Trailforks has finally released its long-awaited Apple Watch app, and you can now access and navigate trails offline, track your activities and monitor your performance all from your wrist. The move means you can access Trailforks' growing network of nearly 800,000 trails across the globe and seamlessly integrate your health and performance data across other apps.

Most of us run, hike or ride with a GPS watch these days, which allows us to do all of these things, but a recent survey by Strava reveals that the majority of people still prefer to use a third-party app, so it's no surprise that Trailforks has decided to get in on the action.

"Bringing our maps to Apple Watch is another way we’re meeting users where they are – with a unique app that puts the entire Trailforks trail network on an offline map, right on your wrist, making every adventure safer, smarter, and more fun,” says Trailforks founder Trevor May.

Just like AllTrails, there's both a free and a paid (Trailforks Pro) version, which offer different levels of access. Trailforks Pro users will have access to offline maps and navigation, the ability to add waypoints and Traildar directly from the map screen while you're on the go, plus you can view your current location on a Trailforks map, complete with nearby trails. If you have a trail you run or hike often, you'll also be able to quickly select it the next time you hit the trail.

Free users will have access to the following perks:

• Start and stop your recordings with a single tap.
• Record multiple activity types, including trail running, hiking, skiing and mountain biking.
• Auto-pause functionality when you want to take a break.
• Monitor your total time, distance, average speed, elevation gain, and heart rate in real-time.
• Post-run analysis seamlessly integrated with your Trailforks account.
• Visualize your ride or run with breadcrumb trails and location history.
• Sync your health data directly into Apple’s Health app.

Trailforks is a user-generated trail management system. Check out our comparison of Trailforks vs AllTrails and learn more about the new Apple Watch app here.

• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings
• The best running watches: tech to help you outpace your PB

Choosing your next smartwatch can be a tricky job. Big-name brands like Garmin, Polar, and Apple have loads of models available across a varying price range. With so many options on offer, a great deal can really stand out, so take a look at this awesome bargain on one of Apple's best watches to date.

Right now, you can snag the Apple Watch Series 10 for just $329 on Amazon, as the retail giant slashes tech prices ahead of the highly anticipated Amazon Prime Day next week.

The Series 10 is a big and shiny smartwatch, designed to be just as suitable for the office as it is racing through the wilderness. Its 46mm wide-angle OLED screen delivers a crisp and colorful picture, built to be visible in even the brightest sunshine. It's encased in a tough combination of 100% recycled aluminium and 95% recycled titanium, so you can hit the trails without worrying about serious damage.

This adventure-ready GPS watch has plenty of sports modes and fitness trackers to help you up your game on the trails. The workout app offers training modes for everything from kickboxing to core strength, and advanced health metrics track your progress as you move.

The Series 10 watch also boasts high-tech GPS tracking, so you can monitor your location and navigate with a handy maps app.

Not in the US? Don't worry, plenty of retailers are holding big sales and slashing the prices of top-quality tech before Amazon Prime Day. Look below for today's best Apple Watch Series 10 deals where you are.

• Best budget GPS watches: track your progress without breaking the bank
• The best Garmin watches: across the price range

The best GPS watches combine handy smartwatch features with plenty of health trackers and a rugged exterior to help you explore the wilderness. This high-tech Apple model aims to do all that and more, and it's 23% off in Amazon's Memorial Day sales.

Right now, you can bag the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and all its handy features for just $614.97 on Amazon.

This super-smart sports watch features a bright AMOLED display, protected by a sturdy titanium case designed to withstand damage in the wilderness. It's also water-rated down to 328ft (100m), so you can track your open water swimming stats without worry.

Like all great sports watches, the Ultra 2 excels in the field, thanks to an impressive range of handy sports modes and health trackers.

"It offers an ever-expanding range of fitness tracking features to rival the biggest names in sports watches, such as running power from the wrist, running dynamics like cadence and stride length, and cycling stats," said former editor Cat Ellis in her review for Advnture.

"You can even set different heart rate zones for running and cycling, which is something many sports watches don't offer."

Cat gave the Ultra 2 a coveted four-and-a-half-star rating and was particularly keen on its accurate GPS, which she described as 'superb'.

"The watch always established a GPS lock within a couple of seconds, and showed no signs of GPS drift, regardless of tree cover, nearby high-rise buildings, and even tunnels," explained Cat.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals where you are.

• The best Garmin watches: incredible smartwatches to track your movement and metrics
• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings

If you're in the market for a new smartwatch, you're probably considering one of the best Garmin watches, but there are plenty of other great brands to choose from.

Like Garmin, Apple's functional range of smartwatches is popular among athletes and everyday people alike. Their watches combine a sleek design with lots of handy features and fitness tracking. The first Apple watch launched in 2015, and multiple high-tech models have followed.

Garmin is the biggest name in sports watches. It's been crafting super-smart fitness wearables for twice as long as Apple and has established a stellar reputation. The Garmin range is designed to suit all manner of different athletes, incorporating scores of different sports modes and fitness tracking features.

On the fence about which watch to choose? Don't sweat it, as we've rounded up all the key information so you can make an informed decision.

The Verdict

Both brands boast a wide variety of well-rated GPS watches, featuring multiple sports modes, health trackers, and smartwatch functions. Despite their many similarities, Apple and Garmin devices have a few distinct strengths and weaknesses, which make them suitable for different users.

Garmin devices are hard-core, high-tech health trackers that monitor every aspect of your fitness to paint a vivid portrait of your well-being. Top-of-the-range models like the Fenix 8 measure everything from your skin temperature to jet lag, while budget models provide a decent array of health stats.

Apple watches track your fitness in a little less detail. There are still plenty of health monitors, but you don't get the same in-depth analysis as you do with high-end Garmins.

Instead, Apple watches provide a wide range of handy everyday features, like call and text compatibility and Siri voice assistant. Garmin devices typically have a good selection of smartwatch features, but not as many as Apple watches.

In short, Garmin watches are great sports watches with a good selection of smartwatch features, while Apple devices are great smartwatches with a good selection of sports features.

Both brands' budget and mid-range watches are priced similarly, while Garmin has the more expensive top-end models.

Pros and cons

Both brands have their various strengths and weaknesses, which set them apart in different areas.

Garmin Pros

• Typically rugged and durable
• Long-lasting battery lives
• Reliable GPS tracking
• A wide variety of accurate fitness trackers
• Multiple training modes
• Some models can make and receive calls

Apple Watch Pros

• Accurate GPS tracking
• Handy features for everyday use
• Bright OLED and AMOLED screens
• Multiple health trackers
• Useful companion app
• Emergency SOS
• Mostly durable

Garmin Cons

• High-end options are very pricey
• Susceptible to bugs and can occasionally crash
• Complex user interface

Apple Watch Cons

• Pricey high-end models
• Only compatible with an Iphone
• Comparatively short battery life
• Limited health trackers

Price

• Garmin's high-end models are more expensive
• Budget options are similar prices

Top-end Garmin sports watches are typically more expensive than Apple counterparts.

The new Fenix 8 will set you back up to $1,199.99 (£1,199.99), while a top-of-the-range Apple watch Ultra 2 costs $799 (£799).

Although both are powerful sports watches, the Fenix 8 offers more bang for your buck with a wider variety of health trackers and a battery life that puts the Ultra 2 to shame.

Prices are rather more similar at the budget end of both brands. The Apple Watch 10, which includes many of the same features as the rugged Ultra 2, retails for just $399 (£399), comparable to a slightly older Garmin like the Forerunner 955.

Budget options are also similarly priced. You can find the dependable Forerunner 55 for around $150 (£118). The Apple Watch 8, which has been on the scene for a few years, retails for $20 (£16) to $40 (£31) more.

GPS

• Both brands have reliable and accurate GPS

Garmin watches excel in GPS tracking, offering an accurate, easily understandable picture of your whereabouts at all times. Most models have the feature and record GPS activity without the need to use your phone.

GPS in the Apple watch range is also excellent; the latest models pick up your movements with ease and accurately track your position in the backcountry. In her review of the Ultra 2, former editor Cat Ellis described Apple's GPS tracking as "superb".

"The watch always established a GPS lock within a couple of seconds and showed no signs of GPS drift, regardless of tree cover, nearby high-rise buildings, and even tunnels," said Cat.

We've heaped similarly high-praise on Garmin models, especially top-end options like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 965.

Health trackers and sports modes

• Garmin watches tend to have more advanced health monitors
• Apple offers a decent selection of trackers

Garmin devices typically offer a greater variety of in-depth health tracking features than Apple Watches, which often prioritize other areas.

In addition to basic measurements like your heart rate and sleep levels, top-end Garmin models like the Epix (Gen 2) track less common metrics like your hydration levels and jet lag.

These watches also feature a wide range of sports modes, which provide real-time information on your stamina and performance while you train.

Budget Garmin models don't offer as much insight, but still provide a useful and generally accurate image of your overall health, with a good selection of trackers.

Apple watches monitor your health in a little less detail than their Garmin counterparts, although they still offer a decent selection of trackers.

The top-of-the-range Ultra 2 watch monitors plenty of health metrics, including your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep, wrist temperature, and atrial fibrillation. There are fewer niche statistics than you'll find on a top-of-the-range Garmin, but the Ultra 2 still reflects your health with good accuracy.

As is the case with Garmin watches, Apple offers fewer health features the lower down the price range you go. Older models like the Apple Watch 8 or 9 offer a similar selection to budget Garmin watches and track an insightful selection of basic metrics, including your daily activity, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels.

Both brands display their fitness statistics on graphs and charts in easily understandable fitness apps. The Garmin Connect and Apple Activity apps both do an excellent job of storing and displaying your data so you can track your progress and up your game in the wilderness.

Display and design

• Both Garmin and Apple devices use AMOLED and OLED displays
• Garmin and Apple watches use different glass
• Not all Garmin watches are touchscreen

Both brands use bright and colorful OLED and AMOLED displays in their top-end and mid-range watches. These screens offer a vivid, clear image that's usually visible in bright sunshine.

A few budget Garmin watches use MIP screen displays, which are still clear and visible but a little less shiny and high-tech.

All Apple watches are touchscreen, while multiple budget and mid-range Garmin devices are not. You can still access a wide range of features on non-touchscreen Garmin models, such as the Instinct 2 or Forerunner 255, but you'll need to use the buttons on the side.

Garmin and Apple also use different glass frames. The majority of Garmin watches are protected by tough and scratch-resistant Corning gorilla glass, which is designed to survive heavy wear and tear in the backcountry.

Apple watches use either sapphire or Ion-X glass.

Like Corning gorilla glass, Ion-X is chemically strengthened; both provide a high level of durability and scratch proofing. Sapphire glass is still strong, but not as scratch-proof as Ion-X and Corning gorilla glass.

Smartwatch features

• Both brands offer plenty of everyday features
• Apple watches are built for everyday use
• Apple Watches are only compatible with IPhone

Apple Watches are generally better suited to everyday life due to their handy selection of smartwatch features. They can pair with your phone to take and make calls and send and receive texts, you can even check your emails with the mail app.

You can choose between cellular and non-cellular Apple Watch models. With the former, you can make a call from your watch, regardless of your phone's location.

Garmin has a few similar features but nothing comparable in quality. Top-end models like the Venu 3 and Fenix 8 can make and receive phone calls but only when paired with a compatible nearby phone.

A few Garmin models can also receive texts but can only reply with a pre-written message, which you can select from a list.

Apple Watch users can also access Siri, Apple's voice-controlled digital assistant, through their device.

Garmin devices throughout the price range can also connect to Siri and other voice assistants like Google Assistant or Bixby, depending on the phone your device is connected to.

The Apple Watch line is designed to work exclusively with IPhones. If you've got a Google Pixel or Android phone, for example, you'll be unable to connect, and your Apple Watch's capabilities will be severely limited.

Garmin doesn't have this issue and can connect to various devices, including IPhones.

Battery life

• Garmin watches have a far superior battery life

Garmin watches are miles ahead of their Apple counterparts when it comes to battery life. Adventure-oriented models can last for days on end, and some can technically go in indefinitely due to a handy solar-charging feature. The Instinct 2 Solar edition, for example, needs three hours of sunlight per day to achieve its 'unlimited' battery life.

The batteries on Apple devices, which generally aren't built for the same backcountry use as the Instinct 2, don't last anywhere near as long. The Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple's premium sports model, is good for up to 36 hours of normal usage and 72 hours in low-power mode.

Not all Garmin watches last as long as the Instinct 2, and battery lives dwindle as you go down the price range.

They also vary depending on what mode you're using. The Forerunner 255 lasts only 16 hours in activity mode, but can run for up to 16 days in smartwatch mode.

• The best GPS watches: feature-packed timepieces to keep you on course
• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings

Is it time for an upgrade to your smart watch? Right now, you can pick up the Apple Watch Series 10 for only $299 at Amazon. That's a healthy 25% off the regular list price for this slim GPS watch, and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Compared to its predecessors, the 10 sports a larger display that's easy to view even when you're on the trail and moving fast, and it's as bright as ever. No Apple Watch is known for its stunning battery power, and this one will get you about 20 hours of use before it needs recharged, so it's fine as long as you're happy to charge it every night.

This 10 has a slimmer build than earlier versions, which makes it easier to wear with a long-sleeved running top or jacket, and it's got all the training features and data you want, from sleep tracking to respiratory rate, plus added features like Crash Detection and Sleep Apnea Detection. You can take an ECG at any time and even track your menstrual cycle.

