This is the best watch for running

By Henry Howard

I am so glad I made the switch to Coros watches years ago. At first, I was attracted to their extended battery life but have discovered even more about Coros that separates it from other brands.

Among what I love about Coros is its customer service. Recently, my older Coros watch fell under a recall. I was able to exchange it and pay a bit extra for an upgrade to a Coros Apex 2 Pro. I could have just made an exchange for the Coros Apex 2 but the extra cash was worth it to get an even better watch.

This review of the Coros Apex 2 Pro was not part of the upgrade, nor am I an ambassador for Coros at this time. This is an independent review of my new favorite watch.

Why Coros is the best watch for running

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to independently test at least four different brands of watches. After doing so, it became clear to me that Coros was clearly the best choice.

The Apex 2 Pro continues the legacy of amazing battery life with up to 75 hours depending on the mode (25 hours for multiband usage though).

Beyond that, it syncs flawlessly and is intuitive to use.

As a frequent work traveler, I often find myself in new locations, sometimes in big cities and other times in rural areas. That’s where Coros shines. It rarely takes more than 20 seconds for the GPS to connect, allowing me to start my run quickly, rather than waiting for a signal. I’ve experienced that frustration with a previous well-known brand I had.

Additionally, the navigation is straight-forward and there are plenty of other options, which I don’t take advantage of. Among them: a revamped heart rate sensor and heart rate variability readings, offline maps, WiFi and the ability to manually upload MP3 files from a computer, and then connect and pair Bluetooth headphones to it. I don’t imagine more than a few people are actually manually loading MP3 files onto anything these days. But if you are one of them, then score!

About the Coros Apex 2 Pro

The immediate change I noticed about the Coros Apex 2 Pro was the fabric wrist strap that attaches with Velcro. As someone with skinny wrists, this is a perfect solution as the fit is much more customized. No more issues with either having the watch on too loose or cutting off circulation to my hand.

The Apex 2 Pro has a 1.3” screen, revamped optical heart rate sensor, 32GB of storage, pre-loaded maps, and options for multi-pitch climbing activities.

Its workout modes includes Run, Indoor Run, Trail Run, Track Run, Hike, Walk, Multi-Pitch, Mtn Climb, Bike, Indoor Bike, Pool Swim, Open Water, Speedsurfing, Windsurfing, Rowing, Indoor Rower, Whitewater, Flatwater, Triathlon, Strength, Jump Rope, Gym Cardio, GPS Cardio, Ski, Snowboard, XC Ski, Ski Touring, Multisport.

Whew.

Regardless of the workout, it’s easy to get started.

After you unlock the watch, tap the middle button (digital crown) and you will see the workout options listed above. Scroll through with the digital crown to choose your activity. Press the middle button again, and the watch will beep quickly and you can be on your way.

Odds and ends

Some other things to note:

• Sleep data: The watch, like most others now, also measures sleep as a way to provide data on recovery. While I have not tested this myself, there are concerns by independent testers on the reliability of the sleep data that any watches or other trackers produce. While the technology is improving, don’t put too much stake in what the numbers reveal. As with training, listen to your body and how you feel.

• Recovery time: In addition to the workout data, which syncs easily with Strava, you will also receive training load and recovery stats. Those will appear on both the watch and the app. You’ll see recommended timed for recovery, as well as fatigue and other elements, as part of Coros’s Evolab. (For a refresher on Evolab, here’s my story on Coros CEO Lewis Wu, who discusses the then-new feature and much more.)

• Zwift pairing: I’m fairly new to Zwift and still have a lot to learn about it. However, I do know that the Coros Apex 2 Pro will transition your heart rate and running pace metrics from the watch to Zwift and similar options. I haven’t tried pairing it yet but it sounds promising.