We tested the Coros Dura GPS. Is it the best option on the market?

The COROS DURA was presented a few months ago by surprise, and due to its characteristics and price, it sold out in a matter of weeks. Luckily, we have been able to test it for many kilometers and here we tell you everything about this GPS that is set to be the best option on the market.

UPDATE: the Coros Dura is available again for purchase on the manufacturer's official website.

We tested the COROS DURA: what makes this GPS that has revolutionized the cycling computer market so special

In 2024, the most relevant cycling computer brands have updated their best models, Garmin with its 1050 or Hammerhead with the new Karoo, giving them better autonomy and other minor advances. But just when it seemed that these premium devices were going to lead the segment alone once again, a true revolution has arrived from Coros.

Who is Coros?

The American manufacturer Coros, designs in the USA but belongs to a Chinese group with Asian production, and was not very well known in cycling until now. This is their first cycling computer, but the brand has already had a meteoric trajectory in other sports, such as running and outdoor. Where in a few years it has managed to leave behind historic competitors like Suunto and be a real headache for Garmin. This progress has been achieved by combining advanced devices with great aesthetics, a very competitive price, and above all, intense software development that allows users to update and improve their devices regularly from home.

And it is precisely its continuous improvement in software that most loyalizes Coros users. For example, the Dura was presented in June 2024 and in just 3 months it has already had a major update with improvements in ascent profiles, data information, navigation with optimized alerts, etc. This commitment from the manufacturer is what guarantees us that the Coros Dura will continue to improve as a device once we have it by adding functionalities, metrics, or improving usability.

But let's take it step by step.

Starting with the basics, we will tell you that the Coros Dura has all the technical specifications of any of the best current cycling computers, including one of the best GPS chips, Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, etc., and it also adds a giant battery with a 120-hour autonomy plus a solar panel that recharges the device automatically, making it the GPS with the highest current autonomy.

Quality construction and aerodynamic aesthetics

As for its appearance, the device is built with quality materials, very resistant glass for the screen and reinforced polymer in the body. Something that is appreciated and welcomed to the touch and sight. Its polygonal aesthetics contribute to aerodynamics and stylize the set enough for its dimensions and volumes to seem small even with an immense 960 mAh battery and integrated front solar panel inside.

The Dura is compatible with most supports thanks to its quarter-turn anchorage and in the box it comes with its own, which includes a rear security screw with which we can leave it fixed and avoid theft or loss. Even the GPS itself has an anti-theft function that sends a message to your watch if it detects movement.

The solar panel located on the front has been a controversial aspect as it leaves a lot of "empty" space in front of the screen, but it is actually located in the best place to make the most of it, offering 2 hours of autonomy for every hour of solar recharge, and we think it is an aesthetic concession that anyone would be willing to accept.

Excellent usability

The 2.7" touch screen is slightly smaller than its mentioned competitors, but its quality meets expectations and we have been able to verify that its visibility is good in any condition, even at night, with a lot of brightness and with any type of glasses on. Interacting with it is very agile and fast in handling, but the truth is that the physical buttons are what have conquered us.

The Coros DURA has 2 physical buttons located on the side, one to go back and another in the form of a dial/rotary that it has borrowed from its watches and is really addictive. This dial is used to move through the menu or the screen from top to bottom and is clickable to accept.

At first, we thought it would be difficult to interact with this dial while on the move, but we have been surprised to use it even more often than the touch screen.

The touch screen is operational in any mode and is the most advisable option to use, for example, when we are at the limit in a really steep segment and we want to make an impulsive query.

Forget about the battery

Charging the COROS DURA is done through a USB-C, but we can already tell you that this port is intended to be used very little.

In our tests, we have only used it to verify that it really worked and it is incredible to see that after several hours out in the sun, the GPS is able to return with the battery percentage intact.

We assume that this will change in the autumn and winter months, but still, the DURA has completely dispelled our concern about whether we will have enough battery for the activity we are going to do.

The declared autonomy of 120 hours plus the ratio of 2 hours of recharge for every hour of solar received, practically allows you to forget about charging it for more than 1 month.

Total connectivity

Thanks to Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, it is compatible with all kinds of devices, sensors, rollers, etc, and also thanks to the acclaimed continuous development, the DURA expands that connectivity as the months go by. For example, when it was released, it was already compatible with the Garmin Varia radar and appeared on the screen, but in a few weeks it has expanded its options and now also receives and displays information from other similar devices, such as the Magene radar light. With its latest update, it already shows the battery percentages of almost any electronic component on the market, such as sensors, SRAM wireless transmissions, or Shimano electronics.

