I've spent 24 hours with the new Garmin Enduro 2, and I might never get lost again

By Cat Ellis
published

The Enduro 2's huge screen is ideal for mapping, and combined with multi-band GPS it works brilliantly

Woman's wrist wearing Garmin Enduro 2 watch
(Image credit: Future)

Today Garmin launched the Enduro 2, a new version of its tough adventure watch with even longer battery life and enhanced mapping, and I've had it on my wrist for the last 24 hours.

This is definitely a big watch, and at 69.2g according to my electric scale, it's definitely on the heavier side as well, but it's extremely comfortable thanks to its hook-and-loop strap. Garmin's standard silicone bands are fine, but I find they can get clammy in warm weather; it's very hot here in the UK right now, but the Enduro 2 feels great. I want this strap for my Garmin Fenix 7.

The size is understandable in order to accommodate the watch's hefty solar cell, which keeps its battery topped up with regular exposure to sunlight. I've not been using the Enduro 2 long enough to judge its battery life, but I'm hopeful it'll match Garmin's claimed 150 hours in GPS mode.

The flashlight is, as promised, extremely bright; you certainly wouldn't want to look directly at it. Naturally using it frequently will drain the battery faster, but I can see it coming in extremely handy for emergencies, unlocking the front door when returning from an evening run, and finding your way around your tent after dark when camping.

Woman's wrist wearing Garmin Enduro 2 watch

(Image credit: Future)

GPS locks on very quickly, as I'd expected, and maps look great with lots of detail. The memory-in-pixel (MIP) screen isn't as bright and crisp as the OLED display of the Garmin Epix (Gen 2), but it's still very good. Street-level detail is excellent, and although zooming on Garmin watch maps isn't perfect, so far this is the best navigation I've experienced on my watch,

The biggest downside so far is the absence of the training readiness and HRV scores that debuted with the Garmin Forerunner 955 a couple of months ago, and has since rolled out to lots of the best Garmin watches. I expect these will arrive on the Enduro 2 with its first major software update, so this certainly isn't a dealbreaker. I'll be keeping a close eye out for updates, and will let you know as soon as these features are on their way.

For the time being, I'll continue testing and being you a full review once I've put the Enduro 2 thoroughly through its paces.

Cat Ellis
Cat Ellis
Editor

Cat is the editor of Advnture, She’s been a journalist for 15 years, and was fitness and wellbeing editor on TechRadar before joining the Advnture team in 2022. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better), usually wearing at least two sports watches.