The Perfect Triathletes Watch? – a Review of the Coros Pace 3

In the box yo get the watch, USB charge cable, two spare watch band pins (nice touch!), user guides and stickers

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Introduction

The Coros Pace 3 has just been released to replace the Coros Pace 2 as their entry level GPS sports watch. As an entry level, affordable watch it is packed with features often seen on high end watches so it's great for new athletes and all the way through to those wanting to do ultra events given the huge batter life.

In this review we will look at the new features and how it stacks up to it’s rivals and also high-end devices.

The Coros Pace 3 GPS Sports Watch

Before we dive into the specifications let’s talk about Coros and the background to the Coros Pace watches. You may not have heard of Coros, but they burst onto the fitness scene in 2016 and released its first product: the LINX Smart Cycling Helmet after 2,135 backers pledged $319,765 on Kickstarter. The Kickstarter campaign for LINX achieved 639% of its funding goal, making it one of the most successful campaigns of its kind. Coros went on to release its OMNI, and SafeSound smart helmets in 2018.

After successes in the cycling industry, on May 15, 2018, Coros launched its first GPS watch - The PACE Multisport GPS Watch, which had a built-in first-of-its-kind dedicated 'Track Mode' designed for track runners to get accurate pace, distance, and time data – where GPS tracking had originally failed. In 2020, COROS launched PACE 2 - the lightest GPS watch at that time and now the PACE 3 in 2023.

For triathletes, runners, and other athletes there are key areas that are extremely important such as batter life, GPS training accuracy, training modes, weight and being waterproof and the Coros Pace 3 is strong in all of these areas.

The Coros Pace 3 - perfect for accurate Track Running, Road Running, Treadmill and Trail Running

Design and Build Quality

The watch is made from lightweight high strength polymer (nylon) plastic and the version I have has a nylon strap with Velcro which makes it very practical and easy to put on. Some people like the retro styling of the white nylon strap and you can change the watch face to match with a retro style face using the Coros App.

I think I would prefer the silicone traditional strap with a standard buckle, but this is personal preference. The watch and nylon strap combo means the watch weighs just 30g (for comparison my Garmin Fenix 5 is 85g).

You can find out what you get in the box in my unboxing video below:

Unboxing of the Coros Pace 3 at ChiliTri

Display and User Interface

The screen has a touch screen to navigate but it also has a jog wheel on the side to navigate the screens as well.

The touch screen is 1.2” mineral glass and covers pretty much the whole of the watch face with minimal bezel. It’s bright (always on), clear and has a night mode for easy readability at night. Using the App, you can configure the screen how you want using their standard screens or configure your own.

You can configure the watch to have the touchscreen always on, have it on just for just navigation & activities or navigation only.

When I first tried the watch, I thought the touch screen was not working! but it was set to navigation & activities only via the touch screen so only worked when I selected an activity and then it worked perfectly. If the touch screen is always on, then if you just want to use it as a watch when not training it may keep jumping to another screen if you brush against it.

The Coros Pace 3 has a large, clear touchscreen display

GPS and Tracking Features

This is an exciting uplift as it has the latest GNSS GPS chipset and supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS so you will always be connected.

It has optional Dual-Frequency which will keep your GPS data accurate, even in high-rise cities like New York, Malaga, and London.

The watch also supports maps and “breadcrumb” mode so you can devise and route and follow it. Breadcrumb navigation tracking allows you to follow a pre-loaded GPX route on the Coros watch when training or racing in unfamiliar locations. Real time information on heading, elevation and alerts are available to help you to stay on track and get back on course if a turn is missed – you will never get lost again!

The Coros Pace 3 showing a breadcrumb trail loaded on the watch for tracking

The watch supports many different sports modes including triathlon, multi-sports, open water swimming, pool swimming, indoor and outdoor cycling, running, treadmills, trail running, track running, gym work, hiking and even jump rope.

Via the app you can load workouts, fitness tests and training plans for triathlon, running, cycling and strength. There are no triathlon plans yet but my plans on Final Surge and TrainingPeaks all fully support by Coros.

The phone App is excellent at looking at your training stats in detail and for the run for example you can see pace, heart rate, cadence, running power, stride length, elevation and training effect. There is no ground contact time but hopefully they will add this soon. You can use the Coros POD 2 for extended running stats like ground contact time.

