Coros Vertix 2 & Coros Pod 2 – Test and Review 

The Coros Vertix 2 has been a truly dimensional change from any watch I have used in the past. From the impressive multi-day GPS and battery power to outstanding in-depth data, this watch is excellent for adventurous ultra runners and those who want to take their training to a whole new level. 

The watch I tried came in Obsidian Grey but also comes in burnt orange or ‘Lava’ colour. While the watch seems heavy when in your hands, when it’s on your wrist you quickly get used to it and the silicone strap feels rugged and highly practical. The watch itself is easy to use, with three buttons and a natural locking system. Made of sapphire glass and Grade 5 Titanium Alloy with PVD coating it’s robust in every aspect.

With the turn of a button, you can switch through various activities, stretching through many sports including different types of running activity. These are linked to an all-satellite dual-frequency GNSS support (it can talk to all five major satellite systems – GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and Beidou, at the same time!) I found this particularly impressive, as the GPS tended to hold up better in places where other watches would falter.

“It even offers Dual Frequency satellite communication – an express lane for a faster, better signal previously only available in aviation products.”

Coros

The watch screen can pack in more data on one screen. The 1.4-inch screen lets me stay updated with metrics at a glance, with up to 8 data fields on a single page. A fascinating aspect was the global offline mapping system. I downloaded the map onto my watch and used the touchscreen to have incredible on-wrist navigation. Coros offers global offline mapping – Landscape, Topo, and Hybrid modes… perfect for any outdoor adventure.

Finally, when looking for a running watch I want something I can wear around the clock that will give me an idea surrounding my recovery. I found this especially useful as I begin training for ultras for the latter half of this year. The sleep tracker showed me how much REM sleep I had, which is paramount for recovery. I used Vertix 2 to measure my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) straight from the wrist. HRV is an ideal metric for measuring your body’s response to stress and its ability to recover, so I feel like I’m in good hands.

I also enjoyed trying out the Coros Pod 2, which brings next-level accuracy to your data.  It’s super-lightweight and waterproof, I clipped it onto the laces of my shoe (but it can also be placed on clothing), which provided an extra layer of precision to my running data as it connects directly to the Vertix 2 watch I was wearing. 

I always hated it when high buildings or mountains and trees would interfere with the data feed, but the Pod alongside the Coros watch meant I had no data lag, even when there was no GPS signal. It was revolutionary, and I was highly impressed. 

Coros has an exclusive metric called Effort Pace, which is a measurement of the effort the racer is putting in. The Coros Pod 2 provides accuracy to this metric, recognising the changing terrain you may feature in your races.

The Pod 2 can also provide stride height, left/right balance, ground contact time and stride ratio data, which I didn’t particularly need, but more experienced ultra runners who find data interesting and essential to their overall performance, will find this an exciting new step.

With 28 hours of continuous running charge and 168 hours of total running with a charging dock, the Pod provided me with new insight into GPS data and how my body moves during a race. It’s really incredible the sheer amount of information you can get. With the built-in pace alert, my COROS watch when paired with the Pod ensured that I stayed within my targeted pace in real-time.

Overall, the Vertix 2 watch and Coros Pod 2 is excellent for endurance athletes who want the next level regarding their data. As a novice ultra runner, I found it overwhelming sometimes how much information there is on offer. Elite or experienced ultramarathon runners will benefit from this watch’s excellent qualities to help to push their bodies to the next level particularly with its real-time race data. 

COROS VERTIX 2 GPS Watch

Our most capable watch for adventurers who go to the extreme. £599

COROS POD 2 - Run Beyond GPS

Next level accuracy for all runners. £99