As part of a review of the best GPS watches on the market, Alex Roddie tests the high-end Garmin Enduro.
The Garmin Enduro GPS watch is a serious watch for serious athletes, and for the steep price you will get phenomenal battery life and stellar build quality. Even with daily hikes and runs I couldn’t drain its battery in less than two weeks. The watch is big and chunky but made from lightweight and durable materials. Overall it is similar to the fenix 6 Pro Solar, but with a larger screen, longer battery life, a different strap, and no mapping. The strap (nylon and Velcro) is very comfortable and easily the best of all the watches tested.
Like the fenix, solar charging does work, but only adds a small boost to the battery and won’t make a difference for most people. The Garmin Enduro can be used for advanced navigation, just like the Instinct Solar and fenix, but no topo maps are available – a battery-saving measure.
This is the watch to buy if you have exacting, specific needs and demand battery life at all costs, but is mainly aimed at endurance athletes. If you run multi-day mountain marathons then this is worth a look, but for most walkers it is not the best choice – at this price point, walkers will be better served by a fenix model with built-in maps.
If you want to compare more GPS watches, check out the rest of Alex’s guide to GPS watches.
We’ve also recently answered a couple of the frequently asked questions when it comes to GPS watches including ‘Do GPS watches need the internet?’ and how to use GPS for hiking navigation.
This review first featured in The Great Outdoors in August 2021.
