Last June, the Finnish Suunto announced the variation of its Race connected watch in a more compact format, the Race S. To put it simply, it inherits all the functions of its big sister but it has a smaller case and adapted to thinner wrists. Consequence: slightly less autonomy but which nevertheless remains very honorable.
Get the Suunto Race S
As an indication, we tested it on an 80 kilometer race in the Italian Dolomites (the Lavaredo, not to mention it) and the watch lasted the entire duration of the competition, i.e. a little less than 17 hours, with route display activated. There was just under 15% battery left at the finish line. The display of the race route, at Suunto but also at others, like Garmin for example, tends to affect autonomy quite significantly. Nothing inconsistent or disappointing.
A compact and elegant design
The Suunto Race S sports a 43mm diameter stainless steel case, making it an attractive option for smaller wrists, both female and male. Its 1.2-inch AMOLED screen (390 X 390 pixels) offers vivid colors and excellent readability, even in direct sunlight thanks to its maximum brightness of 1000 nits.
The silicone strap is comfortable and does not cause irritation, even during long outings. Small downside: the attachment point at the end of the bracelet can sometimes come loose unexpectedly if it gets caught on something. This happened to us two or three times over a two-month test. Finally, the watch weighs only 52 grams, making it almost imperceptible on the wrist. Due to its size, it can be worn on a daily basis without standing out in a work environment. As long as you opt for a discreet bracelet of course.
Performances on point
Beneath its compact appearance, the Race S hides a real concentration of technology. It is equipped with an extremely precise multi-band GPS, capable of capturing GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou signals. During our test on the Lavaredo, the precision of the route was perfect or almost perfect, even in wooded areas and narrow gorges (and there were some!).
Measuring heart rate at the wrist has also proven to be reliable, with results quite comparable to those of a chest strap. This is not necessarily the case during interval exercises where the responsiveness of the sensor is crucial, but on endurance races and classic outings, no problem. Note that the Race S also includes a barometric altimeter, a compass and an accelerometer for precise measurements in all circumstances.
Impressive autonomy
Despite its reduced size, the Race S offers surprising autonomy. In standard GPS mode, it can last up to 26 hours, which is more than enough for most long outings, including some ultra-trails. In energy saving mode, autonomy increases to 40 hours.
After Lavaredo, we continued with a few days of reconnaissance of part of the UTMB route between Chamonix and Courmayeur. Used without particularly optimized settings other than turning off notifications and the wireless connection, we were able to string together several long days of 6 to 8 hours of activity without having to recharge the watch. In daily use with notifications and activity tracking, the Race S easily lasts 7 days, which is very respectable for a watch with an AMOLED screen.
Complete features and some new
The Race S doesn’t compromise on features. It offers more than 95 pre-installed sports modes, sleep and stress monitoring, as well as heart rate variability (HRV) measurements to assess recovery and daily health (if you are developing an illness). , the HRV should denote, for example).
Navigation is a strong point of this watch, with detailed color maps and the ability to follow preloaded routes or display grade. These features proved particularly useful during our UTMB reconnaissance, keeping us on track effortlessly. Additionally, Suunto has partnered with exercise nutrition brand NΓ€ak. Between them, they offer food monitoring with reminders on the watch and a detailed plan of the nutrition and hydration program during the race depending on the event and the estimated time in your case. Then, at each refueling, a notification is displayed on the watch, telling you what you need to consume between the current refueling and the next. Clever!
An intuitive interface
Suunto has revised the interface of its watch, making it more intuitive and pleasant to use. The new rotary knob makes menu navigation easier, while the responsive touchscreen allows for smooth everyday use. Additionally, the Suunto app, available on iOS and Android, offers in-depth analysis of training data and allows easy route planning. It is pleasant to use and intuitive. More than the Garmin interface, for example.
Where to Buy it?
The Suunto Race S is available at a Price of 349 euros in several colors.
Get the Suunto Race S
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