User Review: Suunto X9i

Suunto X9i
Above: The current X9i, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed July 5, 2008 by Simon K

Rating:

As an altimeter, this functions reasonably well, but I agree completely with the comments about the GPS function. It is just not worth the extra money, works very badly and hammers the battery.

It has the user-interface from hell, with the manual badly translated from the original Korean! Satellite acquisition is systematically poor and very slow and very flaky when on the move.

It is totally unclear how one is supposed to setup the unit for use with French/German or most other maps, while trying to get help on this question from Suunto is like trying to swim in treacle. They will make vague references to Positions, datums and god knows what - all I want is "to get it to work in France, do this, then this, then this and it will match the grid on IGN maps". Not a badly given and largely incomprehensible lecture about map-projections, geodesics and who-knows-what.

The most basic thing that I would want to do, with 1 or a couple of button presses is to find out "where am I?". No straightforward way to do that at all. Tracking-back, following routes - who needs it - I'll carry a map anyway, just tell me where I am on it.

Also, what is the reason that the activity function requires the battery-killing GPS to be on? It would be very useful to have a record of ascent/descent, without needing GPS (which doesn't really work anyway).