Tatctical Watch from Finland - SUUNTO CORE ALPHA Stealth

Tatctical Watch from Finland - SUUNTO CORE ALPHA Stealth

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Finland and outdoor activities go together like summer and sunshine or cinema and popcorn. And when you’re out and about in the remotest corners and deepest forests of Finland, there’s nothing to stop you from wearing a watch on your wrist to help you even when there’s no mobile phone signal available. The Finnish company Suunto manufactures watches that can be extremely helpful in such situations. These include the CORE ALPHA Stealth model - a so-called tactical watch. Below is a brief overview of this watch, why it is so interesting and why you should take a look at it.

The Suunto company at a glance

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Suunto, a Finnish company, specialises in precision instruments, particularly in the field of sports watches, dive computers and outdoor navigation devices. It was founded in 1936 by the engineer Tuomas Vohlonen. The breakthrough came in the 1950s with the world’s first liquid-filled compass, which improved stability and accuracy. In the following decades, Suunto expanded its portfolio, focussing on sports watches, altimeters and diving instruments. Suunto watches were particularly popular with outdoor enthusiasts, adventurers, divers and athletes. Today, Suunto is a renowned name in the world of sports and outdoor equipment, known for its high-quality and reliable products.

What is a tactical watch?

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A tactical watch is specially designed for outdoor use or military operations. These watches fulfil the needs of military and security personnel with robustness, functionality and special features.

Typical features of such a watch are:

1. Rugged design: Resistant to shocks, vibrations, water and extreme temperatures.

2. Special functions: Altimeter, barometer, GPS, digital compass, moon phase indicators, chronographs, torches and more.

3. Night vision capability: With functions such as illuminated dials or tritium luminous elements.

4. Durable materials: Often made of robust materials such as stainless steel, titanium or resistant plastics.

5. Shock resistance: To withstand the rigours of the field, they are often shock-resistant and can withstand strong vibrations.

These watches are therefore not only popular with military and security personnel, but also with outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers who appreciate a hard-wearing watch with advanced functions.

SUUNTO CORE ALPHA Stealth - What this watch can do, who it is for?

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The Suunto Core Alpha Stealth is a watch designed specifically for use in demanding environments. Here are some of the outstanding functions and features of this watch and some hints as to who might be particularly interested in this watch.

Functions of the Suunto Core Alpha Stealth

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• Robust design: The watch is resistant to shocks, vibrations and extreme temperatures. Its rugged exterior makes it ideal for outdoor use.

• Tactical Features: The Core Alpha Stealth is equipped with features relevant to military and security personnel. These include compass functions, barometer, altimeter. Weather warning and the red backlight (essential for night vision devices) round off the concept.

• Durable materials: Made from high-quality and durable materials such as aluminium and mineral glass to withstand the rigours of use.

• Shock resistance: The Suunto Core Alpha Stealth is shock resistant to withstand the rigours of the field. It can operate at temperatures from -20° C to +60° C / -5° F to +140° F and has a storage temperature of -30° C to +60° C / -22° F to +140° F.

• Water resistant: The watch is water resistant up to 30 metres.

The clock and its functions in a nutshell

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• Double time
• Alarm clock
• Countdown timer
• Stopwatch timer
• Barometric altitude
• Altitude chart
• Sea level pressure
• Sea level pressure graph
• Weather trend display
• Sunrise/sunset times
• temperature
• Storm alarm

For whom is the Suunto Core Alpha Stealth interesting?

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• Military and security personnel: The watch is particularly suitable for military and security personnel who require specialised functions for tactical operations.

• Outdoor enthusiasts: Adventurers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a durable watch with advanced features could benefit from the Suunto Core Alpha Stealth.

• Tactical and sports enthusiasts: People interested in tactical equipment or involved in sports such as orienteering and outdoor adventures may be attracted to the features of this watch.

Tested in nine procedures

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On the company’s website you will find the following military standard tests for this watch.

1. test method 500.6 - low pressure (altitude)
2. test method 501.7 - High temperature, operational
3. test method 502.7 - Low temperature, operational
4. test method 503.7 - temperature shock
5. test method 507.6 - Humidity 6 Test method 510.7 - Dust
6. test method 516.8 - shock 8 Test method 516.8 - Drop
7. test method 521.4 - ice/freezing rain

This shows what adverse conditions this watch is designed to withstand, so there is nothing to stop it being used for snow hiking or a trip through the forests of Finland.

Altimeter, barometric pressure, compass and temperature

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The watch offers some nice features for someone who likes hiking in the mountains, in the forest or simply spends a lot of time outdoors. These include an altimeter and a barometer. Both should be set once and can then be used. Based on the included barometer, there is also a severe weather warning that appears if the air pressure changes upwards or downwards in a short period of time. The weather data can also be entered in the logbook. The temperature display is correct, but unfortunately not when the watch is worn on the arm. There it is usually about 10 degrees centigrade more. However, when camping and bivouacking in summer and winter, you can hang the watch on your tent at night and thus have a functional thermometer.

Then there is the red display illumination

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The red display / light is a real eye-catcher. And has the background that you can read the time as a hunter or at night with the night vision device. As the red light is not affected. So everything is displayed clearly and distinctly. But that wasn’t the reason for me, I’m not a hunter or a soldier. But I have to admit that the red light is “sexy” and can be easily recognised in the dark. So for me it’s more the aesthetic factor.

Fluorescent indicators

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The watch has fluorescent indicators on the bezel. This is rotatable and has grey indicators for compass / cardinal points. This not only looks good, but is also very practical at night.

For whom is this watch suitable?

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The Suunto Core Alpha Stealth is therefore a watch for demanding environments and for those who are looking for a reliable, functional and robust watch. With its militant military look, you can also stand out from the crowd.

What I don’t like about this watch

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Where there are good things, there are usually also some bad points. For me, this was mainly the setting up of the watch, especially the compass. Even if all the standard functions are quickly set up and easy to understand. The compass took a while. Ultimately, the 360 rotation, which calibrates the compass, must not be done too slowly, which I didn’t realise at first. In addition, the beeps are not always easy to understand, at least at the beginning. Why was there a hint now? Oh yes, altimeter has changed to barometer ….

But you can find some helpful articles on YouTube. And some things are self-explanatory or you can study the enclosed instructions a second time.

That’s why I think the watch is as good as it is

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The watch is minimalist yet comprehensive. Ideal for the outdoors. The look and the certain presence on the arm should not be underestimated. I like that. I also think it’s great that you can take a step back with it, not everything always has to be compatible or connected to the smartphone. Outdoor also means a certain understanding of nature and the environment.

You can find more information about the watch on the manufacturer’s website: https://www.suunto.com/en-gb/Products/sports-watches/suunto-core-alpha/suunto-core-alpha-stealth/ Or on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZg2taGAN48

This is not a promotional article and there is no sponsorship. It was written because great products come from Finland.

Feature Image - Suunto