The New Outdoor Watchface on the Suunto 9 Baro (and Suunto 5)

The September 2020 software update for the Suunto 9 / 5 / 3 brought a new outdoors-focused watchface… which has led to quite a few questions.

Let’s see if we can make it all clear!

First off, I will focus on the Suunto 9 Baro, since that is Suunto’s top-of-line model for the outdoors, for ultramarathons, for mountain trail running – the very things that Suunto stands for.

Below, we will also have a look at the Suunto 5. The watchface on the Suunto 9 (without Baro) and the Suunto 3 should be similar to that on the 5.

Suunto 9 Baro Outdoor Watchface

The standard screen on the Suunto 9 Baro, using this new outdoor watchface, shows the current time in the lower half of the display (with seconds when the display is active, otherwise without), all the time.

The upper half is where things are interesting.

Standard Screen

Here, the standard screen has two half circles and one field displaying the current altitude (elevation) in the middle.

Suunto 9 Baro, New Outdoor Watchface, First Screen

The outer of the two half-circles shows the current time at the 12 o’clock position and an indication of when sunset (during the day, duh!) or sunrise is coming up. (Light color means daytime; darker color means dusk or dawn; still darker color nighttime.)

When the display is in active mode (short push of the middle button), the dusk or dawn indication on the ring changes to show the different phases of dusk/dawn, as well.

Suunto 9 Baro, New Outdoor Watchface, Active First Screen

The inner half-circle shows the barometer reading, again with the current state shown at the 12 o’clock position. The lighter colored section here shows the range in which the barometric pressure was during the last three hours, giving an indication of whether air pressure has been falling or rising (or a mix).

Outdoor Watchface, Screen 2

Activate the display and tap on it once, and the outer half-circle remains the same indication of daylight/nighttime, the inner disappears in favor of two data fields, side-by-side, in the middle.

During daytime, these two middle data fields show the countdown (hours and minutes remaining) to the next sunset and the battery level of the watch.

Suunto 9 Baro, New Outdoor Watchface, Second Screen during the Day

During nighttime, these data fields in the middle change to show the countdown to the next sunrise and the current moon phase.

Suunto 9 Baro, New Outdoor Watchface, Second Screen During the Night

Outdoor Watchface, Screen 3

Suunto 9 Baro, New Outdoor Watchface, Third Screen

Another tap, and the outer half-circle changes to show the barometric pressure at the current time (at 12 o’clock position) and the range over the last three hours (same as before, as lighter-colored section).

The middle two data fields show barometric trend arrows and air pressure reading on the left, current altitude on the right.

Above 2000 m of altitude, this view shows the %O2 still remaining at the current altitude instead of the altitude.

Photo Credit: Bradley Olwin

The Outdoor Watchface on the Suunto 5

The Suunto 5 (and 9, and 3), lacking a barometric sensor, replaces the barometric trend indications with the steps count, and goes for some other changes.

Suunto 5, New Outdoor Watchface, First Screen, Backlight Active
With backlight on, in the morning
Suunto 5, New Outdoor Watchface, First Screen, Backlight Not Active
Without backlight active, in the evening (watch not worn long 😉 )

So, on the main screen we now have only two half-circles, the outer still with sunrise / daytime / sunset / night. The inner now shows steps.

There’s no data field in the middle as there’s not enough room for that.

On a watch like the Suunto 5, without touchscreen, push the upper left button to change between displays.

Screen 2

Screen 2 of the outdoor watchface shows the same daylight/night half-circle, time to sunset and battery level (during daytime) or time to sunrise and moon phase (during the night).

Suunto 5, New Outdoor Watchface, Second Screen, Daytime
Suunto 5, New Outdoor Watchface, Second Screen, Nighttime

Screen 3

Screen 3 has an outer half-circle for step count, inner data fields for total steps by number and total calories ‘burned’ during the day.

Suunto 5, New Outdoor Watchface, Third Screen

3 responses

  1. Jürgen Avatar
    Jürgen

    Hello Gerald,
    lots of thanks for the explanations of the new watch face! It really helped a lot!

    1. Andy Avatar
      Andy

      Great article! Suunto should post this on their website!

  2. Uschi Avatar
    Uschi

    You’re the best. I’m so happy to have found your website. Excellent explanations (with photos!) Thank you very much.

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