For endurance sport absolutely but for sport within the battery range of the Ultra I see Apple as a reasonable choice. Especially for people where the Ultra battery life fits their athletic needs. No denying that Garmin is the endurance king if we’re talking about prolonged races, etc. I ski at a high level and enjoy hiking during the summer but I rarely get enough time off for prolonged backpacking so for someone like me the Ultra works great. On an unrelated note your comment reads as pretty negative towards Dan. I think it’s fine if he prefers a different watch than you do. We all walk different paths.
Me and my buddy go on extended backpacking trips in Montana and Garmin GPS accuracy is much better. His Apple watch does not pick up on switchbacks so his trips always come out miles lower from the lack of GPS accuracy. Great video though!
I bought the Apple Watch and hated it. So I got a Garmin Fenix Pro Solar and I have never been happier. It’s the only watch I’ve ever worn almost every day and been happy to wear it. I can’t wait to upgrade to the Garmin Fenix 7 just so I can have touch screen.
My Suunto will last for a year, give me sunrise and sunset times, altitude, storm warning, and depth meter. It’s all I need and I don’t have to charge it.
Agree, Garmin Enduro 2 w/solar is a fantastic watch going the distance without issues of battery life or toughness. Day hike vs section hike or Ultra Trail Run…have a great day everyone 🤙🏽
I don't have an iPhone. I don't have a smart watch of any kind that I would trust to be my guide/locator in the woods. I have Android phones/tablets, handheld GPS Garmin-type receivers, an Anker power bank, and apps that use georeferenced pdf map files to tell me where I am... ...but I am also probably a bit of an anomaly, since I am retired US Forest Service (45 years of service navigating around out in the mountains of the Western US), so I also have a tremendous amount of experience using a Silva Ranger compass and what we used to call district fire maps that show both ground contours and roads in high detail (and which can sometimes be available in georeferenced pdf files these days - which, I have to confess, would have really been cool to have in some trackable electronic device format back in the day)... ...I'll stop now because I'm starting feel like I'm some old coot sitting on his porch under a blanket shaking his cane at all of today's back-country trekkers shouting "You Just Don't Know, You Whippersnappers!"...and you don't need that...
Have an AW for years, but battery life isn’t great. Got a 2018 Garmin Instinct for outdoor use this year. Works great for my use and I still use the AW for day to day.
My trusty Garmin Instinct Solar does all the hiking things. Big battery life, very rugged and once you get the hang of the interface, super speedy to use. A+
Just one thing to remember, neither brand of watch is going to hike for you. Being in the IT industry the last 20+ years (in the military for 14 of those), I've learned that tech is an aid, but there is no such thing as a single tech device that will do literally everything for everyone. You'll have to layer up, for sure. For example, if you wear an Apple Watch in the backcountry, bring a battery pack to recharge. But, I'd also encourage bringing a Garmin InReach or similar device, and laminated paper maps with a grease pencil, grid square, and a compass. Gotta layer your resources like swiss cheese: each layer will have holes, but the more you layer, the more the holes disappear.
I agree, But depending on your lifestyle one can do a lot more things than the other. In a suburban or urban environment an apple watch would make more sense but outdoors garmin is a lot more dependable, from battery life, inreach connectivity to tracking my dogs and connecting to my boat. We tend to live very different lives and since I switched I couldn't possibly go back to running out of battery on a short 3 day camping or hunting trip. For someone on an urban environment it would make more sense to have cellular connection, smart home compatibility, and just have your phone at all times (which I typically avoid as much as I can)
I have the Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar and it does so much more then just gps. I wear mine every day. I link it to my inReach when I go backpacking and it works great.
Is the GPS easy and accurate to use? I say that because although I really do like the look for the Apple Watch and how the maps work for that watch, I've seen in other videos that the GPS for the Garmin watches seems.... a little out of date, unless that's the standard of Garmin, I'm not sure. My eyes as of right now have been glued into the tactix 7 AMOLED edition and the top of the line Fenix watch. What would you recommend?
I was so excited for AW Ultra. Bought it and been wearing it since it's release. Went on a weekend trip with family and after a single day filled with mountain biking, battery dropped to 20% within 12 hours. I did not bring a charger (who brings a watch charger for outdoor activities), and by midnight even at battery saver mode activated the Ultra was dead. I am sorry to say it but AW while packed with stunning features, is just no longer my go to outdoor watch.
I know it may be inconvenient to some, but I always bring a small power bank and cable to charge my devices when I'm hiking or backpacking (my main outdoor activities). Im pretty sure you're not mountain biking for 12 hours straight and you have some time to charge it back up. If its too much of a hassle then go for the garmin!
i have had all the Samsung watches... just got the Garmin epix 2 and wow! i cant believe what i been missing... battery life is 20 days +.... i will always have a Garmin
Owned 3 aws and have a garmin instinct solar. Ready to offload my latest AW. Used the AW as daily until I started traveling and got comfortable with the Garmin. The screen isn’t as flashy, but the buttons work. It does every thing I need and I only need to charge it every 10 days or so even using tracking on hikes. Bought it for backcountry trips, but now just love it for every day.
Apple and Garmin owner here. Apple is better for features/functionality. But Garmin - at least the Instinct 2 Solar I’ve been sporting for a couple of months - is better for the backcountry because of its battery life.
Garmin, especially the solar models. Battery life is maybe the key here, not to worry about the watch and having to carry another cable and adaptor for the watch, for days or weeks. But the other reason for me to dump the Apple Watch for an Instinct 2 Solar was that I really do not see the point in adding another device doing what your phone does, but on your wrist. I just want a sports watch that does what I need (GPS, record workouts, tell me the time, timer, etc), and let the phone be the phone. Once you need to pay for more app so that the Watch matches what the Garmin does, you answered your question. And if budget is an issue, Garmin has choices along the spectrum, like my Instinct 2 Solar, that can do all or more in some activities, than an Apple Watch. Yes, you cannot play music from it, but if you carry your phone as well, why would you need your watch to do what your phone does, only to have to remember to charge it every day?
You hit the nails on the head! My dream watch would be the Garmin Instinct Solar that I could play music from when running (no, I don't want my phone on a run). That watch does interface with my iphone enough--I get notifications in a non-obtrusive wrist jiggle.
Garmin! Always. I have 920XT for over 6 years and I love it. Plus other Garmin devices/accessories you can have/you have (heart rate monitor, cadence sensors, maps, scale, blood pressure monitor, and many more) it’s a nice ecosystem and you do t have to enter (almost) any data manually. And it is pretty darn accurate.
The Enduro 2 battery lasts over 20 days for everyday use. It will last a few days on a multi-day using the GPS while hiking. And it has a light that I found convenient.
I had an apple watch and it was my daily driver as Dan said until I fell in love with the outdoors and started spending more time in the outdoors. I get outdoors 3-4 times/week doing aver 30 miles a week and my go to trusted watch is GARMIN. I use a Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire and I would swear by it. I still carry my Iphone 14Pro Max though, lol.
