If you’re into running, cycling, or generally tracking every bead of sweat your body produces, Suunto’s latest kit might have caught your eye. The Suunto Race 2 smartwatch and Suunto Wing 2 headphones are aimed squarely at outdoor adventurers who like their gadgets tough, smart, and built to go the distance. But for those of us who maybe aren’t exercising as intensely, how do they shape up for day-to-day use? And can Suunto roll with the pack leaders like Samsung and Apple?
Whether you’re training for your first marathon or you’re 50km deep in the world of ultrarunning, this guide will help you decide whether Suunto’s latest duo fits your lifestyle.
WHAT ARE THEY?
Founded over 80 years ago by a Finnish adventurer, Suunto has always been at the forefront of adventure and activity-led technology. Part of their brand identity and DNA are the principles of: accuracy, robustness, reliability, design and being Finnish to the core.
Fresh on the market for us Aussies, Suunto introduces the new Suunto Race 2, the latest edition of its flagship performance GPS watch, redesigned for improved wearability, functionality, and future scalability and the Suunto Wing 2, second-generation open-ear bone conduction headphones. Together, Suunto aims to empower athletes and adventurers (and us everyday people) to train smarter, feel stronger, and stay safer.
DESIGN & QUALITY
Kicking things off with the Race 2 which definitely feels like it’s been machined for purpose. The stainless steel bezel and case showcase durability with sapphire glass, a robust case and straps designed to shrug off sweat and mud. It’s chunky by everyday watch standards at 12.5mm thick and 49mm across, but that thickness is functional: encasing a larger battery, stronger GPS antenna and more space for sensors.
The Wing 2 uses a wraparound design with a lightweight frame resting on the cheekbones and behind the ears in order to work as a bone-conducting headset. Bone conduction transmits sound through vibrations on your cheekbones/temples rather than through the ear canal. The big advantages are that you hear ambient sound such as traffic and other people, and your ears not being blocked are safer for outdoor activities. The titanium and silicone frame ensures stability during intense workouts or simply your work commutes.
THE DAY-TO-DAY
Back to the Race 2 and by far and away this writer’s favourite part about it is the exceptional battery life. Suunto claims that for daily use it lasts 16 days… let that sink in for a moment when compared to certain other brands that require daily charging. Sure, there’s no call or text reply functionality on your wrist, but still being able to receive notifications that come to your device plus the advanced exercise functionality, 16 days is truly impressive. In the real-world this claim was true with the device going for 15 days before it hit a low enough percentage to alert that it needs to be charged.
With the Race 2, Suunto opted for a bright AMOLED screen that’s easy to read in harsh sunlight when in outdoor use. We found the screen is responsive, with clear, customisable data fields during activities however the button functions when paired with the screen took some getting used to. For example pushing the top button from the home screen takes you into the most recent activity you did, but the lower one only goes into the control panel. Annoyingly the only way to put the device on do not disturb was to scroll through that menu and select it rather than having a quick option.
The on-device UI menus lean utilitarian rather than flashy. Good if you want quick access to sport modes and metrics; less good if you want a polished smartwatch experience. You still get notifications functionality to both Android and Apple devices. Don’t expect contactless payments, advanced third-party apps, or an app store like you’d get on full smartwatches.
When it comes to training features and customisability; this is where Race 2 earns its stripes. There’s a huge (115+) selection of sports modes and profiles with customisable data pages and auto-lap/lap alerts. Navigation & route guidance gives you turn-by-turn routing, breadcrumb trails and watch-based course following. Rerouting and map detail are good for most outdoor adventures; perhaps not quire as refined as dedicated navigation devices but perfectly fine for trail-running, hiking or cycling. You just need to log it into the app prior and away you go.
As mentioned before, the wraparound design of the Wing 2 means that it’s generally comfortable for long runs, though the fit is subjective; however at just 35 grams, they are barely noticeable once on your head. It is nice and stable, with it staying put during this writer’s circuit classes and a couple of runs with minimal bounce compared to many true wireless buds. It’s also IP-rated with water/sweat resistance, so it means they’re fine in rain and for heavy sweating.