When our colleagues at Tech Radar reviewed the series 10, they found the activity tracking results and data collected to align pretty closely with those from other smartwatches.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this page for today's best deals on the Apple Watch 10 near you.

This is a limited-time deal on Amazon so we suggest you act fast. This deal applies to the 42mm case in Jet Black, Rose Gold and Silver band colorways.

If you're not in the US or UK, here are today's best deals on the Apple Watch Series 10 where you are:

• Best budget GPS watches: track your progress without breaking the bank
• The best Garmin watches: across the price range

Do you love hiking with AllTrails but hate constantly looking at your phone when you're out in nature? Great news – the popular navigation app announced updates to its Apple Watch app today that make it easier for you to enjoy the trail.

Starting today, you can tuck your phone away in your backpack and use the new AllTrails compass feature on your watch whenever you need navigational guidance. You can also track your activity stats on your watch in real time via AllTrails if you want to keep an eye on how long you've been out on the trail, watch your pace, heart rate and how much elevation you've gained. You can even see how much time you have left before you can get back to the trailhead and take your hiking boots off.

“Now there’s no need to reach for your phone while taking in the views or holding your dog’s leash," says Ivan Selin, chief product officer at AllTrails.

"We built our Apple Watch app to make it easier than ever to explore the outdoors hands-free.” 

If you use the Apple Health app, you can integrate your hike, run or ride into it so that it offers a more accurate screenshot of your activity level and health stats. And if you're an AllTrails+ subscriber, your watch will buzz to let you know if you've taken a wrong turn to help keep you safe.

The Apple Watch update joins AllTrails’ suite of watch experiences, which includes AllTrails on Android and Garmin watches. 

When using a wearable for navigation on a hike, it's important to carry a portable charger in case your device runs out of battery and remember that for backcountry escapades, a backup topo map and compass will never run out of battery, so it's a good idea to pack them for backup.

• The best GPS watches: tested by experts

Hopefully you like the look of the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2, because it sounds like the next version is going to give us more of the same.

This week, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has over 10 years of experience reporting on the company, told MacRumors that there would be "almost no" hardware upgrades when the new watch makes its debut later this year.

Previously, industry experts including Kuo and Bloomberg's Mike Gurman had predicted that a future edition of the Apple Watch Ultra may feature a microLED display rather than AMOLED, which would offer improved viewing angles, higher contrast, and greater efficiency compared to AMOLED.

However, opinion on the subject has now shifted, and there's now a widely-held belief that Apple has put its plans for proprietary microLED displays on hold. 

It had previously been rumored that Apple might skip a year and hold off until 2025 to release the Apple Watch Ultra 3, but now experts seem to believe it will press ahead, even if the changes are only very minor.

That will come as a disappointment to anyone hoping for a similar upgrade to the one Apple delivered last year.

Although they look identical at first glance, there are some significant hardware differences between the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. First there's the display, which is 50% brighter than that of the original watch on its maximum setting. Second, there's a new processor tucked inside, which facilitates features like Double-Tap gestures. Finally, there's the case, which has the same design, but is now made of recycled titanium.

Watch and wait

The new device will likely be revealed at the company's annual product showcase in September, when CEO Tim Cook is also expected to reveal the next generation of iPhones, plus the Apple Watch Series 10.

Gurman has suggested that the Apple Watch Series 10 may be able to detect hypertension and sleep apnea more accurately than watches that use an optical heart rate sensor to estimate blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), but we'll have to wait until the event to find out for sure. 

• The best GPS watches: our top recommendations tested and rated

The Training Today fitness tracker app for Apple Watch has launched a new feature that generates bespoke personalized training sessions individually curated using your ‘readiness to train’ (RTT) score.

These new ‘dynamic run workout sets’ are structured run session recommendations based on a user’s unique RTT score. Workouts can be selected from five categories: Strength, Aerobic Endurance, Speed Endurance, Speed or Recovery. You can then pick a challenge level: easy, reduced, normal, elevated, or challenging.

Once you're happy with selected set and challenge level, Training Today will create the workout and send it directly to your Apple Watch. You can then access it via the Apple Watch app, which guides you through your session and shows when you've successfully completed it.

The Training Today app, which launched in May 2020, uses your Apple's Watch's biometrics together with its own algorithm to generate RTT values based on factors such as heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, and activity. It displays this as a numerical score and color-coded charts, with detailed graphs and extra analytics available if you're a subscriber. Multi-day charts – with insights offered throughout the day – help you spot common triggers and patterns in your scores, so you can adapt your lifestyle and training choices accordingly.

Further updates are also planned for the coming months; including the introduction of full training plans and workouts that cover additional sports, such as swimming and cycling.

Founder and managing director of Training Today, Ian Blackburn, says “This is a pivotal development for the Training Today app, and signals the hard work that is going on behind the scenes to create the most intuitive and user-friendly fitness app.

“I have used an Apple Watch for many years, and have found that although the metrics are superb, they are simply not actionable, being difficult to interpret and analyze. The Training Today app smooths and simplifies this data, communicating it via colour and numbers so that an individual can easily access the key pieces of information.

“Our new dynamic workouts take things to a whole new level, offering users the opportunity to not only see their RTT score but also put it into practice, and this is only the start for us as we continue to grow and develop.”

The Training Today app is free to download and is compatible with iOS devices. Subscriptions are available from $2.95 / £2.95 a month or $19.99 / £19.99 a year, with a special offer of $26.99 / £26.99 for a lifetime subscription currently available.

• The best road running shoes 2024: hit the streets at speed

It might be years before the Apple Watch Ultra gets a major screen update according to new leaks, which suggest that the watch's long-awaited MicroLED display has been delayed until at least 2027. As Notebookcheck explains, the claims come from Korean media outlet The Elec, which cites "multiple industry officials".

MicroLED displays have a lot of advantages over the AMOLED tech used by the Apple Watch Ultra. They offer brighter and more vivid colors (potentially even better than the Apple Watch Ultra 2), improved contrast, and better viewing angles. MicroLED tech is also more efficient, which could help extend the battery life of a future Apple Watch Ultra beyond 36 hours in typical use – the device's biggest limitation compared to adventure watches from rivals like Garmin and Coros.

Rumors of a MicroLED-equipped Apple Watch Ultra have been circulating for some time. In spring last year, Bloomberg's resident Apple expert Mark Gurman reported that the tech could come to the Apple Watch Ultra in 2025 or 2026, with MicroLED-equipped phones and laptops following shortly after. Now, however, it seems that date may be pushed back even further.

The MicroLED display for the Apple Watch Ultra is said to have been in production for over six years, and is custom-designed by the company itself, but is proving much more expensive to build than anticipated. According to The Elec, each MicroLED display could cost four times the price of an OLED screen ($150 compared to $38).

The MicroLED panel is rumored to be slightly larger (2.12in compared to 1.93in for the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2), and it's possible that Apple may simply switch to a larger OLED until the new tech is ready. We won't know for certain until the company's product showcase in September, when we'll learn what's coming from the next generation device.

• The best GPS watches: the latest models from Apple, Garmin and more tested

It can be hard to keep up with the ever-advancing technology on GPS watches such as your Apple Watch, and skiers are discovering one feature is making unwanted calls on their behalf. Idaho public officials issued a warning to skiers this week after seeing an uptick in 911 calls made from Apple Watches.

In a Facebook post, the Boise County Sheriff’s Office issued a call for caution after receiving "an alarming number of such calls," primarily from the Bogus Basin ski area in Boise.

"While our dispatchers are adept at discerning false alerts by assessing the situation over the call, each incident requires the same level of response and resource allocation as a genuine emergency. This influx of calls poses a significant challenge, potentially diverting resources from actual emergencies."

The feature in question is the fall detection feature, which alerts emergency services if it detects you have fallen with impact. Fall detection has saved some hikers' lives in recent months, deeming it worthy for outdoors enthusiasts, but of course, skiers fall much more often than the average mountain user. 

When you go down hard on an icy black and your watch starts chirping, you have a one-minute window to cancel the call, however the sheriff's office has observed that all the layers associated with skiing, such as the ski jacket and fleece covering your wrist plus a helmet covering your ears, might be hindering your ability to detect the alarm. "It has been observed that many users, especially in winter attire, are unable to notice or deactivate the alarm in time, resulting in inadvertent emergency calls."

If you are skiing with an Apple Watch, officials urge you to familiarize yourself with your device's settings and help spread awareness about this issue to help ensure that emergency services are not overwhelmed by false alarms and can respond effectively to real emergencies. If you realize your fall detection feature has activated and you've missed the one minute window, stay on the line with emergency services until the matter is resolved.

• Apple Watch Ultra vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: all the differences from box to processor

Meet the tester

Apple Watch Ultra 2: first impressions

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, launched in fall 2023, is an iteration rather than a revelation, sticking to the same design principles as its predecessor, but with a few tweaks that become apparent with use. 

The two main differences are an upgraded display, which is 50% brighter, and a new processor that makes the whole experience of using the watch that little bit smoother, and enables a new gesture control for one-handed operation.

Impressively, Apple has made these upgrades without increasing the size or weight of the watch, and while maintaining the same battery life.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 looks almost identical to its predecessor, with the same tough titanium case measuring 49mm on the diagonal, and an extra-large Digital Crown with a ridged edge that makes it easy to use with gloved, wet, or cold hands.

The difference is that this time the titanium is entirely recycled, and if you choose to pair it with the fabric Alpine Loop or Trail Loop, the whole watch is carbon neutral. Apple hasn’t quite managed to balance out carbon emissions for the silicone Ocean Loop yet, but hopefully we’ll soon see a greener version of that as well.

The Alpine Loop is made from nylon, and fastens securely with a G-shaped titanium fastener that hooks into loops on the band. It’s less bulky than a buckle, quicker to fasten, and absolutely won’t budge. The Trail Loop (which was the one supplied with my review unit) is also made from fabric, and is secured with a simple hook-and-loop fastening. It’s the lightest of the three standard bands, and can be adjusted precisely for a comfortable fit that won’t shift while you’re running. The Ocean Band is designed for life in the water, and comes in two sizes so you can fasten the Apple Watch Ultra 2 over a wetsuit.

Because the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has the same basic case design as its predecessor, it also suffers from one of the same drawbacks: the chunky Digital Crown stands slightly proud of the rear of the case, and I found it sometimes wound up rubbing against my skin slightly as I rotated it. That doesn’t seem to be a common complaint though, and can be easily remedied by reversing the orientation of the watch’s screen so you can wear it ‘upside down’, with the crown on the left.

Apple Watch Ultra 2: on the trails

 The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is significantly chunkier than its sibling, the Apple Watch Series 9, but is still comfortable and easy to wear for runs, rides and hikes. It tips the scale at 61.4g, which is about standard for a serious GPS watch. To put that into context, the standard 47mm diameter Garmin Fenix 7 is 56g (79g with its silicone band), and the Garmin Enduro 2 is 64g (70g with its standard nylon strap).

At 14.4mm, it's the same thickness as the Fenix 7, and slips easily enough under all but the tightest base layers.

GPS tracking is superb, and during my pre-measured 5km test run the Apple Watch Ultra 2 tracked the distance to within 60 meters, which is well within the margin of error for a route on roads rather than a track. The watch always established a GPS lock within a couple of seconds, and showed no signs of GPS drift, regardless of tree cover, nearby high-rise buildings, and even tunnels.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is clearly designed to appeal to hikers, runners, swimmers and divers who might normally opt for a wearable from the likes of Garmin, Coros, or Polar. It offers an ever-expanding range of fitness tracking features to rival the biggest names in sports watches, such as running power from the wrist, running dynamics like cadence and stride length, and cycling stats. You can even set different heart rate zones for running and cycling, which is something many sports watches don't offer.

Nevertheless, it's hard to directly compare it to a typical sports watch. Whether the Ultra 2 is a viable alternative depends very much on how you intend to use it.

The biggest drawback of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is its battery life, which is much shorter than that of dedicated sports watches from the likes of Garmin and Coros. Apple quotes a typical battery life of 36 hours (the same as the original Apple Watch Ultra), though that assumes fairly heavy use, and during day-to-day wear with just one GPS-tracked run per evening, I found it would typically only need charging every other day.

That’s a big change if you’re used to a sports watch that needs charging once a week at most (possibly once a month depending on the model you choose), but as a full-fat smartwatch the Apple Watch offers a lot more. That includes voice calls and texts if you have a data plan, access to an app store that dwarfs Garmin Connect IQ, and a much more powerful and capable processor.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a new dual-core processor that makes the overall experience of using the watch faster and smoother, and enables the watch’s new gesture controls. Previous Apple Watch models offered some basic gestures for accessibility purposes (a feature called AssistiveTouch), giving wearers with limited mobility a way to control their watch single-handed, but the new double-tap gesture is designed to make life a little easier for everyone.

I was able to try double-tap early at an Apple press event, and it rolled out to all Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 owners towards the end of 2023. To use it, you simply raise your wrist to look at the watch, hold your thumb and index finger about an inch apart, and tap them together twice in quick succession.

Making this gesture performs the default action on your watch’s screen, whether that’s answering a call, hanging up, browsing though your Smart Stack, cancelling an alarm, or taking a photo with your iPhone. It worked perfectly for me, though it’s worth noting that it doesn’t work with all apps, so you won’t be able to use it to control Komoot or AllTrails, for example. Not yet, at least.

