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This newest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.

The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and monitor all your movements.

This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.

You do receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.

The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.

Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.

Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.

After you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.

Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.

A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the support site. 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 reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.

Cost

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

Conclusion

This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.

The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.

It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.

Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.