Walking Equipment and Accessories

Coros Apex 4 for Hiking and Trail Running | Review

A hiker and trail runner’s perspective on Coros’s latest “mountain sports” watch

Despite having reviewed countless smartwatches, I’m someone who’s really resistant to them. Why? I just find them a little distracting and irritating – something I don’t want when I’m hiking or running. As part of my job, however, I have to test them, and that’s why I’ve ended up with the Coros Apex 4. Do you know what, though? This is a watch I can really get behind. In fact, it’s genuinely elevated my outdoor experiences.

How I’ve Been Testing It

Over the last few months, I’ve been working on a guidebook that’ll contain 50 routes taking in all 189 of Wales’s mountains. This process has involved getting out in all conditions to check the routes I’ve devised and to record info on them as I go.

OM editor Will testing the Coros Apex 4 in the Lake District.

I began by using my phone to navigate and take notes (with a paper map in my bag, just in case), but I quickly realised this was problematic. My new iPhone screen simply can’t handle rain – even a few raindrops makes it pretty much unusable. Why not use a waterproof case? I can hear you asking. Well, that’s an issue because then I can’t take pictures for the book. Anyway, my solution, it turned out, lay in this watch.

What the Coros Apex 4 Offers

Coros have a bunch of different watches and this one is positioned as their option for “mountain athletes”, with tools and training functions designed to help climbers, skiers and trail runners with route planning and performance tracking. While there’s a specific option for hikers in the form of the Coros Nomad, I think the Apex is more my bag, as I like to dabble in a bit of trail running alongside my hiking. Expect navigation tools, fitness tracking, and day-to-day features, including the ability to take calls directly through the watch.

Pros: Geared specifically for mountain-based activities, reliable navigation tools, durable, free global mapping, good battery life.
Cons: No compatibility with music streaming apps or contactless payment. Just landscape and topo mapping – not OS.
Weight: 64g
Options: Available in 42mm and 46mm versions

Buy the Coros Apex 4: £429 at Decathlon.co.uk

What I Liked About It

I found this incredibly useful for route following. I’ve got loads of routes planned out on the OS Maps app, and it was really easy to export the GPX files to the watch. I could then follow them, even without signal, with the watch giving me very precise satellite positioning and little prompts if I drifted off track. On occasions when I had to deviate from my route or backtrack, the watch would recognise this and ask whether I wanted to reverse the directions. If I did lose the trail, it would guide me back to the most direct point of my planned route.

I didn’t find the map detail to be that great – nowhere near the level you get from an OS map – but that was always available from my phone when I needed it. The watch gave me enough detail to keep moving confidently.

Another feature I absolutely loved is the voice notes and journaling function. With a couple of button presses, I could log a note about the route for later: “Turn left at the metal gate and take the faint path,” “The route gets rocky and treacherous here,” that kind of thing. Back at home, I could then open the Coros app and listen to, or read a transcription of, these notes at the exact point on the map where I made them. You can attach photos to those map points as well.

Related: Toughest Watches Reviewed

Not many people are writing guidebooks, but this feature will still appeal to a lot of outdoor enthusiasts because it has a social element too – you can share your progress with friends by sending them a link, and they’ll be able to see and hear your updates along the trail without needing a Coros watch themselves.

The only problem I found with this feature? Most of my hiking has been in Wales, and for some reason the app has been transcribing some of my notes into Welsh. I’ve got an OK grasp of the language, but this could be confusing for people who don’t!

Battery Life

The battery life is really good. In standard “smartwatch” usage, the 46 mm model can last up to 24 days, while the 42 mm version is rated for about 15 days. In full GPS “All Systems” mode, the larger size achieves up to 53 hours, and in “Endurance Mode” (which reduces satellite usage) it jumps to 65 hours. As a multi-day hiker and runner, these numbers are ideal for me.

Charging

While the watch uses a custom connector, Coros supply a little charging head that works with a USB-C cable and this has a keyring clip on it. I’ve got this attached to my car keys and it’s been super convenient. When I’ve needed to charge the watch off a power pack while on the move, I’ve been able to stash it in my pack and rely on the connector to stay securely in place.

Answers to Likely Questions

It’s possible to sync the watch with Strava so you can record a route and post your results straight to it. It can also sync with Komoot and various other third-party apps. With OS Maps, you need to export the GPX file into the Coros app and then sync it with your watch.

Music is the Coros Apex 4’s soft underbelly – it doesn’t work with any streaming apps. You can store MP3s on it, which feels a bit old-school.

The durability is impressive. I’ve caught the watch face on the rim of my car door a few times and expected big scratches, only to find everything still looking pristine. After three months of mountain use and daily wear, it still looks practically new. I like the strap too – I’ve got the standard silicone one, which is comfortable, weather-friendly and easy to adjust. If you want a different strap, they’re easy to swap out.

The screen isn’t the brightest or clearest I’ve used, but it does the job – both outdoors in bright light and indoors in gloomier conditions.

User Friendliness

It’s pretty user-friendly overall. As someone who often hikes with gloves that don’t work on touchscreens, I really appreciate that the watch can be operated entirely using the buttons – and they’re easy to use without being overly chunky. As tends to be the case with new watches, it took a little time to find my way around at first. But once things clicked, it all felt straightforward and easy to navigate.

Will using the watch to check routes for his guidebook.

Verdict

I’ve found this to be a functional, reliable watch that genuinely enhances my time outdoors without becoming a distraction or a frustration. It’s not the most advanced outdoor watch on the market, but it’s not far off either – and it nails the fundamentals. The microphone and speaker are niche touches, but they’ve been genuinely useful to me, and I think plenty of others will find smart ways to use them too. I’m curious to see who really cottons on to this feature; I can imagine it being brilliant for things like guided hikes or even city tours.

Overall, it’s a watch that quietly gets on with the job, and makes your adventures that little bit easier.

Buy the Coros Apex 4: £429 at Decathlon.co.uk