It’s safe to say that I love Garmin’s inReach. Whether it’s the Mini 2 that saved my life, the newer Messenger Plus, which can send voicemails and photos, or even my early reactions to the new GPSMap H1i Plus handheld. They are, in my opinion, the one piece of gear you absolutely have to adopt if you’re going to explore the woods to any degree.
Again, they saved my life, and I’ll entrust my continued health and well-being to them whenever I leave cell service, as I know they can take a beating and keep on going. That, however, isn’t true about any of the current crop of smartphones offered by any of the big names.
But even the inReachs have their chinks in the armor. At least, a single chink, and that’s that you have to grab them from wherever you’ve attached them to your body.
For me, it’s usually on a backpack. Whether that backpack is one of my hunting packs, a fishing pack, or my USWE off-road motorcycling pack, it’s attached somewhere on them so they’re somewhat in arm’s reach. But that’s the problem, you still have to reach for them. And if you’ve fallen and broken something, reaching for the inReach, even if it’s on your chest like mine usually are, could prove ineffective.
Garmin’s just fixed that with the game-changing fenix 8 Pro smartwatch, which finally features inReach satellite communications. And best of all, you don’t need your phone on you to send that SOS, or even texts.
Here’s the main takeaway from Garmin’s press release, stating, “Leave the phone behind and still stay connected.” How’s it do that? Easy, Garmin baked in the inReach satellite communications technology into the fenix 8 Pro somehow. Where’s it all go?!
The fenix 8 Pro can send and receive text messages through inReach, along with send location check-ins, and the aforementioned SOS signals to Search and Rescue. According to Garmin, “When an SOS is triggered, fēnix 8 Pro will send a message over satellite or cellular connectivity to the Garmin Response center, where a dedicated team of skilled emergency response coordinators are ready at any time. From there, Garmin Response will communicate with the user, their listed emergency contacts, search and rescue organizations and other available local resources. They provide updates to users and emergency contacts on the response effort, including confirmation when help is on the way, and remain available as the incident is being resolved. “
Again, that’s a game-changer in my opinion.
I’ve been using inReachs, and other satellite communicators for a long while now, and the problem with them is always trying to grab them while you’re on the go, walking, hiking, riding, or when you need it most. They’re never where you left them, and have a habit of flopping around, hitting you in the chest. That’s a small price to pay for safety, but the best technology and gear is the gear you don’t mind using all the time. If you have something that bugs you, you tend not to use it. But the fenix 8 Pro, being strapped to your wrist like any other normal watch, I mean, I have the fenix 7 Pro and that thing literally only ever comes off when I have to charge it every 19 days. Imagine that, but with a built-in sat comms.
But this is Garmin, so the fenix 8 Pro ain’t just a trick satellite system. There’s more to this watch than just the technology that could save your ass.
Photo by: Garmin
Along with inReach, when you’re connected to regular cell towers or WiFi, you can make voice calls through your smartwatch, send texts and voice messages, send your family and friends live tracking, and even get hourly weather forecasts. There’s also two displays to choose from, an AMOLED and a brand-new MicroLED display that offers a staggering 4,500 nits. Supposedly, it’s the brightest smartwatch ever. Neat.
Garmin’s fenix 8 Pro is also dive rated, weather resistant (obviously), bash resistant, and more. It also has the same built-in flashlight like my fenix 7 Pro, which has come in handy more times than I care to admit while I’m working on cars, motorcycles, or my Can-Am.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Susan Lyman, Garmin’s Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing, said, “fenix 8 Pro is changing the game for smartwatches. This new lineup is full of breakthrough innovations, bringing life-changing inReach technology to the wrist to help keep athletes and adventurers in touch with their family and friends and introducing the first-ever ultra-bright MicroLED display to a smartwatch so users can see their maps, stats, health and wellness metrics and more like never before.”
As for price, well, it’s the top-tier Garmin smartwatch and the brand literally just change the damn industry. So it ain’t cheap. The brand states that the AMOLED version comes in two sizes; 47mm and 51mm. Those will start $1,199.99. The new screen fenix 8 Pro, the MicroLED one, however, only comes in a 51mm size, and that sucker is gonna set you back $1,999.99.
Like I said, not cheap.
But seriously, I can’t hammer home the importance of having inReach in your watch. It’s one of those things that just makes so much sense, and offers a level of safety that just can’t be matched even with the best inReach devices, which are already extremely good. But having it on your wrist at all times, honestly, that’s just the most ideal situation. The other inReachs have their use-cases, but for the powersports enthusiast, for the backcountry hunter, few have the potential for such life-saving capabilities as this fenix 8 Pro.