Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Suunto combines heart rate monitor and barometric sensor in latest Spartan watch

Outdoor athletes looking to track their performance with more accuracy now have a new tool to help them do just that. The latest edition of Suunto’s Spartan GPS watch has been updated to include both a built-in heart rate monitor and a barometric sensor, allowing it to capture more workout data for runners, cyclists, and other fitness fanatics, and with more precision than ever before.

The Spartan

has been Suunto’s flagship fitness watch for use during outdoor training sessions and hiking excursions since it was first introduced last fall. The timepiece packs quite a few features, including onboard GPS for tracking and navigation, preset workout profiles for more than 80 different activities, and a 30-day log of the user’s training regimen. It even pairs with a smartphone to provide notifications and updates, and has other unique features like the ability to alert the wearer when bad weather is moving in.

Recommended Videos

This past spring the company added the 

Spartan Sport Wrist HR

 to its lineup, bringing built-in heart rate monitoring to a Suunto product for the first time. This edition the Spartan serves as a fitness tracker that watches the wearer’s movement 24/7, while doing away with the need for bulky and uncomfortable chest strap heart rate monitors.

Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HR Baro
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Now comes the Spartan Sport Wrist HR Baro (whew! That’s a mouthful) model, which adds a barometric sensor to better track changes in altitude throughout a workout. For trail runners, cyclists, mountaineers, and other outdoor athletes, this is an essential part of training, as vertical gain and loss plays a big roll in getting fit for those activities.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Suunto says that the latest version of the Spartan still manages to get 20 hours of battery life with GPS activated for tracking workouts, and more than 40 hours of use while in low-power mode. The watch shares the same feature set as its siblings, offering all of the functionality of previous models with the added benefit of more accurate altitude tracking. It also comes with updated tracking features that predict the wearer’s estimated time of arrival at a destination, as well an enhanced mode for skiers that displays speed, number of runs, and the length of those runs on the Spartan’s screen.

The new Spartan Sport Wrist HR Baro will go on sale on October 17 for $549. Visit the company’s website for more details.

Kraig Becker
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kraig Becker is a freelance outdoor writer who loves to hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, paddle, or just about any other…
Aventon Abound SR combines thoughtful design, enhanced security, and smart connectivity
Aventon Abound SR hero image with couple on the e-bike

Electric bikes are nothing new at this point, and while there are many styles, few purportedly do-it-all, and even fewer actually offer smart or more advanced features. They tend to do one thing particularly well, like cruising, carrying cargo, or sightseeing -- like city riding -- but the biggest way they push the envelope is by offering that long-range electric power. The Aventon Abound SR, a new do-it-all bike, goes far and beyond anything that's come before it.

For starters, it's the first bike equipped with Aventon's electronic control unit (ACU) which empowers intelligent safety features. That gives you 4G and GPS tracking built-in, plus remote locking, an alarm system, and much more. But also, this top-of-its-class bike is incredibly versatile and is suitable for everything from commutes to tough exercise rides and daily routines. It features a top speed of 20 miles per hour, has a range of up to 60 miles per charge, and can carry a payload of up to 440 pounds. Impressive, indeed. Let's take a closer look and get a little more friendly with it, shall we?

Read more
Velotric: One of our favorite e-bike brands is having a huge sale right now
Velotric T1 ST Plus bike couple riding on the road

Take a minute to browse through the e-bike category, and you'll see lots of options but not many that I would classify as accessible. As far as technology goes, they can be pretty expensive, especially compared to your everyday traditional pedal bike. So, it makes sense that most people would wait until the holiday season, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to get a great deal on a new bike. Prices are at their lowest ever, and it's a great time to save some money. But guess what? You don't have to wait until later in November to save big because Velotric, a premium-quality e-bike maker, is hosting a huge sale right now. You can head over now to take a look, otherwise, we're going to explore some of those Velotric e-bike deals that are available.
save Now
 
What are these "Lower-Than-Black-Friday" Velotric e-bike deals?

Velotric is claiming these deals are "better" than Black Friday, so they better be good, right? Don't worry, they are. For example, you can grab the Velotric Go 1 Ebike for $400 off, while still getting it in a bundle that includes two free gears. That price is currently $1,299, normally $1,700. The Go 1 features a 500-watt motor, supports a maximum load of 440 pounds, and can travel up to 55 miles on a single charge. Pretty impressive. It's also designed to lug cargo, like a picnic basket, day bag, or even camping gear. That's mostly thanks to a lower center of gravity for the frame and hydraulic suspension system.

Read more
Yamaha offers sales of 60% on e-bikes as it pulls out of U.S. market
Yamaha Pedal Assist ebikes

If you were looking for clues that the post-pandemic e-bike market reshuffle remains in full swing in the U.S., look no further than the latest move by Yamaha.

In a letter to its dealers, the giant Japanese conglomerate announced it will pull out of the e-bike business in the U.S. by the end of the year, according to Electrek.

Read more