As you’d expect, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 also works perfectly in tandem with your iPhone, expanding its features in interesting and useful ways. For example, you can use the watch as a viewfinder for your phone’s camera, letting you position the phone on a tripod for the perfect mountaintop shot, and ensure you’re perfectly posed in the frame before snapping the picture

If you need some motivation, Apple Fitness Plus is a great training tool. You get a three-month free trial with your Apple Watch Ultra 2, after which it costs $9.99/month or $79.99 annually.

One of my favorite features is Time to Run, in which personal trainers take you on a virtual session along their favorite routes. Along the way you'll see photos from the location on your watch face, and may be asked to perform some drills related to where you are along the course. It's a nice option for training alone, adding some structure and distractions to your sessions.

You also get access to a huge bank of instructor-led workouts to perform at home with options for no equipment, treadmills, and indoor bikes – similar to Peloton or Les Mills, but with a better variety of tunes thanks to Apple Music.

When it comes to third-party apps, you're spoiled for choice because all the key services have a tool specially designed for watchOS (Apple's wearable operating system). Komoot, Strava, Alltrails – they're all there. The only one I use regularly that doesn't have a native watchOS app is TrainingPeaks, and that still works fine if you sync the workouts from your iPhone.

Battery life will remain a sticking point for hikers, campers, bikepackers and ultrarunners heading off-grid for an extended period, but for those sticking closer to home, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers an extremely slick and polished experience that doesn't want for training tools, all wrapped up in a smart but tough package.

• How Advnture tests products

In our news story yesterday about Apple having to withdraw two of its watches – the Series 9 and the Ultra 2 – from sale in the US following its loss in a parent law suit with medical tech company Masimo, we were left wondering what Apple’s response would be. After all, the company would surely want the lucrative smartwatches back on sale as soon as possible.

Well, according to Bloomberg, the solution that Apple is proposing does not impress Masimo.

The issue concerned the SpO2 sensors which the watches use to monitor blood oxygen levels. The International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in Masimo’s favor.

Apple’s engineers are currently making making tweaks to the phones’ software, which would change the way oxygen saturation is recorded and also how the data is delivered to the users. Apple believes these updates will mean the watches no longer violate Masimo’s patents.

Masimo begs to differ. It tells Bloomberg that a software change will not be sufficient and the hardware will need to be changed. So even after Apple submits the work-rounds to the ITC, it looks like Masimo will continue to cry foul.

So it looks like we won’t be seeing the two watches back on sale any time soon.

The Series 9 and Ultra 2 will no longer be available from 21 December online and 24 December in retail stores across the States. However, third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy can continue to sell the watches while stocks lasts.

The ban affects the watches that have a blood oxygen sensor. Other watches, like the Apple Watch SE, will be available for purchase as usual.

• The best running watches 2023: tech to help you train smarter

If you’re thinking of buying someone one of the latest Apple watches for Christmas, you better act fast.

Apple is withdrawing its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches from sale in the United States following a ruling in a patent case between Apple and medical technology company Masimo.

The Series 9 and Ultra 2 will no longer be available from 21 December online and 24 December in retail stores across the States.

The dispute, which has been ongoing for a couple of years, is over the SpO2 sensors used on the Apple Watch since their introduction on the Series 6.

The halt in sales comes after the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that these two watch models’ use of blood oxygen tracking violated a patent from health technology company Masimo. This feature lets users ensure that their red blood cells have a normal amount of oxygen in them.

Masimo, which claimed that Apple violated a patent with its blood oxygen monitoring feature, filed the lawsuit against Apple in 2020 to the Central District of California and a case to the International Trade Commission (ITC) in 2021.

The ITC ruled in favor of Masimo in October. However, the ruling gave President Biden 60 days to review the patent violations and potentially veto it, which, if it’s going to happen, needs to happen by Christmas Day.

With this looking increasingly unlikely (well, he’s probably too busy wrapping presents) Apple is taking pre-emptive steps by removing the current Series 9 and Ultra 2 from sale.

The Apple Watch SE is unaffected because it doesn’t have blood oxygen sensors.

It’s currently unclear when the two watches might become available again, and whether Apple will have to remove the offending sensors or come to a deal with Masimo.

• The best running watches 2023: tech to help you train smarter

A Georgia hiker has said a feature on his Apple Watch likely saved his life when he suffered a bad fall on the trail.

Mike Menand was hiking in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area north of Atlanta with his two dogs earlier this year when the pups "got spooked" by what he thinks was a coyote. The dogs knocked him down and dragged him off the trail where he suffered serious injuries. In a new interview, he tells Fox 5 Atlanta that he was unable to reach his phone because it was in a pocket that he was lying on.

"There’s no telling how long I would’ve been laying there," he says, adding, "I realized I couldn’t move, I couldn’t get up. I was in a lot of pain."

Luckily for Menard, his Apple Watch had the fall detection feature turned on, which can call for help if the accelerometer detects that the wearer has fall with impact. 

Some of the terrain in the area is known to be extremely treacherous, and only a few weeks after Menard's accident, a 46-year-old woman fell to her death while walking her dogs on an unofficial trail, something he acknowledges could have happened to him without the technology on his wrist.

"I thought that could’ve been me. Because I was by myself, no one around me, no one really knew where I was."

This is the second time this year we've reported on fall detection saving a trail user's life. In July, a Norwegian trail runner was badly injured in a fall, suffering several broken ribs and a punctured lung which meant he was unable to use his phone, but was able to summon help using his watch.

How to set up fall detection

To set up fall detection on an Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap 'My Watch'. Tap 'Emergency SOS' and toggle the option on. If your age is set to 55 or over in your profile, it will be turned on by default. It's not available if you're 18 or under.

Incident detection on a Garmin watch works the same way, but rather than calling emergency services, it sends a text message to a contact defined in the Garmin Connect app, including your GPS location. To set it up, open the app and select 'Safety and Tracking' from the main menu and enter the contact details for the person you want to receive the SOS. You will then be asked to send them a confirmation message, which they will need to accept.

• Best GPS watches

The Apple Watch Ultra has a very distinctive design, with its chunky titanium case and extra large digital crown, but recently unearthed documents have revealed that it was originally going to look a bit different.

Documentation submitted to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) shows a prototype of the watch with a much darker ceramic back than the version that ultimately went on sale in September 2022. In the pre-production images (which you can see on Wareable), the watch's Action button also looks different, seeming to be made from plastic rather than the metal used in the final design. 

All devices capable of transmitting wireless signals, including smartwatches, have to be submitted to the FCC for testing before they can go on sale in the US, to make sure that they comply with laws on the use of radio bands. The agency publishes lists of recently approved devices, but details like pre-production photos are usually restricted (often for years) to avoid giving competitors an unfair advantage.

We don't know why Apple decided to make these changes, but as you can see in my photos above, Apple stuck with the light gray color and metal button for the Apple Watch Ultra 2. I'm currently testing the Ultra 2, and will bring you a full review very soon.

Black Friday discounts

If you're thinking of picking up an Apple Watch Ultra for Black Friday, you're in luck – particularly if you're in the UK where it's down to a record low price of £649 at Amazon. The deal applies to the version of the watch with the Alpine Loop band in either green or starlight.

If you're not in the UK, here are today's best deals on the Apple Watch Ultra near you, with prices updated daily.

• Black Friday Garmin deals: the best offers on watches, bike computers and more

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has only been available for a couple of months, but rumors about its successor are already circulating, including suggestions that it might not be ready in time for Apple's September 2024 product showcase. But would that be such a bad thing? As someone who tests GPS watches for a living, I think it might be worth the wait.

As Notebookcheck reports, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has heard whispers that Apple's engineers haven't begun working on the next-generation adventure watch yet, meaning they'd be racing against the clock to have it ready by next fall.

There are a couple of possible reasons for this. First of all, there may be delays in the production of the microLED displays that might be replacing the AMOLED screens used by the first two Apple Watch Ultra models.

MicroLED would have a couple of big advantages for the Apple Watch Ultra. First of all, it would use a lot less power than AMOLED, which would mean longer battery life and make the Watch Ultra a viable option for multi-day camping, hiking and ultra running expeditions. It would also be viewable from more angles, making it better for map-reading outdoors.

Back in January this year, Bloomberg's resident Apple expert Mark Gurman heard suggestions that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 might have a MicroLED display, and that the company was working on developing its own manufacturing process so it wouldn't have to rely on partners like Samsung and LG. 

However, when September rolled around, this proved not to be the case; the Apple Watch Ultra 2's screen is 50% brighter than that of its predecessor, but it's still an AMOLED unit. 

Health holdups?

Another possible reason for the delay is a holdup in new health tracking tech that Apple wants to incorporate into the next-generation watch. Kuo hasn't suggested what those features may be, but I wonder if they're related to a possible partnership with biometrics company Rockley Photonics, which was rescued from bankruptcy in June with a $35m cash injection.

Rockley specializes in chemical spectroscopy, which allows a wearable to monitor a wealth of different biomarkers non-invasively, going far beyond what is currently possible with smartwatches. It has created what is essentially a clinic on a chip, capable of measuring lactate, blood sugar, core body temperature and much more from your wrist.

I interviewed Rockley CEO Dr Andrew Rickman last year, and while he didn't name names, he said that the company had partnerships with many of the biggest names in wearables, and consumers would start to see the fruits of those collaborations towards the end of 2023.

"The response from everyone has been extraordinary," Dr Rickman told me. "I'd never seen this level of commercial traction for something new, And it’s really coming to a head."

Rockley's financial woes led to a complete restructuring of the company and could easily have caused delays for partners along the way, potentially including Apple.

Whatever might be holding up the Apple Watch Ultra 3, whether it's display or biometric technology, personally wouldn't mind waiting until it's ready. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 isn't massively different from its predecessor, and if you already own last year's watch, it'll be difficult to justify upgrading.

Rather than making relatively minor changes to keep up with a yearly release schedule, it would be much more exciting if Apple made us wait until 2025 for something that really changes the game.

• Best running watches: the latest models from Garmin, Coros and more tested

If you're trying to choose a new smartwatch, the original Apple Watch Ultra and the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 are both tough, powerful devices worthy of a place on your shortlist. At first glance they look identical though, so we're here to help you choose which is the right one for you.

If price is your main concern, you should know that the two devices were both the same price at launch, but being a year older, the original Apple Watch Ultra can now be found for much less at third-party retailers like Amazon. If you know where to look, you can save around $80 / £80 off the list price.

There are three main differences between the two. The first is materials; the Apple Watch 2 is made with 95% recycled titanium, and if you choose the Alpine Loop or Trail Loop band, is now carbon neutral. Its screen has a significantly higher maximum brightness (3,000 nits compared to 2,000 nits for the original device). Finally, it has a new processor that delivers faster performance and enables new features like Double Tap gestures for one-handed use.

If you've already made up your mind, we've found the best prices on both the original Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 GPS watches for you right here. Otherwise. read on to learn more about the similarities and differences between the two.

Price

Unlike Apple Watch Series devices, all Ultra watches have LTE, so there's no cheaper option with Wi-Fi connectivity only. The original Apple Watch Ultra launched at Apple's product showcase on September 23, 2022. It was priced at $799 / £849, but can now be found for as little as $729 / £669.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was unveiled on September 22, 2023 for $799 / £849. At the time of writing it's occasionally been available for a small discount at third-party stores like Amazon, but the saving has never been more than $50 / £30.

Packaging

The packaging for the two watches looks almost identical. Whichever one you choose, it's made entirely from white card, with no glue so it's easy to recycle. Inside the main package you'll find two slim boxes, one containing the watch body and charger, and the other your chosen strap. There's also a quick start manual to show you the basics.

The only difference is a small green logo on the side of the Apple Watch Ultra 2's box, which you'll notice if you've chosen either the Alpine Loop or Trail Loop. This signals that your new watch is carbon neutral. The Ocean Loop isn't carbon neutral yet, but hopefully Apple will manage to achieve that next year.

Case

With the displays off, the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 look the same. Confusingly, both watches only say 'Apple Watch Ultra' on the back of the case, so they're totally indistinguishable until you switch them on.

Both devices measure 49 x 44 x 14.4mm, and the second-generation device is 0.1g heavier (61.4g compared to 61.3g), so it's impossible to tell the difference on your wrist.

Both have a ceramic back and titanium case, but the case of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is made using 95% recycled titanium, which helps contribute to its carbon-neutral status. The new metal looks exactly the same, with a soft satin finish.

Both watches come with the same Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger, which is supplied in the box. It has a woven cable and a USB-C connector. You can also use a MagSafe Duo Charger or Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock if you have one.

Bands

Both watches use the same bands, and there are three styles available: the lightweight Trail Loop (which has a Velcro fastening), the Alpine Loop (which is secured with a G-hook), and the silicone Ocean Loop (which has a buckle).

There have been a few changes though. With the release of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the company also released all three bands in new colors, including the navy/beige/orange Trail Loop shown here. The new Trail Loop and Alpine Loop are also carbon neutral.

Display

Both watches have sharp Retina displays with a resolution of 410 x 502 pixels. The key difference is that the Apple Watch Ultra has a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, while the Ultra 2 maxes out at 3,000 nits. That difference might not be immediately apparent though, because the watch has an ambient light sensor that adjusts the screen brightness automatically to give optimum visibility in different conditions. This is more power-efficient than just blasting out full brightness at all times.

The Ultra 2 can also be dimmed to just one nit at night (much dimmer than the original Apple Watch Ultra) so you can check it without disturbing your partner or dazzling yourself.

Processor

The biggest difference between the two watches is the processor. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 uses the company's new S9 SiP (system in package) chip with with a 64-bit dual-core processor.