I bought both an Apple watch ultra and a Garmin watch. I retuned the Garmin watch. The Garmin watch is great when hiking, amazing battery life but pales in comparison to your every day needs integration with the iPhone. Where the Garmin watch shines if you are more than a weekend warrior. If you spend a week or more outdoors in the backcountry, I can see the value in it, hiking the PCT or the Appalachian Trail for example. I only hike and camp on the weekends so the iPhone and Apple watch integration was better for the 5 days of the week. I love the additional apps you can get on the Apple watch. I like the idea of using the low power mode and will have to give that mode as well as the apps a try on my next hike. Thanks for sharing.
That’s my experience too. I can only afford one so I got an Ultra. If I had a garmin it would be an accessory for hiking but so far my AWU is able to tackle overnight or 2/3 night trips just fine with the right battery management.
You made the right choice given your use case. I went with the Garmin enduro 2 precisely because I do long distance hiking, running, and other fitness first activities. I wanted to be able to do at least 4-5 days of 8-10 hours of activity recording between charges. An Apple Watch ultra would be very nice and maybe in the future I would switch. But for me, between the battery life and that it’s basically just a second iPhone on your wrist. I already have my phone. So it seems superfluous in my use case. When I’m at home and not hiking I do get a little jealous of my wife’s Apple Watch though.
@@HalfwayHikes I 100% agree. Because of my situation I rarely get the opportunity to take multi-day trips so at most I’m looking at 2, maybe 3 nights. So for me an Ultra is awesome because it does enough for when I backpack and is AWESOME for when I’m home. In the future when I have the time and money to do longer trips I’ll totally consider adding a Garmin to the mix for when I’m out adventuring but I’m not sure if I’ll move away from some form of Apple Watch as a daily driver any time soon.
I destroyed my Garmin Vivoactive HR using 100% deet while hiking the 100 mile wilderness. Garmin earned my loyalty when they replaced the watch well outside the warranty period, and, it was entirely my fault for hosing it down with deet.
I had high hopes for the Apple Ultra. I am a long-time Garmin user and I found the ultra wasn't worth the requirement to charge on hikes and the mileage wasn't accurate despite multiple "learning" hikes. It's also prone to moving to a random screen and I've tried both orientations of buttons. I've reverted to using the Garmin Tactix on my section hikes and use the Apple ultra for daily use.
I wanted an Apple Watch Ultra sooo bad but I opted for a 7X Sapphire Solar instead. I’m so glad that I did. I wear it 24/7, gps my walks for around 4-5 hours per week and I’m regularly getting 28 to 30 days of use out of it before it needs charging. I have also used it to fully track all of my data whilst I’ve been out on the MTB. My friends who opted for the Ultra are now all regretting their purchases.
My Fenix 3 Sapphire still works for 10-12 hour hikes, it's dated (no touch screen, crappy display) but it does the job with navigation and trac backs if needed, I don't have an ultra yet but have an apple watch 6 (GPS), and like the map display whether it's alltrails or GAIA, turn by turn on Footpath works as well. Next year I may reward myself with the ultra 2. I think having both even if one is older tech is good as a backup just in case, especially in the back country.
I love Apple and have it for everything except the Watch. I've hiked in the mountains and done long distance running for years using different shades of Garmin - Mainly Fenix. When the Apple watch came out I was intrigued by it but all the videos I saw talked mentioned the 1 day to a day and a half battery life. I tried it and returned it the next day. Mainly battery life and the fact it just didn't feel right after using just such rugged all weather watches like Garmin. And you never have to worry about battery life. I'm 73 now and only hike a few miles 3 times a week due to lower back pain and just love my Garmin Instinct 2!!
Garmin works great as day to day too with notifications and incoming calls. You could call out too if ear pods in ear plus phone on you. Garmin has fall warning too to send emergency text.
Garmin Enduro 2 reporting for duty sir. Seriously though, I thought hard about getting Apple Watch ultra, but when I’m hiking I already have my iPhone. Didn’t really need what is basically another iPhone on my wrist. For me the Garmin is a fitness first, data collection device. I do way more than just long distance hiking. It can of course do navigation, but for me it’s all about the data. I have other devices that i use for navigation (phone apps like FarOut/Gaia and the inReach)
I really want the new epix pro 51mm but I have the ultra and a 14 pro max. They work so well together, I feel like I’d just be wasting money. I already have the garmin instinct, for longer trips. I just love the look of the epix 51mm.
Same, since Jan. Garmin had $100 off sale making it same price as top of line fenix 7x ss. A little better battery life and brighter light. Love this thing. Been on my wrist every day. Big leap from my old fenix 3 (non HR).
To each their own, but something to think about: there are more runners and outdoorsy people who switch from AW to a Garmin watch; and, the battery in even the cheapest Garmin watch blows anything Apple puts into the AW (expect for full-on GPS mode). Only needing to charge once a week or two is far better than having to charge daily. I am pretty sure that if you were not a content creator, you might find more utility in a Garmin, but doing what you do, an AW likely has more value to you. This is not a slam against you, but you are also a person who is more likely to carry 2 - 3 back-up battery chargers. Not to mention, Garmin was doing GPS long before anyone else.
I own an Apple Watch Ultra and I have just bought the new Epix Pro 51. I have really tried to use the Apple Watch but the fact is it’s just not up to the standard of Garmin when it comes to fitness. It doesn’t even have a health app to the watch. This is just mind boggling for a health watch. It gives you basic health data but Garmin is so much better. I kills me to say this as I just love the AW Ultra looks but under the hood it’s not there for me.
I got an Apple Watch to try out, took it on a few day hikes and it was "fine," but anything more than that, it really falls flat. When it came to a 5 day hike in the wilderness, Garmin 100%. Great battery life, basics for notifications, health and wellbeing.
Coros Pace 2 user checking in. If you are looking for a watch more on the cheaper end of the spectrum but still has GPS recording capabilities and good battery life the Pace 2 is great at $200.
I switched from the Apple Watch to the Fenix 7X for my daily driver and haven’t looked back. The only thing I miss is cell service on the watch. I love the Garmin’s battery life - I’ll go a couple of weeks without charging it and it’s rock solid. Apple has and will need to continue to fight its battery life demons and, on a rather petty note, the commoditization of their product - you’re not making a statement wearing an Apple Watch, but you sure are with a Fenix or Epix. That’s because the Garmins are serious tools rather than an extension of an ecosystem.
I think you nailed it. I’m an Ultra user but definitely jealous of the battery life. It’ll be interesting how the next few years go. If Apple can extend the Ultra line’s battery life to even a week or 10 days it’ll be a much more realistic high adventure watch. I don’t ever expect them to get to Garmin levels though with the feature set that Apple includes. It would be interesting if they could figure out a solar display version.
I’m looking for a budget friendly watch that I can follow/retrace my old tracks from AllTrails or Gaia. Mostly 15-20 mile bushwhacks where I’m out all day. Something simple and looks as close to it does looking at my phone, so I can just look at my wrist instead or reaching in my pocket to make sure I’m still on route. Thanks for your suggestions!
UGH, not "everyone" has an Apple watch I would rather die in the wilderness than get an Apple product. They are only "intuitive" for Apple cult persons. It's a good review for Garmin Thanks.
It's also worth noting that my Garmin forerunner 245 (~$200) can track gps for about 6 hours a day for a full weekend trip on one charge. No navigation on that cheaper option, but Apple doesn't really have anything at the lower price point.
