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Our Review of the Suunto M3
In competitive sailing and windsurfing, getting a good start is about being in the right place at the right time. Suunto M3 helps make sure that that is exactly where you are.
To get you to the right place on the start line - and at the right time, Suunto M3 not only helps you to determine the favored end of the start line, but it also displays the time to the start line in connection with the start timer to help you cross the line at just the right moment.
Loud signals and large numbers, together with a race timer for easy synchronization with the race committee, mean that you won't be caught napping when it's time for the off.
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Suunto Watch Face Specs(cm/mm)
- Thickness
- 1.39
- Casing Diameter
- 4.65
- Time, date, dual-time, 3 alarms
- Sailing timer adjustable from 1 to 99 hours
- Synchronization down to next minute or round to closest minute
- Stop/Resume countdown
- Smart repeat
- Countdown timer lock to prevent accidental off sync
- User configurable audible countdown alarms
- Independent chrono in addition to countdown timer
- Large countdown numbers and time of day or chrono shown at the same time
- Rotating bezel with 0-360 degrees scale
- Water resistant to 100 ft. (30m)
Suunto Watch Face Specs(cm)
- Thickness: 1.39
- Casing Diameter: 4.65
Suunto M3 Reviews
All Customer Reviews
- Average Rating:
- Highest Rating:
- Lowest Rating:
- Number of Reviews:
- 8
Not worth it
Reviewer: Neal Freeland , Seattle, WA
Date: May 25, 2009
I race Thistles in Seattle... I wanted a nicer sailing watch and bought the M3 last summer. I really liked it last season, but this season the bevel is worn down so I can't set or read the wind numbers, and the battery has already worn out. Furthermore, the usability of the buttons is just annoyingly non-intuitive. I find myself guessing which button to hit to reset timer or alarm or the time. I'm going to try the warranty department but at this price I was hoping to have a better experience.
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Suunto M3
Reviewer: Rafal Ablamowicz , Cookeville, TN
Date: February 22, 2009
I bought Suunto M3 after I had Suunto Regatta for a few years. My primary reason for needing either watch was for racing, i.e., a race timer feature was the most important feature I needed. I will focus on this feature mostly below.
The good news is that at least for me, the racing timer in M3 is easier and less confusing to use than in Regatta: it takes only one push of a button to display a preset 5 minute countdown. Once it is displayed, it can then be changed up or down by pushing one button, or, pushing one button gets the countdown started, stopped, or reset. There is also a nice feature of synchronization that is quite useful.
In Regatta, I believe I had to make three pushes using two different buttons before I could see the countdown displayed. Almost always I got the sequence of pushes wrong. Getting there, in the heat of a prerace manoeuvring when single handed, was very difficult and confusing. There were many races when I simply could not get things undone and I had to race without keeping time and while starting I had to watch other boats!
This has happened to me several times with M3 as well. Perhaps because multiple displays are possible which are confusing and they are not well documented in the manual. I would definitely not call use of M3 intuitive. By the way, unlike in other Suunto watches, the five buttons have labels on the reverse side of the watch: well, this is not helpful in learning and remembering what each button does at all.
A very nice fature in M3 -- not present in the Regatta watch (as far as I remember) -- is the button lock which prevents accidental stopping the race timer: This happened to me many times with the Regatta watch... nothing but a drag.
Thus, M3 in my opinion is much better and simpler, it is definitely elegant... However, it also has confusing features and symbols that distract, like the way to select favorite end of a start line. A good sailer knows which end is better; I would never use M3 to do the same: It is too complicated. In short, this feature is useless while labels on the watch bezel to use that feature are confusing and distracting.
With the buttons not visibly labelled, one has to remember what each button means. Some buttons need short pushes to activate a feature, sometimes the same button needs a longer push to activate another feature. Too many surface features is too confusing. I wished Suunto revised the menu hierarchy by better grouping racing features. For example, it would be nice if once a preset countdown gets changed by pushing up or down button, the new choice were remembered as the new preset time. Otherwise, resetting the timer puts it back into the original preset time, say a 10 minute countddown, which needs adjustment anew.
A metal pin in the clasp twice suddently opened for no good reason and I almost lost the watch overboard: this is not good when you race! Manual is in eight languages -- maybe that's convinient but it does not explain or show multiple displays nor it explains symbols appearing on the display. I still don't know what some of them mean.
