As astute readers know, I don’t go in for fancy watches. My resistance to the cult of the GPS watch is not solely attributable to my Luddite tendencies. My complaint with most GPS watches is that they are too expensive, too big, too complex, and with too little battery life.
The Coros Pace 2 fixes most of these problems. It is a GPS watch that just does the basics but does the basics well. Below is my short review of the Pace 2 after using it for a few months. If you prefer an ultra-detailed take, check out DC Rainmaker’s extremely in-depth review.
First, let’s talk about what the Pace 2 will not do.
- Zero navigation functions. If you rely on a wristwatch to not get lost (a questionable idea), this watch is no bueno.
- The Pace 2 will not play music or run apps. This is not a mini-phone.
- Your special sport may not have a dedicated function. If you are into some niche sport and think you need a watch for that, fantastic, but look elsewhere.
If, however, all you want is a watch that will tell you how far you have gone, how fast you are moving, how many feet you have climbed, and keep working for a really long time, the Pace 2 hits the spot.
Cost: $200. One of the least expensive GPS watches out there.
GPS Battery Life: 30 hours. This mode takes one GPS reading per second and generates a high-quality track. I ran with a Pace 2 at Western States (using GPS/Glonass/Galileo/QZSS systems, see explanation below), and it still had 4% battery life after 30 hours, so this estimate is accurate at least when the battery is relatively new.
GPS Battery UltraMax Life: 60 hours. In this mode GPS comes on for 30 seconds of every 120 seconds. Algorithms calculate progress for the other 90 seconds. Coros recommends calibrating the compass on the watch before enabling UltraMax. I have had no need to test this mode, but based on the battery life on the regular GPS setting, I suspect it is pretty accurate.
Battery Life Regular: 20 days. I plug it in about once every 10 days, using the GPS a few times a week.
Size and Weight: Light at 35g with the silicone band and not obnoxiously big. Does not snag on clothes while putting on or taking off packs.
GPS Accuracy: The Pace 2 lets you use just GPS system run by the USA or GPS+Glonass (Russia)+Galileo (EU)+ QZSS (Japan). Coros recommends using all of them, but there is a slight battery savings with just using GPS. I use the “all of them” setting. The accuracy has been impressive running known distances around my neighborhood. My Western States track on the Pace 2 was 100.11 miles, while the “official” distance of the race is 100.2 miles.
Altimeter, barometer and vertical accuracy: The watch has a barometric altimeter, which slightly increases the accuracy in the vertical plane. Like all GPS devices, I can tell the Pace 2 is less accurate vertically than it is horizontally as more algorithmic smoothing (how many tiny ups and downs count) goes into calculating vertical. The official Western States vertical climb is 18,090′ while my Pace 2 calculated 16,476′. The barometer has a storm warning quickly dropping pressure.
Functions: Run, Indoor Run, Track Run, Bike, Indoor Bike, Pool Swim, Open Water Swim, Rowing, Indoor Rowing, Flatwater, Triathlon, Strength, Gym Cardo, GPS Cardio, Multisport, Walk, Custom Workouts, Training Plan. The only ones I have used in four months are Run, Bike, and Pool Swim. They work fine. I think one can upload specific training programs into the watch, but honestly, I am unlikely to ever bother.
Syncing: The sync with my phone is easy, and the app is clear and can export to Strava.
Display: Lots of options to customize the display, including big text for old guys who can’t see tiny things anymore. For running I display distance, time of day, elapsed time, current pace, average pace, and current elevation.
What else to say? It does tell time.
For the money and battery life, it will be hard to beat this watch for endurance athletes and backcountry adventurers.
Vamonos Baby! 