Coros Vertix 2S GPS Watch Review: Shoot For The Moon

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Coros Vertix 2S

TAYLOR: The year was 2019. I stood on the start line in front of an old cabin deep in Idaho’s Palisades mountains. The sirens of an ultra had taken me over. I was both trapped and intrigued by the thought of going farther and farther. Isn’t this what I was supposed to do?

The few years prior were a steady climb from running track in college to my first trail race — a 10k — followed by a step up to the 50k, then a 50-miler, 100k, and, finally, the coveted 100-miler. Granted, I took that journey over the course of five years, and even still, it felt a little stupid to be going so far in rugged mountain terrain. No doubt, it probably was stupid, but I was hooked on the idea of doing something life-changing.

I mean, anything that takes two of the standard GPS watches (of the time) to track is ridiculous. Obviously, I hadn’t stepped into the world of Coros just yet — it wasn’t a household name at the time — but I quickly started researching options after finishing without nine of my ten toenails. That’s how I stumbled upon the original Coros Vertix.

It served me well for years. I loved the battery life, the multifaceted toolbox for playing in the mountains, the slew of activities to choose from, and how indestructible it was. I speak of my original Vertix as if it has died, but it’s alive and well because of Coros’ commitment to updating firmware no matter the device’s age.

Since I picked up my first Vertix, though, Coros has released a sequel, the Vertix 2. It was bigger and better on all fronts, and then Coros upgraded its adventure watch again. Just like my ultra-running career, the Coros Vertix 2S took everything that its predecessor had and upped its game another notch. Here’s what I found after three months of putting this watch to the test.

How durable is the Coros Vertix 2S?

TAYLOR: The Coros Vertix 2S is an adventure-forward watch. It was designed for the gnarliest of adventures, both in duration and terrain. So, there are many major and minor details that simply made sense for such excursions, whether I was skiing in the backcountry, climbing, or, of course, racking up the running miles in the mountains.

For starters, many adventure watches require a large display for easy usage while on the go. The Coros Vertix 2S’s display expanded to a 1.4-inch watch face, similar to options from Garmin and others.

The hardware is encased by a beveled titanium bezel and a sapphire glass screen. Many of us know titanium as an industrial-strength metal with a low density but that is really strong and extremely difficult to corrode, which makes it an obvious choice for a watch like this.

It’s time to nerd out a little bit. Sapphire glass is a manmade material with a hardness rating of around 2,000HV. Kaboom. That’s my brain right now. Why? Compare that number to stainless steel at 220HV. Sapphire glass is nearly 10 times stronger. Only a few materials can damage it, and one of those is diamond. It’s safe to say that durability was not a concern. Both of these materials were carried over from the first generation’s design.

Another perk of such a heavy build quality is resistance to temperature. The Coros Vertix 2S’s performance will not be swayed until you hit a point of -22°F on the low end or soar up to 122°F (-30°C to 50°C). In either extreme case, what the heck are you doing out there? There’s comfort in knowing that the watch can operate in dire conditions.

Anyway, the Vertix 2S uses a set of three controls to get you out and adventuring. It packs two buttons — one to light up the screen and another to mark laps — as well as a rotating crown that you press to make selections. If you’ve ever used a Coros watch before, you’ll recognize the crown as a signature feature, but the Vertix 2S swaps plastic for titanium and is sensitive enough for use with heavy gloves on.

This time, though, Coros has added a touch screen to its adventure watch. It’s another feature the company has been adding with recent updates, and it’s usually used during an activity to swipe through different data screens.

What activities does the Coros Vertix 2S support?

TAYLOR: There are many features that make the Coros Vertix 2S an extreme adventure watch and equally useful on the casual level. Three basic categories sum them up: activities, toolbox, and information

As you might expect, the Coros Vertix 2S is as capable an adventure watch as it is a casual one. Its features are split into three categories: Activities, Toolbox, and Information, and they’re loaded with customizable options. Coros offers specific tracking modes for more than 30 sports — covering everything from trail running to speed surfing — and the Coros app makes it easy to personalize which ones I actually want to see.

Within each one of those sports, the Vertix 2S allows you to reprogram your button layout, choose which alerts will appear on the screen during the activity, and set your data preference while the activity runs.

I don’t have time to discuss every sport, but let me just scratch the surface of possibilities. Personally, I always like to see the total activity time while I’m running, but I also like to see the time of day. I also like access to my heart rate, elevation gain, current altitude, pace, and lap time. Somehow, I can fit all of that into a single display while trail running. Sometimes, though, I just want to see my effort-based data, and I can set up a screen for that on the Vertix 2S, too.

Other options include a well-stocked Toolbox, which covers features as simple as a stopwatch or the ability to select your watch face. Coros also has handy tools like a Find My Phone button, music controls, and the ability to act as a remote camera shutter. In the deeper parts of the Toolbox menu, you can even activate a metronome and select your GPS tracking preferences.

