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A Deep Dive Into The Suunto Ambit 3 Sport
The Suunto Ambit3 Sport GPS performance watch for triathlon / multisport has been reviewed by Tristan Haskins aka CardioCritic
Update > In October 2016 Suunto released their new Suunto Spartan Sport GPS multisport watch. If you want the latest and greatest offering from Suunto, then please check the review of the Spartan Sport here.
Please note. I still hold this Ambit3 Sport in very high esteem and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good GPS runners watch with Bluetooth connection to iOs & Android smartphone.
Apart from the full colour touchscreen of the Spartan Sport there are several features that this Ambit 3 Run has that appear to be missing from the Spartan eg. no Suunto APPS support, running cadence and track back … however, there are loads of new features like improved rest and recovery analysis, recovery time view on watch post training, 80 plus pre-installed sports modes and personal bests ….
Navigate This In-Depth Review Who Is It For?
Video Review
Quick Summary : If you don’t need the barometric weather functionality of the Ambit3 Peak, but you still want MultiSport support, then please consider this Ambit3 Sport. Available in several colours including blue, coral, black, white and sapphire you are certain to get a watch that looks as good as it performs.
The Ambit3 range of Suunto’s first Bluetooth only wrist computers and they no longer support the previous ANT+ sensors. With a Bluetooth connection to your Smartphone you can download your sessions to Movescount and even set your Ambit3’s display settings. Acting in a similar way to a Smartwatch the Ambit3 will send push notifications when you phone receives phones calls, texts and emails.
MultiSport GPS with Training Load & Recovery Feedback
The human desire to get faster is universal amongst most athletes, at all levels. Whether you are doing the local ParkRun, pushing yourself to your limits on the trail, finding your limits on your bike or punishing yourself in the water, the Ambit3 Sport could be your invaluable training partner.
A multisport GPS tool that could help you become the best you can be. Just as importantly as tracking live running, swimming and biking performance is analysing the quality of your sleep and active recovery time.
Swimming Feedback
The Suunto Ambit3 Sport is generally sold (but please check) with the Suunto Smart belt. Just like the Garmin HRM-swim belt, the Smart belt stores the heart rate data from the swim LOCALLY.
At the end of the swim, when the signal between watch and HR belt is re-established, the swimming heart rate data is broadcast to the wrist unit. With the Ambit3 Sport and SMART belt you get full swim-metrics plus heart rate feedback. At the time of writing this (Sept 2015) it is only this, the Fenix3, the Polar V800 and the Garmin 902XT TriBundle that have the ability to give heart rate & swim-metrics from the same wrist unit.
Note > this product was replaced by the Suunto Spartan Sport (Oct 2016)
Smartphone Connectivity
Suunto are no different to everyone else in that they have an App for iOs and Android phones. The Suunto Movescount App lets you plan your workouts and evens provides voice guidance during your training (should you want them). The Movescount app even lets you can adjust the watch’s settings on the go, then relive and share your experience (depending on available network coverage).
Note – we have ticked YES for this watch with regard to “Virtual Partner”. Although not included in the STANDARD features the user has the ability to install the relevant APP in to the Ambit3. For Virtual Partner download the Ghost Runner APP from Movescount. It’s not exactly the same but it basically allows you to run a chosen distance in a target time, racing against a “ghost runner” to pace you throughout.
Key Features
MULTISPORT
- 15h battery with 5 sec-GPS accuracy (1 min-accuracy: 100h)
- Speed, pace, distance and GPS altitude
- Route navigation and track back
- Compass
- Heart rate in swimming**
- Bike power support (Bluetooth Smart)
- Multiple sports in one log
- Interval workout planner*
- Interval workouts with voice guidance*
- Activity based recovery time
- Quick recovery and sleep quality tests (Firstbeat)**
- Movescount training programs on the watch
- Extended feature set through Suunto Apps
- Languages: EN, CS, DA, DE, ES, FI, FR, IT, JA, KO, NL, NO, PL, PT, RU, SV, ZH
For availability information, check www.suunto.com/software-updates
CONNECTIVITY
- Upload and share your moves instantly*
- Customize your watch on the go*
- Time and GPS satellite data up to date on the go*
- Use your phone as second watch display* (Add an extended battery pack for your smartphone to support even longer adventures.)
