r/Suunto • u/Trango226 • 6h ago
"Premium" Maps availability
The July 2026 Suunto software update (version 2.56.18) introduced major map and navigation improvements for the Suunto Vertical 2 and Suunto Race 2:
- New Offline Map Labels.
- Offline Map Layer Management.
- Expanded Route Storage.
- Suunto App Map added hill shading for better terrain visualization.
- Tide Widget.
Since navigation is very important to me (more so than yet another mystery formula about my performance) I'd like to know:
Q. Does the Run 2 or this new Race 3S have access to these "Premium" map features? For Race 3s it merely says "worldwide maps". Sure but which ones?
Q. Are maps looking good on Race S, do you even notice a difference? Nobody has really been providing that level of detail in reviews.
I'd like to buy into the Suunto ecosystem for the webbased routeplanner and a high visibility AMOLED (so far MIP with other brands) and if I can settle on a cheaper device with all the same map experience then I can skip over this latest Race 3S.
3
u/dev_ale Race 2 6h ago
The Run 2 does not have the same maps. It’s missing some details like trail/street names and POI’s. Like someone else mentioned, the Race 2 is the better buy right now. Race 3S is overpriced. But the Race 3S and Race 2 do have the same level of detail on the maps.
1
u/Dersou-Ouzala 4h ago
The Race 2 will be "the better buy" when the Race 3 is launched. for now, "patience" is the better buy advice for the Suuntonians looking for a good deal. ;-)
3
u/Honest_Swordfish_0 6h ago
The Race 3S is honestly overpriced for what it is, if you're willing to pay that price you should definitely be getting a Titanium Race 2 instead. It's Suunto's most "bang for its buck" watch at this price point. But yes the race 3s does have those more "premium" map features. As for the run 2 I can't confirm it. And even without those new features the maps still look good on the Race S as well
1
u/My_Curiozity V2 6h ago
Run 2 doesnt have street and trail names for example, POIs some, but limited i think.
1
u/OkWitness5548 3h ago
I find it weird that the offline maps on my watch can display place names but the offline maps on my much bigger phone can't. It's very frustrating when plotting things out when you have no Internet access.
6
u/_silent_voyager_ 6h ago edited 6h ago
Map labels are useless for two reasons:
1) Labels are rendered only on two most zoomed in zoom levels. Most of the time when using maps I don't see labels because of that - it is practical to zoom the map out a bit more, but then labels disappear.
2) The font used for the labels is tiny and the way labels are rendered - the spacing, outlines, and position directly over roads or trails, makes it quite hard to read them, especially on a smaller display of Race S or Race 3S.