In the Coros App you can overlay stats - here I have over laid Heart Rate and Elevation

Progress Tracking

The Coros Pace 3 has all of the usual progress tracking stats like activities completed, training calendar, training totals, heart rate and training load. It also shows training status, recovery, run fitness, sleep and body mass. I particularly like the the recovery score as this helps you assess how hard you should train that day without complicated HRV (Heart Rate Variability) stats. I managed to get myself into the "exhausted" state last week and the little man on the screen was bent over with exhaustion which made my chuckle!

Coros Pace 3 progress stats including Recovery status

Pace 3 Sensors

The biggest advancement with the Pace 3 sensors is the wrist-based heart rate (HR) monitor which is now a low profile, has 5 LEDs, and 4 photodetectors which means higher accuracy heart rate stats plus the ability to measure your blood oxygen levels.

This advanced HR sensor helps you understand your sleep and resting heart rate. In swimming mode, you can also see your real time heart rate throughout your swim which is unusual on wrist-based heart rate monitors.

There are a lot more sensors such as altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass, and temperature sensor. These enable you to know your elevation, direction, body and air temperature and on wrist running power plus the usual step count, calories burned and stopwatch.

Another mode I love is the metronome which will help you improve your run and cycling cadence. For example if you want to maintain a 180 strides per minute (SPM) you can set the metronome to 180 and try to touch the ground with every beat.

The Coros Pace 3 with 5 LEDs and 4 photodetector heart rate wrist based monitor with blood oxygen (Sp02) analysis

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Assessment

Alongside heart rate tracking and resting heart rate data the Coros Pace 3 also supports HRV assessment which is usually only available on high end watches.

Your COROS watch will automatically measure heart rate variability, or HRV, anytime you wear your watch to sleep. 

Measuring your HRV overnight is an easy, non-invasive way to monitor your body's autonomic nervous system's response to stress. This stress measurement provides you with insight into your body's physical and mental response to both daily, and overnight factors such as life and work stress, training, and sleep quality.

To view your HRV Assessment in the COROS app, navigate to your Progress page, then select HRV Assessment.

Your HRV is measured continuously overnight in 10-minute intervals to provide you with an average HRV score. 

Your Normal Range is established from previous nights HRV data, to provide you with a baseline assessment of where your HRV typically is.  When your HRV readings are within your Normal Range, this means that your body is responding to stress in a typical manner. Elevated HRV may indicate less stress, while lower HRV typically points to higher stress levels.

Toggle between Day, Week, and Month to view your HRV trends over time.

Knowing your HRV will help you know how hard you can train that day read more about HRV and how it can help you train optimally and potentially avoid injury.

Battery Life

Battery life is an area that Coros watches excel and the Pace 3 no exception with an impressive 25 hours with all systems active and 38 hours in standard GPS mode which is long enough for an Ultra event. In regular use is will lats 24 days. I charged the watch when I got it and even though I did not time it, it was a lot quicker than my Garmin.

Connectivity and Compatibility

The watch supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. I connected to my Wi-Fi router quickly and easily and this allows me to upload my workouts without the need for a PC or laptop. I also managed to upgrade the software easily from my watch. I used the Bluetooth to my Stryd running footpod in a few easy clicks.

It does not have ANT+ so will not connect to ANT+ only accessories but all the devices I own have both Bluetooth and ANT+ so was not a problem for me but worth considering.

You can use the Bluetooth to connect to your headphones to listen to music stored as MP3 files in the internal 4Gb of memory.

The Coros App is intuitive and makes setting up your watch a breeze. The watch is compatible with Komoot, TrainingPeaks, Strava, Relive, Adidas Running, Apple Health, Stryd, Final Surge, Runalyze, Running Quotient, Decathlon and more.

You can also control your GoPro camera remotely from your Pace 3.

Comfort and Wearability

As mentioned, it’s lightweight and easy to put on due to the nylon strap plus 11.7mm thick (the Garmin Fenix 5 is 15.5mm thick) so comfortable on your wrist. So, whether you are swimming, cycling, running or sleeping you will hardly know it’s there. It’s waterproof to 5 ATM so there is no problem swimming with it and in swim mode you can see your heart rate in real time which is unusual with wrist mounted heart rate monitors.

