Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner review: engineered to give climbers peace of mind

Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner: first impressions

The Coros Vertix 2 is a watch built for serious outdoor adventures, and the purpose-built Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner  lets you move it from your wrist to your pack or harness when it's time for climbing, scrambling, and any other sports when you don't want something chunky around your wrist that could get scuffed or snagged. 

Of course you won't get biometric data while the watch is off your wrist unless you're wearing a separate heart rate monitor, but the watch will still track your location via GPS, and let you easily check your activity stats or map hands-free.

This is the second-gen Vertix 2 Carabiner, and Coros has made some big changes. The new model is slimmer, lighter, and overall neater than the original, without sacrificing strength.

Holding the Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner for the first time, I found it surprisingly light. It's crafted from aluminum and polyamide, and weighs just 40g. It adds minimal bulk, too. It's the same diameter as the watch case, and just 8.7mm thick. 

The back is designed to cover and protect the Vertix 2's optical sensors, which are the most delicate part of your watch. It won't provide much protection for the bezel, but it doesn't need to; the Vertix 2 is built like a tank, and its titanium case will shrug off most knocks and scrapes.

The watch's digital crown is uncovered, meaning you can still press and rotate it freely to navigate through menus and pan across maps.

Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner: in the field

When you've spent $699 on a watch, you want to be certain that any cases or attachments are going to keep it securely in place. Thankfully the Vertix 2 Carabiner does exactly that – and it's straightforward to use.

First, detach your watch's quick-release strap and tuck it somewhere safe, then fit the bottom pin into the bottom of the carabiner. Push down the sliding button on the back of the carabiner, clip the watch's top pin into place, then release the button. Flick the small switch on the back to the right to lock it, and you're done. There are no special tools needed, and you can do most of it one-handed.

The watch body can be fitted either way up, and once it's locked in, there's no movement at all. The locking switch is recessed, making it very unlikely to be knocked accidentally, and I wasn't at all concerned about it coming loose.

The carabiner itself has a locking gate, with a screw stop to prevent you accidentally overtightening it so it doesn't get stuck. The screw action is smooth, and the knurled texture means it's easy to use while wearing gloves.

Overall, it's very nicely engineered, though it's worth noting that it's not built as UIAA-certified climbing safety equipment, and it should also go without saying that a carabiner built to hold a watch isn't load-bearing.

At $79, the Coros Vertix 2 Carabiner is rather pricey, but that's the price of peace of mind. Personally I'd rather pay extra than just buckle my watch's strap onto my pack or harness and hope for the best. My only suggestion for the next iteration would be a band of red on the gate to show that it's not screwed closed. Other than that, this smart little carabiner is hard to fault.

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