Test: Coros Vertix 2S - The ultimate extreme watch!

Coros has updated its flagship GPS watch with the latest heart rate technology and a refined antenna for better GPS accuracy, making the fantastic Vertix 2 even better for the serious athlete.

In this article, I will review the updates to the brand-new Coros Vertix 2S, explain why they improve the watch, and why you should consider buying a Coros Vertix 2S.

What is Coros?

Established in 2018, Coros has recently emerged as a rising star among GPS watch brands. With amazing features and continuous updates, Coros has differentiated its lineup and is now established as a major player in a very competitive market.

Here's why Coros has become so big.

The Coros Pace series is undoubtedly the most affordable running watch you can get, comparing features and price.
Coros watches are known for having market-leading battery life. The Vertix series is the highlight of this, and a must-have if you value not having to charge your watch too often.
If you buy Coros, you will get updates all the time! Coros' software team constantly gives away new features for free. This includes turn-by-turn navigation, a fitness test, a running form test, a pace assistant, easy-to-use route building, and much more.
Coros Evolab has become increasingly powerful and great for planning and reviewing workouts.
They have signed star athletes like Elliud Kipchoge, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Killian Jornet, and Tommy Caldwell, all legends in their field, to represent the brand internationally.

Never Miss a Beat

The Vertix 2S is a more accurate and refined version of the Coros Vertix 2. The 'S' in the name doesn't mean anything special, but is there just to show that there have been some significant improvements in the Coros Vertix 2S hardware.

Since the release of Vertix 2, Coros has updated its optical heart rate technology to a new multi-channel photoelectric heart rate sensor. These updates have already come to the smaller watches Coros Pace 3 (running) and Coros Apex 2 Pro (multisport) and have improved the accuracy of wrist-based heart rate measurement.

After two weeks of testing, I found the new wrist-based heart rate sensor fantastic for your regular daily runs and a clear step up from the previous Coros Vertix 2. It has fewer errors, fewer times when my pulse spikes unnaturally, and fewer dropouts during activities. I also see a significant difference in the accuracy of continuous pulse monitoring.

For most people, this will be more than enough, but there is still a big difference between using the watch and the heart rate belt, mostly because the deep tissue in the upper arm is much more suitable for reading the pulse than the wrist.
Coros heart rate belt is one of the best cross-platform heart rate sensors on the market and fits all new watches (including Garmin, Suunto, and Polar) that support Bluetooth connection. So if you want even higher pulse accuracy, Coros has you covered. It's also more comfortable than wearing a chest strap, in my opinion.

More accurate in tough conditions

The major improvement in the new Coros Vertix 2S is the redesign of the GPS antenna. Located around the screen, this antenna is in full view but often overlooked as a critical feature. Paradoxically, it may be the most crucial aspect of making the watch as precise as possible.
Coros Vertix 2S features the same GPS technology as its predecessor, with dual frequency capabilities, all satellite systems available, and the option to use all resources or save battery life. The new antenna design helps provide these components with a better signal, improving overall GPS tracking in any GPS mode.

The need for more accurate GPS arises when running near tall structures that can obstruct or reflect satellite coverage. If you run in cities with tall buildings, valleys, or canyons, signals can bounce off a vertical surface and confuse the GPS chip, making it harder to find your exact location. Dual Frequency can identify which signals are reflected and incorrect, making GPS tracking in challenging areas more accurate.

I mostly run in a very open landscape, and after some tests, I have no restrictions using only standard GPS tracking for my daily runs. This makes Coros Vertix 2S's battery life incredible, and I seldom need to charge more than once a month with the amount of km I run.
With dual frequency, the watch lasts about 43 hours on a full charge, and with standard GPS, it can last 118 hours, which is great if you're planning a very long run, hike, or bike ride. This is more than enough for most, but great to have, even though I don't need it! It reminds me of the good old days when mobile phones only needed to be charged once a week.
I've had the watch for 20 days so far. I've run 11 runs (8.3 km on average), most of them on the highest GPS setting, and I still have 24% battery left.

Great looks and straps

The new Coros Vertix 2S is available in three new colors: Earth, Moon, and Space. Earth is dark ocean blue, Moon is light silver, and Space is darker black. All three colors look fantastic and are a delight to the eye.

Overall, you will find Coros Vertix 2S very similar to Coros Vertix 2 in appearance. The new optical heart rate monitor made the watch less than 1 mm thicker, it still has a color touchscreen, and the weight is slightly reduced.

Coros Vertix 2S comes out of the box with two straps. This is a bigger deal than you might think. The new nylon strap makes it more comfortable to wear the watch but also makes the watch 20% lighter. On the other hand, the silicone strap doesn't get wet and will be better on hot days, cold days, and for swimming activities.

And much more!

You may have noticed that I'm a big Coros fan, and there are many reasons for this. In Vertix 2S you get superb battery life, an improved heart rate monitor, and better GPS, but you also get tons of other great features that make it fantastic to wear any Coros watch.

The updated Coros Vertix 2S is a great GPS watch for those who want the best, the most durable. and a constantly improving ecosystem.

Vertix 2S: Increased water and temperature resistance, market-leading battery life, a larger screen, two straps included, and carabiner attachment.

Vertix 2S and Apex 2 Pro: Sapphire screen, titanium frame, increased storage for maps and music, turn-by-turn navigation, free topographic maps, electrocardiogram sensor, HRV testing, and additional multisport functions.

Vertix 2S, Apex 2 Pro, and Pace 3: Dual Frequency GPS, new optical heart rate monitor, Evolab integration, touchscreen, action camera control, fitness tests, running form tests (with POD & POD 2), underwater heart rate monitor, wellness check, stress and sleep monitoring, offline Music, find my phone, Virtual Pacer, extremely short phone sync times and much more!