That was really helpful! I totally agree with Hiking Guy; I have an AW SE, and I love it for front country activities of all types. It has okay battery life (24h), I don't mind charging each morning, it tracks my rings and steps, its weather is superior to Garmin's, and I use the Apple pay feature daily. However, I bought a Garmin 265S for hiking and backpacking. The battery lasts several days, it has a nice track back feature (though this less expensive device has no maps; I use my iphone for offline maps), it measures my SPo2 unlike the AW SE which can be helpful at altitude, but mostly it's a relief not to worry about battery life on a several day hike. The AW is staying in the drawer on backpacking trips.
Garmin Fenix 7 (and other models) connect to your InReach so you can trigger an SOS or send a canned message from your watch if you are within range. I love that feature! The solar capability for recharging is a nice feature, too.
Great review guys. Yup, this crossroads for me was a couple of months back. My two issues with the Apple,( and this would have been my 4th Apple Watch), was the battery life and the idiotic notifications every 15 minutes. I went with the Garmin Fenix 7 because the battery life is to a point I don't need to worry about charging it for a trip. If I do, it's not a big power hog. It's not my primary navigation. Its my backup to the OnX with the In-Reach being #3 and a compass being #4. Great review. Keep doing what you do and I'll keep watching.
Question - do any of these watches track or tell temperature? I have a Casio that is not a smartwatch that does that but now that I have a smartwatch I'd rather use that and sacrifice battery or functionality.
Probably would have been better to save this talk for just a couple weeks haha. Would love to see an update to this video now that Apple just released offline maps, topo maps, upgraded compass, and the two new waypoints for last cell signal and emergency. Also the ability to search for nearby trails.
I downloaded the latest software only to find the offline maps on AW are pointless to me. Apple has no trails on their maps to download. Garmin still supreme in that area unfortunately.
On Android it's easy: Garmin. For short hikes and as an extension of my phone the Samsung will work fine. For long weekends I'd definitely go with a Garmin due to battery life being superior (40-65% better from experience depending on the mode the Samsung is set to). As an honorable mention, Coros makes some good watches with great battery life.
I use a Garmin forrunner 345 and have used that and it is accurate on 10-30 mile hikes on the Appalachian trail, and use a Garmin inreach. I just tried the Apple watch ultra 2 for a 30 mile hike up on the AT and it seemed like the mileage was always greater than I acutally hiked comparing to known maps and distances I was hiking the Apple watch was like 1 to 1.5 miles greater on a 10 mile hike each day than known actual mileage... next time I'm bringing both the Garmin watch and Apple to see which is more accurate on mileage tracked... I think it is the Garmin... I was using trekking poles so that might have thrown the Apple watch Ultra2 off, and I did have it in hiking mode. compared to the Garmin I just start tracking, or maybe use the hiking mode also...
“I would rather grab [the Apple watch] before the Garmin. But I have limited experience with the Garmin.” This is probably why Dan prefers the Apple Watch. You use what you know best. Chris sounds like he knows both platforms well and can choose the best tool for the job.
If I had more resources I would 10000% own both an apple watch and garmin. However, as someone who only has money for one device I went with the Apple Watch Ultra. I very rarely hit its limits, the cell service is nice, and with work outdoors (which is pretty cheap) it works like a garmin functionality wise. The Apple Watch feature set is of course way better for my day-to-day life as a medical professional. The obvious huge trade off is battery life but if you choose the right settings it’ll last multiple nights of backpacking but probably not more than three nights.
By the way this isn’t an anti-garmin comment. I want to buy a garmin some day. My point is that the AWU is better for myself overall than any garmin watch as someone who has to choose one for $ reasons.
You basically spent $1000 on an AWU that you then have to use with the "limited" sensors to make it last less than 3 days? You use a Garmin with the sensors at maximum performance, always active, and you have days (weeks to be precise...) of battery life. There's not much competition. AWU is an Apple Watch for outdoor enthusiasts who hike in “public city parks.” Those who travel around the Alps want and use Garmin.
I switched from an Apple watch to a Garmin Fenix 6 and never looked back. The battery life sold it for me. Though I hate the charger port and having to carry another cord that only gets one use.
Apple Watch doesn’t work too well in the cold or the mountains, might get 2-3hours battery life on a gen4. I have used Apple Maps a little in the backcountry on my phone but for anything multi day or deep we’re bringing a Garmin. It’s guided us back through a mini white out. That being said when I’m not in the backcountry Im using the Apple Watch.
i got the garmin venu 2 plus. i can get notifications and answer calls just like an apple watch, but with no gps it can go for 7-8 days without a charge.
I have apple watch & already get workoutdoor. I think it enough for me just for reference. So far for me its fine. I can do a lot of thing with my watch for daily use. Of couse garmin is better for outdoor
I'm looking at picking between these watches right now. The major hold back for me which I have no idea why no one mentioned was to my knowlege you must own an Iphone if you want to use and Apple watch. That's a big problem for me, as I don't really want to buy and Iphone I already have a Samsung, a company I've used for the last 8 years. If it didn't require an Iphone I wouldn't even think twice about it, I'd get the Apple Watch. Since you got Apps like Audible that will work with the Apple Watch and something I really would like to have. 2nd, does the Apple watch now use GPS just like the Garmin? A year and a half ago the Garmin was what you needed for a dedicated hike since it's not tied to needing cell phone towers.
Great video thanks. Would recommend AWU if charging the battery very regularly is not an issue. I'm too much of a boomer myself: remembering to charge my phone every night is hard enough, so ding that also with my watch would inevitably lead to a problem. I went for a Fenix 7, certainly not a sexy product, rather rugged and reliable, far from the fun experiences with the Apple Watch and the awesome Workoutdoors (best hiking app ever), but as long as Apple consider it OK to offer such battery lives (and don't talk to me about the battery-saving modes, I don't want my watch to be a dark screen), I'll go for Garmin.
Thanks for the great chat. I think you both missed a bit by not mentioning the garmin 965. Cheaper due to it being less back country than the Fenix and higher. Yet... bigger screen and just as capable as it's more expensive siblings. Still expensive. 😮
I love apple and Iam Using apple products but as a Dutch military veteran I have to say Ultra is good but not an outdoor watch. That’s Garmin, Suunto and Coros. It’s like you buy a Nice SUV and use it in Landrover, jeep ore land cruiser terrain it may work but it’s not build for it. apple commercial may only be in that area for a few hours. Garmin, Suunto and Coros have military standards and are also known among pro climbers, rescue people, military personnel, etc.
I like to say, the Apple Watch is a very good do it all smartwatch, and Garmin is a very good watch for the outdoors with some smartwatch features. So, like Cris also said, it depends of your usecase. So nowadays I prefer the Garmin other the Apple Watch because Im a lot outside and i need a reliable device which helps me to navigate and to track everything other a couple of days, dont need a tone of "useless" features which the Apple Watch has which drains the battery 🙈
Had a Garmin Instinct. Altitude was all over the place. Found out it gets clogged b sweat making it useless. Never had that with Apple Watch. Sure Garmin has more metrics but m most important measurement is completely inaccurate so how does that help? AW was and is spot on. I can get 20 hours of gps activity on my Ultra. Just recharge at night. Not a big deal.
It’s really hard to convince me with garmin. I use my Apple Watch for the last 6 years. Never let me down and works well with all my trainings. I can have any feature that garmin has because we have an App Store. Garmin only looks better in my opinion and obviously battery is better but everything else is the same or better on the Apple Watch.
