Relating to selecting the best look ahead to operating, the choices can really feel overwhelming. There’s no one-size-fits-all reply as a result of the watch relies on your particular person preferences and coaching objectives. I’ve been loving the COROS Apex 2 Professional, and I’ve to confess, it’s dusty pink shade is what first caught my eye. However is it the improve you want?
Past the aesthetics, what really stands outs about this watch is it’s spectacular battery life and the completely different metrics it provides to maintain me on observe with my coaching. As a marathon runner, who infrequently will practice for a triathlon, the Apex 2 Professional helped me to do all of the issues.
Let’s check out the COROS Apex 2 Professional after which we’ll soar in do a comparability of the Apex 2 Professional vs Tempo 3.
COROS Apex 2 Professional Evaluation
Over the previous few years I’ve skilled with the wide selection of COROS watches from finances pleasant all the best way to excessive finish, which has given me a vergy good sense of the completely different options and match.
The Apex 2 Professional is taken into account the last word outside sports activities watch, but it surely doesn’t have that tremendous cumbersome or heavy look like different multi-sport or journey watches (i.e the Garmin Enduro which we do love, however is a hunk!).
This watch was constructed to go on adventures within the mountains and have the ability to face up to the temperatures and tough terrain. As COROS described it, the Apex 2 Professional balances sturdiness and performance.
This watch might be an ideal match whether or not you’re hitting the roads for a marathon or the paths for an extremely. However let’s dive extra into the options earlier than you make that ultimate resolution.
Customary Apex 2 Professional Options
The COROS Apex 2 Professional actually does supply all the bells and whistles doable, so right here’s a fast overview of what to anticipate.
As all the time, you should have simply the only dial on the aspect for controlling entry to screens and information. I personally discovered this straightforward to make use of, however as famous I’ve worn a ton of Coros watches. Others discover it complicated to not have your commonplace 4 aspect buttons for begin, cease, laps, and so forth.
- GPS for run, bike, swim, path run and extra
- Choices to trace different sorts of exercises
- Twin-frequency GPS
- Step monitoring, sleeping monitoring
- Wrist based mostly HR monitor
- Music controls- play offline music when paired with Bluetooth headsets
- Water-proof
- Treadmill calibration
- Means to program exercises and threshold zones
- Night time mode
- Altitude Mode
- Touchscreen-enabled map management
COROS Options
There are lots of coaching options which can be out there throughout all COROS gadgets. The Apex 2 Professional being on the upper finish of their watches does have just a few further options like an extended battery life, an even bigger exercise library and an additional button.
Right here’s a breakdown of some of the options that can assist you make the choice about that $449 price ticket.
Wrist Based mostly HR
This has been fairly correct however I did discover that within the colder months right here in Colorado cadence lock was extra prone to happen. I nonetheless will pair my watch with both a chest strap or arm coronary heart fee monitor in order that it’s persistently correct.
This is among the large drawbacks for Coros, they haven’t nailed HR readings. Not that any watch is ideal, however their tech appears to be fairly far off. So if you wish to practice by HR, you completely want an exterior monitor.
I’ve used the Coros Armband a ton and really feel actually good with it, Coach Amanda tends to choose the Polar HR Armband, so it’s actually a private choice. They’ll all sync as much as nearly any watch.
Exercise Modes
This watch was designed with the athlete who needs to do all of it in thoughts. There are alternatives for something from operating, to triathlon to outside climbing, the record goes on.
You may even create a customized exercise to trace your entire exercises for extra correct metrics.
Treadmill Mode
It doesn’t matter what watch you’re utilizing it’s by no means going to be correct on the treadmill. It could’t use GPS and it’s going to use your stride fee or arm actions however even that’s only a guess.
There are just a few choices when utilizing the Apex 2 professional:
- Calibrate function to replace your ultimate distance earlier than hitting save
- Setting the pace in your watch earlier than hitting begin. You can too hit the pause button and alter all through the run. The one unfavorable factor about that is that it solely enhance each .5 mph
- Including a foot pod to assist get a extra correct studying
Time beyond regulation should you use the calibrate function the watch ought to begin to get nearer to being extra correct together with your treadmill runs.
Battery Life
Like with all the COROS watches, they’ve an unbelievable battery life. Whereas there are such a lot of options on the watch, the battery life might be on the prime of my favourite record. I don’t have to fret about needing to cost my watch day by day and even weekly.
For the Apex 2 Professional you possibly can anticipate:
- 21 days of standard use
- 66 hours of full GPS
I’ve gone by marathon and triathlon coaching cycles with their watches and am all the time impressed with how far I can stretch the time between costs.
