Vector is pointless for altimeter/barometer

[Jason H]

Here is my opinion of the vectors altimeter/barometer functions-

Ok, as a pilot I understand the relationship between barometric pressure and altitude. Even in aircraft, we set the current barometric pressure in the Kollsman window of the altimeter before takeoff, and this adjusts the altitude to current altitude above sea level, which is the field elevation. But in the aircraft, that Kollsman window stays the same until you the pilot change it. Hence, before landing at a new airfield you listen to that field’s current barometric pressure reading and reset your instruments to this reading so that when you land your altimeter reads the right field elevation. And yes, all altimeters have error because of weather, but usually within 50 feet or so.

So, what I do NOT understand, is how the Vector measures, computes, and displays both the altimeter and barometer readings. They are both self adjusting and therefore never right. Where I live (Colorado Springs) there can easily be an elevation change of a couple hundred feet by just driving around town. If you set your sea level pressure to the correct reading that morning and drive into town, it will be different when you get there due to altitude changes. But the altimeter changes as well. So you can reset the baro again, but now your altimeter will be off for the rest of the day. If you decide to reset the reference altitude all day, your barometer will never display the correct sea level pressure. And when you move again, they both change again. They are both changing, you cannot set a permanent sea level pressure for the day to only reference your altitude, and you cannot set a permanent altitude to just reference your barometer. If you can’t set one they are both changing continuously and, as Suunto states on their website and in their instruction manuals, you need to keep referencing and resetting to a known elevation or barometric pressure reading. If you need to do this all day (assuming you are not just sitting at home not moving) then what is the point of this watch, when you obviously have the accessibility to the current info elsewhere. As an example, after I landed in Denver yesterday, my altimeter read 5200 feet, almost dead accurate for the “mile high city.” But when I looked at the sea level pressure, it read 22.75, the same as the absolute pressure. I reset this to the current altimeter reading of 30.60, and my altitude immediately jumped to over 8000 feet. If I reset the current altitude, the barometer will jump to something back closer to the eye of hurricane Katrina, actually worse than that. You can only reset one at a time, and you have to beep resetting that one to a current/accurate reading you get from somewhere else, unless you are just sitting in one location.

While we are talking about the barometer, let’s talk about the absolute pressure window. I think this is where the Vector really could have shined, but doesn’t. As it stands, what is the point of the absolute pressure window? Even in answering different questions on their website, Suunto admits that nobody uses absolute pressure, and that it is very difficult to come by a city’s reading. In my few years of flying, I have actually never come across these readings. It is probably because nobody uses it, unless you want to climb a mountain, which is when you might want it, like a Vector owner might. But both the Vectors sea level and absolute pressures change continually with altitude and weather. What is the point of having two different windows that do the same thing? One you can set (sea level) and one you cannot (absolute). If you were able to “set and forget” the sea level pressure to a permanent setting and have your altitude be calculated off of this, while your absolute pressure simply monitors change in the weather, the vector would be a very useful watch. Yes, the absolute pressure would still vary with altitude changes, but if you know you just drove of climbed to a place that is 500 feet higher, you know that you can expect a change of about 0.50 inHg (1.00 inHg per 1000 feet). As it stands, however, they are both pretty pointless. Neither of them are accurate, and you need to constantly reference outside readings to adjust the watch.

The watch has some really good features. The compass is very good, the logbook feature is awesome, the timer and chrono are nice, the alarms are good (and I think the volume on this one is decent), the history features are great, the backlight is good, and the temperature reading is pretty accurate if you let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. And the layout is very nice, the whole layout is pretty sexy.

The watch band is a different story. I am really quite astonished at the incredibly chincy quality of it. And after reading reviews on this watch that date back 6 years with the same complaint, I don’t think Suunto cares that much to change it. I also have a negative face, and it is pretty difficult to read. The numbers and letters are not that great of contrast from the background, it is more of a dark gray number on a black background. In anything other than direct sunlight you need to strain to read it.

	Suunto Visit SuuntoWatches.com to see Suunto's full line of wrist top computers and compasses.

	Suunto Vector - Click for more info Suunto's original Wristop Computer, the Vector changed the face of sport watches forever with its groundbreaking combination of features, including an altimeter, barometer, electronic compass, digital log book, and watch. Introduced in 1998, the Vector was the first watch to make it to the summit of Mt. Everest. In addition, the Vector won the prestigious European Outdoor Award - Product of the Year in 1999/2000.

	Compass Compasses are sensitive, absolutely crucial instruments to precision navigation. The earth's magnetic field, inclination, and your longitude and latitude all influence the horizontal plane of a compass needle. As a result, compasses are balanced for different geographical zones. Suunto Compasses overcome this limitation to traditional compasses by using a simple 'Two Zone System'. With a Suunto Compass, the only 'balancing zones' are the northern and southern hemispheres. In addition to this innovation, certain Suunto Compasses come equipped with useful features like luminous needles and marks, centimeter/inch scales, magnifying glasses, clinometers, sighting notches, and more.

	Suunto Bands - Click for more info The range of Suunto Core Acessory Straps include the six straps as found on the various Suunto Core wristop computer models as well as three additional straps. All straps are compatible with every Core model, allowing you to custom-tailor your Core to your tastes and needs.