Coros Nomad adventure watch offers solid features at competitive price
Coros launched the Nomad, a budget-friendly adventure watch designed to compete with established brands like Garmin and Suunto. The device features offline maps, fishing-specific activities, and strong battery life, though its MIP screen and limited smartwatch capabilities present trade-offs.
Coros, a young company challenging traditional sports and adventure watch manufacturers, has introduced the Nomad as its flagship model targeting outdoor enthusiasts. The watch arrives in plastic-free packaging without included charging cables or adapters, and users must assemble the band themselves. Once installed, the watch sits comfortably on the wrist and supports easy setup, though the interface and app are available only in English.
The watch features Apple-inspired controls, including a digital crown on the right side and a dedicated action button, alongside touchscreen capability. Unlike competitors, Coros chose a MIP (memory in pixel) display instead of AMOLED technology. While MIP offers better battery efficiency, the screen appears noticeably dim and pale compared to modern color AMOLED panels used by Garmin and Suunto, despite those competitors achieving longer battery life with superior display technology. The device weighs just 61 grams and maintains a lightweight, somewhat plastic design that appeals to hunting and fishing enthusiasts more than urban users.
A standout feature is the fishing-specific functionality, including activity modes for various fishing scenarios. Users can track position, heart rate, and log catches while adding voice memos, timestamps, and barometric pressure readings. The Coros app proves intuitive for creating and transferring routes to the device. Navigation precision performs well in testing, though heart rate measurement responds less quickly to changes compared to alternatives from Garmin, Polar, and Suunto. Offline maps include road names and points of interest, a significant advantage over many budget watches. Battery performance aligns with specifications, lasting through a full day of hiking mode with dual-frequency GPS active and maintaining good longevity, though Suunto and Garmin models with AMOLED screens demonstrate superior endurance.
As a smartwatch, the Nomad has limitations. It receives phone notifications but cannot respond to them, lacks third-party app support, payment systems, and music streaming. For those seeking a hybrid smartwatch and adventure watch, these omissions represent notable disappointments. The watch costs 4,399 SEK and scores 3.5 out of 5 in testing. It serves well for users without extreme requirements or needs for advanced training data, making it a reliable companion for weekend adventures when paired with a smartphone for extended expeditions.