Sound quality is better than expected from the open-ear design, however in areas of dense traffic the music was almost completely drowned out. When it was able to be heard the quality was clear and nicely balanced against the background of the outside world. Dual mics and a wind filter (up to 30km/h) worked well for phone calls and it was pretty neat to be able to skip songs with a simple shake of the head (twice). You can also connect your Suunto Wing 2 to the Suunto app to fully personalise your experience. Doing things like fine-tune audio settings, customise the intelligent LED light modes, and install the latest software updates.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS
Both of these devices are impressive when it comes to the sheer volume of features, it’s an almost overwhelming spec list. Caveating as well that this writer didn’t even scratch the surface of capability limits of both in the short time for review (and through not being physically able to run a marathon… yet). Suunto has historically prioritised reliable GPS and altimetry; the Race 2 continues that trend.
GPS performance means solid lock times and consistent track recording, even through tree cover or urban canyons. On-wrist optical HR monitors are good for steady-state and tempo runs. Suunto’s user interface is training-led which means that menus lean utilitarian rather than flashy which works well if you want quick access to sport modes and metrics; but is less good if you want a polished smartwatch experience.
On the companion Suunto app and cloud web portal is where post-workout analysis lives. Logbooks, heatmaps, route planning and multisport summaries are intuitive but sometimes less feature-rich than something like Garmin Connect or the growing Apple ecosystem. Third party apps like Strava, TrainingPeaks and other services are supported, which is crucial for those who use a coach or rely on third-party analysis.
Where Wing 2 stands out is battery and safety: integrated LED lights for visibility, simple playback controls on the frame and easy pairing modes. Bone conduction will never match sealed in-ear drivers for deep bass or noise isolation, but Wing 2 pushes the category forward. Mids and vocals are clear and articulate; podcasts and calls are very listenable when the environment allows but the bass and dynamics are weak compared to sealed headphones. For running with steady beats the experience is fine, but audiophiles will notice the compromise.
WORKING AS A PAIR
Pairing is straightforward. Once connected, you can control audio from the watch, get simple media metadata on the display, and start workouts that automatically push data to the Suunto app.
Start a run on the Race 2, control your playlist on the Wing 2 and focus on pacing — the workflow is smooth and keeps distractions minimal. The real benefit is a cohesive training experience without juggling multiple apps and devices mid-run.
VERDICT
With the new Race 2 and Wing 2 devices Suunto has doubled down on what it does best: rugged, training-centric hardware with reliable tracking. The Race 2 is an excellent tool for athletes who need trustworthy GPS, solid battery life and real navigation features. It’s less of a daily tech gadget and more of a training companion. If you want more smartwatch features there is stiffer competition from Garmin and Apple. However this reviewer has found the Race 2 more than capable as a daily wear and will not be returning to the competition.
The Wing 2 complements that companion approach with a safety-focused audio solution. It won’t replace your hi-fi headphones, but for its intended use, being aware of your surroundings while getting some audio motivation, it’s one of the best open-ear options I’ve used. For better audio fidelity and active noise-cancelling: premium true wireless earbuds are the way to go but lose ambient awareness that the Wing 2’s provide.
If you want a competent setup that prioritises training and outdoor safety over flash and lifestyle features, the Race 2 and Wing 2 together make a compelling package for the hybrid user and are definitely worthy of consideration for any consumer.
What are we Addicted to? Excellent battery life (Race 2), Accurate GPS & altimetry (Race 2), Rugged build (Race 2), Extensive sport modes (Race 2)
Open-ear bone conduction (Wing 2), In-built safety such as LED lights and traffic awareness (Wing 2), Simple controls & quick pairing (Wing 2)
What do we need to be more Addicted? Limited smartwatch features (Race 2), Bulky on smaller wrists (Race 2)
Sound leakage (Wing 2), Headband fit is not adjustable (Wing 2)
Ideal for trail runners, ultra-marathoners, and daily trainers Suunto has over 120 local retailers in NSW, SA, QLD, VIC, WA etc, making it easy for Australian fitness lovers to find one in store. For more product information head to suuntoaustralia.com.au/.
Suunto Race 2: $899 , Suunto Wing 2: $299