S9 SiP doesn't just make the experience of using the watch smoother and faster overall, it also enables some extra features, including Double Tap gesture for one-handed use. At the time of writing these are only available to beta testers, but I have the chance to try them on a visit to Apple's London headquarters in Battersea Power Station. Just raise your wrist to look at your watch, tap your forefinger and thumb together twice, and the watch will perform the primary action on screen, whether it's answering a call or opening your Smart Stack.

Another new software feature made possible by the S9 SiP is faster access to Siri, which you can enable by double-pressing the Digital Crown.

Faces

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with a new Modular Ultra watch face that makes good use of the available screen space, and can be customized with different complications. The default face is the same Navigator design used by the original Apple Watch Ultra, but you can easily switch to the new one in the Watch app on your phone, or via the Settings app on the watch itself.

• The best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated

Right now, you can pick up the brand new Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749 in the US, and $669 in the UK. That's a pretty modest saving, but the super rugged watch has only been available for a few weeks, and it's the cheapest it's ever been to date, making it one of the standout offers of Amazon Prime Big Deal Days.

I'm currently testing the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and so far I'm very impressed. At first glance it looks just like its predecessor, but the screen is 50% brighter (great for using in bright sunlight) and the new processor makes it noticeably faster and smoother, particularly when you're using Siri. I've also had a preview of the new Double Tap gesture control, which works brilliantly when you don't have two hands free.

If you're not in the UK or the US, scroll down to the bottom of this page for today's best deals on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 near you. You might also be interested in our roundup of the best Amazon Prime Day Garmin deals, with offers for all budgets.

The US deal applies to the watch supplied with Apple's Alpine Loop or Trail Loop (the Ocean Loop is still full price) and the US deal is only on the Trail Loop version. You can take your pick from all available colors though, and the Alpine and Trail loops are the two carbon neutral options, which is a win.

If you're not in the US or UK, here are today's best deals on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 where you are:

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When Apple rolled out details of its latest software update back in June, the tech giants focused on a slew of features that most hikers and runners would likely get excited about such as route planning, topographic maps and a Last Emergency Call waypoint function. Some users who have downloaded the beta version of the update for their sports watches, however, are noticing a surprise niche improvement that might spell better functionality for those with tattoos.

Yesterday morning, one Reddit user shared a photo of their heavily tattooed wrist wearing an Apple Watch Ultra, and noted that it seemed to be working better than before.

"Does anyone know if they tweaked the laser settings or something? My watch is able to detect my wrist now and no other watch has ever detected my wrist before so I wonder if it has anything to do with the new beta software."

Historically, users with tattooed wrists have presented a challenge for the wrist detection technology, a feature that uses sensors to automatically turn on and off the display based on wrist movement. The sensors often struggle to recognise tattooed skin, affecting heart rate sensor performance and heart rate monitoring, making it difficult to get reliable readings, according to Apple support.

Following the Reddit thread, it's immediately apparent that the problem has been so widespread that at least one user has recently taken to having part of his tattoo removed in order to get a reliable reading, while another user reports never having updated their watch past the Apple Watch 3 to avoid problems.

Apple didn't showcase the new feature when they rolled out the update, but over the past 24 hours, dozens of Apple Watch users have noticed the sensors seem to be working for them following the updates.

If you sport a permanent sleeve, don't get too excited just yet though – several users have also reported that the change seemed to be short lived, with their watch resorting to business as usual after about 10 minutes, so it seems there may be more work to be done.

Though the watchOS 10 beta is available now, it may be better to hold off until September 18, when the update is released to the public, to avoid any glitches.

• 4 reasons for runners and hikers to get excited about the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9

Ooh, how exciting, the new Apple Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 sound like they have some hugely interesting and useful features for runners, trail runners and hikers – additions that might be about to rival the top end Garmin sports and navigation watches. Priced at $399 and $799 respectively, they don’t come cheap, but they may be worthy of a place among the best GPS watches when they're released on Friday, September 22. Let’s find out what Apple are promising, and why this could be good news for outdoor types.

1. Useful, new hands-free features

Apple Watches already use gestures like tap, swipe, wrist raise and cover to mute, but the new Double Tap feature on the new Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches allows you to operate the main watch button without touching it at all. Neat! Simply tap together the index finger and thumb of the hand that’s wearing the watch and the faster Neural Engine will sense this movement by detecting the tiny changes in blood flow and your wrist movement, using it to answer/end a call, start/stop a timer and play/stop music and even take a photo without even touching the screen.

Double Tapping also opens the Smart Stack from the watch face and another Double Tap will the scroll through the widgets in the stack. We think this is potentially a pretty useful feature for focusing on fast workouts or strength work, and runners and hikers using poles, tackling rough terrain or trying in vain to operate the wet touchscreen in the rain.

The second hands-free feature on both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Apple Watch Series 9 is On-Device Siri requests that don’t need the internet, like starting a workout or setting a timer. Apple say the more powerful Neural Engine makes dictation up to 25% more accurate than the Apple Watch Series 8. Your health data is also secure, and you can ask Siri to access data from the Health app, like period details, weight info, medication taken, how many hours sleep you had, progress on closing Activity rings and blood glucose levels if you have a monitor connected. For the same reasons as above, hands-free access to this information is really useful for runners and hikers.

• Check out our original Apple Watch Ultra review

2. New sporty features

The new Series 9 and Ultra 2 will use the watchOS 10 update including an updated Compass app showing current elevation in real time with a 3D view of waypoints showing relative elevation. This sounds sounds super useful for trail runners and hikers. Even more excitingly, the new topographic maps in the Maps app should show important details like points of interest and trailheads, hill shading, contour lines, elevation, and cellular and Emergency SOS waypoints. Will Apple start to rival the trail-blazing navigational capabilities of the best Garmin watches, the tiny sat navs of the mountains? We’re dying to test these new features out and tell you!

But we do know that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 boasts a large display where the outermost edge now displays real-time data including seconds, altitude or depth, and Apple say it will allow for the most customisation for sports, outdoor adventures and water activities of any Apple Watch. It also has the largest altitude range too, from 500m below sea level to 9,000m, so if you were planning that Everest trip, this might be the watch for you…

3. Increased battery life

Apple say the power efficiency of the Series 9 and Ultra 2, with their twice-as-fast compared to the Series 8 4-core Neural Engine and powerful S9 SiP chip – gives them an all-day 18-hour battery life. But this depends what you’re using it for and we haven’t yet got our hands on it to check out the battery life when doing a running workout or testing the new navigational features – watch this space for more soon.

4. The Apple is getting greener (although there is still some way to go) 

David Starley, co-founder of The Green Runners says, “I'm pleased to see Apple making efforts to reduce the impacts of their products, however there is no mention of how recyclable or reusable they are, only that it uses recycled materials. The durability and ease of repair of the watches should be the number one priority. I would encourage Apple to publish a full Life Cycle Assessment of their watches and to disclose how they intend to reduce the overall footprint of them in line with their company wide commitments to achieving Net Zero.”

Apple claim all their watches, including the new Series 9 and Ultra 2, now have carbon neutral options which “represents a significant milestone” in their plan to become carbon neutral across the entire business, manufacturing supply chain and product life cycle by 2030. However, this is only based on select combinations of watches, cases and straps with their new carbon neutral logo on the packaging.

As outdoorsy types it’s a major plus point for us that Apple are heading in this direction by using more recycled components and materials, replacing leather straps with new, 68% recycled fabric FineWoven, reducing its own emissions from production and encouraging suppliers to switch to green energy. However they are still having to offset the remaining carbon emissions through CO₂ sequestering projects.

The new Apple Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches are ready to pre-order now, and available from 22 September 2023.

Battery life aside, the Apple Watch Ultra has almost everything a hiker could want in a smartwatch. There's impressive multi-band GPS, a super high resolution display that's excellent for maps, a tough waterproof case, a smart compass with tools to help you navigate if GPS fails, windproof microphones, and even a siren to signal distress if something goes wrong. The only thing it's really missing is a flashlight – and that might not change any time soon.

Garmin has long been one of the biggest names in rugged adventure watches, and its latest releases (including the Enduro 2, Epix Pro (Gen 2), and Fenix 7 Pro) have a hidden trick to help keep you safe outdoors: a white and red LED flashlight that you can use to make yourself seen, shine a light in the darkness, and send an SOS to rescuers in an emergency.

Almost all OLED watches have a flashlight app that turns the screen completely white to provide enough of a glow to see by, but a separate LED torch has the advantage of allowing you to still use the watch as normal.

I've found it extremely handy (in fact, I've put together a list of ways to use), and it seems like something similar would be a natural fit for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is rumored to be arriving later this year – but Apple users might be out of luck. Garmin has registered a patent for the idea, and it's pretty comprehensive.

Left in the dark?

The patent (document ID US 11711877 B2) describes "a wrist-wearable electronic device comprising first and second light emitting elements, a sensor, and a processor.

"The processor is configured to transmit a first command to the first light emitting element in response to the wrist-wearable device reaching a forward position relative to a user based on data received from the sensor and transmit a second command to the second light emitting element in response to the wrist-wearable device reaching a rearward position relative to the user based on the data from the sensor."

The document is very thorough, describing not just the current implementation of the flashlight, but also ways it could be incorporated into other parts of the watch (such as the strap), at different points on the bezel, and with more light-emitting elements. It also explains how, in future, the light could be activated by gestures or get brighter as you approach a more densely populated area.

It's possible that Apple may be able to work out a solution that avoids infringing on Garmin's patent, but I wouldn't expect it any time soon. According to recent rumors (courtesy of Bloomberg's resident Apple expert Mark Gurman), the main hardware change for the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra is likely to be a bigger display. There are rumblings about a microLED display, which would be visible from more angles than the current screen, but it now seems doubtful that will be arriving this year either.

Apple is good at keeping its device specs firmly under wraps until they're ready for launch, so we'll have to wait until its annual product showcase to know for certain, but it seems like this year's Ultra is likely to be a relatively modest iteration on the original. I'll keep my ear to the ground and let you know as soon as there's any further info.

• The best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

A Norwegian trail runner says his Apple Watch's incident detection saved his life after he was badly injured in a fall. Robert Naess, aged 59, had decided to head out for a run early one morning while enjoying some time off work. The route was familiar, but he decided to set out at a faster pace than usual and slipped on a band and landed chest-first on the edge of a wall.

As Norwegian news site Verdens Gang reports, Naess was badly injured in the fall, suffering several broken ribs and a punctured lung. In pain and struggling to breathe, he found it impossible to pull out his phone and call for help.

His watch had fall detection, which can call for help if the accelerometer detects that the wearer has gone down hard, but rather than waiting for it to activate he managed to use its emergency SOS function to contact emergency services.

Fifteen minutes later, Naess was treated at the roadside and taken to hospital, where he is currently recuperating. He credits the watch with saving his life; over 100 cars passed by while he waited for an ambulance, but no drivers spotted him and stopped.

How to set up fall detection

Although Naess didn't end up using his watch's fall detection, it mcould make all the difference if you're hiking, running, or cycling alone. To set up fall detection on an Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap 'My Watch'. Tap 'Emergency SOS' and toggle the option on. If your age is set to 55 or over in your profile, it will be turned on by default. It's not available if you're 18 or under (kids and teens are clumsy, after all).

Incident detection on a Garmin watch or Garmin Edge cycle computer works the same way, though rather than calling emergency services, it sends a text message to a contact defined in the Garmin Connect app, including your GPS location. To set it up, open the app and select 'Safety and Tracking' from the main menu and enter the contact details for the person you want to receive the SOS. You will then be asked to send them a confirmation message, which they will need to accept.

Unless you have a Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE, your watch will need to be connected to your phone via Bluetooth for incident detection to work.

• Best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

Apple could soon unveil the Apple Watch Ultra 2, according to the latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg's resident Apple expert Mark Gurman. Although Gurman's sources aren't always 100% reliable, he has a solid track record and generally has a good sense of what's happening behind the scenes thanks to his industry contacts.

As Gadgets & Wearables reports. the second-generation adventure watch could launch alongside the Apple Watch Series 9, which CEO Tim Cook will almost certainly announce in September. 

Details about potential features are scarce, but apparently we shouldn't get our hopes up for a microLED display. Although this would offer improved viewing angles and lower power consumption compared to AMOLED, rumors suggest it's not ready to land on our wrists just yet.

Built-in flashlight

Garmin has clearly realized it's onto a winner with flashlights. The Fenix 7X was the first watch to feature an LED torch built into the top of the watch housing, and was soon followed by the even brighter Enduro 2. The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar came next, and now we have the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix (Gen 2) Pro series, which come in three sizes, all with lights.

It's one of those things that's much more useful than you'd expect, whether you're looking for the zipper on your sleeping bag, peering under the couch for that pen you just dropped, or running through a dark, mile-long tunnel. You can even use it to signal for help in an emergency.

The Apple Watch Ultra has a loud siren that you can use to signal distress in an SOS situation, but no flashlight. It would be a great addition to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, so I've got my fingers crossed.

Improved battery life

The Apple Watch Ultra can deliver up to 60 hours of battery life with power-saving mode enabled, which is much longer than the Apple Watch Series 8, but nowhere near as long as most sports-focused GPS watches. In fact, when the Ultra launched, Garmin decided to poke fun on social media with photos of the Garmin Enduro 2 and a claim that "We measure battery life in months. Not hours."

