There are few activities more grueling than an Ironman triathlon, and there are few watches that can handle this intense trio of sports. Suunto is one of those companies that makes watches capable of going the distance. So it is not surprising to see Suunto watches on the wrists triathletes worldwide. In a newly announced partnership, Suunto has become the official technical sports watch for Ironman competitions.
As part of this collaboration, Suunto is now selling the Suunto 9 Baro Titanium as an Ironman Limited Edition watch. Suunto only made 1,406 of these watches to honor the 140.6 miles in the Ironman triathlon competition. The Ironman Limited edition watch takes the hardware of the Suunto 9 Baro but brands it especially for Ironman triathletes. The bezel of the watch is marked with the Ironman name. It also bears a unique number that is assigned to each individual watch. The smartwatch is paired with black textile, quick release watch strap that is emblazoned with the Ironman logo and the Ironman M-dot symbol on each side.
The Suunto 9 Baro titanium is ideally suited for triathletes thanks to its 120 hours of GPS tracking. It offers a smart battery-management system that alerts an athlete when the battery life is draining and won’t last as long as they need. Along with this alert, the user is prompted to switch to a low power mode that will prolong battery life.
Most watches turn off their GPS tracking to save battery life and lose their ability to track the distance and pace of the run, but not the Suunto 9. The Suunto 9 uses an algorithm called FusedTrack, which combines motion sensor data to fill in the gaps when GPS is dialed down to conserve power.
Triathletes push themselves to the limit and need a rugged watch like the Suunto 9 Baro which can withstand the abuse of an Ironman triathlon. It is water-resistant to 100 meters and has a durable Glass-fiber reinforced polyamide casing. The bezel is made with a lightweight titanium, and the display is covered with a sapphire crystal lens. With that combination of materials, you’d have to work extra hard to put a dent or ding on the watch.
The Suunto 9 Baro Titanium Ironman Limited Edition watch is on sale now at Suunto.com. It also will be available at the 2019 Ironman championships in Nice, France and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The Suunto 9 Baro Titanium Ironman Limited Edition costs $749 and is available for as long as supplies last. It ships with both a silicone strap and a textile strap.
