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This latest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.

The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.

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

Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.

This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.

No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location

Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.

Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.

Check-ins and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.

After you have got it set up, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.

Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.

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

A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.

Environmental Impact

The watch is typically repairable with services available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.

Price

The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Verdict

The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.

The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.

It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.

Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, basic wearable functionality compared with competing watches.