Of course, the Enduro 2 doesn't offer features like cellular connectivity and uses a memory-in-pixel screen rather than AMOLED, so it's hard to compare the two directly. However, the point remains that if you're going to be off-grid for a while camping and hiking, you'll appreciate a watch that doesn't need charging every couple of days.

Solar charging

Apple certainly won't want to reduce that Apple Watch Ultra's functionality to help it last longer between charges, but it may be able to boost battery life with solar charging. At the time of writing there are no Garmin watches with AMOLED screens and solar charging, but the company has registered a patent for a technology that would allow it to combine the two without dulling the appearance of the display.

It's an interesting concept, but has yet to make it into production. If Apple can devise a different way of achieving the same thing and get it to market sooner, it could be onto a winner.

Larger screen

We might not get microLED tech this time around, but early rumors suggest that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 could have a larger screen than its predecessor. The original Apple Watch Ultra certainly isn't small, but when it comes to maps and navigation, the bigger the better. I certainly wouldn't be averse to giving up a little more wrist space for easier navigation.

Redesigned crown

Apple redesigned its Digital Crown for the Apple Watch Ultra, making it chunkier and easier to operate while wearing gloves. However, I found that it's actually a little too large, and rubs slightly against my skin when turned. Offsetting it slightly so that it doesn't touch the skin would be a small change, but one that would make it much more comfortable to use on the trails.

• The best cheap GPS watches: sports trackers for runners on a budget

Apple has unveiled a new version of its smartwatch operating system, which will make your Apple Watch even better for hiking. Whether you own the tough Apple Watch Ultra or one of the less rugged devices, it'll now do more to keep you safe when you're adventuring outdoors without a satellite communicator.

The company unveiled watchOS 10 at its annual showcase event on June 5. One of the most interesting new additions is an update to the Compass app, which will automatically add a Last Cellular Connection Waypoint at the location where you last had cellular connectivity. If you need to check your messages later, you can make your way back to that point, where you should be able to do just that.

The app will also drop a Last Emergency Call waypoint, which will mark the last spot where your watch could connect to any carrier's cellular network. If you head back to this location, you should be able to call emergency services.

Plan your adventure

There are also new features for planning your hikes. When the Apple Watch Ultra launched last year, one of its drawbacks was the need for third-party navigation apps like AllTrails, TrailForks, or Komoot to plan your expeditions, which sometimes require a subscription fee to unlock certain features.

That's now changing thanks to watchOS 10, and you'll soon be able to do a lot more with just your watch, For example, when you're planning a route, your Apple Watch will use elevation data to give a 3D view of saved waypoints, helping visualize the type of terrain you'll be tackling.

Apple is also adding a topographic map including contour lines, hill shading, elevation details, and points of interest. This sounds similar to Garmin's TopoActive maps, which come preloaded on watches including the Fenix, Epix, Enduro, Marq, and Tactix series.

Apple watchOS 10 will also let you search for nearby trails and trailheads, with place cards for information including trail length, type, and difficulty. Topographic maps and trails will only be available for users in the US at first, but will hopefully be rolled out to more territories before long.

The new operating system is currently in testing, and will be rolling out to devices later this year. It will probably land in September, when Apple is also expected to reveal the Apple Watch Series 9.

• Best GPS watches: the best devices for hiking, trail running, and climbing

A newly registered patent suggests that a future iteration of the Apple Watch might have a built-in camera – and that would be amazing.

As Gadgets & Wearables reports, patent US-11571048-B1 (spotted by the eagle-eyed sleuths at Patently Apple) describes a strap with a central cradle that holds the watch itself in place. A quick-release mechanism would allow you to quickly pop the central unit out, and use it as a tiny camera.

Personally, I think that photography and running are natural partners. Running (particularly trail running) is a way to escape the city and explore new, beautiful places. It was while running beside a river that I got my first ever glimpse of a tiny, jewel-like kingfisher, one of my favorite club runs takes us past a smallholding that's home to a trio of adorable pygmy goats, and I've lost count of the number of beautiful sunsets I've seen during an after-work 5k.

Sure, you can stop and capture these moments on your phone (except for the kingfisher, which was gone in an azure flash), but it would be so much easier if you could simply use your watch to take a snap without digging a cumbersome handset out of your backpack first.

There might a risk of dropping the detachable central watch unit if you're not too careful, but a tiny little camera within arm's reach would make it so much easier to save and share those special sights. 

I'm not just thinking of Instagram, either. Garmin Connect has a feature for sharing photos with your workout stats laid out on top, and Strava has a function for adding snaps to your workouts too.

Snapping happy

Of course, the idea of a smartwatch with a camera has been tried before. Back in 2015, the Samsung Gear arrived on the scene – a chunky device that was designed to compete with Apple and had a camera built into the strap.

I didn't have the chance to test the Gear at the time, but my colleagues on Advnture's sister site TechRadar tell me it wasn't great. It was convenient, sure (it could even record a few seconds of video) but the picture quality wasn't great, and it made the watch much more expensive than it would have been otherwise.

To be honest, the quality looks pretty decent to me (check out the sample shots in TechRadar's review), especially considering the Gear's camera was fixed in place so you had to manuever your wrist awkwardly to take a shot.

Apple's proposed system would be a lot more ergonomic, and digital cameras have come a long way in the last eight years. Action cameras in particular are smaller than ever, and capable of shooting heaps of 4K, image-stabilized footage.

Of course, a patent isn't a guarantee that a particular technology is ever going to make its way into a commercially available product. but as The Verge notes, this isn't the first camera patent Apple has registered. Maybe something to look out for in a future iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra? Watch this space...

• Best GPS watches: all the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more

Apple is working on its own custom microLED displays, which could make the Apple Watch Ultra 2 the best smartwatch ever for hiking and navigation.

The Apple Watch Ultra, released in September last year, is a tough wearable specifically designed for use outdoors, with features including a bigger digital crown that can be used while wearing gloves, a larger and tougher case that gives the screen extra protection, multiple microphones to help prevent wind noise during phone calls, and a loud emergency siren. It also has an extra large, extra bright AMOLED display, but according to Apple expert Mark Gurman of Bloomberg News, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 could be even better.

As Gurman explains in his regular column (behind paywall), Apple began a project to built its own screens back in 2017, reducing its reliance on partners like Samsung and LG. Making its own components might mean Apple can keep costs down (Chinese smartwatch maker Amazfit famously keeps prices down by keeping production in-house), but Gurman suggests it will also mean better-looking devices – starting with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which could be released later this year.

AMOLED displays are great for maps, but microLED screens should be viewable from even more angles and look like details are painted on the surface of the glass. 

The next step...

A microLED display would be a huge upgrade for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but there are also a few other tweaks that could make it an even better device for outdoor adventures. For example, the watch's built-in SOS siren is excellent, but we'd also appreciate a bright flashlight like that of the Garmin Enduro 2, which stranded hikers could use to signal to helicopters, whose pilots wouldn't be able to hear an audio SOS.

Solar charging would be another excellent addition, extending the watch's battery life. We don't know whether a microLED display would be more or less power-hungry and AMOLED, but it would be a real boon if the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra can last more than two days between charges.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we'd like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to come with an off-road navigation app preinstalled. Apple Maps is great for streets, but when it comes to trails and tracks you need something like Komoot or Alltrails to help find your way. For more of our thoughts, check out Apple Watch Ultra 2: what the next-gen adventure watch needs to succeed.

• Best GPS watches: all the latest models from Apple, Garmin and more rated

Apple has just released a new version of its wearable operating system, which gives your Apple Watch several extra features to help runners train smarter. Apple has been gradually encroaching on Garmin's territory in recent years, with the addition of features like running power from the wrist and triathlon mode making the Apple Watch a serious training tool, and this latest update makes it even more appealing.

As Gadgets&Wearables reports, WatchOS 9.2 is rolling out to Apple Watch owners now, adding two new training tools: automatic running track detection, and the ability to race against a virtual partner on one of your regular routes.

Once you've received the new software, your watch will automatically detect when you have arrived at a running track and, according to Apple, use both Apple Maps data and GPS to provide the most accurate pace, distance, and route map. It will even ask which lane you are using to calculate the distance as accurately as possible.

This should eliminate the problem track runners sometimes experience with even the best GPS watches, where their training sessions appear as a spaghetti-like tangle of loops rather than neat ovals, courtesy of GPS drift,

It appears that this feature is currently only available for running tracks in the US, but hopefully it will be extended to more countries in the coming months.

The other new feature I'm excited about is Race Route, which lets you race against your best time on a route you've run at least twice before. We all have regular routes that we default to when we just want to get out and run without too much planning, and this is a great way to spice things up while also checking the impact of your training on your performance. The watch will warn you if you stray off your usual route, so don't even think about taking a shortcut.

Keep training longer

The latest version of watchOS is particularly good news for Apple Watch Ultra owners, who can now expect their watch to give up to 17 hours of continuous use in multisport mode, with no impact on GPS accuracy or heart rate tracking.

That's good news for Ironman competitors – particularly first-timers and those in the veteran age categories, who are too often neglected. According to RunTri.com, the average finishing time for a man in the 70-74 age grouping is 15:50, while for women in the same category it's 16:53.

If the Apple Watch Ultra proves popular enough, the company may release a second-generation model with even better battery life at its product launch event in September next year. For more thoughts, check out our feature Apple Watch Ultra 2: what it needs to succeed.

• Best GPS watches: find your ideal training tool

The Apple Watch Ultra is an excellent rugged outdoor watch, with a truly tough case, design optimized for harsh conditions, and longer battery life than any other Apple Watch to date. In our tests it proved a joy to use and earned a place in our roundup of the best GPS watches, but there's always room for improvement.

There's no guarantee that we'll see an Apple Watch Ultra 2 in 2023, but it's certainly possible. The company has debuted a new Apple Watch Series device every year since 2015, and it might well add the rugged device to that regular release schedule.

If it does, these are the features I'd like to see it include. Some are borrowed from rivals like Garmin, while others are updates to the watch's existing features. Fingers crossed.

For more thoughts on next year's GPS watches, see what to expect from Garmin in 2023 for informed predictions on the next generation of devices.

Trail navigation right out of the box

The Apple Watch Ultra is built for hikers, with smart features like microphones that are optimized for windy conditions, an emergency siren, easy to use digital compass accessible right from the face, and multi-band GPS. However, it doesn't come with a navigation app preinstalled, so you'll need to find a suitable one that will provide route suggestions and navigation before heading out.

I put together a list of navigation apps for the Apple Watch Ultra that give it that finishing touch, but ideally I think it should come with something preinstalled, and it's an omission that several other reviewers have noted. A deal with AllTrails would make a lot of sense, and perhaps Apple Watch Ultra owners could even get a discount on premium membership.

A flashlight

One feature that Garmin has begun integrating into some of its larger watches this year is a built-in flashlight, which shines out of the top of the watch's case. So far we've seen it on two models, the Garmin Fenix 7X and Garmin Enduro 2, and it works brilliantly.

If you need emergency help when hiking or trail running, you can use it to help signal distress. When you're working out in the evening it helps make you more visible to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and makes it easier to see the edge of the road or footpath (as I found when I tested the watch in a dark, mile-long tunnel). In everyday use, you'll wonder how you managed without it, as it helps with mundane tasks like finding keyholes at night, and peering under furniture. It's great.

The Apple Watch Ultra has its own hidden surprise in the form of an emergency siren that can carry for miles outdoors to help you grab attention in an emergency, but a flashlight would really round out its feature set.

Solar charging

The Apple Watch Ultra has much longer battery life than the Apple Watch Series 8 and S, lasting up to 36 hours in normal use, and up to 60 hours in low power mode with workout settings enabled. 

Not having to charge your watch daily is a real bonus for outdoor expeditions, but rival devices like the Garmin Enduro 2 and Instinct 2 can last weeks between charges, which makes them a better option for multi-day adventures (something Garmin chose to poke fun at with an Instagram post).

Apple is unlikely to make changes that give the Apple Watch Ultra 2 a less polished feel (such as switching from a high-resolution OLED display to a less striking but more efficient memory-in-pixel one). However, it could boost battery life a little by adding a solar cell to keep the battery topped up during the day,

Garmin has patented designs for tech that would allow it to integrate photovoltaic cells in between the sub-pixels that make up an AMOLED display, so it may have a similar watch in the works.

The same chunky case

Some reviewers complained that the Apple Watch Ultra is too big, but I respectfully beg to differ. When it comes to adventure watches, there's no such thing as too chunky as far as I'm concerned. It's a nuisance trying to fiddle with a dainty watch when your fingers are freezing (I've tried), so big buttons, hefty dials and big cases are all absolutely fine. A larger case also means a bigger screen and battery, which are always welcome for map-reading and longevity respectively.

Repositioned Digital Crown

This is a minor issue, but something I couldn't help noticing while testing the Apple Watch Ultra earlier this year. The watch has an extra large Digital Crown with deep grooves that make it easy to turn while your hands are cold, wet, or gloved, which is great. It's so much better than fiddling with a tiny dial.

However, the way the Digital Crown is positioned means that it  protrudes slightly from the back and rubs a little against the skin of your wrist when you turn it. It would be great if Apple could move the crown a tiny bit closer to the front of the case to keep it away from the wearer's skin.

• Best GPS watches: the latest models from Garmin, Apple and more tested

The long-awaited Oceanic+ app is finally available for the Apple Watch Ultra, turning the rugged smartwatch into a fully featured dive computer. The Oceanic+ app featured heavily during the Apple Watch Ultra's launch, but has only just become available to download and use for the watch and your iPhone.

