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This most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.

The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single tool needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.

That positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £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 variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.

This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location

The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for free.

Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or similar activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.

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

Once you have completed setup, you simply 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 make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.

Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.

LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.

These features are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.

A guide shows you how to locate the clear view 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 important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.

Environmental Impact

The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.

Cost

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

Conclusion

The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.

The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this 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 price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.

Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.