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This most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.

This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and track every activity.

That makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £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 edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.

No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location

The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not provided for free.

Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.

Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.

Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.

Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.

LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.

All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.

A on-screen assistance 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 safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.

Environmental Impact

The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.

Cost

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

Conclusion

The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.

The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.

It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.