Unlike the vast majority of GPS sports watches, the Apple Watch Ultra's hardware is certified to EN 11319, which is the international standard for dive computers. It also features a bright AMOLED display that's easier to read underwater than the memory-in-pixel (MIP) screen of a typical sports watch, plus a large knurled digital crown that's simpler to operate with wet, cold. or gloved hands. The Oceanic+ is the software that completes the package.

Before your dive, the app's Dive Planner lets you set your surface time, depth, and your gas, then calculates your no-decompression time. The app also provides dive conditions such as water temperature and tides, plus crowd-sourced data from other users such as currents and visibility.

During your dive the app records stats including your GPS entry and exit point, depth, temperature, and ascent rate, which you can see on the watch itself or in the Oceanic+ iPhone app afterwards.

If you've been thinking of picking up the Apple Watch Ultra, it's just received its first major price cut at Amazon for Cyber Monday, bringing it down to just $739.

If you're not in the US, here are the best Apple Watch Ultra deals near you:

• Best Cyber Monday hiking deals: save on essential gear for your next trip

With Black Friday seemingly turning into Black November, you can already find some amazing deals, such as this one on Amazon for the red GPS + Cellular, 45mm version of the Apple Watch Series 7 – down from $529 to $349. That’s a saving of $180, or just over a third of the list price.

So if you don’t have a craving for the latest Apple Watch Ultra – or baulk at its $799 price tag – you can snap up its 2021 predecessor for less than half the price. And believe us, it offers considerably more than half the functionality. The Series 7 Apple Watch also offers pretty much the same features as the Series 8 with GPS and cellular (at $499) bar a couple of features. It’s also bigger, if that matters to you!

And this offer is available in any color the customer wants, as long as it's red (to paraphrase Henry Ford).

The Apple Watch Series 7 has an 18-hour battery life and a large screen that really helps if you use your watch for its health and fitness features. It’s a reliable fitness tracker and one of the best running watches out there, monitoring your heart rate, counting your steps and tracking your mileage with GPS. It can also automatically work out if you’re on your bike rather than running. The large display makes it easy to view mid-exercise metrics at a glance.

• Best GPS watches: devices from Garmin, Amazfit, Coros and Polar, tested and rated

Apple has rolled out a software update for the Apple Watch Ultra that adds a new extra low power mode, dramatically extending the device's battery life for activities like backpacking expeditions.

When the Apple Watch Ultra launched last month, it essentially had three power modes. First. there was Normal Use, which is the default setting. This includes use of LTE for transferring data and making calls, GPS workout tracking, all-day heart rate monitoring, fall detection, always-on screen – the works. With this mode enabled, you can expect battery life of around 36 hours.

Second, there's Normal Use Outdoor Workout mode, which is designed for long distance events with continuous GPS tracking. In this mode, all sensors and tools are enabled except LTE, with expected battery life of around 12 hours.

Third, the watch's Low Power Mode extends battery life several hours by disabling certain non-essential settings. This mode still offers GPS tracking and all-day heart rate monitoring, but turns off tools like irregular heart beat detection and automatic workout detection, along with the always-on display. With this setting enabled, you should be able to monitor and record an entire Ironman triathlon event (around 14 hours of continuous GPS tracking). In this mode, you can expect battery life of around 15 hours.

Now there's a fourth option: Low Power Mode workout with fewer GPS and heart rate readings. This is designed to maximize battery life for activities like backpacking weekends, while still giving you access to the watch's most important features. It still includes GPS and heart rate tracking, but takes measurements less frequently. Cellular connectivity is still enabled, but will only check for updates once an hour. In this mode, you can expect battery life up to 60 hours.

How to use it

Once you're received the update to watchOS 9.1, you can turn on Low Power Mode workout with fewer GPS and heart rate readings by following these steps:

• Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and turn off 'Optimized Charge Limit'
• Return  to the home screen and swipe up from the bottom to see Control Center
• Tap the battery percentage, turn on Low Power Mode and scroll to the bottom
• Tap 'Turn On'
• Go to Settings > Workout > Fewer GPS and heart rate readings

It's worth noting that Apple's battery life estimates aren't necessarily directly comparable with stats from other GPS watch makers. Garmin, for example, usually gives several different battery life estimates for its watches, including one for smartwatch mode, which means no GPS activity tracking at all, and one for continuous GPS tracking. Typical battery life in normal use will be somewhere between the two.

By contrast, Apple's quoted 36-hour battery life for the Apple Watch Ultra in its standard battery mode includes a GPS workout, using the screen in always-on mode, and using LTE data. In light use, you might find that it lasts several hours longer between charges.

• The Apple Watch Ultra is good for hikers, and these three apps make it great

So, you've decided to invest in the new Apple Watch Ultra. Good choice, but now you've got another big decision to make – which band to pick. 

Most of the best GPS watches for outdoor adventures come with a strap made from silicone, which resists water and sweat, and is easy to rinse clean. Others (such as the Garmin Enduro) have a woven nylon band that's lighter and more breathable. These bands are typically available in different colors, and can usually be swapped for something different if you prefer, but you have to buy straps made from different materials separately.

The Apple Watch Ultra is different; when you buy the watch, you can pick between three distinct straps designed for different activities: Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band. So what exactly are they all, and how can you decide which is best for you - particularly if you enjoy more than one sport regularly?

The bands all slide into place like those of any other Apple Watch so you can swap them over in a few seconds. However, they cost $99 when bought separately, so it's best to choose the right one to begin with.

Alpine Loop

The Alpine Loop is built with hikers and climbers in mind, and was the band we used when we reviewed the Apple Watch Ultra in September. It looks like two pieces of material stitched together, but the layers are in fact woven into one another, meaning you won't accidentally pull them apart.

It fastens with an unusual G-shaped hook that slides into loops in the fabric. During our tests we found it easy to close, even one-handed, but the way the fabric sits in the hook means it's not going to come undone accidentally. Interestingly, the design also means that you're unlikely to accidentally fasten the Alpine Loop too tightly; you need just a tiny bit of slack to slide the hook home.

The Alpine Loop comes in three sizes, and three colors: starlight (an off-white shade), green, and orange. The latter is particularly good for visibility in woodland terrain, and would be a sensible pick for hikers and hunters who want to make sure they have a good amount of blaze orange attire for safety.

Trail Loop

The Trail Loop is the simplest of the three designs, and is made with runners in mind, though we can also see it working well for hikers and cyclists who want to pare down weight to a minimum. It's made from woven nylon, and fastens with a hook and loop closure (ie Velcro). 

It's not flashy, but the absence of a buckle means you can get a much more precise fit, and you can easily adjust it using the convenient little pull tab if your hands swell (it's a known phenomenon for hikers).

It comes in three subtle colorways (yellow/beige, blue/gray, and black/gray) and three sizes for different wrist circumferences.

Ocean Band

The Ocean Band, as its name implies, is built with watersports in mind – particularly diving. The Apple Watch Ultra is officially rated as a dive computer, and its forthcoming Oceanic+ app will help you track and manage your dives safely.

It's made from a flexible elastomer material that's easy to wipe dry, and has a tubular design that echoes the look of the Alpine Loop. It fastens with a titanium buckle that holds it in place securely during high-speed water sports where you may not trust a hook and loop closure, and matches the watch's titanium case.

The Ocean Band is available in one size as standard, but you can pick up an extension that expands it by up to 50mm, making it suitable for wearing over a wetsuit. This could also prove handy if you're planning to explore cold climes where you don't want to pull back your sleeve all the way and expose your wrist, though of course the Watch Ultra's SpO2 and heart rate sensors can't work through clothing.

It comes in three colors: black, white, and yellow. The yellow should be particularly good for visibility underwater (though we suspect it doesn't float).

• Best Garmin watches: find your ideal training tool

The Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are fantastic for exploring the great outdoors, but before you lace up your best hiking boots or trail running shoes, it's worth grabbing some key apps to make sure you really get the most out of them.

Although their GPS tracking is excellent, and it comes with Apple Maps preinstalled (naturally), the Ultra and Ultra 2 don't come with any tools for creating and following routes. There's no way to import a GPX file natively, and no way to plot a course using the Fitness app on your iPhone. For a watch that's otherwise finely honed for hiking (down to a new compass and emergency siren), it's a strange omission.

Thankfully, the App Store has everything you need to fill the gap, and turn the Apple Watch Ultra into the hiking watch of your dreams.

1. Komoot

We've long been fans of Komoot – in fact the app took the prize for best navigation app in the Advnture 2022 Awards – and it makes a fantastic addition to the Apple Watch Ultra. The watch doesn't come with any way of planning our your own hikes and trail runs in advance, but with Komoot you can easily plot a course on your phone or computer, then get a map and directions right on your wrist. You can also download routes created by other Komoot users, and share your personal favorites.

All of Komoot's key features are free, but if you want to download maps to use in places with no mobile data connectivity, or get turn-by-turn directions, you'll need to pay a fee. Thankfully these are quite reasonable, particularly if you only need to unlock maps for one or two regions.

Download Komoot from the App Store

2. Strava

If you run or cycles regularly you'll probably already be familiar with Strava, but this hugely popular app now supports a huge range of off-road activities, including hiking, gravel biking, and mountain biking, In fact, the number of hikes uploaded to Strava doubled in the last two years.

If you want to create your own routes to sync to your phone and Apple Watch you'll need a Strava subscription. You can get a free 30-day trial to see if it works for you. Subscribers also get recommended trail routes with details like gradient and difficulty. You can download trail routes for use offline, too.

Download Strava from the App Store

3. AllTrails

AllTrails is a fantastic resource for hiking and trail running, letting you discover new routes, wherever you happen to find yourself. You can even to filter routes that are particularly well suited to hiking with a dog, or ones that are wheelchair accessible, and each one is accompanied by photos, details of waypoints, and even a weather report to help you prepare.

AllTrails is free to download and use on your iPhone, and you'll get basic tracking functionality on your Apple Watch, but to transfer maps to your Apple Watch Ultra you'll need to buy a subscription. There's a free seven-day trial available, so you can take it for a few test hikes and cancel before the first payment goes out if it doesn't suit your needs.

Download AllTrails from the App Store

• Best GPS watches: find your ideal training tool for running and hiking

Apple has just released its first rugged smartwatch designed for the rough and tumble of life outdoors. The Apple Watch Ultra is much chunkier and tougher than its siblings, the Apple Watch Series 8 and SE, with a bigger battery to keep it running for longer between charges. It also boasts multi-band GPS (which proved extremely impressive in our tests, establishing a lock easily even in difficult environments) and a huge, bright high-resolution AMOLED display that's just perfect for maps.

It's a superb device, but unfortunately for many outdoor enthusiasts, its $799 / £849 asking price is simply going to be too steep. That's why I've put together this list of alternative watches that will help you find your way in the backcountry, track your training, and improve your fitness, without blowing your budget. These are all watches that I've tested myself, and would recommend to friends and family.

1. Amazfit T-Rex 2

The best cheap adventure watch around, without question

Yes, you're seeing the price below this text correctly – the Amazfit T-Rex 2 is an extremely impressive adventure watch that's perfect for life on the trails, and doesn't cost as much as a new family tent. When I asked the folks at Amazfit how they manage to keep prices so low, they told me it's because they make so many components in-house rather than buying them in from third-party suppliers.

The T-Rex 2 gives you a whole lot for your money, including a striking AMOLED display with super smooth scrolling, a seriously tough case (with a cleverly designed little metal bumper to protect its most important buttons), and battery life measured in weeks rather than hours or days. That assumes you're not using the screen's always-on mode, but the auto-wake is so well implemented, you don't need to.

You don't get a packed app store for third-party tools, but with native GPX support and navigation tools, that's not such a big loss.

2. Garmin Instinct 2

A super tough adventure watch with incredible battery life

When anyone asks me to recommend a tough GPS watch for camping and hiking, the Instinct series is one of the first that comes to mind. These watches are built like tanks (you'd have to be trying extremely hard to do any significant damage to them) and their battery life is frankly ridiculous, particularly if you opt for one of the solar models. In theory you could keep one running indefinitely on a single charge in power saving mode, but even with regular use of GPS, continuous heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking and other tools, it'll be weeks and weeks before you have to plug yours into its charger.

Now, there are some downsides to be aware of. First of all, watches in the Instinct series all have monochrome memory-in-pixel (MiP) displays, which are great for power saving, and good and clear in all light conditions, but aren't great for maps. You can transfer routes to your Instinct 2 in GPX format, but you might have a hard time following them as you won't have a proper high-res map on screen, only a vague indication of which direction to take.

You'll definitely want to use a regular paper map for navigation, but if you mainly want a tough watch that will do an excellent job of tracking hikes and trail runs for days on end, the Instinct 2 is a great option.

3. Polar Grit X Pro

The Polar Grit X Pro is an excellent watch for hiking, trail running, and other adventure sports, and it's around half the price of the Apple Watch Ultra. Don't let its classy looks fool you – this is an exceptionally tough timepiece that'll shrug off knocks and scrapes if you're enjoying a bit of climbing or bouldering.

Like the Ultra, it achieved a GPS lock extremely quickly in my tests, and there are excellent route and navigation profiles. The absence of topographic maps is a bit of a shame (for that, check out the Garmin Epix Gen 2 or Forerunner 955), but it's otherwise great.

Polar made its name in heart rate monitoring tech, so it comes as no surprise that the Grit X Pro offers particularly great biometric tracking. I also appreciated the Fuelwise feature, which helps you manage your intake of carbs and water during long distance expeditions.

