I've got a Tom Tom at the moment and barring a few annoyances regarding battery and starting an activity recording, it works well on the watch side of things. Unfortunately the Bluetooth android connection is dire, either that's the watch Bluetooth or the software but the outcome is the same, connection at all is a lottery, upload to android only works when I've got data coverage, when it will connect and upload it really struggles with transferring decent rides (I assume down to the file size).
So I'm looking for a new watch, top of my list at the moment is a suunto sport with wrist hr. Does anyone have any piratical experience with any of the suunto watches, is the software any good?
Can anyone recommend another watch to look at?
I want one that does...
Wrist based hr - I use it daily for commuting and I'm not going to wear a chest strap for that, I don't need accuracy so much as something to tell me if I was actually working hard or just felt like it.
Internal gps
Breadcrumb trail on screen or better, but some sort of route guidance that saves digging out my map at every trail junction.
Consistently connects to android,
I wear it most of the time so looking like a sensible watch is important.
Good battery life.
I'd rather have no "smart" functionality at all so at least the ability to turn off email notifications and so on.
Nice to haves:
One touch activity start (user error but I often hit start then forget to hit go once its connected to GPS)
Decent battery warning rather than only reminding me to charge when I start an activity or its completely flat.
Local synching separate from Web synch.
Otg connection for firmware upgrades etc would be brilliant instead of needing a pc connection every now and again.
Cadence speed and power would be nice for the occasions I use the turbo but not important.
Not really interested in a pedometer function, if it's got one fair enough but not needed (and wrist ones are in my experience pants)
Ta
I had a TomTom and replaced it with a suunto spartan sport wrist HR. I think it does everything on your list apart from OTG firmware updates (app does tell you one is available though). I'm currently using mine as my main watch while my non gps watch is repaired. Getting 4-7 days battery life depending on how much I use sport mode, warning is at 20% I think. I'm also using the notifications (these can be disabled). I've also switched to Sunnto's newer app as it does everything I need including watch sport mode customisation (from my phone). Oh and unlike TomTom the bluetooth just works. I stop an exercise and next time I'm near my phone its uploaded quickly.
That's pretty much exactly what I wanted to hear thanks nixie.
I figure the Otg is too much of an ask in honesty, unless I can find a way to run a windows vm from my handset of course.
Did you have issues with the tomtom connection too then? Not just me?
TomTom and bluetooth has never been good. Loads having issue with it out there. Its a shame as I always thought the watch itself was fine, just let down by the off watch software. At one point had to steal my wifes work iPad to sync. That used to work fine and much faster than android but a later update broke it completely.
Just to add to my comments above the Suunto doesn't have one touch start, its 3. Sport mode -> choose sport - Go. However you can hit go straight away, no waiting for GPS sync like the TomTom which used to bug me. Also as the connection with the phone is more persistent (Bluetooth low energy so can be 'on' all the time) the watch is more likely to have up to date GPS helper data so acquiring satellite lock is quicker.
Just to add to my comments above the Suunto doesn’t have one touch start, its 3. Sport mode -> choose sport – Go. However you can hit go straight away, no waiting for GPS sync like the TomTom which used to bug me
Sounds much improved, very much what I wanted in fact, one touch isn't really what I meant so much as not "go, wait, waaaait, OK press go again"