GEAR REVIEW: COROS Pace 2
Posted on September 11 2020
Firstly the snazzy launch video..........
There are now quite a number of reviews now online for the COROS Pace 2 but we have been running with it since before the official launch so let us share our particular view of the watch.
Since COROS hit the market a couple of years ago they have absolutely led the pack in terms of price and battery life. At that time I owned a Garmin Fenix 5 Plus and felt I was getting state of the art technology. I competed in the Mont Blanc 90k race in Chamonix and my watch managed to cut off the last 12 k of the race. Maybe I should run faster but after shelving out the considerable wedge I was not impressed.
Then came COROS. The rest is history as they say (as is my Fenix 5 Plus)
This last week COROS launched the PACE 2, a complete remake of their entry level GPS watch but to call it that is doing it a complete disservice. This is a fantastically capable watch. RRP in Hong Kong is $1799
The target market here is definitely road running, triathlon and other road, track and gym based sports. What it misses is mountain sports, such as skiing etc. As for trail running, it does have a barometer so it will record your elevation very well but it misses the ability to download maps and navigate. For some people important. For that you need to step up to the APEX range at $2899.
While the price of the PACE might put it at a comparable price point to the Garmin 245 what you get here is a watch with a 30 hour true GPS capability (6 hours more that the Garmin 245) and a practical use battery life of around 20 days.
To me, battery life is probably the single most important factor in choosing a GPS watch. Not because I want to do very long races but because of the fantastic simplicity of not having to charge it constantly. Even when you do charge COROS watches they charge in less than an hour back to full charge.
The other compelling feature about the PACE 2 for many people will be the weight. At 29g with the nylon strap, it is marketed as the lightest GPS watch on the market. For many road runners, keen to avoid any interference with their running shape, this may well be a big plus.
With a 42mm bezel it will also work well for people with smaller wrists who do not like a large display on their arm.
COROS, like most GPS watch providers us transflective LCD technology meaning the display is able to reflect back some of the ambient light without the need to have the backlight on (hence saving battery life). With the PACE 2, even compared to other COROS models they seem to have enhanced this technology as the display is very easy to read. The reason for this is one of the upsides of not choosing sapphire glass. Sapphire glass is very hard wearing but has lower transmission rates than other glass. So while the potential for scratching is higher with the Pace 2, you do get a more readable display.
If this is your first GPS watch, you may well be daunted by the technology, but there is no need to be. The User Interface on the watch, the pairing procedure with the App, the uploading of runs, the connection to other apps like STRAVA and Training Peaks could not be easier and more intuitive. Hardly worth reading the instructions. Download the app, read a QR code on the watch and everything else is done for you.
The COROS app is also a breeze.
After you have completed your run, you will be presented with a whole range of data in the App.
Clicking on any of the metrics brings up a detailed explanation of how it will help you improve your running.
Also at the same time as the global launch of PACE 2, COROS announced a major upgrade of their software. Version 2.30 now effectively integrates power measurement into the watch and provides complete compatibility with STRYD.
If you would like to understand how training with POWER can help you please take a look at our other BLOG on the COROS POD HERE .
All in all, if you are looking for your first GPS watch this is a fabulous, value for money package which is a great way to get into GPS monitoring of your runs and workouts. However, even if you are a seasoned runner, who wants a great value for money package that brings you a range of metrics to improve your running, this can really work well too. With full compatibility to both the COROS Pod and the STRYD meter, you will be able to get a huge amount of data that will be useful for you.
Take a look at what you can get with each combination:
We really recommend this watch to you but if you want a broader assessment of what is on the market, read our BLOG HERE to help you choose WhichWatch4You
You can buy the PACE 2 HERE
The COROS POD HERE
2 comments
wsoXqclOPjbDHk
fNRvcdTu