4. Garmin Enduro

A mammoth GPS watch with battery life to match

The Garmin Enduro 2, released earlier this year, is around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra, but the original Enduro is still an excellent watch for outdoor adventures, and can now be found much more cheaply. 

Despite owning a newer watch, I got serious watch envy recently when following a GPX route alongside a friend who owns an original Enduro. Its screen is huge, allowing you to see upcoming turns well in advance, with plenty of detail.

Battery life is excellent too; all Enduro watches are equipped with Garmin's Power Glass to keep their batteries topped up while you're adventuring outdoors, and the original Enduro can provide up to 150 hours of GPS tracking with sufficient sunlight.

5. Apple Watch Series 8 (or below)

The latest iteration of Apple's classic wearable, with improved GPS

The Apple Watch Series 8 might not have the same tough build as the Ultra, but with the right apps installed and a protective case, it might serve your purposes just as well. The Series 8 has the same dual-band GPS as its tougher counterpart, plus a bright, crisp display that's great when used in conjunction with one of the best navigation apps like Komoot,

If the Series 8 is beyond your budget, it's worth taking a look at an older model like the Series 6 or 7. All devices from the Series 4 onwards are compatible with the latest version of Apple's wearable operating system, WatchOS 9, so you'll still benefit from new features like heart rate zone training, running form metrics, and custom workouts.

• Best hiking shoes: lightweight footwear for tough terrain

Apple Watch Ultra first impressions

The Apple Watch Ultra is definitely still a smartwatch first and foremost, feeling like a natural extension of your iPhone, but Apple has made some smart adjustments that make it better suited to life outdoors.

The Ultra keeps the same rounded rectangle case shape as the Apple Watch Series and SE, but is much chunkier and more industrial feeling. The aircraft grade titanium case is raised slightly above the sapphire crystal lens to protect it from scuffs and scratches.

The case's left-hand edge features an Action button (highlighted in international orange for visibility), which you can customize in the mobile app to perform various tasks, such as starting a workout, starting a stopwatch, or creating a waypoint. This is a first for any Apple Watch, and is a welcome addition for sports enthusiasts, as it reduces the amount of time you need to spend interacting with the watch's touchscreen mid-workout.

On the right-hand edge you have a redesigned Digital Crown, which is now larger with a more prominent knurled edge that makes it easier to operate with cold, wet, or gloved hands. A small back button underneath serves to navigate to previous menus, or access a list of recently used apps (something you won't get with the best GPS watches from the likes of Garmin or Coros).

The new crown is tactile and easy to use. However, its larger shape, with protrudes slightly from the back, meant it sometimes rubbed against my wristbone as I turned it. I'll be interested to see whether this is something other reviewers experience, or it's just down to the shape of my wrists,

If you have the same problem, there's a simple fix: you can switch the screen orientation in the Watch app on your iPhone, and wear the Apple Watch Ultra 'upside down' with the crown on the lower left side, and operated using your thumb.

There are three different bands to choose from: the thin woven Trail Loop, the elastomer Ocean Band for use while diving, and the Alpine Loop shown here, which is designed for use when climbing, scrambling, and hiking. It's made from two layers of fabric that are woven together rather than stitched so there's no need to worry about threads breaking, and fastens with a G-shaped titanium hook. It's very secure, and the fastening feels sturdier than a hook-and-loop strap. You can unfasten it easily with your off hand, but it's not going to come off accidentally.

Overall the Apple Watch Ultra is tough-looking and slick, but its most striking feature is its huge always-on AMOLED display. This really marks it out from the majority of dedicated sports watches, most of which sport memory-in-pixel (MIP) displays to limit power consumption. Even the Epix (Gen 2), Garmin's premium AMOLED watch, doesn't compare when it comes to screen brightness and resolution.

Apple could have dramatically increased the Ultra's battery life by switching to a less power-hungry display, but it's easy to see why it chose not to. The bright display is part of the whole experience, and is essential for many of its apps and features; composing an email using a keyboard on an MiP display would be all but impossible, photos would be blurred, and animations less smooth.

Apple Watch Ultra: on the trails

The Apple Watch Ultra is a piece of cake to set up and use; the whole interface feels intuitive, and elements are organized in a logical way. If you're making the jump from Garmin, Coros, or Polar, you'll soon feel at home. The programmable Action Button is a particularly nice addition, and even though this is still a smartwatch at heart, it adopts many of the best features of dedicated sports watches, striking a good balance between the two.

The Apple Watch Ultra features dual-frequency GPS, and it locked on exceptionally quickly, even in heavily built up or wooded areas. It was much faster to establish than the Garmin Enduro 2 I wore on the other wrist during testing, but the two watches recorded exactly the same distance, down to the meter.

The ability to save waypoints with a single button press is a real boon, and something you'll really appreciate when hiking or trail running. If you find yourself without a reliable GPS signal, you can turn to the watch's redesigned compass, which helps you navigate to marked waypoints. I was also pleased to find that the watch's case is flat enough to lie against a paper map so you can use it to take a bearing.

Not having to use any separate sensors or accessories to track metrics like stride length and running power is a real boon. Just start the running activity and they're all recorded automatically. Just open the Fitness app on your iPhone, hit Show More on Workout Details, and it's all there.

It would be useful if Apple provided some additional context around these figures for runners who aren't already familiar with them, though. As it stands, those unfamiliar with these stats will need to spend some time researching in order to make sense of them.

Battery life is, of course, the big sticking point - Garmin poked fun at Apple with social media posts boasting that it measures battery life in months rather than hours. However, things aren't quite as clear-cut as they first seem. Apple's quoted battery life of 36 hours includes pretty heavy use, including several hours of GPS tracking, plus cellular calls. In my tests, it kept going for around 42 hours.

While the Garmin Enduro 2 lasts much, much longer between charges, it's important to note that it won't run over a month with regular use of tools like GPS and SpO2 tracking, and it doesn't have cellular connectivity at all – only GPS, ANT+ and Wi-Fi.

Ultimately, neither is objectively better than the other; it's a matter of preference and priorities, Many people don't mind putting their sports watch on a charger while they take a shower (it does charge quickly), but if you're planning to go off-grid for long periods of time camping, backpacking or ultra running, or you're just a little disorganized, you may be better served by a more conventional and less power-hungry sports watch.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the Apple Watch Ultra also has a low power mode that stretches battery life out further by disabling tools like background heart rate monitoring and SpO2 tracking, and limiting Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity, though it doesn't disable them entirely. It's a good compromise for occasional use, but I wouldn't want to use it regularly, as it does reduce the watch's functionality.

For me, the Apple Watch really shines when it comes to navigation. Its bright, high resolution display is perfect for wayfinding, and since it comes with Google Maps installed, you have high quality, detailed maps right on your wrist without the need to download anything or pay for separate map packs (a limitation of some GPS watches). It's worlds apart from trying to follow a route on a monochrome memory-in-pixel display without named streets and landmarks.

Importing hiking and running routes in GPX format isn't quite as straightforward as it is with Garmin Connect. You can't create or transfer GPX files using the preinstalled workout app, but there are apps for all the big navigation services including Strava and Komoot, so it's no real hardship in practice. Once that's done, following them on the Apple Watch Ultra's big, colorful screen is a breeze.

The Apple Watch Ultra also features some nicely designed extras to appeal to adventurers. The distress siren is extremely loud, and easily accessed by holding either of the watch's buttons (handy in case you're panicking and can't remember which one does what). I can't help feeling it would have been helpful if it gave you the option of a standard Alpine Distress Signal for use in the EU, but it does provide a signal that sounds much like a Morse code SOS. 

There's no LED flashlight like that of the Garmin Fenix 7X and Enduro 2, but the screen is bright enough to serve a similar purpose in dark conditions. There's a flashlight mode accessible through the main menu, which includes a very useful blinking mode; Apple didn't mention this as launch, but a flashing light is universally recognized as a distress signal in addition to an audible whistle or alarm, and is useful for signalling helicopters whose pilots may not be able to hear you.

There are a couple of features I've yet to test; we've not yet taken the Apple Watch Ultra diving to test its performance as a dive computer, or (thankfully) been involved in an accident that activated the new Crash Detection feature. Hopefully I won't need that any time soon.

it  goes without saying that the Apple Watch Ultra isn't compatible with Android devices. If you're an Android user looking for something similar, the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) and Amazfit T-Rex 2 are worth investigating. Neither offers the same wealth of apps, or feels like a real extension of your phone, but both are robust and attractive, with AMOLED displays well suited to mapping. The T-Rex 2 is particularly impressive thanks to its modest price, which belies its genuinely impressive build quality and performance.

Where we tested the Apple Watch Ultra

I tested the Apple Watch Ultra on various runs, including one of my favorite loops from Bristol Temple Meads station, along the River Avon, and up to the beautiful grounds of Ashton Court. It's a great spot for enjoying views across the city, including the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, and you can enjoy watching some of the local red and fallow deer while taking a water break.

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The Apple Watch Ultra is available to pre-order now, and is expected to start arriving on owners' wrists from Friday September 23. You can place your order on the official Apple store, but that's not your only option. We're here to run down the various stores taking orders for the new watch, and the pros and cons of each one.

If you've decided that the Apple Watch Ultra is the best GPS watch for you, here are your pre-order options:

The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple's first smartwatch designed for hiking, trail running, climbing, diving, and other outdoor adventures. It has a similar overall look to the Apple Watch 8 (which debuted at the same time), but with several significant differences to make it more practical for life on the trail and at sea.

That includes an aircraft-grade titanium case with a high edge to protect the sapphire crystal lens, a physical button and larger Digital Crown that can be used with gloves, a much larger battery, and three strap options designed for different activities. You can get the full details in our coverage of the launch event.

• The Apple Watch Ultra's siren is great – and Garmin should borrow it

On Tuesday, Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra – a 'rugged' watch designed to stand up to the rough and tumble of hiking, diving, climbing, and trail running. It has a more robust design than the Apple Watch 8 that the company also unveiled, with a titanium case, sapphire crystal lens, and a programmable button and Digital Crown designed to be used while wearing gloves.

That naturally drew comparisons with Garmin, which makes a wide range of watches for outdoor adventuring and diving, including the recently launched Garmin Enduro 2.

Garmin responded by taking a rather unsubtle dig at its new rival. In a tweet posted on its official Twitter account, the sports watch company said "We measure battery life in months. Not hours." The tweet also include promo images of the Enduro 2, which has a maximum battery life of 46 days in smartwatch mode, or 550 days in battery saver mode.

By contrast, the Apple Watch Ultra has a battery life of 36 hours in typical use. A future firmware update will add a low power mode that will extend that to 60 hours.

There's certainly a gulf between battery lives for the two watches, but looking at their specs, you can see where the differences lie.

First, there are the displays. The Apple Watch Ultra has an always-on AMOLED screen, which uses a lot more power than the color memory-in-pixel display of the Garmin Enduro 2. This is likely one of the main reasons the Ultra has such a brief battery life, but it's an expected part of the 'Apple experience', so the company couldn't really trade it for something more energy efficient.

Both watches offer multi-band GPS, the Apple Watch Ultra also has LTE, allowing you to make calls and use mobile services. Apple's battery life figures include some mobile data usage and a GPS tracked workout, whereas Garmin's smartwatch-only figures do not.

Unlike the Apple Watch Ultra, the Enduro 2 has photovoltaic material on its face that keeps its battery topped up with regular exposure to sunlight. It's currently difficult to incorporate solar charging into an AMOLED watch, though recently registered patents suggest Garmin is working on it.

The Enduro 2 also appears to have a larger battery than the Apple Watch Ultra; despite lacking an LTE module, Garmin's watch is a bigger and a little heavier.

That's not to say that either watch is superior, though – it all depends on how you intend to use it. If regular charging isn't an issue, and you're already invested in the Apple ecosystem, then the Apple Watch Ultra may suit you perfectly. Alternatively if you want to spend days off-grid, or own an Android phone, the Enduro 2 will be a better choice.

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A motorcyclist riding through Yellowstone National Park had a narrow escape recently when passing too close to one of the park's bison during the rut. The animal was standing about a foot from the roadside as a group of people road alongside. Although the first rider passed without incident, the bison was clearly upset by their presence and bluff charged the second, 

The incident was captured by cameras on two motorcycles, allowing you to see it from different angles. Although the bison didn't make contact, the rider had a passenger riding pillion, who screamed and can be seen trying to dodge, potentially making the bike unsteady.

The clip, which you can watch below, was shared on Instagram by TouronsOfYellowstone, which highlights bad and careless behavior at US National Parks.

As travel site Destination Yellowstone explains, it's OK to ride a motorcycle through the park, but there are some important rules to follow.

First of all, you should never exceed the posted speed limit of 45mph. Yellowstone is spread over three states with different rules on helmets, so it's wise to wear one at all times to avoid accidentally breaking any laws (and for safety).

Unlike the riders in the video, you should also be very careful around wildlife. The park is home to bison, elk, moose, bears, bighorn sheep and many other animals, and if one is crossing a road, you should wait and turn your engine off until it's safely past. The National Park Service advises staying 100 yards (91 meters) from bears and wolves, and 25 yards (23 meters) from bison, elk, and all other wildlife.

Bison and elk can be particularly unpredictable in late summer and early fall, which is their breeding season (known as the rut). During this time males are particularly territorial, and may be more likely to see you as a threat. For more advice, see our guide how to avoid being gored by a bison.

