What is the best Garmin watch right now? (2026)

Last year, Garmin introduced a Pro version that includes inReach’s satellite communications expertise. Not only does it cost at least $400 more than the Apple Watch Ultra and $200 more than the regular Fenix ​​8, but you also have to pay for the inReach subscription plan, which has several tiers and ranges from $8 per month to $50 per month depending on whether you want features like unlimited texting or sending photo messages.

What you get at this amazing price is a sports watch that can do anything and everything. It has best-in-class battery life (each Fenix ​​can last for weeks on a single charge, and up to a month with solar charging) and features like a depth sensor from Garmin’s Descent line, meaning this watch acts as a complete scuba diving and freediving computer. It has a microphone and speaker for basic voice commands (although there’s no cellular connectivity on board), a surprisingly useful built-in LED light, built-in Garmin topographic maps, 24/7 health monitoring, and tracking for over a hundred different activities.

I’ve used the 51mm version for almost every outdoor sport — snowboarding, running, mountain biking, and rock climbing. And every time I use it, its capabilities far exceed my own. I’ve annoyed many of my fellow climbers by trying to track route difficulty, duration, and falls while incorporating body battery metrics, etc. The danger is always that you’ll spend more time fiddling with your Garmin Fenix ​​8 than you do on your actual sport. I have the version with the sapphire glass face and titanium bezel, and I smashed it into rock faces without a scratch. If you’re willing to pay the price and want a good-looking watch that will last forever (I have friends who still wear their Fenix ​​5s and 6s, and honestly, they’re fine), this is the watch to get.

Best watch for running

The Garmin Forerunner series was launched in the early 2000s and became the ultimate runner’s watch. Like all Garmins, the Forerunner comes at a range of price points, each offering different features. Last year, Garmin released the Forerunner 570 ($550), a mid-range model without an LED flashlight or built-in maps, and the Forerunner 970 ($750), the premium version. Before I get into detail about why the Forerunner 970 is the better choice, I should also say that I’ve tested several previous Garmin Forerunners at different price points. If you’re not a triathlete, the older models of Forerunners are still worth considering, and the entry-level $200 Forerunner 165 is clearly aimed at runners, rather than including triathletes as more expensive models do.