The Coros Vertix 2 can tell you everything you need to know about your climbing session – without you even wearing it

The Coros Vertix 2 isn’t nan first clip I tested a Coros device. I deliberation Coros makes immoderate of nan apical moving and escapade watches successful nan business, and we rated nan Coros Pace 3 arsenic nan best inexpensive moving watch disposable correct now. The Coros Vertix 2 is, however, my first escapade watch pinch specified an accent connected climbing.

Its climbing modes are packed to nan gills pinch accusation I didn’t moreover cognize I needed, and superior adventurers and athletics climbers will find nan Vertix 2 very useful. It moreover comes pinch its ain climbing accessory, nan Coros Vertix 2 carabiner.

The carabiner is simply a neat invention, though pricey astatine $79 / £69 / AU$129, connected apical of nan $599 / £599 / AU$899 escapade watch. The assemblage of nan watch is simply a small bulky arsenic premium escapade watches thin to be. This intends it mightiness get successful nan measurement during aggravated aliases difficult climbs erstwhile there's nary clip to region aliases set nan watch while hanging from sheer rock.

So, Coros gives you nan action to region nan watch straps and descent nan assemblage into nan carabiner. You tin time off it hanging connected your loop aliases nan strap of a chalk container and it’ll still prime up loads of GPS accusation astir your climb. Ta-daa: broad accusation astir your climbing convention recorded successful nan moment, and you don’t moreover person to deterioration nan watch on-wrist to do it.

The Vertix 2 speaks to 5 outer networks (GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, Beidou and Galileo) to accurately position itself vertically and horizontally, calculating elevation very effectively. It supports world offline maps, allowing you to upload and sync to nan Coros app beforehand. When I tested immoderate of its climbing features astatine my indoor bouldering gym, I utilized its “bouldering” workout floor plan and sewage a simpler interface.

In nan aforesaid measurement that you tin disagreement a workout into segments utilizing 1 of nan best Apple Watches, nan little fastener connected nan Vertix 2 allows you to grounds way attempts, interspersed pinch remainder periods. Once a way effort is finished, nan watch (having already recorded your elevation position during nan run) gives you respective options for labeling nan way correctly. First, it allows you to grounds nan trouble level of nan way utilizing your classification of choice. I utilized nan “V-grade” standard that I’m utilized to, climbing a mates of V1s, V2s and V3s for nan intent of testing.

Then it asks you to explanation it pinch 1 of respective climbing terms, specified arsenic “onsight” (completing a way first time, pinch nary “beta” knowledge of really to get up), “flash” (completing a way first time, pinch anterior beta) aliases “redpoint” (completing a way pinch practice, having succeeded aliases grounded astatine nan way prior).

Using these position mixed pinch your elevation statistics, I could spot astatine nan extremity of my indoor bouldering convention really galore routes I climbed, really good I did, and really precocious those routes took me. All this is past synced to nan Coros app, wherever you tin comparison it against early sessions.

I’ve been bouldering astatine climbing centers, but ne'er earnestly – it was conscionable a fun, progressive measurement to bent retired pinch friends. However, seeing my stats laid retired earlier maine – and having a convenient measurement to grounds them that wasn’t strapped to my wrist wherever it could get successful nan measurement aliases get scratched – made maine want to push myself successful a 2nd session, to spot whether I could upgrade. I wanted to trial myself connected much grounded attempts and do higher routes. By quantifying nan activity and applying a measurable, performance-based metric to it, I was driven to amended those numbers.

Other than nan elevation figures and times, a batch of nan accusation present is self-recorded, truthful successful theory, you don’t request a Coros Vertix 2 to do this; conscionable a pen and a notebook, aliases a spreadsheet. However, I was struck by nan easiness pinch which nan watch’s model allows you to grounds these figures astatine nan time, pinch conscionable a mates of fastener presses: nan personification acquisition is excellent, and returns you to nan remainder play timer successful seconds. If I could get this overmuch retired of it, pinch my comparative bouldering inexperience, superior climbers are going to emotion nan Vertix 2. Stay tuned for our afloat review.

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