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This most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.

This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only gadget required to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.

This positions it as 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 – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.

Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically 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 exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.

No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking

The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.

Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.

Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including different quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.

Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.

Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.

All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches 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 updates and emergency SOS.

A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal programs 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 service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Conclusion

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

The result is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.

It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.

Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.

Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.