COROS GPS WATCHES: COROS LAUNCHES THE VERTIX 2

Posted by adefrutos on August 17, 2021 in trail runing, trail running, trail running gear, trail running spain | Leave a comment

COROS GPS WATCHES: COROS launches the VERTIX 2. Our GPS WATCH section brings us today the launch of the new COROS VERTIX 2. The second version of the most mountainous watch from COROS GLOBAL. With this worldwide launch, COROS rises one step more within GPS watches, if not surpassing, some of its competitors.

In this new version, the VERTIX 2 brings us great news and changes. GPS with Dual frequency, topographic maps, music, larger processor and screen, double battery, Wrist-based ECG, wireless connection and Instan360 camera control. Let’s see everything in detail.

COROS GPS WATCHES

Topographic maps, dual frequency, music, more battery and much more.

Those of you who follow us regularly already know who COROS Wearables, Inc. is. For those who don’t, COROS is a Californian company from Tustin that, with each passing day, climbs one more step in its struggle to find the best sports GPS on the market. Most probably known thanks tothe new Olympic champion and world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchogue. Kipchoge wears the smallest of the COROS range, the PACE 2, on his wrist.

COROS GPS WATCHES: What’s new

Many and good changes are what we see in the COROS VERTIX 2. With all these changes the VERTIX 2 is at the level of the best GPS on the market such as the Garmin Fenix ​​6, Garmin enduro and Suunto 9 Peak. With a prize of 699€, let’s see what are the new functions that this new version brings to us.

COROS GPS WATCHES

Detailed analysis of all the news by Abel de Frutos

Many interesting changes that we have had the option to test for a few weeks, being able to compare the VERTIX 2 with the VERTIX. Let’s see in detail the new functionalities of the new VERTIX2.

COROS GPS WATCHES: All-satellite Dual-frequency GNSS Chipset

The VERTIX 2 is the first GPS watch equipped with a GNSS chip connected to the five major satellite systems and dual frequency technology. GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and Beidou. All working on two frequencies (L1 + L5) at the same time.

L5 (1176 MHz) is broadcast in a radio band reserved exclusively for aviation security services. It features higher power, higher bandwidth, and an advanced signal design. L5 provides users around the world with the most advanced civil GPS signal and the new COROS VERTIX 2 takes advantage of this.

Activating the “All systems and DUAL Frequency” mode we will see a great improvement while we carry out our sports activity between large buildings, lush forests or even through rocky areas where the signal could be weakened.

During these days we have been training with the VERTIX and the VERTIX 2, one on each wrist. Here we leave you a comparison of a 30kms training with a positive difference of almost 1500m and that took us 4h30 through the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park .

If you want to see it in detail, please read the article in Spanish HERE

COROS GPS WATCHES: Global Offline Map Experience

In addition to getting the connection to the 5 main satellites working on two frequencies, the VERTIX 2 includes offline maps in three different versions: Standard, Topo map or Hybrid map. Also, if you don’t like maps, you can leave it without a map to show it as in the VERTIX. Topographic maps by region can be downloaded for free from the COROS.com website.

We have had the opportunity to test these maps in different trainings, and we can say that the change is significant. To date, in my case, I had only used GPS without maps, and I have to say that there is no color, tracking the tracks with the maps is much easier, we forget about “intuition” when taking roads close or parallel, to ensure the correct path is followed on the the map. In addition, with the possibility of zoom, we can choose alternative paths in our routes, which will greatly facilitate the training.

With this functionality, I think that COROS has managed to eliminate “the gap” that it still had with respect to the Garmin Fenix ​​6 series, which gives it incredible power thanks to the rest of the new functionalities.

Let’s see in the following photos, how the map is shown on a 50’3mm screen

COROS GPS WATCHES: Mind-Blowing Battery-Life

How could it be otherwise, COROS became famous thanks to the capacity of its batteries. After the latest releases of the different GPS brands, it seemed that in this section things were equal, but in this new version COROS has done it again. The VERTIX 2 comes with a battery that is almost twice the capacity of the original VERTIX with up to 60 days of daily use (and we thought the VERTIX with its 3 weeks of battery life was a blast). We leave you the data provided by the brand, because during the time that we have been testing the new VERTIX 2 we have not been able to drain the battery in any of its modes.

• Daily use – 60 days
• Normal GPS signal (readings every second) – 135 hours
• All active systems – 90 hours
• All systems + DUAL Frequency – 50 hours
• UltraMax GPS mode – 240 hours

As a sample, and how could it be otherwise, at trailrunningspain.com we have made “our Astral Journey”, with All systems + DUAL Frequency activated and the result has been surprising. Not only because of the battery life (which conforms to the brand’s values), but also because of the GPS measurement, which at 0’07km is the best measurement we have had to date from a GPS watch.

