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Built for Big Mountain Days, Not Just Your Desk
RRP: £429 (46mm)
Sizes: 42mm & 46mm
The COROS APEX 4 is very clearly a mountain sports watch first, smartwatch second. With a Grade 5 titanium bezel, sapphire glass and a third-gen memory-in-pixel touchscreen, it’s been designed to cope with cold starts, chairlift knocks and white-out navigation rather than office life.
COROS has doubled down on mountain performance: you get dual-frequency GPS tuned for vertical terrain, a dual-range barometer, and seriously fast offline mapping with global maps, trail and street names plus turn-by-turn navigation. That’s a big deal if you’re following a ski tour or hut-to-hut route and don’t want to keep digging your phone out.
Battery life is another headline: up to 65 hours of GPS on the 46mm and 41 hours on the 42mm in All-Systems/Endurance mode, plus multi-week everyday use. In simple terms, that’s enough for a long ski-touring weekend or an ultra without nursing the battery.
On top of that, COROS has added a speaker and mic so you can get audible pace and navigation alerts, record “voice pins” on the move (great for marking couloirs, lines or hazards) and even take hands-free calls if you really have to stay connected.
On-Mountain Performance
For skiing and ski touring, the APEX 4 hits a sweet spot:
- GPS lock is quick and stays solid in forests, gullies and mixed terrain thanks to the dual-frequency chipset and vertical algorithms.
- Mapping is genuinely usable on the wrist – global topo/landscape maps with trail and street names, POIs and turn-by-turn prompts.
- Weather widgets, storm/altitude alerts and barometric data are handy on big days when conditions move quickly.
The MIP display isn’t as punchy as an AMOLED Garmin or Suunto, but it stays readable in bright snow and uses far less power – which is why you get that ultra-long battery life.
Design, Fit & Everyday Use
- Build: Titanium bezel, sapphire glass and reinforced lugs give it a premium, “tool not toy” feel, with a composite case keeping weight low (44–51g depending on size/band).
- Comfort: The slimmer case and light weight mean it sits well under jacket cuffs and doesn’t feel like a brick if you wear it 24/7.
- Sizes: 42mm works well for smaller wrists or if you want something discreet; 46mm gives a bigger screen and the best battery.
Smart features are there but basic: notifications, offline music via stored files and Bluetooth headphones, but no streaming services and no contactless payments. If you’re coming from an all-singing smartwatch, that’s worth knowing.
Pros
- Excellent GPS accuracy in mountains and tree cover
- Big battery: up to 65 hrs GPS (46mm) / 41 hrs (42mm)
- Tough build (titanium + sapphire) but still light and comfy
- Fast, detailed offline mapping with turn-by-turn navigation
- Speaker & mic for voice alerts, voice pins and hands-free calls
- Strong training tools: HRV, recovery, sleep and load tracking
Considerations
- MIP screen is functional, not flashy – dimmer than modern AMOLED rivals
- No NFC/contactless payments
- Music is offline files only – no Spotify/Apple Music from the wrist
- Composite backplate feels less “lux” than full-metal competitors
Key Tech Specs (headline)
- Sizes: 42mm / 46mm
- Display: 1.2″ or 1.3″ memory-in-pixel touchscreen, sapphire glass
- Bezel: Grade 5 titanium
- Battery: Up to 24 days smartwatch; up to 41h (42mm) / 65h (46mm) All-Systems GPS
- GPS: Dual-frequency, multi-GNSS with vertical algorithms
- Sensors: Optical HR, SpO₂, barometer, altimeter, compass, depth gauge (limited)
- Water resistance: 5 ATM
- Mapping: Global topo/landscape maps with street/trail names, POIs & turn-by-turn
InTheSnow Verdict
If you care more about reliable data, long battery life and real mountain features than having a smartwatch that does everything, the COROS APEX 4 is a very strong option. It’s a serious GPS watch for ski tourers, backcountry riders and mountain runners who want robust mapping and tracking in a light, tough package.
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We regularly showcase the latest gear on our YouTube channel. Dive into our Gear Playlist for in-depth reviews. For the latest snow forecasts, updates on top skiing destinations, and comprehensive gear evaluations, tune in to our podcast, “The Whiteout.” You can find it on Apple, Spotify, Podcasts, or by searching “The Whiteout” in your favourite podcast directory.
