Coros Vertix 2: Smartwatches are more and more present in our everyday life. However, many of these watches reach their limits when it comes to the combination of smart, fitness and navigation. With the Vertix 2, Coros wants to deliver a balanced model that offers all the features that we need on the bike and in other sports. On top of that, you can win this high-end watch in our raffle.
The Californian company Coros has been producing smart products for the performance sports market since 2016. The first smart watch came onto the market in 2018, which has shaped the brand's range ever since.
With the Coros Vertix 2, the manufacturer's top class was presented - a faster processor, larger screen, up to 60 days of battery life, worldwide offline maps and many exciting features. We were able to take a close look at the chic piece and were able to convince ourselves of the strengths and weaknesses of the Vertix 2 on the racing bike and mountain bike.
“By definition, an adventure is an exciting experience. With the VERTIX 2 GPS Adventure Watch, COROS brings you bold innovations and unimaginable evolutions of existing features - all to help you conquer exciting new challenges you might not have even thought of. No matter where your pursuits take you, the VERTIX 2 is always by your side” – Coros
Optics - Large body for lots of technology
As soon as you hold the Vertix 2 in your hand, it becomes clear that this is not a slim and discreet watch. The Vertix is quite large, appearing tall even on wide wrists. But there is a lot of technology in the titanium alloy housing that needs its place. By the way, the body is not made of titanium. This is made of high-quality plastic so that the watch can receive and send data better.
The 64 color memory LCD display with touch screen function is combined with sapphire glass and offers an extremely clear picture. On the edge of the case there are two buttons and a wheel with which you can access all the information and settings of the watch. The strap that goes with the watch is also quite wide and made of a pleasantly snug silicone/nylon mix.
The model provided to us came with a silver watch and an orange strap. Incidentally, the latter can be easily removed and replaced with a clip function. For mountaineers, Coros offers a carabiner with which the watch can be attached to equipment and offers more freedom of movement. In addition to the orange bracelet, Coros offers a few other colors and more subtle combinations. Also interesting for individualists is the possibility of adapting the display design to their own wishes. From the simple dial to the colorful comic pattern, you can choose from almost 100 different designs.
GPS: Lots of technology – quickly summarized
What would a GPS smart watch be without GPS and maps? - Cheaper. The Coros Vertix 2 is coming up EUR 699 and is therefore at the upper end of the Coros range. In comparison: A Garmin Fenix 7 has similar features and is also in the price range.
By the way, the Vertix 2 supports the following workouts and sports: running, treadmill, trail running, track running, hiking, climbing, bike, exercise bike, pool swimming, open water swimming, triathlon, cardio in the gym, cardio with GPS, skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing , ski touring, multisport, strength training, speed surfing, wind surfing, white water, flat water, rowing and rowing machines.
GPS – 140h battery life
Those who do their rounds by bike or on foot in the lowlands will be satisfied with this function. The classic GPS function offers optimal tracking and map functions and uses hardly any battery. With the GPS switched on, the Vertix 2 has a battery life of around 140 hours.
All Systems On - 5 satellites for optimized tracking
When it comes to the mountains and the difference in altitude increases, the "All Systems On" function is a good choice. The Coros watch now accesses five different satellite systems. These include the classic GPS and QZSS satellites as well as GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Even in the most remote regions, this mode should give you perfect tracking and navigation. In this mode, the battery life is around 90 hours.
All Systems On + Dual Frequencies - more is not possible
This function is of particular interest to mountaineers, climbers and alpinists. In addition to the mode explained above, the watch now starts to filter the signals via the Dual Frequencies mode. So if you are in alpine terrain between mountain walls, the system can recognize whether a GPS signal breaks on a wall and is reflected. The Coros processors then begin to filter these refracted waves and look for a nearby satellite whose signal is direct. According to Coros, the error rate is low, which should optimize the tracking for mountaineers on the wall.
Since the Coros Vertix 2 works hard in this mode, the battery life also dwindles to around 50 hours. However, the mode can be easily switched off in the menu and the watch can be charged within two hours.
Navigation and route planning
The best GPS tracking is useless without suitable maps. Compatibility with cards such as Komoot. For example, you can plan your route there and then export the GPS data. This is particularly quick on the smartphone - plan the route, export data and send it directly to the Coros app. The system then saves this to the watch via Bluetooth and you can start navigating.
