If you’ve followed us for a while, you know I tried out the Coros Pace 2 GPS Watch a couple of years back when I was looking for a run watch that had the best possible battery life, as someone who was going to likely be running a 28+ hour long 100-miler. (Luckily, it only took 24—and the battery life was at 27% when I finished!) I’ve since dabbled with other brands, especially since I also wanted to use a cycling computer and really disliked using a few different apps to upload. Plus, usually when you have a watch and a computer from the same brand, they’re easier to toggle between, since they’re set up similarly/use the same vocabulary.
So all that to say, I’d moved on from the Pace 2, though it remained a solid backup watch for those times I forgot to charge my other one. But then, Coros got me intrigued again—they launched the Dura cycling computer. Could it stand up to its competitors? Would I be lured back into the Coros universe?
I got my hands on the new Coros Pace Pro running watch—which does have a GPS map capability, the main thing missing that I felt was missing from the Pace 2—as well as the new Dura cycling computer and the heart rate armband. A full Coros suite!
So, do they stand up to the competition? I’ve been testing them for a couple of months and honestly, I’m pretty favorably surprised. There are two key points I wanted to highlight for all three pieces, then we’ll get into specifics:
Price-wise, these pieces aren’t cheap… but they are cheaper than similar models from other brands. I don’t suggest buying on price alone for most things, but I’d say these are definitely a good price for what they are. Even the Pace 2 is still performing perfectly (including battery life and updates) after almost six years. You can get all three pieces for about $1000 CAD / $700 USD total, compared to a similar set of gear, which would run you around $1200 USD. Now, again, these aren’t a direct or perfect comparison—but it’s worth pointing out!
Second, the battery life is definitely the selling point. I sometimes go 2 weeks without charging the watch, and I run 100+ kilometers per week. I was in NJ with my family and forgot my charger, and despite being at around 75% when I got there, I never ran out of battery. The cycling computer is great too, and has another added benefit: a tiny solar charger on top, so on sunny days or epic bikepacking adventures, you can actually get away with minimal need to truly charge your computer.
The only down side—and it’s true of every watch brand—is that all three need different chargers, though the watch and armband’s charger heads can be plugged into the cycling computer’s USBC charger. I’m waiting for the day when watches crack the code on being able to use a USBC charger…
Anyway, on to my initial thoughts from 2 months of testing the Coros Pace Pro watch, heart rate armband, and Dura Cycling Computer.
Coros Pace Pro
Much like the Pace 2, I really liked this watch from Day 1. I’m not using watches for much by way of fancy stuff, but in general, this one is pretty simple to operate. The Pace Pro has all the benefits of the Pace 2—long lasting battery life, all the accuracy and connectivity you’d expect from a good watch, ease of toggling things like notifications and activity screens, fun watch face options—but also includes a map, which is key for me. I got my last watch because the Pace 2 didn’t have a map and I occasionally like to run in trail systems where I’m not sure where I am and need to backtrack—hard to do without a map showing me where I’ve been! So this was a major upgrade. The battery life is wild as well. I didn’t use it for my last 100, but I have no doubt it’ll easily get through a 100-miler, considering I can wait between 10 and 14 days without charging it. (Bear in mind that I only use it for running, but still—that means it’s tracking 10-12 workouts and 150-200kms on a single charge over a long time, making it ideal for people who are terrible at charging their stuff.)
The Pace 3 (the new Pace 2, basically) retails at $329 CAD, so the Pro is $170 CAD more, which may feel pricey if you don’t need the map. If that’s you, the Pace 3 is a fantastic option/deal compared to similar watches, and the battery life is still fantastic, though the Pro technically is longer lasting.
Get it: Canada $499 CAD | United States $349 USD
Coros Heart Rate Armband
This is the standout when it comes to price: It’s $119 CAD / $79 USD, which is a great price for a solid heart rate monitor. Even the cheapie one we like is $60! Some people may dislike the armband style, but I’ve come around to it, especially since I absolutely hate the chest strap when I already have to deal with a sports bra and often a run vest. I also get really sweaty and have sensitive skin, so avoiding another thing that can chafe that thin skin around my rib cage is nice. There’s not much to say other than that, other than to say that the heart rate seems to be accurate and it has a solid battery life. (I did test it by running my chest strap on a different watch at the same time.)
Get it: Canada $119 CAD | United States $79 USD
Coros Dura Cycling Computer
This computer, like the watch, takes a minute to get used to if you’ve used other computers. But a minute is about it. Once you’ve used it for a ride or two, it’s easy-peasy. The maps are clear, uploading a route is pretty simple (done via the app) and the screens are easy to see / easy to change what you see in the app. The real standout feature to me is the tiny solar charger at the top, which works shockingly well and makes the Dura really appealing for those who are planning to be out all day and can’t afford for their computer to die on them. Also great for bikepackers! (And like the watch, the battery life is impressive even without the solar charger.)
One thing that could be a con for some riders: It doesn’t have a touch screen, it’s all bezel and button operated. Which, for me, is totally fine. But if you’re used to touchscreen, it can be a bit hard to get used to. But that would really only be an issue to get up and running, and then if you wanted to zoom in on the map. I got used to it quickly, though—and compared to a lot of other cycling computers I’ve tried, this one is arguably the most intuitive for just getting out and going, from the time you open up the box and install the mount.
I’d say for the price, this computer is pretty unbeatable with what it offers.
Get it: Canada $399 CAD | United States $249 USD
Coros App
Before I wrap up, I wanted to add some quick thoughts on the Coros app. Compared to some of the other big players in this space, the app is pretty paired down—but I’m actually very much okay with that, since I mainly want to use an app to do any toggling of my devices (i.e changing the screens that are displayed during workouts, downloading updates, *finding* my watch by pinging it when I’ve lost it in yet another bag, et cetera) and then have that information go to Training Peaks and Strava for safekeeping. The Coros app is shockingly easy to use and navigate, and changing the activity pages on my watch’s screen took about 60 seconds to do from start to finish, including adding the maps page, a feature I very much appreciate. It can also do turn-by-turn directions if you upload a GPX file, which I’ve also found fairly intuitive to do… and I say this as a not very techy person who really hates doing things on her smartphone. (As a millennial, I’m a big computer person so I find apps annoying!)