- Integration with Strava and TrainingPeaks
ENRICH, RELIVE AND SHARE
- Take photos during your Move showing your current speed, distance, and more*
- Create a Suunto Movie of your Move with 3D map, key metrics and images*
- Share your experience instantly to your social media networks*
*with the Suunto Movescount App
**with Suunto Smart Sensor
Note! The Ambit3 watches are Bluetooth Smart compatible, not compatible with ANT+™ (e.g. Suunto ANT PODs, Suunto Dual or Suunto ANT belt)
Full Technical Specification
GENERAL
| Water resistance | 50 m (according to ISO 6425) |
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| Battery life in time mode | 14 days |
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| Battery type | rechargeable lithium-ion |
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| Firmware upgradable | Yes |
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| Time, date | Yes |
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| Alarm clock | 1 daily alarm |
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| Dual time | Yes |
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| GPS timekeeping | Yes |
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| Countdown timer | Yes |
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| Stopwatch timer | Yes |
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| Backlight | LED |
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| Configurable backlight | brightness / mode |
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| Button lock | customizable |
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| Invert display | Yes |
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| Display type | matrix |
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| Display resolution | 128 x 128 |
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| Battery indicator | percentage / icon |
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| Metric and imperial units | Yes |
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| UI languages | Yes |
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SUUNTO APPS
| Compatible with Suunto Apps | Yes |
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| Max. nr. of apps per sport mode | 5 |
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| Most recommended apps by activity | Yes |
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| Logging of app specific metrics | Yes |
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| Create own metrics with advanced formulas | Yes |
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| Chrono, GPS, HR, weather and altitude data | yes, excluding weather |
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| Running, cycling, swimming data | Yes |
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| Rich math functions, if/then-logic, sound, backlight, etc. | Yes |
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COMPASS
| Digital compass | Yes |
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| Tilt compensation | full |
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| Direction scale | degrees / mils |
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| Needle | north indicator |
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| Bearing lock with orienting indicator | Yes |
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| Compass accuracy | 5° |
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| Compass resolution | 1° |
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PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
| Operating temperature | -20° C to +60° C / -5° F to +140° F |
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| Storage temperature | -30° C to +60° C / -22° F to +140° F |
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CONNECTIVITY
| Watch customization | Wireless / USB cable |
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| Compatible with Suunto Movescount App | Yes |
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| Photos with watch data overlays | with Suunto Movescount AppFor availability information check www.suunto.com/software-updatesnofollow |
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| Data transfer | Wireless / USB cable |
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| Connectivity (between devices) | Bluetooth Smart |
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| Compatible with Movescount | Yes |
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| Phone notifications on the watch | with Suunto Movescount AppFor availability information check www.suunto.com/software-updates |
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| Phone as secondary display of watch | with Suunto Movescount AppFor availability information check www.suunto.com/software-updates |
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| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone, AndroidFor compatibility information check www.suunto.com/software-updates |
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| Suunto Movies | with Suunto Movescount AppFor availability information check www.suunto.com/software-updates |
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| Watch customization | Wireless / USB cable |
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| Compatible with Suunto Movescount App | Yes |
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| Photos with watch data overlays | with Suunto Movescount App |
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| Data transfer | Wireless / USB cable |
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| Connectivity (between devices) | Bluetooth Smart |
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| Compatible with Movescount | Yes |
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| Phone notifications on the watch | with Suunto Movescount AppFor availability information check www.suunto.com/software-updatesnofollow |
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OUTDOOR FUNCTIONS
GPS TRACKING & NAVIGATION
| Satellite systems | GPS |
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| GPS recording rate | 1, 5, 60 s |
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| Battery life (GPS active) | 10, 15, 100 h |
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| Coordinate systems | WGS84 Hd.d°
WGS84 Hd°m’ s.s”
WGS84 Hd°m.m
UTM
MGRS
British (BNG)
Finnish (ETRS-TM35FIN)
Finnish (KKJ)
Irish (IG)
Swedish (RT90)
Swiss (CH1903)
UTM NAD27 – Alaska
UTM NAD27 – Conus
UTM NAD83
New Zealand (NZTM2000) |
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| Waypoint and visual route navigation | Yes |
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| Max. nr. of Points of Interest (POIs) | 250 |
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| Find back | Yes |
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| Track back | Yes |
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| Track logging, viewing and sharing * | Yes |
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| Route planning * | Yes |
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| Route points per route / POIs in watch | 1000 / 100 |
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ALTIMETER
| GPS altitude | Yes |
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| Altitude graph | Yes |
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| Total ascent/descent | GPS based |
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| Vertical speed | GPS based |
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| Altitude difference | yes** |
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** available as Suunto Apps
Log recording rate1, 10 sResolution1 mRange-500 – 9999 m
TRAINING/SPORTS FUNCTIONS
SPEED AND DISTANCE
| Distance based autolaps | Yes |
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| Log recording rate | 1, 10 s |
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| GPS Speed and distance | Integrated |
