Something you don't see every day: a sports tech company actually giving away premium features for free. Suunto's route-planning tool lets you create and download GPX files without even creating an account. No paywall, no trial period—just open the page and start planning routes. And the tool itself works great.
The tool packs in everything you'd expect from a paid service, and then some:
Route creation that uses different map types (outdoor, satellite, even specialized ones for winter and avalanche terrain)
Routing that optimizes for your activity (running, hiking, cycling, mountaineering, roller skating, and more), using actual heat map data from real athletes
Heat map overlays for about a dozen different sports so you can see where people actually go
Elevation profiles with ascent and descent numbers (crucial for not dying on climbs you didn't see coming)
Export routes as GPX files that work with basically any GPS device
Shareable link generation (good for six months) so you can send routes to friends without making them create accounts either
Ability to import and modify existing GPX or FIT files from other platforms
Optional account sync if you own Suunto or Hammerhead gear
You don't even need to be in Suunto's ecosystem to use this. I was able to export a map to my Garmin watch with no problem. If you do have a Suunto or Hammerhead device, you can link your account and routes will sync automatically.
How to use the Suunto Routeplanner
Go to routeplanner.suunto.com. From there, creating a route is pretty straightforward. If you let your browser share your location, it'll center on where you are. If not, just search for wherever you want to start.
The controls on the right side let you switch between map types. The usual suspects are there: outdoor, satellite, light, dark. But then it gets weird in the best ways with a winter map, an avalanche terrain map for backcountry stuff, and, in a show of national pride, a dedicated Finland Terrain map. Respect.
To actually connect points on the map, you have the following options:
Free drawing (no automatic routing)
Any road or path (ideal for activities by foot)
All road types—avoiding hills (ideal for bikes)
All road types (still ideal for bikes)
Paved roads (ideal for road cycling)
After you create your route, you simply download the GPX file and throw it on whatever GPS device you own.
The six-month shareable links are a nice touch too. You can plan a route for a group ride or run, send everyone the link, and they can grab it without jumping through hoops. It's the kind of friction-free sharing that should be standard but somehow isn't.
Why you should try the Suunto Routeplanner
Strava and Komoot have trained users to expect paywalls for route planning. Of course, this could be strategic on Suunto's part, to give away the software in the hopes of selling the hardware. Or maybe it's just goodwill after years of user complaints about Suunto closing their tracking system Movescount. Either way, users win. You get a legitimately useful tool without opening your wallet or handing over your email address.
If you're already paying for route planning elsewhere, try this first. Worst case, you waste five minutes. Best case, you cancel a subscription and pocket the savings. Even if you'e not looking to save money, having another route planning option in your toolkit doesn't hurt.
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