Suunto's new Vertical GPS watch is designed for long-lasting outdoor adventures

With 60-day battery life and offline mapping, the Garmin Enduro 2 has a new rival

Suunto is no stranger to the world of outdoor GPS watches, and it's now pulled back the curtain on its latest, the Suunto Vertical.

Like the Garmin Enduro 2 - a watch we rate as the current top pick for those who value long-lasting power and navigation features - the Vertical's headline features are the 60-day battery life (in everyday mode) and offline mapping.

However, there's plenty more here that appears to make it a compelling rival to Garmin's best effort, and Suunto appears to have doubled down on delivering a design that's built to take anything you throw at it.

The Vertical has been tested against military standards (MIL-STD-810H), can survive in water pressures equivalent to 100m deep, and is offered in either a steel or titanium case.

In order to help the 1.4-inch display remain a bit more scratch-resistant, each version also comes with a sapphire glass covering.

You will naturally have to pay a bit more for the titanium version, but that extra outlay will also net you solar charging, which should bump the battery life up even further.

It's available for $840/£735, while the standard steel model is $630/£560.

When it comes to actual features, the Vertical also packs everything you would expect from a top outdoor fitness tracker.

The free offline color mapping shows road surface types, paths, water, and landmarks, while the altimeter, barometer, compass (ABC) sensors, and alerts for changing weather conditions are all on hand to help you navigate on the fly.

Route planning from the companion app is also available, for those who want to plan ahead.

The tracking is also powered by a dual-band GNSS system, which should mean it's super accurate, and, even in its most accurate setting, Suunto suggests battery life for the Vertical tops out at an impressive 85 hours.

The two editions officially arrive on 16 May, with pre-ordering open now via Suunto, and we'll be looking to put it through its paces over the coming weeks and months.

We can't promise to test every one of those 95 sports tracking modes, though.

In challenging environments, the weather can change quickly and unexpectedly. The Vertical takes matters into its own hands, packing in an altimeter, barometer, and compass to help you find your bearings. It also syncs up with the latest weather reports for accurate data, and will send alerts for storms, sunset, and sunrise.

Suunto’s latest watch can tackle everyday activities back at home, too. It offers over 95 different sports tracking modes, ranging from running and cycling to swimming and skiing. And how can it handle all of this? With a whopper of a battery, of course! You can squeeze 85 hours of exercise tracking out of the Vertical on its most accurate GPS setting. If that wasn’t impressive enough, you can eek this out to 60 days in the everyday mode. Plus, the titanium models come with solar charging, helping you juice up on the move.

Need a seriously high-specced tracker for your next outdoor adventure? Suunto’s new Vertical GPS watch is available to pre-order directly from the brand as of 9 May. The standard stainless-steel model is available in four colours from $630/£560, while the more premium titanium model with solar charging starts at $840/£735. All eight models will make their way on to wrists on 16 May.

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