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The newest version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.

The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture virtually anywhere and track all your movements.

That makes it an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.

You do get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for free.

Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.

Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.

After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.

Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the real position has sometimes lagged 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 activates 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 orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.

Environmental Impact

The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.

Price

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

Verdict

This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.

The result is an increasingly impressive 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 additional gear.

It is quite liberating to be outside 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 plan to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.

Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.

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