COROS Pace

General
Manufacturer COROS
Type GPS multisport and triathlon watch
Also known as Pace Multisport, Pace M1
Series PACE
Released June 2018
Price at launch GBP 249.98 / USD 299.99 / EUR 260
Predecessor None. COROS’s first sports watch
Successor COROS Pace 2 (August 2020)
Status Discontinued. No longer sold by COROS or retail partners.
Sizes One size
Colours Black/Grey, Red/Black, Blue/Black

Specifications and features as at launch.

Jump to: Expert opinion | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Further reading

Expert opinion

The original Pace was COROS’s first watch and a credible entry into the triathlon and multisport middle market, aimed at the Garmin Forerunner 735XT and Suunto Spartan Trainer rather than the flagship end. For a first device the hardware was competent, and it made ANT+ sensor support, including power meters, work from launch.

GPS accuracy for running was good, though not as consistently excellent as the best individual test scores suggested, and distance measurement was closer to average. Cycling GPS was average but fine. Open water swim GPS was the weak point, along with optical heart rate during swimming, both notably worse than for running or cycling. There was no touchscreen, no offline mapping, no AMOLED, and no COROS online training platform at this stage, workouts synced through the COROS app or Strava. Data export via FIT file worked but was not fully reliable.

Later firmware added EvoLab, Track Run mode and Bluetooth heart rate broadcast until the watch’s internal storage filled. COROS now issues bug fixes only for the original Pace, with no new features.

Specifications

Display
Size 1.2 inch
Type LCD, button operated. No touchscreen
Resolution 240 x 240 pixels
Physical
Controls Four buttons. No digital dial or touchscreen
Water rating 50m
Sensors and positioning
GPS GPS and GLONASS, always enabled together. Single-frequency
Heart rate Optical heart rate monitor
Other sensors Barometric altimeter, compass
Not fitted Pulse oximeter, ECG, microphone, speaker
Connectivity and storage
Connectivity ANT+ for accessories, including heart rate monitors, speed/cadence sensors, indoor trainers and power meters. Bluetooth for phone only. No Wi-Fi, no NFC
Music Not supported
Onboard maps No
Data export FIT file via email or the COROS app, or upload to Strava. No dedicated COROS online training platform at this stage

Battery life

The figure below comes from COROS’s stated launch specification.

Mode Battery life
GPS workout (GPS + GLONASS) 25 hours

Features

Feature explanations are covered in the the5krunner COROS hub. Compared with later Pace watches, the original Pace’s feature set was basic.

Training

  • Heart rate and power zones
  • Cadence, heart rate, pace and speed alerts
  • Manual lap, autolap, autoscroll
  • Resting heart rate and VO2 max shown in the app
  • Metronome
  • Custom pool length setting

Daily

  • Phone and app notifications, with a do-not-disturb time range
  • Calorie counter
  • Workout history on the watch and in the app

Navigation

  • Compass
  • Air pressure and elevation profiles over time, with 3D-GPS and manual elevation calibration
  • No breadcrumb navigation and no maps

Third-party integration

  • Strava upload via the app
  • ANT+ power meter pairing, including cadence and power from a single pedal-based meter

Activity profiles

The original Pace supported seven sport profiles, including triathlon with transitions.

Category Profiles
Run Run
Bike Bike, Indoor Bike
Water Open Water, Pool Swim
Other Triathlon (with transitions), Multisport

Further reading

Related watches

Looking at alternatives to the original Pace?

  • Successor: COROS Pace 2, with a digital dial and better GPS.
  • Current entry model: COROS Pace 4, with an AMOLED screen, maps and dual-frequency GPS.