How long does the Coros Vertix 2S’s battery last?

TAYLOR: If you’re like me, battery life is probably your main concern if you’re looking into a Coros watch. Well, this is one that you should definitely think about. The Vertix 2S has the company’s longest-lasting battery life, and it’s not close. We’re talking long enough that you can forget where your watch charger is and probably still squeak out a few more days of usage before you need to find it.

Allegedly, the Vertix 2S can keep on ticking for a full 118 hours of activities. Cue up Cyprus Hill because that’s insane. While I didn’t take my watch on a five-day adventure, I regularly went four-plus weeks between charges. This included daily wear with full notification and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as daily runs adding up to between eight and 10 hours per week. Even after all of that, it would only drain about 30% of my charge.

How accurate is the Coros Vertix 2S?

TAYLOR: GPS accuracy is becoming so accurate that we’re talking about the tip of the spear. My first Coros Vertix was very consistent and seemed accurate when matched against any map overlays, previous watches, and known markers, yet it only used two satellite systems.

The updated Coros Vertix 2S now operates on five systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS) that I personally couldn’t tell you a lot about, but I do know that the consistency and accuracy has increased when comparing satellite and trail maps, especially in tough tracking areas (switchbacks, steep elevation profiles, and thickly covered areas). What shocked me was that the satellites tracked so accurately that I could see which side of the road I ran on, and quarter miles ticked over like clockwork on a track. Nowadays, that’s the “easy” stuff to get right.

The real test is an out-and-back scenario on singletrack when I’m covering the same terrain in opposite directions and at different paces. Would the maps bend? Or would they follow the same line? The biggest thing to look for is a consistent line. Because the earth doesn’t stop turning while you run, there may be a slight deviation from the lines. Again, it’s the shape we are most concerned about. For the most part, tracking lines are spot-on both ways. Sure, you can find some deviations if you zoom in on the tiniest parts of the route, but they’re minor at best.

Even when I was in a canyon, the watch tracked along the trail. If I was running a ridge, it showed on my maps afterward. I have no questions or concerns about my data at the end of every run. The Coros Vertix 2S is as accurate and consistent as they come.

Our thoughts on the Coros Vertix 2S

TAYLOR: What I love most about the Vertix 2S is that it does the basics to the best degree. It buckles down on accuracy and consistency, making it a watch I can trust completely no matter what kind of activity I am into. That doesn’t mean it’s a “basic” watch. It is simple to use, though, and I love that. Coros’ customization options are incredible for daily use and during athletic activities, and I love that I can program each activity to view only the data I want to see when I want to see it.

An obvious perk when any athlete considers Coros, and especially the Coros Vertix 2S, is battery life. It’s the leader in the market. There are no adventure watches available that can boast the same life while using its full capabilities.

And yet, forking out $699 is never easy. The watch’s durability should ease that sticker shock quite a bit because there’s no doubt that this watch is in it for the long haul — this watch will last as many years as you want it to. And, compared to other adventure-ready watches in the same category, the price of the Coros Vertix 2S is a downright bargain. Oh, and it’ll get better with age, too, thanks to Coros’ frequent software updates

The Coros Vertix 2S also comes with two watch band options right out of the box. I typically use the Nylon band for comfort and a better fit for my wrists, but it’s nice to have the option of switching to the silicone band for other activities like climbing or swimming.

Yet, the Coros Vertix 2S isn’t a perfect watch. It has a few small quirks that drop it ever so slightly.

For starters, I know that some people love to store music on their watches. Yes, music is an option on the Vertix 2S, but the process of getting it to your wrist feels more than a little antiquated. You cannot just connect your Vertix 2S to Spotify and go —you have to download your jams from a computer instead. Early 2000s me would have been pumped, but there’s no way I’m pulling out my laptop, ripping albums, plugging in my watch, and downloading them in 2024. We’re in the streaming age. Come on, Coros.

For a guy who never listens to anything other than my footsteps on runs, I didn’t know I was so opinionated.

On a more practical note, the Vertix 2S could use a little fine-tuning on its touch screen. It’s highly sensitive, which is great when you need it, but sometimes it’s too sensitive when wet. For example, my watch screens would cycle while swimming, even without my input. Also, it seems like the screen will cycle if rain runs across it from my jacket sleeve. It was definitely annoying, but not quite enough for me to turn it off in my settings menu.

Weight might be a concern for Vertix users, too. While this model is on the heavier end, it’s only a difference of a few grams, which is about the same as a couple of dollar bills — not worth fussing over.

So, if you’re ready to put a new adventure watch on your wrist, you can grab the Coros Vertix 2S for $699 from Coros using the button below.