I after drooling over this watch for two years wishing I had one, I finally got one and have had my Advizor for two months now. All I can say is that if I had known how cool this thing really was, I would have shelled out the $300 a long time ago. Each one of the features listed above does everything you could want. The Heart Rate Monitor has target zone settings, average workout heart rate, highest and lowest hear rate, and more. The Altimeter tells your rate of ascent, total vertical climb and stores all the data from recent workouts in memory. The coolest feature is that it will store your heart rate, altitude and rate of ascent/decent at intervals from 20 seconds to ten minutes so that after a workout you can scroll though and see how your heart rate was affected by altitude and acent rate. I got completely geeky with this information after one workout, and I typed it all into my computer so I could see what it looked like. The only drawback to the Advizor is that it gives you so much information, it would be great if you could download it directly to a computer for analysis. There is no PC link, so any analysis has to be done on the watch or typed in by hand. But other than that, this gizmo is perfect. No problems at all so far and I use the thing for two workouts a day. I am a cross country ski racer and for a long time I had thought that this would be the perfect training aid for endurance athletes and now that I have tried it I know that it is. 5 stars

I ordered this watch to use during my Army Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) 20 Nov-13 Dec 2001 class. My intent was to use it as my primary compass, just as I had the used my Suunto 'analong'wrist companss as my primary during IOBC and Ranger schools. The Advizor failed me in that aspect. Its North pointing arrow is a digital dot, opposed by a digital "tail" of three dots on the south side, making it a cool tool and a toy, but not a precision instrument. Hence, I could not rely on such a civilian system to earn me my SF selection. I ended up using the army issue compass to find my points on the STAR and the TREK. Since then, I use the compass when I am driving, or when I am lost in the underground road system in my city, where the Sun is not visible.

As for other elements, I use the heart rate monitor for my runs. That is the most use that I get out of my watch. But it is very very complicated, in that I have yet to learn how to opbtain the highest pulse, as well as the average pulse per workout.. The altimeter and barometer functions are useless to me, as the terrain in my area is so diverse, that terrain association alone can locate me within 50m of my location.

So for you soldiers out there, Suunto analog wrist compass (do not recall the actual name) that is available in AAFES clothing store is your best bet for compass. This watch is useful only if you are out to get a heart rate monitor, but wouldn't mind paying a bit extra for a "last minute back up compass" that also shows time and air pressure. Oh, it is water resistant only to 30 meters.. So you NAVY SEALs and SF Scuba dudes, stick to your G-Shocks.

Krusader, Out. 3 stars

I have owned this watch for about a year and a half, and it has been great. I liked the heart rate monitor for cross country running (although I didn't "use" it exactly - I tried it out and though it was cool, but didn't go so far as to incorporate it into training.) The altimeter is great - I like to use it as a reference for orienting myself on a map (if you're lost on a trail, find your altitude, match it up with that altitude on the trail, you have a rough idea of location). My only complaint is that after awhile the bazelle on the compass wears and breaks off. I have met other people who experienced the same problem. Suunto has a 1 year warranty, so be sure that yours breaks by then so that you can send it in to be replaced. Overall a great watch. My dad gave it to me as a present so I can't complain about the price (which is very steep). 4 stars

2nd Suunto. 1st was a Vector bought in 2000 that I abused pretty good before having to get another (water seal was damaged and it took on water during a kayaking trip). Doubt I'll ever use the heart monitor in the mountains but it is excellent for training. Highly recommended. 5 stars

I've had my Suunto Advizor for 16 months. I am now in Iraq and the bezel is broken-off, like the other reviewer. I dont have my receipt. You can go to the Suunto website, but one thing you won't find there is an address with a note that says:

"send your broken expensive plastic watch here and we will fix it."

My G-shock, by comparison,lasted longer than I wanted it to and cost one-quarter of what the Suunto cost.

So I give the Suunto one star, for being adventure-cool for a while. A lot of other Infantrymen own these, so I jumped on the bandwagon. I wish I had stuck with a regular watch and a GPS (with lensatic compass backup).

1 star