After years of testing GPS-running watches from many brands, I finally accepted the hard truth that Garmins watches are far superior in fitness. Many companies have failed. Garmin would be my choice if I needed to track a workout, or map a run.
One company made me stop a while back. Coros, a California-based company that makes bike helmets, started sponsoring athletes with star power. Coros is worn by Coree Woltering (pro-ultrarunner) who won hearts at the Worlds Toughest Race and ran the Ice Age Trail's fastest time. Eliud Kipchoge holds the marathon's world record.
It's almost like every Nike-signed athlete suddenly moves to a different shoe. What is Eliud Pipchoge doing? It wasn't until Des Linden, who had set a new world time record using a Coros watch, that I realized I couldn't wait any longer. The tech was amazing and I couldn't resist trying it. I was surprised when Coros sent me the Pace 2 and it is now my favorite running watch.
Feathery Friend
Let's begin with the most notable feature. The Pace 2's weight is very light. It is light at 29 grams. This makes it lighter than the Garmin Forerunner 45, its closest competitor. It's so lightweight that I barely noticed it was there.
Photograph by Coros
To save weight, you can also swap out the silicone perforated band for a nylon version. However, I prefer the ease of handwashing sweat from a nylon band with soap and rinsing silicone bands to the convenience of handwashing. It is possible to get irritation from your wrist with your fitness tracker.
Two buttons are found on the Coros watch, compared to five on Garmin's. The buttons rotate like a digital crown and scroll through activities. One button selects the highlighted option. The last button navigates back to previous steps. It is easy to use.
The screen is also simple. The Pace 2 screen is simpler than Garmins' clear, bright, memory-in-pixel LCD display. This allows you to customize and tinker with the screen. Although you can select different faces and choose your color scheme, your options are limited. It's the way I like it. Sports watches don't need to have the most advanced screens. An LCD screen is fine.
A low-energy component is an LCD screen, which I found particularly useful when camping. My family loves to be outdoors, so it is frustrating when your battery dies while you are out on a hike or other outdoor activity. I was impressed by the Garmin Instinct Solar's ability to charge your battery with solar power. However, it is not necessary to do this if the battery is extremely long-lasting.