Great video even for non-hikers like me. I’ve owned Garmins for years and it is too challenging to work through the product differentiation between entry mid and premium models, particularly on the software side which is inexcusable from Garmin. Apart from hardware differentiation each Apple Watch can do the same thing, the point you both make in relation to the SE. Over time the Ultra will be a Garmin killer IMHO, Apple is too a competitor and they will not allow Garmin to use their smartwatch features (why would they??). My two cents worth..
I don’t know about the watches…. I don’t like the watch around my wrist while walking with trekking poles, it just bothers me. I carry a Garmin 67i and I love it.
Other than superior battery life, Garmin is also more straightforward and structured in terms of workout and fitness. Not only u got training suggestions, it also record your training load throughout the weeks and suggest when you have to rest. No need to install tons of third party apps
best to just avoid all apple products if you haven't been poisoned already lol. The apple watch's compatibility doesn't really matter when the Garmin beats it in almost every category. but if you do want a smart watch that's not for backpacking and more for interface and apps I'd look into the galaxy watches. they're very close in functionality and ability to the apple watches. And in my opinion much better because of compatibility. Apple products rarely work with anything outside apple unless they were forced to by law and then they do it kicking and screaming and only to the technical necessity put forth by that law. They don't want their products to work with anything else, then you wouldn't need to buy 100% apple products to get everything to work right. lol
I have tried all the GPS apps, and Alltrials seems to just work. I like that I can have it on my Ultra and iPhone, both synchronized together (sent it to my watch from my phone). However, battery life is awful and I might go back to Garmin. One thing I remember with my Fenix 6-7 is there wasn't an app that synchronized between my watch and my phone. Sometimes I can't see the screen on my watch, so I pull out my phone. Am I missing something with Garmin? I can load GPX files to both devices (watch and phone), but they work independently, so I have to start them separately, unlike the iPhone and Ultra, using basically any GPS app.
Apple Watch is a IPhone interface first, then a navigation device. However the Garmin is a navigation device first, and interface second. Can’t compare them on navigation only. Garmin of course will win hands down. I personally would not trade my Apple Watch Ultra for any Watch.
Everyone has an iPhone means 57 % market share in US and 27 % on EU ;) But Apple Watch is everyday watch when Garmin is full bred sport watch. Big difference.
Garmin Fenix6 Sapphire is an absolute workhorse. Connects to all bike sensors, durable, battery life can't be beat. If you want a watch that's essentially an extension of your phone, get an Apple Watch. If you want an outdoor watch, get a Garmin.
I'm team garmin for the super long lasting battery and durability... with the sapphire screen they are very strong I worked with a few people that had apple watches and they broke the screens pretty fast my garmin is now like 5 years old and I've smashed the screen against doorknobs and all kinds of stuff when I smack the screen I'll look concerned but I'm concerned I broke what I hit with the watch.... the learning curve with garmin takes a bit to figure out and the screen res may not be great but the robust nature of the Fenix 5x plus is amazing I got stuck in the woods after camping during a windstorm and not being able to drive over all the trees that fell I used the garmin to get directions to the closest road my girlfriends iPhone was giving crazy directions and telling us to turn around and go back a few times or take different turns than garmin at least for those Forrest service roads the garmin was a 9 mile hike out And the apple was doing a route that would have been 17 miles also for those worried about the price you can get an old version for a good deal I got my garmin Fenix 5x plus for like 365 on Amazon I'm not sure if that's still available or not
Out of the box yes but I navigate with the work outdoors app which has offline mapping and doesn’t depend on the iPhone. There are plenty of other things the garmin does better than AWU but I think mapping is an easy fix.
It is Apple's first attempt. Texting via satellite will change the equation. Footpath is my favorite app, which covers what I had in my Fenix 7Pro. Althytic is also good for stats on the Apple watch/phone.
What do you mean it's apples first attempt? they've had like 5 models of watches lol Or do you mean first attempt at satellite texting? because I heard about them doing that with their phones a while back.
@@Algorythmfpv first attempt at the outdoor wearable. I think they are spot on. Garmin is a lot more than most people need and the Ultra is 90% there. Garmin’s ecosystem is so Wonky, it'll be its demise.
What if you're a casual hiker/backpacker that goes out 2 or three times a year and you HATE Apple products? Then what should your buy? I think the Fenix is too much watch for my needs...
I love you comment in the beginning how you say apple does the connectivity with your watch the best - part of that reason is it doesn't give anyone else a chance to, bt locking down a host of features and not allowing other companies to integrate with those features. Very monopolistic when you consider some of the rulings that have been handed down to microsoft/google etc, however apple doesn't have to play by the same rules.....
I’ve had two Apple Watches, and I got my Fenix 7 a year ago. I sold my Apple Watch and haven’t missed it one bit. Looooove my Fenix 7!
Recently got a garmin watch - and once I learned the interface - best watch I have ever owned and the battery life is wonerful.
Sorry Dan to say it so directly, but if you do sport or hiking on a high level, no one will choose an apple watch:) Garmin is another level!
For endurance sport absolutely but for sport within the battery range of the Ultra I see Apple as a reasonable choice. Especially for people where the Ultra battery life fits their athletic needs.
No denying that Garmin is the endurance king if we’re talking about prolonged races, etc. I ski at a high level and enjoy hiking during the summer but I rarely get enough time off for prolonged backpacking so for someone like me the Ultra works great.
On an unrelated note your comment reads as pretty negative towards Dan. I think it’s fine if he prefers a different watch than you do. We all walk different paths.
This is the same conclusion as the video. Something tells me this video wasn’t for you and you watched five minutes without finishing.
@@MitchKirkhamor hunting, the Apple Watch blows. They don’t support true outdoor activities like garmin does.
Me and my buddy go on extended backpacking trips in Montana and Garmin GPS accuracy is much better. His Apple watch does not pick up on switchbacks so his trips always come out miles lower from the lack of GPS accuracy. Great video though!
True ..this is a no contest.
Garmin for sure. Cant beat the battery life 🎉
Garmin every day and twice on Sunday.
I bought the Apple Watch and hated it. So I got a Garmin Fenix Pro Solar and I have never been happier. It’s the only watch I’ve ever worn almost every day and been happy to wear it. I can’t wait to upgrade to the Garmin Fenix 7 just so I can have touch screen.
My Suunto will last for a year, give me sunrise and sunset times, altitude, storm warning, and depth meter. It’s all I need and I don’t have to charge it.
Agree, Garmin Enduro 2 w/solar is a fantastic watch going the distance without issues of battery life or toughness. Day hike vs section hike or Ultra Trail Run…have a great day everyone 🤙🏽
@@BADazzJewelryCojust fyi, I thought I wanted touch screen too but went right back to the buttons 🤷♂️
Garmin 100%. I have the Fenix 6X Saphire and I charge it once every 17-20 days. You can't beat that. I just hate having to charge every 2 days.
I don't have an iPhone. I don't have a smart watch of any kind that I would trust to be my guide/locator in the woods. I have Android phones/tablets, handheld GPS Garmin-type receivers, an Anker power bank, and apps that use georeferenced pdf map files to tell me where I am...
