COROS VERTIX GPS ADVENTURE WATCH
TESTED BY SOPHIE
If you’re tired of the age-old Garmin v Suunto debate and looking for an alternative multisport outdoor watch then the genuinely industry-disrupting award-winning Coros Vertix GPS Adventure watch is a truly cracking option.
Unlike many other watches in this sector, the Vertix has been designed specifically with outdoor adventure in mind.
Whilst other high-end devices seem to have become increasingly laden with unnecessary features that invariably compromise battery life, the Vertix has clearly been built for the core adventure audience.
Great looking, rugged, lightweight (76g without silicone strap), affordable (comparatively), and super intutitive to use – the Coros Vertix GPS Adventure watch is immediately impressive out of the super cool mini pelican case it comes in, but it’s in the field where it really knocks it out the park.
All the features are accessed via just three buttons, one of which comes with a digital dial that’s easy to operate with one finger even when wearing ski gloves.
The screen may be a little bit darker than its competitors but the battery life you get in return is well worth the trade off (and if you really need to brighten things up you simply press the ‘light’ button).
With 45 days battery life in regular mode, 60 hours in full GPS mode and 150 hours in UltraMax mode, the Vertix lasts longer than any other GPS watch on the market. A fully charged Vertix battery will last about twice as long as the much-lauded Garmin Fenix 6 and takes half the time to re-charge from empty.
Not content with its industry-leading battery life that performs in extreme cold (it works down to -20°C with less than a 30% depreciation in battery performance), the Coros Vertix can also claim to be the only GPS watch with a 150m waterproof rating and 24/7 blood oxygen monitoring to aid altitude acclimatization.
Throw in a whole host of other kick-ass features including customizable watch faces, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, back-to-start navigation, barometric altimeter, compass, and it’s little wonder that Coros has attracted some of the world’s leading ultra and mountain athletes onto its pro team.
Used in conjunction with the app, the Vertix also functions as a personal training hub where you can create your own training plans, track and analyse your progress (including VO2 max, training load and threshold pace) and download workouts from legendary mountain pros including alpinist Steve House, climber Andres Martin and pro trail runners Hillary Allen and Sage Canaday.
It also works with third party apps such as Strava and Training Peaks.
Super cool.
