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This latest iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.

This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget required to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.

That positions it as an very pricey option, 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.

Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.

This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.

Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.

Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.

Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.

After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.

Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance 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 unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.

Environmental Impact

The watch is generally serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.

Price

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

Conclusion

This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.

The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.

It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.

Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.