...but I am also probably a bit of an anomaly, since I am retired US Forest Service (45 years of service navigating around out in the mountains of the Western US), so I also have a tremendous amount of experience using a Silva Ranger compass and what we used to call district fire maps that show both ground contours and roads in high detail (and which can sometimes be available in georeferenced pdf files these days - which, I have to confess, would have really been cool to have in some trackable electronic device format back in the day)...
...I'll stop now because I'm starting feel like I'm some old coot sitting on his porch under a blanket shaking his cane at all of today's back-country trekkers shouting "You Just Don't Know, You Whippersnappers!"...and you don't need that...
Have an AW for years, but battery life isn’t great. Got a 2018 Garmin Instinct for outdoor use this year. Works great for my use and I still use the AW for day to day.
I wear a Garmin Fenix 6 solar everyday and love it. Battery life is not even comparable.
My trusty Garmin Instinct Solar does all the hiking things. Big battery life, very rugged and once you get the hang of the interface, super speedy to use. A+
But it has the elevation bug when sweat gets into the barometer port.
Just one thing to remember, neither brand of watch is going to hike for you. Being in the IT industry the last 20+ years (in the military for 14 of those), I've learned that tech is an aid, but there is no such thing as a single tech device that will do literally everything for everyone. You'll have to layer up, for sure. For example, if you wear an Apple Watch in the backcountry, bring a battery pack to recharge. But, I'd also encourage bringing a Garmin InReach or similar device, and laminated paper maps with a grease pencil, grid square, and a compass. Gotta layer your resources like swiss cheese: each layer will have holes, but the more you layer, the more the holes disappear.
Great advice
I agree, But depending on your lifestyle one can do a lot more things than the other. In a suburban or urban environment an apple watch would make more sense but outdoors garmin is a lot more dependable, from battery life, inreach connectivity to tracking my dogs and connecting to my boat.
We tend to live very different lives and since I switched I couldn't possibly go back to running out of battery on a short 3 day camping or hunting trip.
For someone on an urban environment it would make more sense to have cellular connection, smart home compatibility, and just have your phone at all times (which I typically avoid as much as I can)
In the IT industry for 20 years? and you haven't got even 1 subscriber? what's that all about?
I have the Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar and it does so much more then just gps. I wear mine every day. I link it to my inReach when I go backpacking and it works great.
Is the GPS easy and accurate to use? I say that because although I really do like the look for the Apple Watch and how the maps work for that watch, I've seen in other videos that the GPS for the Garmin watches seems.... a little out of date, unless that's the standard of Garmin, I'm not sure. My eyes as of right now have been glued into the tactix 7 AMOLED edition and the top of the line Fenix watch. What would you recommend?
I was so excited for AW Ultra. Bought it and been wearing it since it's release. Went on a weekend trip with family and after a single day filled with mountain biking, battery dropped to 20% within 12 hours. I did not bring a charger (who brings a watch charger for outdoor activities), and by midnight even at battery saver mode activated the Ultra was dead. I am sorry to say it but AW while packed with stunning features, is just no longer my go to outdoor watch.
I know it may be inconvenient to some, but I always bring a small power bank and cable to charge my devices when I'm hiking or backpacking (my main outdoor activities). Im pretty sure you're not mountain biking for 12 hours straight and you have some time to charge it back up. If its too much of a hassle then go for the garmin!
I hiked last week with 3degrees Celsius with 2 apps on and after 12hours my awu was the Same batterie drained as the Garmin tactiks
I have the Garmin Epix2- I can use GPS for a solid day trip and the battery still lasts 12-ish days.
i have had all the Samsung watches... just got the Garmin epix 2 and wow! i cant believe what i been missing... battery life is 20 days +.... i will always have a Garmin
Owned 3 aws and have a garmin instinct solar. Ready to offload my latest AW. Used the AW as daily until I started traveling and got comfortable with the Garmin. The screen isn’t as flashy, but the buttons work. It does every thing I need and I only need to charge it every 10 days or so even using tracking on hikes. Bought it for backcountry trips, but now just love it for every day.
Old timer here.
I love my handheld GARMIN GPS !!
Apple and Garmin owner here. Apple is better for features/functionality. But Garmin - at least the Instinct 2 Solar I’ve been sporting for a couple of months - is better for the backcountry because of its battery life.
Garmin, especially the solar models. Battery life is maybe the key here, not to worry about the watch and having to carry another cable and adaptor for the watch, for days or weeks. But the other reason for me to dump the Apple Watch for an Instinct 2 Solar was that I really do not see the point in adding another device doing what your phone does, but on your wrist. I just want a sports watch that does what I need (GPS, record workouts, tell me the time, timer, etc), and let the phone be the phone. Once you need to pay for more app so that the Watch matches what the Garmin does, you answered your question. And if budget is an issue, Garmin has choices along the spectrum, like my Instinct 2 Solar, that can do all or more in some activities, than an Apple Watch. Yes, you cannot play music from it, but if you carry your phone as well, why would you need your watch to do what your phone does, only to have to remember to charge it every day?
You hit the nails on the head! My dream watch would be the Garmin Instinct Solar that I could play music from when running (no, I don't want my phone on a run). That watch does interface with my iphone enough--I get notifications in a non-obtrusive wrist jiggle.
"Once you need to pay for more app so that the Watch matches what the Garmin does, you answered your question" Can you try to make sense please
Means that Garmin offers for free what Apple might offer for additional amount of money. It's that simple @@TheKeirsunishi
Garmin! Always. I have 920XT for over 6 years and I love it. Plus other Garmin devices/accessories you can have/you have (heart rate monitor, cadence sensors, maps, scale, blood pressure monitor, and many more) it’s a nice ecosystem and you do t have to enter (almost) any data manually. And it is pretty darn accurate.
The Enduro 2 battery lasts over 20 days for everyday use. It will last a few days on a multi-day using the GPS while hiking. And it has a light that I found convenient.
I had an apple watch and it was my daily driver as Dan said until I fell in love with the outdoors and started spending more time in the outdoors. I get outdoors 3-4 times/week doing aver 30 miles a week and my go to trusted watch is GARMIN. I use a Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire and I would swear by it. I still carry my Iphone 14Pro Max though, lol.
I bought a Garmin Fenix 5x a few years ago. Never looked back. The battery life is incredible.
I bought both an Apple watch ultra and a Garmin watch. I retuned the Garmin watch. The Garmin watch is great when hiking, amazing battery life but pales in comparison to your every day needs integration with the iPhone. Where the Garmin watch shines if you are more than a weekend warrior. If you spend a week or more outdoors in the backcountry, I can see the value in it, hiking the PCT or the Appalachian Trail for example. I only hike and camp on the weekends so the iPhone and Apple watch integration was better for the 5 days of the week. I love the additional apps you can get on the Apple watch. I like the idea of using the low power mode and will have to give that mode as well as the apps a try on my next hike. Thanks for sharing.
That’s my experience too. I can only afford one so I got an Ultra. If I had a garmin it would be an accessory for hiking but so far my AWU is able to tackle overnight or 2/3 night trips just fine with the right battery management.
Panthros, you are simply incorrect
@@HarryKuloh no he’s pretty much spot on. I’ve used both platforms and various models on each and he’s 100% correct.