Coaching Options
There are two newer options to the COROS ecosystem that can assist you practice and even carry out higher on race day and they’re each out there on the Apex 2 Professional.
Digital Pacer
In the event you’re focusing on a aim time for a distance that’s 5k or longer, you possibly can arrange the Digital Pacer earlier than you toe the beginning line.
You’ll have the ability to see in your watch face all through your race how you’re doing together with your pacing to hit your aim goal.
- Open Run mode in your watch
- Choose Digital Pacer
- Set goal distance and time
The factor I like greatest is that the watch will not be going to continually beep at you should you’re in or out of vary. I’ve had a structured exercise arrange prior to now throughout races and that fixed beeping simply made me increasingly anxious!
Extender Characteristic
As a substitute of getting to look down on the small watch face throughout a exercise, you possibly can have actual time information in your telephone display to maintain observe of the place you’re. That is tremendous useful when indoor coaching on the bike, rower and even a power exercise!
Customise Information Screens
In the event you love information, you’ll admire the countless metrics out there proper in your watch throughout any exercise. But when an excessive amount of information feels overwhelming and takes away from having fun with your runs, you possibly can customise your watch face to maintain it easy, exhibiting solely the small print that matter most to you.
It’s tremendous straightforward to customise the info in your screens by completely different exercise profiles and even your day by day information.
- Distance and Elevation
- Tempo, Lap Tempo, Effort Tempo, Pace
- Coronary heart Price, Avg HR, Max HR, Lactate HR
- Energy
- Working Type (cadence, stride, floor time)
- Coaching Load
- Time
When you end a exercise, you possibly can pull up your post-run information and see what your Effectivity Rating, Coaching Load and different metrics had been. It should even present you what your greatest mile and common tempo was for your entire exercise.
You may scroll by the abstract screens instantly after your exercise or go to your exercise historical past to assessment a earlier exercise from that month.
Who’s the Apex 2 Professional Greatest For?
This watch goes to cater to a variety of runners. It may be an ideal possibility for newbie runners however remember that all the further options and metrics might be overwhelming.
This is the reason we regularly suggest the $149 entry degree watch to a ton of parents. Paying further received’t make you a greater runner. 😉
The watch is fairly straightforward to make use of proper out of the field however the app or coaching hub might take a while getting used to. However I feel that’s going to be the case with no matter watch model you utilize.
In the event you’re a multi-sport athlete, triathlete or an adventurer this shall be an ideal watch selection!
On the flipside, should you’re actually used to utilizing a Garmin or Polar with the 4 aspect buttons, it may be actually tough to change to only a dial on the aspect. Coach Amanda has examined a variety of GPS watch and simply by no means fell in love with Coros as a result of navigation on display and HR monitoring.
COROS Apex 2 Professional vs COROS Tempo 3
The standout distinction between the watches is the value tag, what the watch is made out of and battery life. However here’s a aspect by aspect comparability to place it on paper for you!
Apex 2 Professional
- GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS
- Sapphire glass display and titanium alloy cowl (making the watch heavier and sturdy)
- 1.3 inch show, touchscreen
- 21 days smartwatch mode
- 66 hours in GPS mode
- In depth record of exercise modes
- $449
Tempo 3
- GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS
- Mineral glass display and fiber bolstered polymer cowl (making the watch extra light-weight)
- 1.2 inch show, touchscreen
- 15 days smartwatch mode
- 38 hours in GPS mode
- $229
The Tempo 3 is barely 30 grams whereas the Apex 2 Professional is 53 grams, so chances are you’ll actually love that tremendous light-weight really feel. It could make it extra comfy for all day put on, together with sleep.
They’re truthfully each nice watches but it surely comes all the way down to what you want. I do know that there was lots of data above so listed below are the fast notes for who’s the best consumer.
COROS Apex 2 Professional: Ideally suited for path runners, ultramarathoners, and outside lovers who want superior navigation and an prolonged battery life
COROS Tempo 3: Appropriate for street runners, newbie athletes, and people looking for a light-weight, high-performing watch at a extra reasonably priced worth level
The place to purchase the COROS Apex 2 Professional and Tempo 3?
Discover the COROS Apex 2 Professional right here >>$449 at each REI and Amazon
Discover the COROS Tempo 3 right here >> $229 at each REI and Amazon
There’s our assessment in regards to the COROS Apex 2 Professional and the way it compares to the Tempo 3. We hope that this helps together with your resolution if you’re on the fence about what watch to get!
Nonetheless fascinated with your choices? Right here some additional information to assist:
