COROS - NOMAD

I've just moved from a Pace 3 to a Nomad and, honestly, they're cracking pieces of kit. I've not had any issues with them since moving to Coros watches in February. For trails I would lean towards at least the Pace Pro or the Nomad/Apex 4 (they're basically the same) simply due to offline maps. Either way, Coros or Garmin, there's a device that meets your needs at a price you are willing to pay.

I've just moved from a Pace 3 to a Nomad and, honestly, they're cracking pieces of kit. I've not had any issues with them since moving to Coros watches in February. For trails I would lean towards at least the Pace Pro or the Nomad/Apex 4 (they're basically the same) simply due to offline maps. Either way, Coros or Garmin, there's a device that meets your needs at a price you are willing to pay.

"No Feature locking" is not true. Fishing modes are not shipped to all watches, just Nomad and vertix. Also other activity modes are not available on all watch models although it is not a hardware issue

He might be saying that because of how expensive a new Garmin is. If money is no object for you and you're giving it to him as a gift then a Forerunner 970 is a far superior watch. If he really wants to try Coros, he should do it with his own money and buying it from somewhere that you can return it without paying a restocking fee or shipping such as REI (in-store returns) or Amazon. I'm coming from Garmin and I've been pretty happy with my Coros Nomad, though there are a lot of mostly UI quirks. Functionality wise it's FAR better than Suunto and close but not quite there to Garmin. There is at least 1 completely dealbreaking flaw for me which is that the fonts are way too small in certain places and can't be increased. I can't read my notifications at all which kind of kills all the smartwatch functionality for me.

Interesting choice with the Apex 4, I think the Nomad is a better and cheaper watch 🙂 although I'm a sucker for a ruggedized plastic watch.

I returned my Coros Nomad because the font was just too small. They make pretty decent products but they fall short of Garmin with not being customizable in quality of life ways such as font size, screen brightness (way too bright), beep sounds (too loud and can't turn off or make quieter), and their watch faces aren't customizable. 

A few notes after owning a nomad for almost two weeks: Screen lock during activities - this only locks the dial button, not the dial wheel and the two other buttons. The reason I was using the screen lock is so my gloves don't scroll the data pages while riding an MTB, my gloves often press against the dial.  Notifications - if I toggle the notifications button on and off on the app, I will temporarily get all notifications to the watch. But after time, it resets to some glitch where I only receive phone calls notifications, not texts.  Real time HR - the watch will freeze on HR data until you hand gesture for the screen to wake up. Then the HR will appear in real time again. I started noticing my HR was either high or low, but when I moved the watch to look closer, the HR jumped from say 74 to 57. Just an example. The second dial disappears until you hand gesture.  Laps on the walking activity - my auto lap happens on 0.62mi, not 1mi.  Overall, this watch is great. The thing just works. I am recent convert from Garmin (Fenix 5) so this was a game changer in regard to HR, HRV, Screen technology, and just updated user interface. 

I took a leap of faith and purchased a Coros nomad instead of a garmin instinct as my first “running” watch. I love it so far. It has all the same capabilities as a Garmin so far. I run a lot of trails and I can download a route from my phone and it uploads to my watch fast. That being said I did have to download the region maps that I live in order for the GPS to have the most accurate streets. It’s got several preset watch faces to choose from. There is a few customization options. But I’m a newbie so all I need on my everyday watch face is date time and step count. It also displays battery life. Battery life is great. I’ve logged 25 miles in a week with the GPS option on showing me the routes and street names when I did do road running. I’m at 55% after logging those runs and also playing with the watch learning it lol. As far as selecting workouts it’s super easy. You can modify your watch to have only the activities you do. It’s a simple 3 clicks on the dial and you’re started. During the runs there super clear display screens and you can easily select which ones to use by rotating the dial. It will even display live map while you run. Each mile you hit it gives you a notification screen with how many miles, that mile pace and overall pace. Ending the run or activity is just as easy, simply hold the dial. The application on the phone is super easy to navigate. It allows you to permission Coros to send your run Data to Strava easily and there’s only about a 30 second delay once you complete the activity. There’s several other app options I just prefer Strava. Updating the watch is super easy from the app. It manages the watches storage which comes with a 32GB storage out the box. I downloaded four region maps and only used 125MB so overall I feel they have optimized this really good. Also it is easy to access to the app to shut off functions of the watch you do not use to optimize battery life.

I switched from an apple se2 to a coros nomad and I will never go back. My apple almost died when I was doing a trail race. We have the same concerns, battery life. I only switched because I really wanted the data, I think you probably should think about it. But the aw was a really good daily watch, notifications and all that jazz. But being away from that was pretty good detox too.

Love my Coros nomad - particularly for the value. Metal finishes aren’t as good but price, battery, and speed can’t be beat. You mention bulk/ so might not be best, but gotta look at the Coros.

My Nomad arrived yesterday, so I’m absolutely at the start of my honeymoon phase with it. The first surprise is the weight — much lighter than I expected. And the operating system speed is impeccable, everything feels very fast and smooth. I love this MIP screen — it’s not a revolution compared to the Pace 3, but it’s definitely an evolution, especially on screens with a black background. It arrived with 71% battery, has already gone through one night of sleep and two hours of GPS running at night (with the backlight always on), and is now at 63%. If the run had been during the day, I imagine it would’ve used slightly less power. Ah, and the green color is really interesting — it changes shades depending on the surrounding light, and I think I like it a lot. In fact, I like all the colors, but this one was the one available the fastest. Now I’m just waiting for the nylon bands to arrive. So far, this honeymoon is going very well.

How long was your honeymoon? A weekend getaway is quite popular; many are lucky enough to escape for five to ten days. I don’t know anyone who flew to Hawaii for 16 days. And yet, those initial days out of the box are the honeymoon phase for me with any newly unboxed wearable. ‘Twas a lovely Friday afternoon in Orem, Utah, when the grey Nomad fell onto my wrist 16 days ago, September 26, 2025. Yes, we started our outdoor adventures with 97% battery. Two software updates later, I tracked my sleep each night and worked out with many GPS satellites for over 15 hours. Oh yeah, easy 500 smartphone notifications sent to the Nomad, and up until Day 14, it was using “realtime” heart rate tracking and all satellite connectivity for those outside escapades. The screen is gorgeous, the design is rugged, its three-button navigation is familiar, and the 101 features continue to be fun to use each hour it stares at me. Alright, the staring analogy may be a stretch, yet in a way, think about it. Your Nomad is a smartwatch with 88,991 lines of code running at all times. If there were a camera on the face, it might utilize A.I. to interact and coach you for your marathon, right? Has it been worth the price tag of $349? Yes, and in several ways, I like it more than my $450 Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. # The Cons 1. Brightness levels, sorry, there are none as of October 5th, 2025. 2. Vibration intensity options, still M.I.A. (missing on the action button) 3. Spotify music app integration 4. Apple iTunes Music connection with my iPhone 5. Amazon Music connectivity, since I already pay Jeff Bezos $150.00 annually  6. Google Music to go with my YouTube Premium account 7. Why must I touch the digital dial for a Wellness Check when the Pace 3 skips that step? 8. Water temperature of the lake I am fishing in, is that coming soon? 9. A long press on the watch face as a shortcut ot quickly change to another face 10. Timers and Stopwatch - there should be an icon as a shortcut on the home watch face, as other orgs have released years ago.  # Why COROS over Garmin, Samsung, Apple, or Suunto? 1. They are a newer company to the smartwatch realm and hungrier than larger orgs to please consumers with fantastic products, fabulous customer service, and not just one year, but also two full years of warranty support.  2. Even though they are still new, they have already gained the experience and knowledge needed to create an awesome smart watch.  3. Easy setup in less than 88 seconds.  4. COROS does care about the environment, as I have shown in my videos, with their packaging becoming more eco-friendly and fewer cables included.  5. Since they are hungry for market share, they are innovating more quickly than other watch makers. 6. COROS continues to price their watch to sell and fly off the shelf.  7. Two years outside its box, yes, the COROS Pace 3 still receives updates, impresses me with its 101 features, and remains a wearable I recommend to my Family, friends, and strangers I encounter at the grocery store.  # The Pros - why purchase the NOMAD? 1. Already has a plethora of features for a timepiece selling in the $300 to $400 price range.  2. And estimated 21 days of battery life out of the box - dang! And mine realistically achieved 16 of those days.  3. Lovely screen in all four life scenarios: A. morning indoors, B. morning outside, C. evening outside, and D. evening indoors 4. Microphone for adventure journaling is what exactly? I. wickedly inventive II. Ultra useful III. Comes with nearly a 9% learning curve if you are new to the COROS app 5. More workout categories 6. Improved gear tracking 7. Not a double-stuff OREO on my wrist (thank you, D.C. Rainmake, for the insightful comparison) 8. MIP and Electronic Ink screen technology come with a fabulous viewing angle at any time of your day.  9. Three-button navigation makes the Apple Watch Ultra 3.0 appear… antiquated. (And I must apologize to Jonny Ive for writing that sentence.) 10. Setup time of this new NOMAD was less than 88 seconds if you already downloaded the COROS app on your smartphone and had an account logged onboarded. (If you don’t understand my 88 seconds reference, please watch “Back to the Future” with Michael J. Fox from July 3, 1985). 11. Nap Time \~ used it yesterday and dozens of times this year; it simply functions as designed.  12. Wellness Check gives the User 30 seconds to chill and then instant feedback. 13. Fantastic, and free, watch faces, and here at my top choices: Calligraphy Vintage LCD Calligraphy 2 Vintage LCD (Seppia?) Vintage LCD 02 Cretaceous Nomad Circuit Glow Glow Dial2 Cassette 14. Two-year warranty 15. Years of product continuity, software updates, and kind COROS Customer Support 16. COROS is hungry and thirsty to please its new customers.  17. COROS offers a trade-in program for watchhead fans.  18. Website Training Hub is off the charts with health metrics, reports, and visual eye candy for the most extreme weekend-warrior athlete.  19. New strap design makes the watch-strap combination more comfortable to wear with a silicone band.  20 . Does not giggle or slide around when I run at my 8.59 miles per hour splits.  21. ZERO battery anxiety.  22. Digital dial is now faster, smoother, and gives the User a fluid experience navigating all screens.  23. Touch screen UI (user experience) has improved by 119% since 2024.  24. MIP color screen for all the disappointed Users who already bought, and then returned, their Garmin Instinct 3 Solar watches.  25. GPS accuracy, yes, augmented much since the release of the Pace 2.  26. App interface for customizing workouts, yes, improved greatly since Q1-2025.  27. Their eco-friendly packaging helps Mother Earth and me sleep better at night.  28. Vibration feedback with its touch screen is more cohesive than many wearables costing over $500.00.  29. Camera control, yes, it is useful during outdoor workouts.  30. COROS watches embrace equally both Apple and Android smartphones.  31. An easy integration with the COROS HR Band.  32. Heart Rate broadcasting to my row machine and more. Not even my fancy Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has that ability! 33. The NOMAD watch lies flat.  34. And since the NOMAD goes flat on a surface, it also fits inside my PhoneSoap UV tanning bed. 35. The watch strap design is less bulky and gets caught on clothing/other objects less frequently.  36. Safety Alerts - hold dial for seven seconds during a workout.  37. COROS Logo on the bezel is a subtle design feature that I enjoy, for it is not distracting as some watches where the name/logo yells at you 24 hours per day.  38. SP02 check during an elliptical, or nearly any workout, is health-conscious. If you have been sick or have a condition, yes, pushing your body to the brink of exhaustion may land you in a hospital bed instead of your hammock. Quickly checking the blood oxygen on the go may be a game-changer.  39. Wi-Fi Sync geeks me out.  40. Night Mode - love it for filming and evening walks.  41. Naps, yes, they lower your recovery time.  42. Race Predictors - they auto-update to coach you off the couch.  43. What about Body Battery or a BioCharge score? I feel it is coming to a COROS watch on your wrist soon… And that is all I have after two years, 16 days, and 23 hours wearing watches designed in Orange County, California. Yes, COROS is reading this article at the same time you are, and they did not offer to check my grammar, but Google sure did annoy me about dangling participles. I hope you find the watch you’re looking for. However, if a COROS does not check all the boxes, well, comment below, and perhaps I can help you find your dream timepiece. Thank you for your time and for clicking on by… Sincerely, Gadgets Anonymous & Peter Herget Social Media Realm: [https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterHerget](https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterHerget) [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheManWithTwoWatches](https://www.youtube.com/c/TheManWithTwoWatches) [https://www.facebook.com/gadgetsanonymous/](https://www.facebook.com/gadgetsanonymous/) [https://www.instagram.com/cuneo13/](https://www.instagram.com/cuneo13/) [https://x.com/HergetPietro](https://x.com/HergetPietro) [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterherget/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterherget/)

