Suunto Race 2 and Vertical 2 gain tides smarter maps and better GPS

Suunto is rolling out software version 2.56.18 to the Race 2 and Vertical 2 with a Tide widget, customisable offline maps and support for up to 200 stored routes. The July 14 release also updates the watches’ GNSS firmware, adds new training options and expands the Suunto app, although older Suunto models are not included.

Offline maps become much more useful

The biggest changes are reserved for maps and navigation. Street, trail, path, river and stream names can now be displayed directly on offline maps, making it easier to work out exactly where you are without repeatedly checking the phone app.

Suunto has also added controls for individual map layers. Contour lines, buildings, points of interest and place names can be shown or hidden depending on what you want to see, with the selected layout remembered for each sport mode.

Route storage has increased from 15 to as many as 200 routes on the watch. Suunto says particularly detailed routes can use more memory, so the practical limit may be closer to 170 for owners with a large collection of complex courses.

Off-route guidance has received a visual adjustment as well. The distance shown when you leave a planned route is now larger and easier to read while moving.

Updated GNSS firmware targets faster and more accurate tracking

The release updates the Sony GNSS chipset firmware used by both watches. Suunto says this should shorten satellite acquisition times and improve the quality of recorded tracks.

Distance calculations have also been adjusted on the Race 2. Some activities could previously produce slightly shorter distances than those recorded by the Vertical 2, the original Race and other dual-band GPS watches, so the new algorithm is intended to bring those results more closely into line.

A new Tide widget brings high and low tide times to the wrist, together with the expected tide height. It uses the watch’s current location, which should make it particularly handy for coastal running, fishing, surfing and other activities where local tide conditions are important.

Training and app changes reach beyond navigation

Elevation goals can now be added to custom sport modes, allowing hikers, runners and cyclists to set an ascent target alongside distance or duration. Heart-rate broadcasting has also become less fiddly because each sport mode remembers whether the setting was enabled during its previous use.

Initial setup should be quicker through QR code pairing, while SuuntoPlus apps are expected to synchronise faster. The official release notes also mention stability improvements and fixes for restarts involving planned workouts and certain SuuntoPlus apps.

More than 20 additions have arrived in the SuuntoPlus Store during the quarter. These include Strength Tracker, Gear Tracker, Cycling Power, Checkpoints, Treadmill Link and Wing Foil.

The Suunto app changes are available more widely and are not restricted to the two watches receiving the firmware. They include new Terrain and City map styles, a personal hub, a redesigned badges view and more control over the appearance of shared activities.

Owners of older Suunto watches are still waiting

Software version 2.56.18 is specifically for the Race 2 and Vertical 2. Suunto says it is trying to optimise the memory available on older watches, but there is currently not enough space to introduce these features.

That leaves owners of the original Race, Race S and Vertical without the new maps, Tide widget and expanded route storage for now. Suunto has not promised that the features will reach those models or provided a timetable for another update.

The rollout is staged, so version 2.56.18 may not appear on every eligible watch immediately. Owners who do not see it yet will need to wait for their watch to be included in the rollout.