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The latest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.

This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.

This positions it as an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.

You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.

Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.

Location updates and messages over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.

After you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.

Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.

Sustainability

The watch is typically serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.

Price

This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Verdict

This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.

The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.

It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.

Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.