At A Glance: Quick Ratings
Heart Rate Functions
Fitness / Sport Features
Ease of Use
Battery Life
Where To Get It
A Deep Dive Into The Suunto Quest
NOTE > heart rate monitors have really moved on since 2021 with regard to lithium ion batteries, Bluetooth connected smartphone apps, wrist based heart rate and built-in GPS etc.
If you want a self contained heart rate monitor watch that does NOT connect to your smartphone and runs on a regular CR2032 coin-cell battery … the Suunto Quest may still be a viable option … however, how long it will be supported we do not know …. (comment Jan 2021)
Video Review
The Suunto Quest is a highly recommended heart rate monitor for people who train hard and will benefit from knowing the training load of each session and the time expected before recovery.
There are many sports watches with integrated GPS available today, including Suunto’s Ambit, but some people prefer the traditional light weight watch with lithium coin-cell battery. That’s what the Quest is. It CAN support GPS pod or BIKE SPEED pod or FOOT SPEED pod if / when you want one, but it’s also a smart everyday watch.
Should you buy one?
No … sorry Suunto, but I would have to recommend something like the Polar M200 or Garmin Forerunner 35 for runners looking for built-in GPS plus convenient wrist based heart rate. For more serious exercisers / runners I’d recommend the Garmin Forerunner 230 or Polar M400 with chest strap HRM and built-in GPS. All of these watches are supported by brilliant smartphone apps and websites.
Garmin Forerunner 35 user friendly, competent GPS running watch with wrist based HR
Polar M200 a more basic GPS running watch with wrist based HR & activity tracker
Polar M400 a more technical GPS running watch with chest strap HR, activity tracker & 5 x HR zones
Garmin Forerunner 230 another technical GPS running watch (VO2 etc) with chest strap HR
Back to the original review …
It doesn’t matter if you’re training for competition or fun, you need a sports watch you can rely on. With the Suunto Quest heart rate monitor, you can personalise and download your training programs, monitor your heart rate, speed, distance, running cadence and laps in real time. With your Quest you can even share, plan, and analyze your results at Movescount.com.
The Quest comes with the Dual heart rate chest transmitter. This means the analogue heart rate transmission is compatible with most popular gym equipment and the digital heart rate transmission eliminates any interference.
Technical Monitor with Recovery Feature
Suunto’s heart rate monitors have advanced in LEAPS and BOUNDS over the last 3 to 4 years. The T series was an outstanding and ground breaking series when it was introduced in 2007. The M series followed for the exerciser who doesn’t need the technical aspect of training offered by the T series. NOW – we have the perfect all rounder, the Suunto QUEST.
The Suunto Quest is technical enough for serious sports enthusiasts with touch/tap screen LAPs and SPLITS, 2 x interval timers, POD support for running / cycling. However, the Suunto Quest is also easy to use ~ perfect for the casual gym user. It is true to say the Suunto Quest is marginally biased towards SPORTS use – especially the RECOVERY feature.
We’ve now had a proper play with the Suunto Quest and we like it a lot. After spending 5 minutes setting the watch up for the first time we were ready to exercise. Pressing the top right “START / STOP” button – the user selects between “training – running – cycling – recovery time – previous move – web connect”.
Chose your Sport – Train, Run or Bike
The main three modes of exercise are TRAINING, RUNNING and CYCLING. The difference between these is the data that is displayed while training, and also how they are uploaded to your Movescount account. Remember the Suunto Quest comes with a FREE USB Movescount data transfer stick (Movescount works with Windows and Mac).
- From TRAINING mode your two line views are : Heart Rate + Stopwatch : Heart Rate + Calories : % of Max HR and HR zone 1/2/3 : Speed + Distance
- From RUNNING mode : HR + Stopwatch – Pace + Distance – Pace + Avg Pace – Dist + Time of Day – Stopwatch
- From CYCLING mode : HR + Stopwatch – HR + Dist – Speed + Dist – Speed + Stopwatch – Distance + Avg Speed
The Suunto Quest keeps the LAST session in memory and the user can recall : time/date, stopwatch time, number of laps (no summary breakdown), average HR (bpm), average HR (% of max), peak HR (BPM), peak HR (as % of MaxHR) and calories burnt.
When you upload to the MOVESCOUNT website, you will see a comprehensive breakdown of laps and splits with time versus speed, distance and heart rate graphs. The user will also be presented with a Suunto TRAINING EFFECT, which is very useful to mange overtraining / under training.
Key features
PLAN
PLUG
- Download training programs to Suunto Quest
- Upload training data from your Suunto Quest to Movescount.com
- Customise display and settings in Movescount.com
PLAY
- Stopwatch, interval timer, laps
- Real time heart rate and heart rate zones
- Real time speed and distance*
- Running cadence*
- Real time training intensity or speed guidance based on your training program
- Suunto Quest is water resistant to 30 m
- Menu in 9 languages (EN, DE, ES, FI, FR, IT, NL, SV, PT)
PROGRESS
- Heart rate graphs and training effect in Movescount.com
- Speed graphs in Movescount.com*
- Calories burned in Movescount.com
- Training diary and in depth training analysis in Movescount.com
*with optional Suunto PODs
What Suunto say
There’s nothing quite like the Suunto Quest and the feelings and passions it conveys. Being out amongst nature, doing the sport you love best, constantly searching for the perfect trail, training for your next big event, enjoying every moment of it. Training is what you live for. It’s what you were built for. Your Suunto Quest will help you measure and monitor your training when indoors and outdoors.
If the outdoors is your primary gym, it doesn’t matter if you’re training for competition or fun, you need a sports watch you can rely on. With the Suunto Quest heart rate monitor watch, you can personalise and download your training programs, monitor your heart rate, speed, distance, running cadence and laps in real time. And even share, plan, and analyze your results at Movescount.com. All crafted in a distinctly rugged design you can wear every day
Training Features
- Interval timers
- Stopwatch 1/100 second
- Real time calories
- Manual laps with split timings – by way of lens TAP – just tap the watch glass for a LAP !
- Heart rate (real time, bpm, HR%)
- Adjustable HR zones
- Time in HR zones
- Zone change alarm
- Training plan in device – downloaded from Movescount.com website
- Next workout reminder: duration and intensity
- Real time exercise duration and intensity guidance based on training program
- Real time speed guidance based on training program
- Recovery time suggestion after training
- Training Effect analysis in Movescount.com
- Full HR and speed graphs at Movescount.com
- Real-time, high-accuracy speed and distance from Suunto PODs
- POD calibration
General Watch Features :
- General time, dual time, date, weekday, alarm
- Back light
- Multi-language
- Button lock – to stop accidental button press of Suunto Quest buttons
- Low battery indicator for Suunto Quest
- HR belt and POD Measurement unit selection
- User replaceable battery and strap
- Hard coated, scratch protected lens
- Water resistant to 30 m
- Authentic outdoor look & feel
Connectivity and Customizability
What’s In The Box?
Top Alternative
This would be the Suunto M2. It does NOT feature training load indication nor can you download training programs from the Suunto Movescount web site back to the watch. Neither does it have the ability for speed & distance measurements.
