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The most recent model of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.

This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only tool required to venture almost any location and track all your movements.

That positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.

You do get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.

This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, 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 screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.

Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.

Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.

Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.

Once you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.

Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, though 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 handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.

A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight 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 crucial lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.

Sustainability

The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly 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 subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Verdict

The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.

The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.

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

The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.

Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.