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The newest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.

This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and monitor all your movements.

That makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright display.

The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.

No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location

Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.

Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.

Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.

After you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.

When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.

Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not ideal.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.

All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.

Environmental Impact

The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.

Cost

The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Conclusion

This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.

Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.

It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.