I wore the Coros 3 on one wrist and Garmin Fenix 5 on the other for a whole day and I did feel the difference in weight.

The Coros Pace 3 has memory for music files and Bluetooth to pair with headphones

Coros Pace 3 for Triathlons and Multi-Sports

Triathlon mode is designed to be used for any workout or race that consists of 3 activities with 2 transitions.  Simply press your watch's CONFIRM button to progress from one part of the triathlon to the next.

Triathlon mode includes a transition between the first and second activities, and another transition between the second and third activities.  If at any time you accidentally progress past the current activity and start the next transition prematurely, you can use your watch's BACK button to return to the activity or scroll down and select "Resume".

Select to enable workout alerts for all sessions of the triathlon.  Activity alerts in Triathlon mode can only be customized by modifying the activity alerts on the individual activity modes themselves.  For example, to change the alert for the Bike portion of the triathlon, please go to Bike mode on your watch and set the activity alert there.

Another good feature for triathlon training is heart rate during your swim so you know you are hitting the right zone as you train. I have tried the Pace 3 in both open water swimming and pool modes and throughout the swim I was able to see my heart rate which helped me swim harder in the right zone on my training plan.

Swimming drills are not currently supported yet but Coros are good at updates so should add this soon.

How to use the Coros Pace 3 in Triathlon mode

Customer Support

This is my first experience with Coros I did contact their customer support a few times and asked some questions about the features and they always replied very quickly with full answers to my questions. I used the standard emails address which they have for all regions:

support@coros.com, support.es@coros.com (Spanish), support.fr@coros.com (French), support.uk@coros.com (UK), and japan@coros.com (Japanese) for support.    

Price and Value

The Coros Pace 3 is $229 in the US, £219 in the UK and €249 in Europe.

The Coros Pace 3 peer group is the Garmin Forerunner 55 which is $200 and the Polar Pacer which is $229.

The Forerunner 55 has an older and less accurate hear rate monitor so no blood oxy sensor, less battery life and single band GPS so less accurate, but it does have more wellness features.

The Polar Pacer which has no touch screen, no altimeter, less battery life, and no blood oxy sensor. Polar are also not very regular with software updates as Garmin and Coros.

The Coros Pace 3 does have more onboard memory and faster processor so I suspect new features will become available this year via software upgrades.

COROS Keychain Watch Charger

There is a great accessory for your COROS Pace 3 watch and it comes in the form a keyring charge cable so you can always charge your watch.  I got mine as a Christmas stocking filler and was a great gift. You can get it for £22 on Amazon. It's a very simple product and can be used with PACE, APEX, APEX Pro and VERTIX COROS watches,

COROS Watch Keychain Charge Cable

Pros and Cons of the COROS Pace 3

Pros

• The price point makes it a very good value for money watch considering the feature set.
• Thanks to the next generation GPS and HR sensor it is very accurate and can measure HR underwater and blood oxygen levels. It also tracks your sleep and resting heart rate.
• It’s very lightweight and has a touch screen display.
• Its battery life is industry leading at 38 hours in continuous GPS mode – enough for an Ultra event.
• The Coros Pace 3 has have Wifi so you can update your workouts without the need for a PC or phone.
• The Coros App has training sessions and plan you can load onto your watch and follow.
• The Pace 3 has a very long batter life of 38 hours full GPS and up to 24 days of regular use.

Cons

• It is a plastic watch and although this makes it lightweight it does not feel as robust as other higher end watches. The cloth strap is not for me, it is practical and lightweight, but I prefer a conventional strap. There are other straps available from Coros and third parties so I would change it.
• On some of the screens the font is quite small so difficult to read for me.
• This watch does not support ANT+ so may cause problems if you have accessories with ANT+ but no Bluetooth. Saying that I have many accessories and they all have Bluetooth, so this was not a problem for me.

Conclusion

Is Coros Pace 3 a good watch for Trinewbies? Yes, and great for seasoned athletes and ultra event junkies. Is it good value for money? Yes, it beats it’s direct rivals with its abundant features and matches accuracy of top of the range watches.

