The supposed ski features -- measuring how fast your decents are, skichrono, etc. -- aren't particularly useful for the back-country skier. Racing skiers typically don't need a watch like this - they're on the resort, they need a good stopwatch, held by the person timing them. So I don't see much value in those features.
Out in the backcountry, the barometer, thermometer,
compass and slope angle features are great; although one still needs to carry a
GPS, and modern ones will have some of those features anyways. One could get the
Suunto D9 series instead, but then you miss out on the slope angle measurement, which is a big help in assessing avalanche danger. Also, the light-color on dark background is very helpful for viewing in bright, snowy conditions.
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 | 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. | |  |
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