Hooray, and glad I am not the only one impressed by this $350.00 timepiece. COROS truly is hungry for market share, and I am glad you're enjoying your NOMADIC experience. I have not seen the green Nomad in person, just my gray. What do you think about the vibration intensity? And can you share an outdoor photo of your green Nomad, please?

There is a microphone on the COROS Nomad to add a voice recording to GPS pins. And with my Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, yes, it has a great microphone and speaker for anything.

I seriously doubt it is a disappointment. I have worn, tested, unboxed, worked, napped, chilled, traveled, and slept with over six different COROS wearables, and none of them have let me down. And nope, I do not work for COROS, no affiliate link, I am just a watchhead. I am currently on Day 20, testing the Nomad. https://preview.redd.it/b6jwxbgmwivf1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=caa9de18f4046a986349ab0bce88b8bf54d5c14a

I have Coros Pace 2 since 2020 and for my activities and it is quite enough for me so far: running, cycling as commuting, hiking, camping for few days, ice skating/ snowboarding or just simply mushroom picking. I turned all smartwatch futures off to save up battery and avoid distractions so can push battery to its limits when i am off the grid. i succeed up to 28h with Full gps mode on, or like 50h with gps off. With in Apex 4 realize i was quite exited for slightly improvements as better display with in sapphire glass and titanium alloyed frame, also there is 42mm size watch which for my small wrist is perfect fit. Tho with competitors is not that much of upgrade.. battery got slightly better, but nothing to compare to some garmin outdoor watches.. of course more updates are on software and hardware where improvements will keep coming with app new bug fixes and improvements... Still thinking for me would be better nomad version which has more futures for my active life stile tho i would miss size and build materials even that i barely scratched during my 5 years ownership of coros pace 2 with much cheaper materials build watch, so i am still on the edge trying to decide what is best fit for me ..