Sports diary
  • Virtual racing
  • Weight management
  • Team Management
  • Sports Community

The possibilities of using other apps with Suunto is extremely vast and impressive, meaning you have the option to, but you don’t have to just use the Suunto app on it’s own. We all have our preferences and it’s fantastically designed to allow this. The only thing I did find, is that if you want your heart rate captured, you’ll need to use the built in option from Google Fit. I read about this prior to using the watch that it doesn’t link up, personally I don’t use an external heart rate monitor ever, I always use my watch. After using the Suunto 7 I’m confident in the metrics it gave me enough not need anything external products.

Battery life

In my experience with all digital sports watches, the more you use, the more battery it drains. If you’ve got all notifications all the time, and you’re outdoors running on top of that, the battery is going to rundown. Pretty common sense right? As long as you’re an energy saver, and turn off notifications when you don’t need them, then the battery life is great. Especially for the amount this watch can do!

It’ll give you around 2 days of battery life, but if you’re keen on saving battery, I found the most handy tips on how to keep the watching running for longer, over on the website here. One big thing to note is that you shouldn’t worry about your battery life being eaten up when you’re doing an activity. The Suunto 7 (in fact I think the whole range), use low power so it keeps your battery going for longer.

Sport tracking and key features

The Suunto 7 offers a staggering 70(!) activity options. 70! I don’t think I could even list that many, but the Suunto 7 offers them. You have all your basics sports and much more. For swimmers like me the watch is also water resistant up to 50m, hurray!

The GPS and maps are incredible with Suunto. I’m desperate to get out on my hikes when lockdown is over and have a good chance to test them. I’ve used them running, but to be honest, I want to be out in the middle of nowhere with all my navigations coming from this watch! The app also gives you popular route suggestions, which for someone like me, who gets lost at the best of times, it is comforting to know you can’t really go off course.

Google Links

As mentioned before this watch works with Wear OS by Google, for example Google Fit, I’m a huge fan of this particular link up. If like me you rely on Google a lot in other aspects, it is nice to have all of their products easily available on your watch

  • Fitness tracking – Google Fit – for your fitness tracking and to keep you on target
  • Pay on the go – Google Pay – out on your run you can pay on the go (always love this)
  • All the apps – Google Play – download other items like Spotify
  • Life management – Google Assistant – ‘okay google call Mum’ – you get the idea!

My Suunto 7 experience

I have mainly used the Suunto 7 running, and whilst building up to my ultra marathon. Other watches which allow for apps and Google along with sports tracking, do everything quite basically, they always lack something. That could be in the data it pulls off, or it’ll have issues with connecting other apps. This is where the Suunto 7 is different. It links your ‘life’ and your ‘sports’, but does them extremely well. The metrics this watch can pull off is exactly what any adventure seeker needs. It is essentially a good allrounder, and I’d go as far as saying a complete game changer in the sports watch world.

Like I said before, I’ve not even touched the surface on using every activity this watch can track… you wait until after lockdown and I can climb those mountains, and surf those seas, this watch is coming with me!

*gifted by Suunto7 but all views and opinions are that of my own