Navigation and training functions

The first thing that stands out when using a Coros device is how easy it is to handle. Its menus and usability are very well studied to make it easy to find the option you are looking for at all times or to see in general all the sections and settings available. The possibility of navigating within the device with the touch screen or through its physical buttons helps a lot with this.

As is usual in cycling computers, the Coros Dura offers a series of default profiles to choose the activity you are going to do, whether it's road cycling, mountain biking, gravel, roller, e-bike, etc., and depending on that, it will offer certain metrics that can be customized from the phone app.

Once the option we are going to use is chosen, the GPS can show the map and route we are going to follow full screen or it can do it split screen and use 3/4 for the map and the remaining for the data we program, such as heart rate, distance, watts, etc. This data screen works in slider mode and can be navigated through with the side dial or touch.

The map on the screen is very clear and if we load a previous route (which can be done directly from Strava or Wikiloc on the phone) we will have previous turn warnings, a function that has been improved in the latest update so that the warning anticipates enough if we are going fast.

Another recent novelty is that it will no longer be necessary to modify the start of a route we want to do if it does not coincide with our starting point. Just upload it to the Coros Dura and it will guide us to the start of the route.

In addition, the Dura has a very detailed ascent profile similar to Garmin's Climb Pro. So the climbs and ports we have loaded can be visualized on the go with their profile segmented by slope, distance, and elevation through a very clear color scheme.

If we are not following a route, the device will draw the profile live, a function that we find it hard to see its usefulness beyond knowing the profile and wanting to know where we are going and what is left.

The device also has the option to recalculate the route in case we have gotten lost or missed a turn, but we must know that for this function it relies on the connection with our smartphone, so if we do not have internet access at that time, it may not work.

Regarding advanced measurements or training functions, it is worth highlighting the newly added dual power meter option, with the precision of knowing the balance between the right and left leg, pedaling efficiency, etc.

Obviously, you can load workouts from the Coros app so that the device guides and alerts us on the go. And now it offers the interesting option of being able to check how much training we have left. Surely many of you have felt overwhelmed in the middle of a series block trying to remember what came next, now it is available at a glance.

For those who have not used the COROS training application, it will surely also be a pleasant surprise.

The list of functions of the DURA seems endless and will depend on the use we are going to give it, for example, for triathlon it is now possible to duplicate the screen with the watch (COROS), but ultimately we can say that this Coros DURA has all the options that any premium device from the competition would offer.

The only temporary exception we have to mention is the live segments from Strava, something the brand is working on and will be usable in a matter of weeks.

Why the COROS DURA will be our most recommended cycling computer in the coming months

Fortunately, we are currently in a time where recommending a cycling computer is no longer limited to choosing one from Garmin's catalog. And more and more brands are offering devices with great features, but definitively the COROS DURA has already become one of the most recommended when the end user is within its price range.

The price will be a differentiator for many, the Garmin 1050 costs 750€ and the Karoo 3 500€ compared to the 289€ of the Coros, but for cyclists who have always used Garmin and do not want to change, surely the 1050 will be their ideal GPS. The same will happen for those who find something different in the new Hammerhead Karoo, exquisite navigation, and complete their SRAM ecosystem.

But if you can stretch your budget to 289€ and want to enjoy everything a premium cycling computer has with the best autonomy on the market, then we believe the COROS DURA is your best option.

For its size, weight, autonomy, and functions, this device has found the perfect balance to surprise us even when we were very hesitant because it is the brand's first cycling computer.

We believe that its positive aspects are far above the few negatives we have detected and we are convinced that the functions that may be missing will arrive in future updates.

Specifications and price of the Solar GPS COROS DURA

• 120 hours of autonomy with a single charge for GPS use
• Up to 2 more hours of autonomy for every hour of solar charging
• 2.7" fully customizable color MIP screen with adaptive backlight
• Touch screen with great responsiveness for easy and safe use on the bike
• Digital dial and button to easily control everything with one finger
• Dual-frequency satellite tracking with automatic GPS mode selection
• Turn-by-turn and smart rerouting with Google Maps technology
• Integrated global offline maps for navigation on all types of terrain
• Upload post-activity data in seconds, regardless of the activity duration
• Receive complete information about your fitness status with COROS watches and sensors
• Bluetooth and ANT+ compatibility and third-party integrations
• Price 289.00€