{"id":3739,"date":"2025-08-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/en\/review-suunto-vertical-solar-canyon\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T18:16:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T17:16:49","slug":"review-suunto-vertical-solar-canyon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.senses.se\/en\/review-suunto-vertical-solar-canyon\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We recently tested Suunto’s latest sports watch Suunto Run<\/a><\/strong>, which received a good rating. In this review, we follow up with another adventure companion from the same manufacturer, the Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon. The Vertical Solar Canyon runs the same OS as the Run, but that is where most similarities end. With a significant difference in size comes a variety of functional differences, capacities, and training modes. We have found many features in the Vertical Solar Canyon that should have been included in the Suunto Run (which is Suunto’s latest training watch), and during our testing weeks, despite the size\u2014which is a direct challenge in certain scenarios\u2014we have felt that the Vertical Solar becomes a natural part of everyday life, training, and even sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First impressions \u2013 Vertical Solar Canyon<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we’ve already mentioned, the Vertical Solar Canyon (Suunto Vertical from here on, now that you know which one we’re talking about) is a substantial piece, and it should be added that we tested the watch during a hot July (where long sleeves were out of the question) because this is not something you sneak under a shirt cuff. But as the name suggests, the size is due to the watch having a solar cell around the watch face, which contributes to the width and height of the case. It comes with a rubber strap featuring a traditional buckle and a small pin to secure the end of the strap. While this solution is innovative, it’s not entirely successful. On one occasion during the testing period, the strap got caught and the pin popped off. The chance of finding it was minimal, and it was only by pure luck that it was recovered. Additionally, there is a charging cable since you cannot charge it wirelessly, which we gradually realized was not an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The screen is a 1.4-inch Matrix color display with a resolution of 280×280 pixels. So, we’re not talking about a sparkling AMOLED screen, but unless you are severely addicted to bright and flashy effects, we only see advantages with this type of screen. The battery drain is significantly lower; you can see clearly without the backlight being on as long as there is daylight, and you won’t have any issues with polarized glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Suunto<\/a>
Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon
\n(Photo: senses.se)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We noticed from the start that the Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon has features we would have liked to see in the Suunto Run and vice versa. For example, we missed a screen lock on the Suunto Run to the point of annoyance. On the Suunto Vertical, the screen locks after a few seconds and is only activated by pressing one of the buttons. Furthermore, the Suunto Vertical syncs with the phone better than the Run. If you receive a notification on the watch and look at your phone, the notifications on the watch are cleared. And something the Suunto Run could do was set up multiple apps for quick access. With the Suunto Vertical, you can only choose one (besides the buttons) for quick access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, we immediately miss two important features: the first is being able to flip the orientation of the watch face. It’s a matter of taste, of course, how you want it, but the option should exist. The second is backing out of menus using only the buttons. No matter how much we’ve searched, in quite a few cases, there’s no way to go back to the home screen using only buttons if you’ve entered a training mode or another menu. Instead, you have to use the middle button (the crown) to cycle through. It works, but depending on how much is running, it can involve quite a few button presses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Suunto<\/a>
Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon is a substantial piece of hardware, but it is surprisingly unobtrusive nonetheless.
\n(Photo: senses.se)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But despite its size and weight, the Suunto Vertical feels natural on the wrist around the clock. However, as noted earlier, with only short sleeves during the warm months, this is obviously not an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, there is no doubt that the Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon is a workhorse, a no-frills tool for training that is there to inform. Not to entertain and distract. And Suunto earns many points right there for its clean approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good technical competence with endurance as its forte<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We charged the Suunto Vertical to one hundred percent on July 11. And then we put away the charging dock. During the testing period, we’ve fiddled with it an abnormal amount (as you do with new gear), logged four hours of sailing, swam with it, tested walks abroad with the downloadable maps, logged three hours of cycling, tried the snorkeling mode in the pool, and tracked sleep at night. And all this with the highest GPS accuracy and without touching any form of battery-saving function (of which there are Performance, Endurance, Ultra, Tour, and Custom to choose from), except possibly the Do Not Disturb function which turns off vibration and sound now and then. On August 1, the last struggling percent arrived and held out until 10:00 PM. So, the Suunto Vertical lasted almost exactly three weeks on a single charge, and once it got the chance to top up, it took about an hour to reach 100 percent again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Suunto<\/a>
Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon charged to 100 percent on July 11
\n(Photo: senses.se)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Suunto<\/a>
Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon struggling on its last percent on July 31.
\n(Photo: senses.se)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two things make this battery life possible. One is the screen, which is not an energy-hungry AMOLED, and the other is the solar charging. But how effective is it? On a few occasions, it managed to increase the battery level by one percent during a sunny day with normal use. But never more than that, which leads us to conclude that solar charging maintains the battery level but is hardly sufficient to charge it fully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, we are decidedly impressed and clearly satisfied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suunto’s own operating system<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like with the Suunto Run, we’re not talking about a smartwatch in the way we might be used to. It runs its own operating system and has limited possibilities for communicating with your phone. You have neither Google Play nor the Appstore available; instead, you have to stick to the options already provided. It should be noted, however, that the Suunto Plus Store contains many apps that aren’t there from the start. Everything is strictly fitness-related, though. You also get a fairly meager selection of watch faces, and when it comes to sounds, you have no options at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are plenty of training options, to say the least. There are just over 90 variations, and besides the usual ones like running, cycling, swimming, sailing, or something more traditional, there are a bunch that are much more specialized. How about running up Mont Blanc with every gained meter of altitude using Virtual UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc)? Or collecting your points in your latest round of Disc Golf. Or one of our favorites, Daily Tasks, where you measure your exercise by doing the laundry, folding and putting away clothes, mopping the floor, making the bed, or wiping down appliances (just to list a tiny fraction of all the chores).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training modes<\/strong> we have tested<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sailing<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Suunto<\/a>
Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon
\n(Photo: senses.se)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During a summer sail, we took the opportunity to let the Suunto Vertical log and show us what it can do because, of course, after a bit of scrolling, the sailing training mode appeared. The watch switches immediately and gives you speed in knots. Above all, it is incredibly useful in all situations, whether you are racing or leisure sailing, to be able to see distances, times, and speeds in detail afterward. Either for the podium or for the logbook. Then it’s cool to see your tacking plotted on a map like a movie you can easily send to relevant parties. (However, we don’t quite understand the persistent spinning in the videos).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suunto's app provides informative and engaging feedback across all training modes. (Video: Suunto)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cycling<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Suunto<\/a>
Suunto Vertical Solar Canyon
\n(Photo: senses.se)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We don’t really have much to point out regarding the cycling training mode. Suunto Vertical keeps track and provides the information you want presented. And as with the sailing, you get all the information you can imagine presented clearly in the app. We can, however, point out again that the Suunto Vertical’s screen is extremely easy to see even with polarized glasses, and it never fails to wake up when you turn your wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snorkeling<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n