You made the right choice given your use case. I went with the Garmin enduro 2 precisely because I do long distance hiking, running, and other fitness first activities. I wanted to be able to do at least 4-5 days of 8-10 hours of activity recording between charges. An Apple Watch ultra would be very nice and maybe in the future I would switch. But for me, between the battery life and that it’s basically just a second iPhone on your wrist. I already have my phone. So it seems superfluous in my use case. When I’m at home and not hiking I do get a little jealous of my wife’s Apple Watch though.
@@HalfwayHikes I 100% agree. Because of my situation I rarely get the opportunity to take multi-day trips so at most I’m looking at 2, maybe 3 nights. So for me an Ultra is awesome because it does enough for when I backpack and is AWESOME for when I’m home.
In the future when I have the time and money to do longer trips I’ll totally consider adding a Garmin to the mix for when I’m out adventuring but I’m not sure if I’ll move away from some form of Apple Watch as a daily driver any time soon.
LETS GO!! JUST GOT OFF WORK AND THE GOAT POSTED
I destroyed my Garmin Vivoactive HR using 100% deet while hiking the 100 mile wilderness. Garmin earned my loyalty when they replaced the watch well outside the warranty period, and, it was entirely my fault for hosing it down with deet.
I dissolved a Minolta camera years ago likewise, DEET is a wicked solvent!
I had high hopes for the Apple Ultra. I am a long-time Garmin user and I found the ultra wasn't worth the requirement to charge on hikes and the mileage wasn't accurate despite multiple "learning" hikes. It's also prone to moving to a random screen and I've tried both orientations of buttons. I've reverted to using the Garmin Tactix on my section hikes and use the Apple ultra for daily use.
I wanted an Apple Watch Ultra sooo bad but I opted for a 7X Sapphire Solar instead. I’m so glad that I did. I wear it 24/7, gps my walks for around 4-5 hours per week and I’m regularly getting 28 to 30 days of use out of it before it needs charging. I have also used it to fully track all of my data whilst I’ve been out on the MTB. My friends who opted for the Ultra are now all regretting their purchases.
My Fenix 3 Sapphire still works for 10-12 hour hikes, it's dated (no touch screen, crappy display) but it does the job with navigation and trac backs if needed, I don't have an ultra yet but have an apple watch 6 (GPS), and like the map display whether it's alltrails or GAIA, turn by turn on Footpath works as well. Next year I may reward myself with the ultra 2. I think having both even if one is older tech is good as a backup just in case, especially in the back country.
I love Apple and have it for everything except the Watch. I've hiked in the mountains and done long distance running for years using different shades of Garmin - Mainly Fenix. When the Apple watch came out I was intrigued by it but all the videos I saw talked mentioned the 1 day to a day and a half battery life. I tried it and returned it the next day. Mainly battery life and the fact it just didn't feel right after using just such rugged all weather watches like Garmin. And you never have to worry about battery life. I'm 73 now and only hike a few miles 3 times a week due to lower back pain and just love my Garmin Instinct 2!!
Garmin works great as day to day too with notifications and incoming calls. You could call out too if ear pods in ear plus phone on you. Garmin has fall warning too to send emergency text.
Garmin Enduro 2 reporting for duty sir.
Seriously though, I thought hard about getting Apple Watch ultra, but when I’m hiking I already have my iPhone. Didn’t really need what is basically another iPhone on my wrist.
For me the Garmin is a fitness first, data collection device. I do way more than just long distance hiking. It can of course do navigation, but for me it’s all about the data. I have other devices that i use for navigation (phone apps like FarOut/Gaia and the inReach)
You really have a TH-cam personality, if you make a channel in a bigger fanbase niche than camping it will explode.
I really want the new epix pro 51mm but I have the ultra and a 14 pro max. They work so well together, I feel like I’d just be wasting money. I already have the garmin instinct, for longer trips. I just love the look of the epix 51mm.
I got an Enduro 2 on the 18th of May and it's awesome 🔥
Same, since Jan. Garmin had $100 off sale making it same price as top of line fenix 7x ss. A little better battery life and brighter light. Love this thing. Been on my wrist every day. Big leap from my old fenix 3 (non HR).
To each their own, but something to think about: there are more runners and outdoorsy people who switch from AW to a Garmin watch; and, the battery in even the cheapest Garmin watch blows anything Apple puts into the AW (expect for full-on GPS mode). Only needing to charge once a week or two is far better than having to charge daily. I am pretty sure that if you were not a content creator, you might find more utility in a Garmin, but doing what you do, an AW likely has more value to you. This is not a slam against you, but you are also a person who is more likely to carry 2 - 3 back-up battery chargers. Not to mention, Garmin was doing GPS long before anyone else.
I own an Apple Watch Ultra and I have just bought the new Epix Pro 51. I have really tried to use the Apple Watch but the fact is it’s just not up to the standard of Garmin when it comes to fitness. It doesn’t even have a health app to the watch. This is just mind boggling for a health watch. It gives you basic health data but Garmin is so much better. I kills me to say this as I just love the AW Ultra looks but under the hood it’s not there for me.
I'm using Garmin fenix 6 pro. The battery life alone is a win for me.
I got an Apple Watch to try out, took it on a few day hikes and it was "fine," but anything more than that, it really falls flat. When it came to a 5 day hike in the wilderness, Garmin 100%. Great battery life, basics for notifications, health and wellbeing.
Coros Pace 2 user checking in. If you are looking for a watch more on the cheaper end of the spectrum but still has GPS recording capabilities and good battery life the Pace 2 is great at $200.
I switched from the Apple Watch to the Fenix 7X for my daily driver and haven’t looked back. The only thing I miss is cell service on the watch. I love the Garmin’s battery life - I’ll go a couple of weeks without charging it and it’s rock solid. Apple has and will need to continue to fight its battery life demons and, on a rather petty note, the commoditization of their product - you’re not making a statement wearing an Apple Watch, but you sure are with a Fenix or Epix. That’s because the Garmins are serious tools rather than an extension of an ecosystem.
I think you nailed it. I’m an Ultra user but definitely jealous of the battery life. It’ll be interesting how the next few years go. If Apple can extend the Ultra line’s battery life to even a week or 10 days it’ll be a much more realistic high adventure watch. I don’t ever expect them to get to Garmin levels though with the feature set that Apple includes. It would be interesting if they could figure out a solar display version.
I’m looking for a budget friendly watch that I can follow/retrace my old tracks from AllTrails or Gaia. Mostly 15-20 mile bushwhacks where I’m out all day. Something simple and looks as close to it does looking at my phone, so I can just look at my wrist instead or reaching in my pocket to make sure I’m still on route. Thanks for your suggestions!
Great video that answered some of my questions as I get back into hiking and camping.
UGH, not "everyone" has an Apple watch I would rather die in the wilderness than get an Apple product. They are only "intuitive" for Apple cult persons. It's a good review for Garmin Thanks.
Fenix 6X Sapphire here. Love it.
Why use your watch for the hiking apps when you have a phone with off line maps?
Dan - "Here's a guest that's probably the smartest person on this subject"
Also Dan - "I'm gonna disagree with ya'."
Dan a dumbie!