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| Foot POD support | Bluetooth Smart |
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| Bike POD support | Bluetooth Smart |
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HEART RATE
| RR interval | Yes |
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| Heart rate in beats per minute | Yes |
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| Heart rate in % of max hr | Yes |
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| Real-time average and max heart rate | Yes |
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| Heart rate limits | Yes |
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| Heart rate zones * | Yes |
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| EPOC & V02 max values * | Yes |
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| Heart rate graph in real time | Yes |
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| Calories | Yes |
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| Peak Training Effect | Yes |
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| Recovery time | Yes |
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| Real time EPOC | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Log recording rate | 1, 10 s |
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| Records heart rate in swimming | yes, with Suunto Smart Sensor |
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TRAINING, PLANNING & ANALYSIS
| Chrono | Yes |
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| Laps | >1000 |
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| Autopause | Yes |
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| Autoscrolling of exercise displays | Yes |
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| Memory left indicator | Yes |
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| Speed and heart rate-based guidance during exercise | Yes |
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| Interval timers | Yes |
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| Fitness test | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Training plans downloadable from Movescount | Yes |
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| Log summary on the watch with lap details | Yes |
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| Customizeable sport modes and displays | 10 modes / 8 displays per mode |
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| Training analysis* | Yes |
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| Training logbook with story and image support * | Yes |
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| GPS track analysis* | Yes |
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| Activity based recovery time | Yes |
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| Sleep recovery test (Firstbeat™) | Yes |
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| Quick recovery test (Firstbeat™) | Yes |
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| Activity monitoring | Yes |
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| Compatible with online sports communities | Strava, TrainingPeaks, MapMyFtiness and others www.suunto.com/software-updates |
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MULTISPORTS
| Change sport mode during exercise | Yes |
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| Preconfigured multisport modes | Yes |
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| Multisport exercise summary | Yes |
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| Post-analysis of multisport exercise by sport * | Yes |
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RUNNING
| Running pace | Yes |
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| Suunto FusedSpeed™ | Yes |
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| Average pace in real time | Yes |
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| Running cadence | Yes |
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| Average stride length | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Ghost Runner | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Lap comparisons by kilometer/mile * | Yes |
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| Marathon End-time Estimator | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Running Performance (Firstbeat™) | Yes |
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CYCLING
| Cycling speed | Yes |
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| Average speed in real time | Yes |
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| Multiple Bike POD support | Yes |
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| Hill incline in real time | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Bike Power (W), average and maximum (with power sensor) | Bluetooth Smart |
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| Bike Power 3s, 10s, 30s (with power sensor) | Yes |
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| Bike Lap and Lap Maximum Power (with power sensor) | Yes |
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| Power distribution & graphs * (with power sensor) | Yes |
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| Peak Power Curve for peak power outputs * (with power sensor) | Yes |
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| Normalized Power (Suunto Apps / TM by Training Peaks) | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Aerodynamic drag in real time (with power sensor) | yes** ** available as Suunto Apps |
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| Cadence POD Support | Bluetooth Smart |
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SWIMMING
| Pool swim pace and distance | Yes |
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| Openwater swim pace and distance | Yes |
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| Swimming time by pool length, lap, total | Yes |
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| Swimming stroke rate, count and type | Yes |
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| Swim styles detection with personal style teaching | Yes |
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| Stroke efficiency (SWOLF) | Yes |
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| Automatic intervals | Yes |
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| Dynamic lap table with stroke, pace and duration * | Yes |
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| Records heart rate in swimming | yes, with Suunto Smart Sensor |
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Top Alternatives
Next Model UP
The model up from this one is the Suunto Ambit3 Peak with additional navigation support, weather alerts and barometric pressure sensor for more accurate altitude feedback.
Next Model DOWN
The Suunto Ambit2 R would be the model down from this one. They are very similar in operation, style and general functionality.
The main difference is that the Ambit2 R does NOT allow for multisport training. The Ambit2 Sport adds multiple sports training pages and the ability to perform a triathlon (or other multi-sport event) in ONE session.
By that we mean all the training data is stored in one file for post session review in Movescount.
Closest Competitor
The product from other brands with the closest functionality to this Ambit3 Sport would be the Polar V800 and the Garmin Forerunner 920XT. Both offer true multisport functionality with multiple disciplines being recorded in one exercise file. Each has it’s own pros and cons over the others and we would, in all honesty, be happy to use any for the duration of a triathlon and the training leading up to it.
Polar V800 as an alternative from Polar as their GPS sports watch for triathlon / multisport athletes
Forerunner 920XT as an alternative from Garmin as their top of the range MultiSport GPS watch.
>>Interested in outdoor adventure watches? Check out our review here!
