Since the invention of the wristwatch in the late eighteenth century, watches have seen a rapid evolution. At one time it was amazing just to have a small piece of jewelry that could ballpark the hour, and now watches incorporate all sorts of auxiliary features that are used for far more than just checking the time. A prime example is the Suunto Core, a watch designed to aid hardcore outdoors enthusiasts like moutain climbers.
Suunto, headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, is a leading designer and manufacturer of instruments for mountaineering, hiking, diving, skiing, sailing and golf. Suunto devices combine the look and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers. The Core line of watches is designed specifically for what Suunto refers to as "adrenaline-packed outdoor activity". Along with telling the time, the Suunto Core can be used as an altimeter, barometer, and compass to help adventurers navigate terrain in extreme conditions. In addition, this multifunctional watch includes a depth meter, sunrise and sunset times, and a storm alarm.
One adventurer who used the Suunto Core to great effect was Ueli Steck, a 31-year-old Swiss mountain climber who first ascended the Alps at age 12. Steck had a Core on his wrist this past February when he broke the speed record for climbing the Eiger, one of the six great north faces of the Alps. Towering nearly 6,000 feet above the floor of the valley below, the Eiger is made increasingly dangerous by its rock fall and diminishing ice fields. During the climb, Steck employed his Suunto Core to track his progress on his way to setting the record time of 2 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds (with an impressive average rate of 10.8 vertical meters per minute). The new record shaved nearly an hour off the old one – which also was recorded by Steck, just the previous year.
Filling such a particular niche in the sporting world has made Suunto watches a convenient tool for adventurers everywhere, and taken the innovative devices to some of the world’s most magnificent sites. For example, the Suunto Vector was the world's first wristop computer to make it to the top of Mount Everest. And Suunto’s unique watches have received more than just accolades from extreme athletes. The Core recently won the “best of the best” award at the red dot design competition in Germany. And, this past December, Men’s Journal bestowed Suunto Core with the Gear of the Year award.
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the invention of Suunto’s original innovative outdoor watch, the aforementioned Suunto Vector, the company is releasing two new Core models in September - the Suunto Core Alu Black (pictured) and Suunto Core All Black. While the All Black model is about as dark and sleek as they come, the Alu Black features a more aesthetically appealing design with its mix of black and shiny aluminum. The new Suunto Core All Black and Alu Black models will be available from outdoor retailers in September.
Editor’s Note: Previously, InventHelp Invention & Technology News covered another Suunto product – the Suunto G6 Pro – a watch designed to help golfers analyze their swings.