This is the video I’ve been waiting for! Thanks for all the great info ❤
It's also worth noting that my Garmin forerunner 245 (~$200) can track gps for about 6 hours a day for a full weekend trip on one charge. No navigation on that cheaper option, but Apple doesn't really have anything at the lower price point.
That was really helpful! I totally agree with Hiking Guy; I have an AW SE, and I love it for front country activities of all types. It has okay battery life (24h), I don't mind charging each morning, it tracks my rings and steps, its weather is superior to Garmin's, and I use the Apple pay feature daily. However, I bought a Garmin 265S for hiking and backpacking. The battery lasts several days, it has a nice track back feature (though this less expensive device has no maps; I use my iphone for offline maps), it measures my SPo2 unlike the AW SE which can be helpful at altitude, but mostly it's a relief not to worry about battery life on a several day hike. The AW is staying in the drawer on backpacking trips.
Garmin Fenix 7 (and other models) connect to your InReach so you can trigger an SOS or send a canned message from your watch if you are within range. I love that feature! The solar capability for recharging is a nice feature, too.
WooHoo! It’s Chris the Hiking Guy! He’s great and so is his TH-cam channel 👍👍👏👏
I love my Garmin Forerunner. I miss the elegance of the Apple Watch but for fitness and the outdoors, Garmin is the best.
WorkOutDoors is great.
I also recommend putting it in “water mode” as well as low power mode. This keeps sun shirts from turning it off.
Great review guys. Yup, this crossroads for me was a couple of months back. My two issues with the Apple,( and this would have been my 4th Apple Watch), was the battery life and the idiotic notifications every 15 minutes. I went with the Garmin Fenix 7 because the battery life is to a point I don't need to worry about charging it for a trip. If I do, it's not a big power hog. It's not my primary navigation. Its my backup to the OnX with the In-Reach being #3 and a compass being #4. Great review. Keep doing what you do and I'll keep watching.
I am an Android user, this decision is easy. Apple Watch does not work on Android.
Question - do any of these watches track or tell temperature?
I have a Casio that is not a smartwatch that does that but now that I have a smartwatch I'd rather use that and sacrifice battery or functionality.
Having the fenix 6 solar it has so many apps for the outdoors the battery life is amazing. I had apple and gave it to my wife….bad battery life
Probably would have been better to save this talk for just a couple weeks haha. Would love to see an update to this video now that Apple just released offline maps, topo maps, upgraded compass, and the two new waypoints for last cell signal and emergency. Also the ability to search for nearby trails.
I downloaded the latest software only to find the offline maps on AW are pointless to me. Apple has no trails on their maps to download. Garmin still supreme in that area unfortunately.
On Android it's easy: Garmin. For short hikes and as an extension of my phone the Samsung will work fine. For long weekends I'd definitely go with a Garmin due to battery life being superior (40-65% better from experience depending on the mode the Samsung is set to). As an honorable mention, Coros makes some good watches with great battery life.
I use a Garmin forrunner 345 and have used that and it is accurate on 10-30 mile hikes on the Appalachian trail, and use a Garmin inreach. I just tried the Apple watch ultra 2 for a 30 mile hike up on the AT and it seemed like the mileage was always greater than I acutally hiked comparing to known maps and distances I was hiking the Apple watch was like 1 to 1.5 miles greater on a 10 mile hike each day than known actual mileage... next time I'm bringing both the Garmin watch and Apple to see which is more accurate on mileage tracked... I think it is the Garmin... I was using trekking poles so that might have thrown the Apple watch Ultra2 off, and I did have it in hiking mode. compared to the Garmin I just start tracking, or maybe use the hiking mode also...
“I would rather grab [the Apple watch] before the Garmin. But I have limited experience with the Garmin.” This is probably why Dan prefers the Apple Watch. You use what you know best. Chris sounds like he knows both platforms well and can choose the best tool for the job.
Hiking guy is the bomb.
My Coros Pace 3 has the best battery life. I just wish it had a google maps/turn by turn feature for driving routes like google pixel or Apple Watch.
If I had more resources I would 10000% own both an apple watch and garmin. However, as someone who only has money for one device I went with the Apple Watch Ultra. I very rarely hit its limits, the cell service is nice, and with work outdoors (which is pretty cheap) it works like a garmin functionality wise. The Apple Watch feature set is of course way better for my day-to-day life as a medical professional. The obvious huge trade off is battery life but if you choose the right settings it’ll last multiple nights of backpacking but probably not more than three nights.
By the way this isn’t an anti-garmin comment. I want to buy a garmin some day. My point is that the AWU is better for myself overall than any garmin watch as someone who has to choose one for $ reasons.
You basically spent $1000 on an AWU that you then have to use with the "limited" sensors to make it last less than 3 days? You use a Garmin with the sensors at maximum performance, always active, and you have days (weeks to be precise...) of battery life. There's not much competition. AWU is an Apple Watch for outdoor enthusiasts who hike in “public city parks.” Those who travel around the Alps want and use Garmin.
Komoot gives spoken directions. Live this app!
I switched from an Apple watch to a Garmin Fenix 6 and never looked back. The battery life sold it for me. Though I hate the charger port and having to carry another cord that only gets one use.
Apple Watch doesn’t work too well in the cold or the mountains, might get 2-3hours battery life on a gen4. I have used Apple Maps a little in the backcountry on my phone but for anything multi day or deep we’re bringing a Garmin. It’s guided us back through a mini white out. That being said when I’m not in the backcountry Im using the Apple Watch.
i got the garmin venu 2 plus. i can get notifications and answer calls just like an apple watch, but with no gps it can go for 7-8 days without a charge.
I have apple watch & already get workoutdoor. I think it enough for me just for reference. So far for me its fine. I can do a lot of thing with my watch for daily use. Of couse garmin is better for outdoor
I'm looking at picking between these watches right now. The major hold back for me which I have no idea why no one mentioned was to my knowlege you must own an Iphone if you want to use and Apple watch. That's a big problem for me, as I don't really want to buy and Iphone I already have a Samsung, a company I've used for the last 8 years. If it didn't require an Iphone I wouldn't even think twice about it, I'd get the Apple Watch. Since you got Apps like Audible that will work with the Apple Watch and something I really would like to have.
2nd, does the Apple watch now use GPS just like the Garmin? A year and a half ago the Garmin was what you needed for a dedicated hike since it's not tied to needing cell phone towers.
Great video thanks. Would recommend AWU if charging the battery very regularly is not an issue. I'm too much of a boomer myself: remembering to charge my phone every night is hard enough, so ding that also with my watch would inevitably lead to a problem. I went for a Fenix 7, certainly not a sexy product, rather rugged and reliable, far from the fun experiences with the Apple Watch and the awesome Workoutdoors (best hiking app ever), but as long as Apple consider it OK to offer such battery lives (and don't talk to me about the battery-saving modes, I don't want my watch to be a dark screen), I'll go for Garmin.
The best watch for hiking/camping and exploring is the Rolex explorer 1
I think Apple watches are for people who like to sit in coffee shops and talk about being outdoors. I'm going with the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar.
Thanks for the great chat.
I think you both missed a bit by not mentioning the garmin 965.
Cheaper due to it being less back country than the Fenix and higher.
Yet... bigger screen and just as capable as it's more expensive siblings.
Still expensive. 😮
No sapphire lens is a non-starter for me with the 965. Spending that much money for a screen that can scratch so easily doesn't make sense.
