Can I purchase a Suunto for less than offered by First Ascent Instruments?
At First Ascent Instruments we set our web-store prices at the lowest allowed by our dealer agreement with Suunto. We value our relationship with and respect our obligations to Suunto. This policy ensures Suunto equipment purchased from First Ascent Instruments is eligible for warranty service. Authorized dealers are not permitted to sell via Ebay nor advertise, with a once per year exception, Suunto products for sale at prices beneath those First Ascent Instruments is offering. Should you see a lower price available yet still wish to do business with a reputable dealer like First Ascent Instruments, please contact us at customerservice@firstascentinstruments.com. We will review the situation and address any price discrepancies.

How long does a battery last in a Suunto?
The average battery life is 12 to 18 months, depending upon the use.  The compass and backlight use more power than other functions.  When the low-battery warning symbol appears on the display,  5 to 15% of  the battery capacity remains.  This warning should give you enough time to safely change the battery. It is a great idea to buy a replacement battery when you purchase a Suunto. This will allow you to be prepared for a battery issue. There is nothing worse than training with a performance instrument, getting to your race, realizing the battery is out of juice and there is no Suunto retailer in sight!

My altimeter seems inaccurate. What is up with this thing?
Altimeters calculate the position above sea-level by using a pressure reading. The higher you are, the less atmosphere is above and therefore less pressure is exerted. An altimeter uses this relationship to calculate your current height above sea-level. It is therefore imperative the sea-level pressure (or baseline altitude) be set on the Suunto Alti menu. Pressure, by its very nature, is prone to change and can vary from day to day in the same location. Even the most expensive altimeters utilized in aircraft require frequent adjustments to their baseline pressure. If you intend to utilize the altimeter as part of your outdoor exploration, set the pressure prior to departure and ensure you have some known altitude markers to benchmark accurate readings. Sea-level pressure can be obtained from your local air field or weather service.

Can I use my Suunto under water?
Most of the Suunto products are water-resistant. The wristop computers are not diving instruments and are not intended to be used at depth. It is an absolute requirement that the buttons NOT be pushed while submerged. This will damage the Suunto. Water-resistant is not water-proof. Please treat your Suunto accordingly. It is ok to have your Suunto in the water (shower, swimming, rain, snow) but do not attempt to change functions while the instrument is submerged!

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Will my Heart Rate monitor work under water?
The Suunto ANT heart-rate belt is water-resistant but will not be capable of transmitting HR data to the wristop computer while submerged. The ANT HR belt transmits via radio-frequency and therefore cannot communicate while submerged. If you need to collect your heart rate data while under water, please contact us. There is a solution which Suunto has created however, we do not stock it as a normal inventory item. We will be happy to order it for you.

Why is my temperature gauge reading so high?
The sensor for temperature (as you may have guessed) is inside the wristop computer. The wristop computer is on your wrist. Your wrist emits body heat and skews the temperature reading. To get a true outside air temp reading, take the Suunto off your wrist. A rapid adjustment to actual ambient will occur and in 15 minutes the reading should be wholly accurate. 

My compass isn't showing north. What is wrong?
Compass calibration is required to ensure accurate readings. The manual is explicit on the process for proper orientation. It may take several tries to properly orient the compass but it is not difficult. Additionally, be certain to adjust the declination for your home location and adjust it as necessary for remote trips. If you have oriented your compass and set the declination but are still receiving inaccurate readings, be sure the compass menu is set to "cardinal readings" as opposed to "bearing track" mode.

I'm a Mac-kind-of-person...Is the training software compatible?
The short answer is no. Suunto does not engineer its training software to be compatible with a Mac OS. At First Ascent Instruments, we are Mac people too and have found parallels to be capable of running the Suunto training software with no difficulty. Unfortunately, when an operating system occupies only 15% of the market, difficulties will arise.

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