Garmin’s new Enduro watch isn’t made specifically for its namesake mountain bike discipline – it’s aimed at all physically and navigationally demanding sports – but it is packed with functions that will appeal to off-road cyclists.
The Enduro, Garmin says, is a watch for “extreme endurance athletes. Like you”.
But even if that doesn’t sound like you, its long battery life, mountain bike metrics (which assess trail difficulty and rate your riding so you can crash faster next time), training and recovery tools, and of course “precision GPS” functions will likely still appeal.
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Garmin Enduro smartwatch key specs
- Multiple global navigation satellite system support
- Wrist-based heart rate and Pulse Ox sensor
- Altimeter, barometer, three-axis electronic compass
- Power manager and solar charging help extend battery life
- Heat and altitude acclimatisation insights
- Suggested workouts
- MTB Dynamics – track details of rides and difficulty, rating how smoothly you descend
- ClimbPro ascent planner shows current and upcoming climb data
- Lens and display: Power Glass, sunlight visible
- Size: 51 x 51 x 14.9mm
- Display: 280 x 280 pixels, 35.56mm diameter
- Water rating: 10 ATM
- Memory: 64 MB
- Weight: 72g (standard) or 58g (Titanium bezel)
- Price: £699.99
Battery life is paramount for long-distance efforts, and the Enduro features Garmin’s Power Glass solar charging screen to help prolong stints between charging.
Using the solar charging, the brand says, you’ll get up to 80 hours in GPS mode, 300 hours in max battery mode, or 65 days in smartwatch mode. These numbers come down without the solar charging (e.g. 70 hours GPS mode), but not enormously.
Fitness, training and recovery programmes include estimated VO2 max, recommended workouts that suggest how to plan efforts for daily rides, and a recovery advisor that helps manage rest.
A built-in Pulse Ox sensor gauges oxygen absorption (Garmin notes this is not for medical use) and helps monitor sleep patterns, while the wrist-based heart rate monitor tracks activity intensity and functions underwater without a chest strap, in case your ride takes on an unexpected and unusual twist.
Most importantly for mountain biking – apart from the fact it rates the way you’ve ridden a trail through the MTB Dynamics feature – is good GPS. The Enduro accesses a range of global navigation systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to ensure solid coverage around the world.
The watch can be paired with Garmin’s inReach Mini satellite communicator (not included) for emergency communications with friends, family or emergency services, too (the watch also has its own safety features that can communicate with a chosen contact in the event of an accident).
Other built-in functions include a barometer, altimeter and three-axis electronic compass. Plus, you can receive all those emails, texts and other notifications that are of utmost importance when you are slogging across a desert or hike-a-biking through the Himalaya. And you can make contactless payments.
If it sounds like the Enduro has a massive number of features, that’s because it does. It’s an all-singing, all-dancing product for serious use; its price tag reflects this – it’ll cost you a snip under £700.