I love apple and Iam Using apple products but as a Dutch military veteran I have to say Ultra is good but not an outdoor watch. That’s Garmin, Suunto and Coros.
It’s like you buy a Nice SUV and use it in Landrover, jeep ore land cruiser terrain it may work but it’s not build for it.
apple commercial may only be in that area for a few hours. Garmin, Suunto and Coros have military standards and are also known among pro climbers, rescue people, military personnel, etc.
I like to say, the Apple Watch is a very good do it all smartwatch, and Garmin is a very good watch for the outdoors with some smartwatch features. So, like Cris also said, it depends of your usecase.
So nowadays I prefer the Garmin other the Apple Watch because Im a lot outside and i need a reliable device which helps me to navigate and to track everything other a couple of days, dont need a tone of "useless" features which the Apple Watch has which drains the battery 🙈
And now? Somehow TH-cam was saying that I won something 😅
I absolutely love my apple watch ultra but garmin is really good too workout metrics on garmin are fantastic but im so deep in the apple ecosystem
Had a Garmin Instinct. Altitude was all over the place. Found out it gets clogged b sweat making it useless. Never had that with Apple Watch. Sure Garmin has more metrics but m most important measurement is completely inaccurate so how does that help? AW was and is spot on. I can get 20 hours of gps activity on my Ultra. Just recharge at night. Not a big deal.
It’s really hard to convince me with garmin. I use my Apple Watch for the last 6 years. Never let me down and works well with all my trainings. I can have any feature that garmin has because we have an App Store. Garmin only looks better in my opinion and obviously battery is better but everything else is the same or better on the Apple Watch.
Great video even for non-hikers like me. I’ve owned Garmins for years and it is too challenging to work through the product differentiation between entry mid and premium models, particularly on the software side which is inexcusable from Garmin. Apart from hardware differentiation each Apple Watch can do the same thing, the point you both make in relation to the SE. Over time the Ultra will be a Garmin killer IMHO, Apple is too a competitor and they will not allow Garmin to use their smartwatch features (why would they??). My two cents worth..
just because you cant figure out a piece of tech does not mean it isnt superior.
Dan, could you please review fitness trackers with GPS/ spot functions?
I don’t know about the watches…. I don’t like the watch around my wrist while walking with trekking poles, it just bothers me. I carry a Garmin 67i and I love it.
Other than superior battery life, Garmin is also more straightforward and structured in terms of workout and fitness. Not only u got training suggestions, it also record your training load throughout the weeks and suggest when you have to rest. No need to install tons of third party apps
Should have asked him about us Android users =)
best to just avoid all apple products if you haven't been poisoned already lol. The apple watch's compatibility doesn't really matter when the Garmin beats it in almost every category. but if you do want a smart watch that's not for backpacking and more for interface and apps I'd look into the galaxy watches. they're very close in functionality and ability to the apple watches. And in my opinion much better because of compatibility. Apple products rarely work with anything outside apple unless they were forced to by law and then they do it kicking and screaming and only to the technical necessity put forth by that law. They don't want their products to work with anything else, then you wouldn't need to buy 100% apple products to get everything to work right. lol
I have tried all the GPS apps, and Alltrials seems to just work. I like that I can have it on my Ultra and iPhone, both synchronized together (sent it to my watch from my phone). However, battery life is awful and I might go back to Garmin. One thing I remember with my Fenix 6-7 is there wasn't an app that synchronized between my watch and my phone. Sometimes I can't see the screen on my watch, so I pull out my phone. Am I missing something with Garmin? I can load GPX files to both devices (watch and phone), but they work independently, so I have to start them separately, unlike the iPhone and Ultra, using basically any GPS app.
"everybody has an iphone" .... c'mon... really?
Apple Watch is a IPhone interface first, then a navigation device. However the Garmin is a navigation device first, and interface second. Can’t compare them on navigation only. Garmin of course will win hands down. I personally would not trade my Apple Watch Ultra for any Watch.
Everyone has an iPhone means 57 % market share in US and 27 % on EU ;) But Apple Watch is everyday watch when Garmin is full bred sport watch. Big difference.
Garmin Fenix6 Sapphire is an absolute workhorse. Connects to all bike sensors, durable, battery life can't be beat.
If you want a watch that's essentially an extension of your phone, get an Apple Watch.
If you want an outdoor watch, get a Garmin.
I'm team garmin for the super long lasting battery and durability... with the sapphire screen they are very strong I worked with a few people that had apple watches and they broke the screens pretty fast my garmin is now like 5 years old and I've smashed the screen against doorknobs and all kinds of stuff when I smack the screen I'll look concerned but I'm concerned I broke what I hit with the watch.... the learning curve with garmin takes a bit to figure out and the screen res may not be great but the robust nature of the Fenix 5x plus is amazing I got stuck in the woods after camping during a windstorm and not being able to drive over all the trees that fell I used the garmin to get directions to the closest road my girlfriends iPhone was giving crazy directions and telling us to turn around and go back a few times or take different turns than garmin at least for those Forrest service roads the garmin was a 9 mile hike out And the apple was doing a route that would have been 17 miles also for those worried about the price you can get an old version for a good deal I got my garmin Fenix 5x plus for like 365 on Amazon I'm not sure if that's still available or not
The Apple watch relies too much on the phone being charged to offer all the features. For navigation, I wouldn't trust that.
Out of the box yes but I navigate with the work outdoors app which has offline mapping and doesn’t depend on the iPhone. There are plenty of other things the garmin does better than AWU but I think mapping is an easy fix.
It is Apple's first attempt. Texting via satellite will change the equation. Footpath is my favorite app, which covers what I had in my Fenix 7Pro. Althytic is also good for stats on the Apple watch/phone.
What do you mean it's apples first attempt? they've had like 5 models of watches lol Or do you mean first attempt at satellite texting? because I heard about them doing that with their phones a while back.
Plus the antenna inside the phone worked very poorly so I imagine in a watch it's going to be even more circumstantial than their phones.
@@Algorythmfpv first attempt at the outdoor wearable. I think they are spot on. Garmin is a lot more than most people need and the Ultra is 90% there. Garmin’s ecosystem is so Wonky, it'll be its demise.
If your iPhone has the "FAROUT" app and all it's maps you've paid for, will it show in the Apple watch??
Lol i didnt see very many apple watch comments . All that nice gear and your not using a Garmin watch. Dan your like Micheal Jordan wearing Addais .😮
What if you're a casual hiker/backpacker that goes out 2 or three times a year and you HATE Apple products? Then what should your buy? I think the Fenix is too much watch for my needs...
Forerunner 965 - lighter and more than enough for many people
Dan, you should test out the Huawei Watch Ultimate. Seems like it has very good hiking chops.
I love you comment in the beginning how you say apple does the connectivity with your watch the best - part of that reason is it doesn't give anyone else a chance to, bt locking down a host of features and not allowing other companies to integrate with those features. Very monopolistic when you consider some of the rulings that have been handed down to microsoft/google etc, however apple doesn't have to play by the same rules.....
Does AllTrails or ONX app from my iPhone work on the watch?
Have a look at the Garmin Enduro 2
I have noticed discrepencies with distance and heart rate with the activity tracking hiking mode on my garmin fenix 5x plus