However, Coros also uses offline street and topographical maps worldwide for your navigation. For example, you can start a tour on the watch and navigate using the display. After you finish, you can save the data and use it again next time. On the Vertix 2 you can view distance data, elevation details, location and other details during the tour. If the weather should change, the clock will give you a severe weather warning. In this case you can, for example, select the "back to start" function and the navigation will take you back to the car.
A small weak point is that the system does not give any turn-by-turn instructions. If you are hiking or jogging, you will easily be able to look at the clock and follow the map, but if you are on a racing bike or mountain bike, it is not so easy to look at the clock at an intersection without having to stop. Maybe there will be a change with a future update. You can also find the worldwide maps and maps of your preferred region on www.coros.com .
Fitness, sensor, ECG
If you do a lot of sport, you also want to keep an eye on your fitness. This is possible with the Coros Vertix. The watch has some sensors like optical pulse oximeter, optical heart rate monitor, electrocardiogram sensor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer.
With the individually configurable surface of the watch you can always have your heart rate displayed. This can either be displayed in real time (but that takes a little more battery) or you get it updated every 10 minutes.
ECG function
Yes. The watch gives you a kind of EKG. With this function of the VERTIX 2 you can measure your heart rate variability (HRV) directly on your wrist. HRV is an ideal metric for measuring the body's response to stress and its ability to recover. The ideal time is shortly after getting up. The measurement takes about a minute and determines how stressed or relaxed you are. This could be especially exciting for high-performance athletes or people who pay a lot of attention to their bodies. If the value is too low, your body is under stress, or maybe you're carrying around a cold that you don't know about yet, you can use the data to decide whether today is the right day for a workout.
This measurement is also exciting for rehabilitation after a long tour or illness. We used the system after a corona infection so as not to overdo it and to avoid possible heart muscle inflammation. Even after an uncomfortable night in the tent, the value was not ideal, which was also noticeable on the trails afterwards. Overall, an exciting feature that invites you to try it out.
Smart watch, music and camera control
Of course, the Vertix 2 shows you notifications and messages. If you get a new Whatsapp, it can be shown on the display. But you can also display incoming calls, emails, chats, Instagram and Facebook notifications. It's all very easy to configure using the Coros app.
Let's get to the gimmicks of the watch. For example, you can load your favorite songs as MP3s onto the Vertix 2 with 32 GB of internal memory and use them to control them. With the WLAN function you can then play them back via your headphones. Here, however, the Vertix 2 does nothing better than your smartphone.
But if you travel a lot with the action cam, you will be happy about the camera control. With this function you can also operate your Insta360 camera outside of your arm's reach. Simply place the Insta360 on the trail, start the recordings via the watch and shoot past it with the bike. The next Instagram post is ready.
Our thoughts on the Coros Vertix 2 - high end, great features, great navigation
One thing is clear. The Coros is not necessarily cheap. However, you get all the features you could wish for for 699 euros. In terms of operation, function and handling, the Vertix is in no way inferior to the more well-known competition.
The operation is intuitive, the hidden touchscreen function takes some getting used to, but it comes into its own when navigating the maps. In addition, there is a variety of features such as the ECG function, heart rate monitor and app compatibility. With the data shown to us, we were able to create great training plans, pay attention to our physical recovery and adjust workouts.
We also liked the ease of downloading Komoot routes. On top of that, there is a battery performance that is second to none. We had the standard GPS function on and the heart rate monitor on real time and only had to charge the watch once a month at most. If you use it more sparingly, you will get almost 60 days of battery life.
The only weak point of the watch is its size. When cycling off-road, the Vertix 2 occasionally pressed into the wrist and was a bit annoying. However, this should not be a problem for other sports with less movement and strain in the hand area.
Win!!! The Coros Vertix 2
If you like the watch and also want to enjoy the many functions of the Vertix 2, you should pay close attention now. Simply answer the following question and win a brand new Coros Vertix 2 worth 699 euros.
Legal: We will notify the winner via email. No data will be passed on in any way. All participant data will be deleted after the raffle has ended. Anyone aged 18 and over may participate. Members of the editorial team and their relatives are excluded from participation. The closing date for entries is August 10, 2022 at 23:59 p.m. If you have any questions, just send us one E-mail.
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