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The most recent model of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.

This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.

This makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.

You do receive a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.

This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.

No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not included for free.

Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.

Check-ins and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.

Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect 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 family and friends.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.

Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.

LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.

These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.

A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.

Environmental Impact

The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.

Price

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

Conclusion

This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.

The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.

This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.

Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.

Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.