Suunto compasses are widely regarded as the finest in the world, so I made a special effort to pick them up a while back when customers asked for some compasses that could be used for real orienteering as opposed to the tiny button compasses we had been stocking at the time. The Suunto models have sapphire bearings to make their movement fast and accurate, sturdy construction that can handle being tossed around in your pack, and other features that make them easy to use and reliable.
We just picked up several new compass models and started dabbling in their watches as well. Hopefully nobody from Suunto is reading this, since lumping their products in with other watches on the market is kind of insulting. Suunto calls them wrist-top computers, outdoor sports instruments, and other multiple word names which are probably more accurate monikers. Some models feature triple sensors to give you an altimeter, barometer, thermometer, and compass within easy reach on a hike. Their heart rate monitors are incredibly accurate and several of them have a mode called Training Effect which will show you a number that tells you how effective your workout is at that exact time. The Training Effect incorporates quite a bit more than just your current heart rate, so you can use the number to see how beneficial your hard work is to not only burning calories but also your long term fitness goals.
I have been wearing a Suunto Observer for a few years now, and love the thing. It is compact compared to most triple sensor models on the market, meaning that my girly wrist was not completely dwarfed like with most of the competing products. The body and design are stylish, so it did not look completely out of place with business attire back when I had to dress like an adult.
Go with Suunto and you won’t be disappointed. I’ll work on getting some product videos up soon.