So, in summary, this is a better watch than the Regatta; learning menus and how to get button pushes right still takes time and is not intuitive; pin in the clasp is too weak/likes to open suddenly; manual is weak and needs improvement. Overall, three stars for usage; five stars for the looks.
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Top-Notch!!
Reviewer: Uwe Willert , Germany
Date: July 22, 2008
I've got a collection of 11 different Suuntos and I've been using them now for the last 6 years...all over the world and under very rough conditions (my favoured right now the X-Lander/Mi) Anyway, the M3 is one of my favorites, even if I'm not sailing at all and love the bulky looks of my X9/Mi. The big display shows not only the time, but, if activated, the useful timer too. This one I use a lot when travelling worldwide on planes and spending many hours on airports...with one glance I know when I need to proceed to the next gate...
The dot-matrix display looks really good and the backlight lights only the numbers..not the whole display..looks nice too!!
If this watsch would ever come with the additional skills of the Regatta/Mariner, baro and compass that is, and maybe even with a negative display..that would be all you need...or at least all I would need.
However...perfect watch for anybody how wants a reliable, good looking, easy to use watch that doesn't make you look like a SEAL on shore-leave ;-))
The only negative is the bezel...its kinda flimsy and only useful when you are sailing...and still, 5 stars!!
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Perfect form and function
Reviewer: Wilfred Poiesz , CA
Date: March 14, 2008
This watch works great, looks great and is not one of those other "over the top" sailing timers. Besides the advantages spelled out so well in other reviews, I think its value is in being 100% sailing timer and be able to wear it every day. It enables to fully understand the many functions and use it intuitively. This makes it so much more effective when i need those quick timer changes or use multiple timers while on the race course. The multiple timers and alarms prove to be very effective to remind me during race preparations before the actual race starts (and not forget to call my wife once in a while)
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Junk
Reviewer: PWL , Milwaukee, WI
Date: August 07, 2007
Horrendous craftsmanship. I've used this watch for 1/2 a sailing season and it's failing apart. The rotating bezel broke off after 10 races, the wristband tail keeper tore and fell off after 15 races and then the wrist band itself detached from the watch. I'm not doing crazy round the world races either I'm the fore deck guy on a J105. Just a note about the rotating bezel: Any good sailor should now how to figure out the favored side of a course without this useless gadget but because it gives the watch some aesthetic appeal loosing it off the watch is a bummer. The only redeeming quality about this watch is the LARGE display that can be seen from any angle making the countdown feature very helpful when your not sitting still i.e. every start just about. No compass or barometer for this price is lame as well. I had a cheap Casio for 5 years and it never fell apart. I thought I'd upgrade to a high quality watch now that I make more ching, mistake. I wouldn't recommend this watch to anyone.
Comments from The Staff:
Pretty out-of-the-ordinary experience, but I'm certainly sorry to hear about it. If within returns period, please give us a call 1-800-891-8490. All Suuntos also carry 2-year warranties; try contacting Suunto USA at 1-800-543-9124 to arrange for repair or replacement. We appreciate your feedback; all of it helps Suunto to improve their products.
BrentSite Manager, SuuntoWatches.com
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directions
Reviewer: Anonymous , Louisville, KY
Date: July 09, 2007
Great watch, directions are nonexistant. The book tells you nothing about all the features, nor does it explain well anything about the watch.
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Great Sailing Watch
Reviewer: Anonymous , California
Date: December 28, 2006
Needed a better way of timeing races and this watch had all the things that I needed. There are three main things that make this watch awsome. First, the timers and count down functions make timing race starts a snap no matter how the race start is timed. (for example: A "5 min after a signal" vs. a specific start time.) Second, the features and controls are easy to understand and work. There are even indicators that show where you are in the menu system. Third, it is a good looking, easy to read watch with large numbers and customizable displays. I wear mine daily and most folks don't know that it is a race watch. Get this watch and you won't be dissappointed.
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Suunto M3
Reviewer: Anonymous , Nebraska
Date: July 22, 2006
It is an excellent watch and really fun to have. I bought it for my boyfriend and he just loves it (and so do I!) He has not had one problem with it and he likes the fit. It is bigger then your average watch, but it does so much more. If you are going to own one watch - make it a Suunto. It is worth it!
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