COROS released the second version of the Apex Pro in November, and one of the things we appreciate about this young company are their efforts to consistently improve on both their software and the physical interface of each model.
The Apex 2 Pro includes a new look with a Velcro nylon band, replacing the previous silicone band, included with the watch. The grade 5 titanium alloy bezel is sleeker than its predecessor and includes a new PVD coating with double the scratch resistance. The bezel’s smaller size and the updated interface produces a faster connection when turning the dial to access the features of the watch. Overall, the improvements to the characteristics of Apex 2 Pro exceeded our expectations and held up well during three months of testing, with minimal wear and tear.
The Apex 2 Pro brings a whopping 75 hours of battery life in standard GPS mode and includes the latest dual-frequency technology for more challenging locations. Without access to mountain trails covered in snow, we tested the watch on snow-dusted buttes, in sub-freezing weather and on long runs through town, and found the watch holds up well in all conditions. COROS claims that the watch will resist temperatures ranging from -22 to 122 degrees, and while we can’t speak to the extremes, the Apex 2 Pro didn’t falter in the sub-freezing weather. After numerous trail and road runs throughout Oregon, we found this model was consistently accurate for a majority of the time despite an occasional GPS glitch.
Alongside the Apex 2 Pro, we also tested the POD 2, which is a small device that clips onto your shoe or the back of your waistband. It’s a little larger than the size of a quarter, but light enough to forget you’re wearing it. The POD 2 keeps track of additional data including temperature and provides users with a more consistent pace that eliminates those occasional glitches we’ve experienced on GPS watches. While we used the POD 2 on both the treadmill and outdoors, there didn’t seem to be a huge change in the data we typically collect with a watch. All of our runs were in suburban areas or on interurban trails, so those running through denser city areas might benefit from the use of a POD 2 when it comes to GPS accuracy. The POD 2 can only be used with COROS products, so keep that in mind. Regardless, it’s an easy and reassuring way to keep consistent data during a training block.
Back to the Apex 2 Pro, the new wrist optical heart rate sensor features an 8-LED system to detect every beat, including an oximeter (SpO2). Our experience with wrist heart rate monitor systems is minimal, but the watches we have used with these monitors haven’t been extremely reliable. The new system in the Apex 2 Pro is fairly consistent, however when your coach asks if your heart rate was really 190 during the first mile of your run, there’s a good chance the reading was a little off.
Other features that we like about this watch are the ease of the access to scroll through different activities with just a couple clicks of the dial. A simple but super helpful change to this model is the button above the dial that lights up the watch face at night or in areas of low visibility when needed. Our experience with downloading .gpx files to the watch was simple while using the COROS app, which has always been a great resource since we started using COROS watches. The simplicity and user interface often helped us analyze post-run data using the mileage markers on the map display and all of the main details including time, pace, mileage, elevation gain and training load. For those who are not necessarily data geeks, the app converts data from the watch so that it’s easy to read and understand in a very user-friendly format.
The Apex 2 Pro has definitely received a comprehensive upgrade from the previous model in both battery life and user interface. The watch is lightweight and performs well both indoors and while out on the trail, which means we’ll be using it a lot during our upcoming races this spring and summer. The COROS Apex 2 Pro ($499 MSRP) and POD 2 ($99) can be purchased at coros.com.