ON TEST BEST GPS WATCHES FOR EVERY RUNNER
We tested the best in running tech – from simple trackers to top-ofthe-range training devices
Coros Pace 2
PRICE: £179.99 | coros.com
PROS: Excellent battery life | Advanced analytics
CONS: No wifi syncing | Few smartwatch features
THE COROS PACE 2 sets the benchmark for sub-£200 running watches. Its huge (30-hour) GPS battery life – extendable to 60 hours in low-power mode – is miles ahead of its rivals. Its nearest competition, the Polar Ignite 2 (£199.50) musters just 20 hours.
It features customisable sport profiles for road, trail and treadmill running, plus a track mode that lets you select your lane to improve accuracy for those 400m intervals. A stamina tracker uses your heart rate to estimate how quickly you’re burning reserves. The percentage replenishes when you stop, so you can see when you’re ready to go again.
The range of advanced running analytics also sets it apart at this price. On top of your standard real-time pace, distance and intensity stats, you get running power on the wrist, training effect, recovery recommendations and longer term training-load monitoring.
The hardware is impressive, too. Garmin Forerunner 45 aside, the Pace 2 is the only watch under £200 to feature a barometric altimeter and a magnetic compass. That means better elevation stats, though mapping and route guidance are missing.
There’s no automatic wifi syncing but lightning-fast data uploads start instantly when you open the Coros app. Smartwatch skills are limited to notifications – there’s no music or contactless payments – and although it’s light, it’s a bit plastic, too. But overall, the Pace 2’s suite of training insights and an everimproving app make it the best bang-for-buck budget watch you can buy right now. •
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