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This latest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.

This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.

That positions it as an extremely expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.

Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for free.

Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.

Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.

After you have completed setup, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.

Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.

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

A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.

Cost

This 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 adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.

The result is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.

This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not 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 hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.

Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.