Suunto t3 Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch Black Polished
November 20, 2009 by Running Watch Reviews
Filed under Running & Sports Watch Reviews, Suunto
| Suunto t3 Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch (Black Polished) |
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Overall Rating: |
| Retail Price: $199.99 |
| Amazon Price: $169.00 |
Customize your training according to your needs with the Suunto t3 Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch.
The Sunnto T3 features a built-in training effect programming that provides you with an accurate training routine that matches your personal fitness level. Using its chronograph and heart rate monitor, it gathers enough personal fitness data such as calorie burn and heart rate and tries to determine how intense the runner’s training should be.It also has computer analysis through the included Suunto Training Lite software!
Now you have a guide as to whether you should go for a full out competitive training program or just take a leisurely stroll around the park.
You can even pair your heart rate monitor with the HR belt and an optional Suunto training pod to make it more suited for the kind of training that you want! The built-in interference free ANT transmission in the Suunto T3 ensures easy connection with all optional devices.
Despite all of the loaded features, the Suunto t3 Heart Rate Monitor and Fitness Trainer Watch is very easy to carry around. The lightweight but durable plastic used in the housing and the included chest strap ensures that you won’t have to worry about the watch interfering with your training.
Specifications:
- Color: Polished black
- Stopwatch: Yes
- Max number of split times in memory: 50
- Timers (interval and warm-up): Yes
- Average heart rate: Real time
- Training effect: Real time
- Calories: Real time
- ANT digital coded signal: Yes
- Memory capacity: 15 logs
- HR limits and HR zones: Yes
- Suunto heart rate belt: Yes
- Suunto comfort belt: Compatible, sold separately
- Suunto memory belt: Compatible, sold separately
- Water resistance: 100 feet
- Selectable metric/imperial units: Yes
- Menu-based user interface: Yes
- Dot-matrix display: Yes
- Backlight type: Electro-luminescent display
- User-replaceable strap: Yes
- Software: Suunto Training Manager Lite
- Low battery warning: Yes
- User-replaceable battery: Yes
- Button lock: Yes
- Compatible with pods: Yes
- Watch: 12/24 hour
- Calendar clock: Yes
- Dual time: Yes
- Daily alarms: 1
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Used or Brand New
I purchased a used T3 (from a retail store) with a dead battery, scratches on the face and no manuals. After replacing the battery, I downloaded the manuals from the American Suunto website (www.SuuntoWatches.com) and found it was easier to understand by looking at the pictures in the user manual while reading the quick start guide. The features are advanced enough to track multi-disciplined or complex training sessions.
The HR monitor will not work very well without inputting your personal stats: height, weight, DOB, gender. I kept the activity level at 5, which is the default setting. “PolyWatch” creme removed all of the scratches. Then I put a Zagg (www.zagg.com) protective film over the face to prevent future scratches.
My T3 looks better than brand new. It was worth taking the time to learn how to use it.
1 Star I don’t recommend this HR Monitor
I do not recommend this product. I have used several Polar Brand HR Monitors over the years and found them to be extremely beneficial for my training efforts. This product has been a problem from the start. I finally figured out that the battery in the chest strap was bad and replaced it. It is till showing clearly bad numbers for the Heart Rate. The watch is difficult to set up and the numbers are hard to read. Sadly I discarded the original packaging so I can’t return it to Amazon and am forced to deal with Suunto’s warranty program.
3 Stars Decent HRM
I have used this several times and it works well, I like knowing where my HR is and how many calories I’ve burned. In my opinion, it’s not very intuitive, so be prepared to use the manual, and the face does scratch pretty easily. I have had issues in my kickboxing class where the watch cannot find the belt, I’m guessing because of interference with other HRMs. It also doesn’t fit under my (boxing) gloves, which is a hassle, I’ve given up using it during class and have just been using it for biking.
2 Stars Very Disappointed
I purchased the Suunto t3 because it indicated it could be used for swimming.
“Your Sunnto t3 is water resistent up to 30m/100ft and the transmitter belt to
20m/66ft according to ISO 2281 standard.”
My primary use was to be for my swim training and it also has the Lap time so I thought it would be a useful training piece for my ‘technical arsenol’.
It does NOT track HR while in the pool – in fact, pretty much the second my chest was submerged, it lost contact.
Returning product and going back to Polar!
1 Star Terrible User Guide
I returned the watch within 24 hours because I could not understand the user manual and coordinate set-up or on going functions . Also, tried calling customer support and was informed that they were experiencing long wait periods. Waited over 20 minutes, hung up and decided the watch was not for me.

