Coros Pace Review

Coros Pace Multisport Watch Review

Disclaimer: I received a Coros Pace to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Over the last month, I've had the opportunity to test the new Pace Multisport Watch from Coros, and I have to say, I'm beyond impressed considering this is the first watch from the company. I was especially happy with how easy and user-friendly the watch is.

Geared to meet the needs of Triathletes, this watch has all the features I look for in a daily activity tracker (more on that below) and is also equipped to track indoor and outdoor running, cycling, and swimming activities. The watch also comes with a triathlete tracking feature although I didn't get a chance to test that (I don't do much swimming).

What's Inside

So let's talk about what's in the box. You get the watch which is similar in size to most other sports watches I've used in the past. The watch also comes with a USB charger that clips onto the watch when in use, as well as a quick start guide for the watch and accompanying cellphone app.

Sensors

GPS Tracking

As with all sports watches, the Pace is equipped with GPS sensors which are on par with other watches I've run with. I actually ran the Broad Street Run in Philly wearing the pace alongside another watch. The Pace was consistently sending me mile alerts ahead of my other watch, and ahead of the on-course mile markers, but if you read my review from Broad Street, you know that I spent A LOT of time trying to weave through the crowd. I actually attribute the early alerts to the accuracy of the Pace picking up more of my side-to-side movement.

The other noticeable difference between the Coros Pace and other watches is the speed at which it locates a GPS signal when preparing for an activity. I'm not kidding, I was consistently shocked at how fast it was. I live in a cement apartment complex and out of habit, I open the run tracker inside the building to start the GPS search early so I'm not stuck waiting around. With the Pace, as soon as I stepped through the doorway outside, I'd hear the chirp from the watch confirming the connection.

Heart Rate Sensor

The Coros Pace comes equipped with an optical heart-rate sensor which has also become a must for me. The heart-rate monitor runs 24/7 and is viewable through one of the default widgets that's preloaded on the watch. One unique feature I like about the Pace is that when you start an activity, the face shows that it's searching for GPS but is also registering heart rate so that you know you're getting a good read before you start your activity.

Barometer and Altimeter

Something unexpected that the Pace comes with is a built-in Barometer and Altimeter. Again, both of these measurements are accessible through built-in widgets on the watch face. Although I train at virtually zero elevation, I am excited to take the Pace on a multi-day backpacking trip I'm taking later in June. The altimeter paired with the built-in compass will make navigation a lot easier!

On the Run

Setup

I mentioned that one of the highlights for me with this watch was the ease of use and I meant it. Total time from unboxing the watch to taking it on a run was about 30 minutes and most of that time was just spent topping off the charge and playing around on the app. Once the watch is on and the app is downloaded, the watch shows a QR code on its face which you scan with the app to pair the two. After that, you're ready to go.

Strava Compatibility

You can sync the app with your Strava profile and this is another area where I was impressed with the speed of the Pace. As soon as I'm finished a workout I get a notification that the activity has been uploaded to Strava, and I mean immediately after I finish. I'm used to a bit more of a delay with my other watches. As of right now, Strava is the only tracker supported by the Coros app but there are plans to accommodate many more in upcoming software updates.

Data Screens

During an activity, the watch shows a series of 4 data screens that you can cycle through, all of which are fully customizable. Each data screen can be divided into one, two, or three fields, and you can select what each field displays. With the default, you've got a basic workout overview, a heart rate screen, a lap screen, and an elevation screen. I also added a 5th data screen that just shows the time of day.

Other Features

Mobile Notifications

I usually opt to turn off all mobile notifications on my sports watches, mostly because I find the constant buzzing from my wrist to be a nuisance. I decided to give them another try with the Pace and I have to say, something I really like that the Pace offers is the ability to fully customize what notifications come through to your watch. You can scroll through a list of ALL of the apps on your phone to toggle on/off which apps you'd like to receive notifications from.

It's easy enough to manage that I can turn certain notifications on or off depending on where I am. At work, for instance, I can turn on notifications for my outlook app with relative ease, and then mute them when I'm leaving for the day. This has been a HUGE plus for me with the Coros App. I also definitely appreciate the "do not disturb" option that's available via the app, as well as the watch's internal settings.

Battery Life

The last thing I'll touch on with the Coros Pace is the battery life. The website touts an incredible 30 days of standby battery life and 30 hours of GPS activity. At first, I thought there was no way, but I have to say after a month of training, I've only had to charge the watch once (a little less than 2 weeks ago) and I still have more than half my battery left from that charge.

Summary

The Coros Pace Multisport Watch doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of some other watches I've used in the past, but at $299, I wouldn't expect it to. What it does offer is an incredibly easy to use sports-watch with all of the features I look for as an avid runner.

The Pace is the first watch from Coros and it's clear that the company has big plans for future software updates. They're also actively seeking feedback to make sure that future add-ons are specifically geared to meet the needs of their athletes.

If you're in the market for your first GPS watch or looking to upgrade from a more simplistic daily activity tracker, the Coros Pace is an excellent option. It may not have all of the features as some higher-end options, but at $299, it's a great value and offers all of the features I look for in a sports watch.