The watch is a very good all rounder and with the new GPS chipset and wrist heart rate monitor plus other sensors it adds many new features not found in entry level watches like breadcrumb trails, blood oxygen levels (Sp02), real time heart rate when swimming and on-wrist running power. The Pace 3 is also lightweight and has a long battery life. 

If you are on a budget but want lots of functionality to help you train and race triathlons, then this watch is definitely worth a look.

The Coros Pace 3 features overview

Karen Parnell is a Level 3 British Triathlon Coach, 8020 Endurance and IRONMAN Certified Coach, WOWSA Level 3 open water swimming coach and NASM Personal Trainer and Sports Technology Writer. Karen has a certificate in Sport Nutrition and Advanced Clinical Weightless Practitioner.

Need a training plan? I have plans on TrainingPeaks and FinalSurge marketplace:

TrainingPeaks

FinalSurge

8020 Polarised Training Plans

I also coach a very small number of athletes one to one for all triathlon distances, open water swimming events and running races, email me for details and availability. karen.parnell@chilitri.com

FAQ: Coros Pace 3

1. What is the Coros Pace 3 GPS sports watch?

The Coros Pace 3 is a GPS-enabled sports watch designed for athletes, triathletes and fitness enthusiasts. It offers various features to track and improve your performance during workouts and outdoor activities.

2. What sports and activities does the Coros Pace 3 support?

The Coros Pace 3 supports a wide range of sports and activities, including triathlon, running, cycling, swimming, hiking, indoor workouts, and more. It comes with specific sports modes tailored to each activity.

3. How accurate is the GPS tracking on the Coros Pace 3?

The Coros Pace 3 is known for its accurate GPS tracking, providing precise data on distance, pace, and routes during outdoor activities. Users generally report reliable performance in this regard. The GPS on the Pace 3 supports dual band tracking so is exceptionally accurate.

4. Does the Coros Pace 3 have heart rate monitoring?

Yes, the Coros Pace 3 comes with heart rate monitoring technology, allowing you to track your heart rate during workouts and daily activities. This data can help you optimize your training and monitor your overall health. The Pace 3 features 5 LEDs, and 4 photodetectors which means higher accuracy heart rate stats plus the ability to measure your blood oxygen levels.

5. Does the Coros Pace 3 show heart rate in real time during swimming?

Yes, the Coros Pace 3 wrist-based heart rate monitor can show heart rate in real time during swimming.

6. Does the Coros Pace 3 support blood oxygen levels?

Yes, the Coros Pace 3 supports Sp02 blood oxygen levels as well as resting heart rate and sleep stats.

7. Is the Coros Pace 3 water-resistant?

Yes, the Coros Pace 3 is water-resistant with a rating of up to 50 meters (5 ATM). It can be worn while swimming and in wet conditions, but it is not suitable for deep-sea diving.

8. How is the battery life on the Coros Pace 3?

The Coros Pace 3 offers impressive battery life, especially in GPS mode. Depending on usage, it can last up to 38 hours in GPS mode and 24 days in regular smartwatch mode.

9. Can I receive smartphone notifications on the Coros Pace 3?

Yes, the Coros Pace 3 can sync with your smartphone and display notifications for calls, texts, emails, and app alerts. You can stay connected during workouts without needing to check your phone.

10. Is the Coros Pace 3 compatible with third-party fitness apps?

The Coros Pace 3 is compatible with various third-party fitness apps, including Strava and TrainingPeaks Final Surge, Apple Health, Stryd and more. You can sync your data to these platforms to analyse and share your workout stats.

11. How comfortable is the Coros Pace 3 to wear during workouts?

The Coros Pace 3 is designed for comfort, with adjustable nylon or silicone bands and a lightweight construction. Many users find it comfortable to wear during both workouts and daily activities.

12. What is the price range of the Coros Pace 3?

The price of the Coros Pace 3 is $229, £219 and €249.

13. Does the Coros Pace 3 offer a warranty?

Yes, Coros typically offers a limited warranty for their products. Be sure to check the specific warranty details when purchasing the watch.

14. Can I customize the watch face and data fields on the Coros Pace 3?

Yes, the Coros Pace 3 allows you to customize the watch face and choose the data fields you want to see during workouts. This personalization can help you tailor the watch to your preferences.