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This most recent version of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.

This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.

This positions it as an very pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking

Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.

Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.

Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.

After you have completed setup, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.

When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.

Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.

All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.

A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.

Price

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

Verdict

This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.

The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.

This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.

Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.

Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.