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The newest model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.

The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.

That makes it an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.

Users receive a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.

The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.

Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.

Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.

After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.

Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.

LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.

Cost

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

Verdict

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

The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.

It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.