COROS GPS WATCHES: Larger screen for a COROS

Largest screen ever. The 47mm screen of the VERTIX goes down in history, in the images you can see the difference between the COROS VERTIX ICEBREAKER and the new VERTIX 2. You will see a larger screen of 50’3mm, with 16% more resolution and that allows us visualize a multitude of data. In the case of the new VERTIX 2, we can add up to 8 data on each screen and still each data will be perfectly visible. You can see in the images examples of screens configured by ourselves using the COROS app.

COROS GPS WATCHES: Next Level Processing Power

A new generation processor that will allow us to execute all the new functionalities and that will also respond much faster to our keystrokes and handling of the Digital Knob. It is noticeable mainly when we navigate between the different menus, when we zoom in the maps, search for routes or for example in the updates of the device. It also includes a 32Gb internal memory to store all kinds of content, updates, music, additional maps, routes, work exercises, etc.

COROS GPS WATCHES: Redesigned User Interface

The user interface is quite similar than the previous version, so any COROS user who wants to switch to VERTIX 2 will have no problems. To highlight the change made in the Widgets screen completely redesigned so that we can modify, add, delete the different Widgets from the App, and then be able to navigate through them both with the Digital Knob and with our finger. A very intuitive and easy-to-use navigation menu.

COROS GPS WATCHES: ECG from Your Wrist (Electrocardiogram)

Among the tools that the new VERTIX 2 has, we can find the heart rate variability meter. This measurement will help us along with the rest of Evolab’s functionalities to understand and manage our recovery periods, with just 2 fingers this functionality shows us a value between 1 and 100.

The HRV index is shown as follows (the higher the value, the better level)

81-100: Superior, relaxed
51-80: High, low level of physical or mental pressure
21-50: Medium, medium level of physical or mental pressure
1-20: Low, under physical or mental pressure

We can easily compare the daily HRV readings in the COROS App and control ourselves much better.

COROS GPS WATCHES: Audio-enabled Bluetooth and Music

In this new version COROS integrates an app for music, so that we can copy our mp3s on the watch, and through Bluethooth we can connect our headphones. Connecting the VERTIX 2 to the computer, a folder for music will open, which the music application will access to read and play our audios. At the moment the application is very basic (it allows to play audios in normal, random and repeat mode) although it does not allow the selection of songs. The COROS team continues to develop this and other applications to include new functionality in the future.

COROS GPS WATCHES: Wi-Fi Connectivity

Along with the Bluethooth connection (we remember that the ANT + connection has been eliminated) the new COROS VERTIX 2 adds wireless connectivity. We can connect our clock to the home wireless network, which will allow us to update the clock, faster and safer. In addition, the COROS team continues to work to include more functions through WIFI connection.

COROS GPS WATCHES: Insta360™ Camera Control

Within the tools, a function is added to control Insta 360 cameras, such as the Insta360 ™ GO 2, One X2, and the One R from the wrist, so that we do not need to directly manipulate the camera if you carry them anywhere less accessible. We have not been able to test this functionality as we do not have a camera of this type, but it will surely be a very good option if you want to take your camera somewhere during a race or training where it is difficult to access its manipulation. It would be interesting if this functionality were extended to other types of cameras or even the mobile camera.

COROS GPS WATCHES: EVOLAB

During the last weeks we have had the opportunity to test, test and evaluate in EvoLab the renewed sports science platform of COROS to evaluate the physical condition, fatigue and performance of the runner. This new platform will be available in its beta version today, May 18 for 1000 COROS users (COROS PACE 2/APEX 46mm/APEX Pro/VERTIX) through an update of the watch and app and in mid-July when it is fully tested for the rest of users.

EvoLab is focused on improving workouts throughout the season. It offers us metrics to be able to monitor the daily, weekly and long-term training load, it also allows us to manage the recovery, intensity and load of the workouts. Based mainly on the Career mode, this update will provide us with additional features so that the runner can improve their performance, in the future more features will be added to other types of activity.

EASY AND INTUITIVE: LET’S ANALYZE THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS

1. Fitness, load impact and fatigue to evaluate our training with metrics simple to understand and measure
2. Frequently changing metrics available on the watch and those long-term available in the app such as VO2 max
3. Three additional Widgets that will allow us to monitor race performance, fatigue level and energy. This way we can properly decide the load of our training.
4. 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon rhythm calculator based on hybrid algorithms using multiple data sources. Including heart rate and rhythm zones. When incorrect heart rate readings are detected, the algorithms switch to other data sources such as rhythm zones automatically to ensure the best possible accuracy.
5. Distribution of intensity of the last weeks based on intensity to better define our weeks of loading and unloading.
6. Marathon level that measures how good we are as a marathon runner based on training history, VO2 Max, threshold zones, race efficiency, and more data. The higher the score we have, the faster we can supposedly run a marathon.
7. Road race status will show us how good our last workout is compared to the Marathon Level in a range of 80% to 120%. More than 105% means we’re outperforming ourselves and probably at our best to improve brands.In short, EvoLab offers a different metrics to indicate how we progress during our training. We can focus our training on one or more metrics to improve on the ones we need.

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Read the article in Spanish HERE