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This most recent model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.

This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only gadget required to explore almost anywhere and track every activity.

That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.

Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking

Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not included for free.

Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.

Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions including various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.

Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.

Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.

LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, 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 rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.

These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite service 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 options available through 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 lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.

Cost

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

Verdict

This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.

Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.

It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.