COROS PACE 2, first impressions

The COROS PACE 2 was released in August 2020, and there have been many extensive reviews of it already (e.g., review 1 and review 2). So, the following are more my first impressions so far (rather than a review), what I’ve noticed the most, especially compared with my previous watch, a TomTom Spark 3 Cardio. I’ve had the Spark 3 for about three years, before switching to the PACE 2 at the end of last year.

Now I probably would have stayed with TomTom and upgraded with its newest version and not looked for alternatives, had it not decided to move away from wearables. The Spark 3 has some nice features (e.g., “fitness age”), enough for my needs. TomTom is still providing user support but apparently just until all the extant devices have aged out. The other obvious caveat, in what follows, is that I’m comparing a current PACE 2 with a 3-year-old Spark 3.

Here are my first impressions of the COROS PACE 2:

-        Top on the list is the impressively long-lasting battery!

o   My long runs so far (18-22 miles) have averaged about 10% (+/-) of battery usage for the PACE 2.

o   In comparison, the Spark 3, even when new, would not last much past a marathon, for me (~4 hrs). During its third year, the Spark 3 barely could make it past 15 miles or so. I was routinely charging it after every run, just to be sure.

o   Now, with the PACE 2, I charge it only every 2-3 weeks, depending on how much I leave it on or wear it when not running.

o   Charging is fast, just one to two hours to complete.

-        On my first run with the PACE 2, I also wore on the other arm the Spark 3 for comparison.

o   Pace and distance tracking is comparable between the two. But, the PACE 2 has more details. Also, analyses of treadmill runs are better with PACE 2.

o   Heart rate is apparently more accurate (more consistent) with the PACE 2, whereas the Spark 3 heart rate fluctuates more.

-        The PACE 2 is noticeably lighter and has a more flexible strap, compared with the Spark 3.

-        GPS acquisition is much faster than that of the Spark 3.

-        A nice, battery-saving feature: When it’s dark enough, turning one’s wrist (either side) to read the PACE 2 will prompt the watch to light up. In setup, one can specify right- or left-handed.

-        The audio at each mile is louder and the vibrate at each mile is stronger. Still, it’d be nice to be able to adjust both the tone volume and the vibrate strength. Currently, though, according to the COROS Helpdesk, neither allows for adjustment. I did provide my feedback on this to the Helpdesk, so we’ll see.

-        There’s much more analysis provided by the PACE 2 (see example below for a tempo run).

-        But, I prefer to plot against distance, not time. How to do that?

o   Clicking (obviously!) on “Distance” (lower right) does result in a plot against distance, but it showed only the average pace for each mile.

o   Not so obvious (at least to me) is the pull-down arrow (lower left), i.e., “Lap” has three options. Default is one mile. The other two are 5 miles and “Entire.” The latter should more accurately be termed “Continuous,” which is what I was looking for (see example below).

o   A nice feature of “Entire” (or “Continuous”) is that the pace for any arbitrary segment of a run (e.g., a 5K time trial from mile 2 to mile 5.1) can be easily gotten by dragging the cursor across the desired start and end distances.

o   I found out about the “Lap” pull-down arrow by contacting the COROS helpdesk, which has been super friendly and responsive!

Though the PACE 2 is at the low end of the COROS line of watches, for my needs, it has more than enough functionality. It’s easy to use. It’s incredibly affordable. And, I’m still amazed at how long the PACE 2 battery lasts!