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On Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra – a new, more rugged watch that's clearly designed to challenge the likes of Garmin for a place on adventurers' wrists. It features a tougher case than the regular Apple Watch 8, a redesigned interface with a more tactile Digital Crown and (for the first time) a physical button, and improved water resistance.

Its battery life pales in comparison to the best Garmin watches – just 36 hours, or up to 60 in low power mode, which will be arriving with a future firmware update. I'd also argue that the Apple Watch Ultra needs dedicated buttons, and a lot more of them. A single customizable button is a step in the right direction, but won't allow you to do a great deal without looking down at your wrist, and fiddling with the touchscreen and Digital Crown.

However, the new Apple Watch has one feature I'd definitely like to see Garmin adopt, and that's its loud emergency siren – a 168-decibel alert that you can activate if you run into trouble on the trail. The video below demonstrates how it works.

You should always carry a hiking whistle when you're out adventuring in case you need to signal for attention (take a look at the buckle on your backpack's chest strap and you might even find a simple plastic whistle built into it). It might be something relatively straightforward like a twisted ankle, or something much more serious like being trapped by a rockslide. They might not be quite as loud as your voice if you absolutely bellow at the top of your lungs, but they let you keep making continuous noise for a lot longer, increasing your odds of rescue,

The Apple Watch Ultra has some advantages, though. First, it's even louder than a typical whistle, making it easier for you to be heard over long distances, and second it only requires you to hold a button, rather than blow into a whistle when you might be tired, injured, and breathless.

Alpine Distress Signal

he main downside I can see (and it's quite a big one) is that the siren has its own unique sound, and doesn't create the international Alpine Distress Signal, which is three quick blasts in quick succession repeated once per minute. 

Your watch may also become damaged or run out of power, so it's important not to rely on it, and always carry a hiking whistle as well (see our guide on how to use a hiking whistle for more info).

It's not perfect, but I do think that a siren would be a useful tool for Garmin to integrate into some of its best GPS watches – particularly the Enduro and Instinct series, which are designed for outdoor adventures and multi-day off-road events.

It could work alongside Incident Detection, activating an alarm while also alerting your emergency contacts, and you might be able to switch between a continuous siren and the Alpine Distress Signal with the touch of a button.

It'll be interesting to see whether such a tool finds its way into any Garmin watches released over the next couple of years. The rumored Garmin Instinct Analog might make an appearance in the coming months, so we may find out soon.

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Apple has revealed a new watch designed for harsh outdoor environments. The Apple Watch Ultra is tougher than any of the company's previous watches, with much longer battery life – but is it enough to make you trade in your Garmin?

First, let's take a look at the design. The Apple Watch Ultra has a 49mm case made from aerospace-grade titanium, topped with a flat sapphire crystal lens. On the side of the watch you'll find a redesigned Digital Crown that's easier to grip while wearing gloves, plus a physical button (in fetching International Orange for visibility), which can be programmed to perform different functions.

Underneath the sapphire crystal, there's an AMOLED display with always-on, which can be switched to a red-only night mode that's easier on your eyes after dark and won't affect your night vision as much as white or blue light.

For activities on the trail, water, or crag, it's a big improvement on the standard Apple Watch design, which has remained virtually unchanged for many years. The physical button means you're not reliant on a touchscreen, and the flat lens should be more resistant to knocks and drops.

However, I'd argue that for adventurers, one button simply isn't enough, even paired with an improved Digital Crown. Most of the best GPS watches – including those with touchscreens – offer multiple buttons dedicated to specific tasks. If you're using a Garmin Forerunner, Fenix, or Epix for example, you know that the top right button will always start or pause your activity, the bottom right will always log a new lap, and the top left will always activate the backlight. There's no need to look down at your wrist, or even think about it.

It's the same with watches from Polar, Amazfit or Coros; once you're familiar with the setup, you can do anything you need to without even glancing down. The Apple Watch Ultra is a step in the right direction, but the multi-function controls just aren't as practical.

The Apple Watch Ultra's display looks stunning though, and its high resolution will make it excellent for maps and navigation. That gives it a big advantage over some of its rivals, which rely on lower-res memory in pixel displays that just can't give the same level of detail.

Finding your way

That leads us to GPS. The Apple Watch Ultra features dual-band GPS, which should allow it to pinpoint your location more accurately in locations where the radio signal from satellites is blocked or reflected by tall buildings, trees, or cliffs.

Many of the best Garmin watches, including the Garmin Forerunner 955 and Enduro 2, also offer dual-band GPS, so it will be interesting to see how the two compare.

It's not yet clear whether the Apple Watch Ultra will have a feature quite like Garmin's SatIQ, which switches GPS modes automatically to balance accuracy and battery life. It does, however, have a battery optimization mode, which is due to arrive with a firmware update later this fall.

When it comes to serious outdoor sports, battery life has always been one of the Apple Watch's biggest problems. The standard Apple Watch needs charging every day, which makes it impractical for off-grid adventures and multi-day events. The Apple Watch Ultra shakes things up... a bit.

According to Apple, the new rugged watch lasts 36 hours on a single charge in regular use. That's double the battery life of the Apple Watch 8, but it's still far, far shorter than a typical GPS watch and means you'll need to plug it in every other day. Most GPS sports watches can run for two weeks in smartwatch mode, and 30-40 hours with continuous GPS tracking. Solar watches like the Garmin Enduro and Instinct 2 Solar extend that even further.

The Apple Watch Ultra's relatively brief battery life is no doubt party down to that lovely always-on display, but it's possible that Apple's engineers also opted for a smaller power cell to keep the device's dimensions modest. Watches like the Garmin Enduro 2 and Coros Vertix 2 keep running for days and days between charges, but are also unashamedly huge. If Apple is going to compete on battery life, it might need to go bigger – and start working on solar charging, too.

Get connected

One thing that sets the Apple Watch Ultra apart from other rugged GPS watches is cellular connectivity. There's currently only one cellular Garmin watch available (the Forerunner 945 LTE), so this is definitely a point to Apple.

Cellular connectivity means you can use your watch to make calls download apps, stream music, and sync data without a Bluetooth connection to your handset. That can come in very handy for all kinds of emergencies, as Tim Cook explained in his introductory speech, where he shared some letters from Apple Watch users who believe that the device helped save their lives.

The letter writers included a man who was trapped in a garbage truck, a young woman who was in a plane crash, and a student who found a bear in his home. The student was unable to find his phone to call for emergency services, but was able to summon help using his Apple Watch (for advice on what else you can do, see our guide what to do if you meet a bear).

The Apple Watch Ultra also comes with an app that effectively turns it into a dive computer for scuba and free diving. It's certainly not as feature-rich as a dedicated dive watch like the Garmin Descent Mk2, but it'll be a welcome addition for recreational divers. 

Unlike a typical GPS multi-sports watch, which will likely be rated to a depth of 50-100m for general swimming and slow-speed water sports, the Apple Watch Ultra is certified to EN 11319, which is the international standard for dive computers.

As you'd expect, all of this commands a premium price tag. The Apple Watch Ultra costs $799, and is available to pre-order now for delivery on September 23. That's a high-end price, and substantially more than most GPS watches, but still less than the Garmin Epix or Enduro 2.

Ultimately, it comes down to which features are most important to you. If chunky practicality and outright battery life are key for you, then you'll be better served by a device from the likes of Garmin or Coros. However, if you're looking for a watch that can also replace your phone in many situations, the Apple Watch Ultra is well worth your consideration.

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A new Apple Watch specially designed for extreme supports is likely to arrive this fall, according to new insider info.

Rumors about a rugged Apple Watch began to circulate last year, when Bloomberg's tech reporter Mark Gurman revealed that he had inside info on the new device. The rugged watch failed to materialize with the launch of the Apple Watch 7 in 2021, but new rumors suggest that it may be arriving this fall alongside the Apple Watch 8. In his latest column, Gurman says that the device is on track for release this year according to "people with knowledge of the plans".

A rough-and-tumble sports watch would be a big departure for Apple, whose classic Apple Watch is small, sleek, and not brilliantly suited to life in the great outdoors. Its main issue is battery life; it needs to be charged every day, even in light use, which is one of its biggest disadvantages compared with the best GPS watches from the likes of Garmin, Polar, and Coros.

A larger battery would be one way to solve that problem, and Gurman's sources (who asked not to be identified) have confirmed that the new watch will indeed be packing a bigger power cell.

A bigger, tougher watch

The sources also claim that upcoming watch will have a slightly larger screen, measuring 2in in diameter compared to 1.9in for the standard Apple Watch. "The display will have a resolution of about 410 pixels by 502 pixels and retain the same overall sharpness as the existing models," Gurman says, seemingly scotching any suggestion that the new watch might use a lower-resolution memory-in-pixel display to save power.

Gurman claims the new watch will also have a case made of "a strong metal rather than aluminum". At Advnture, we suspect that's likely to be titanium, which is favored by many watchmakers for its strength and lightness.

In fact, you can already buy an Apple Watch 7 with a titanium case, so it'll be interesting to see what (if any) changes are made to ruggedize it further. If Apple wants to maintain the watch's general look, it might choose to implement an internal shock protection structure similar to that used by Casio G-Shock watches.

So far Apple has declined to comment on Gurman's column, but we'll keep our ear to the ground for more news and keep you updated as soon as we know more.

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A few weeks ago, Apple announced that it's getting truly serious about running, adding a bundle of new features that will put the Apple Watch in direct competition with Garmin. Following the update to WearOS 9 later this year, Apple Watches will be able to measure running power (without the need for any additional accessories), plus metrics like stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation.

It's impressive, but software alone isn't going to be enough to make runners, hikers, and climbers trade in their Garmin, Coros, and Polar devices. The Apple Watch just isn't tough enough for life on the trails or the crag – but that might be about to change.

It's hard to foresee Apple making drastic changes to the classic Apple Watch as we know it. In fact, the Apple Watch 6 and 7 are nearly identical to the naked eye, with the latter having a fractionally larger display. However, the company could shake things up by releasing a completely new device alongside the classic Apple Watch – something that can compete with the best Garmin watches on the hardware side as well.

Rumors about an Apple Watch Rugged Edition began last year, when Mark Gurman of Bloomsberg shared a snippet of insider info in his regular Power On newsletter. Gurman, who has established himself as an authority on all things Apple, wrote that the company was investigating the possibility of building a tougher smartwatch with 'extreme sports' in mind.

The watch failed to materialize with the launch of the Apple Watch 7 later in the year, but Gurman still believes it's in the works, and has now suggested that the Rugged Edition may well appear alongside the Apple Watch 8.

Apple's 2022 product showcase is fast approaching (the event typically takes place in the fall), and may give us out first glimpse of this new watch, if it does indeed exist. However, it's got its work cut out if it's going to tempt Garmin users away.

Much, much longer battery life

The biggest hurdle for the Apple Watch Rugged Edition will be battery life. The Apple Watch 7 has to be placed on its charger every day, whereas the best GPS watches can go weeks between charges in ordinary use, or even months if equipped with the company's photovoltaic Power Glass.

One-day battery life just isn't good enough for a true sports watch, so Apple may need to make some sacrifices, such as downgrading the watch's screen to something less power-hungry than its current always-on Retina display, and crafting a chunkier case that can house a larger power cell.

A touch of plastic

When the going gets tough, the tough use resin. The Apple Watch is known for its sleek all-metal case, but that's not the most practical choice for a knockabout lifestyle. Garmin's must rugged watches, the Instinct series, have cases made entirely from fiber-reinforced resin that's hard to scuff, lightweight, and shock absorbent. Other watches like the Fenix 7 have a layer of metal over the bezel and lugs, with resin underneath.

Even full-metal sports watches like the forthcoming Casio G-Shock GA-B001 feature carefully placed internal resin structures to protect their internal components.

It might not look quite as smooth and chic, but the Apple Watch Rugged Edition will likely need to expand into less glamorous materials.

Buttons (and lots of them)

I've mentioned it before, but one of the Apple Watch 7's biggest downfalls as a sports watch is its lack of physical buttons. The Digital Crown is lovely to use, scrolling smoothly through menus and down pages, but it's not easy to operate with wet, cold, or gloved hands – and you can forget about the touchscreen.

Garmin has started equipping its Fenix and Forerunner lines with touchscreens, but it's kept the five physical buttons around the circumference of the case that make them easy to operate in harsh or wet conditions. All the other big sports watch brands (including Coros, Polar, and Suunto) use a similar control system for exactly the same reason, and if Garmin wants to steal their lunch, it'll need to follow their example.

Free workouts

Apple Fitness Plus gives you access to a huge (and rapidly growing) catalog of video workouts, including guided runs. However, although you get a free trial when you buy an Apple Watch, once that expires you'll have to pay $9.99 / £9.99 per month or $79.99 / £79.99 per year to keep using it.

Garmin doesn't have anything similar, but what it does have are customizable run coaching programs designed to help you achieve a goal by a certain date (such as running a 10k in a particular time), with training sessions that adapt based on your fitness and past performance. 

If Apple wants to compete, it will at least need to make its Time to Run sessions freely available to Apple Watch Rugged Edition owners so they don't feel obliged to pay a subscription fee to get the most out of their watch.

Apple has just revealed a raft of new sports tracking tools that are coming soon to the Apple Watch – and if you were thinking of investing in a new sports watch like the Garmin Forerunner 255, they might make you pause and reconsider.

Apple announced at its annual WWDC  (Worldwide Developer Conference) event, where the company reveals what's in store for the next iteration of its desktop and mobile operating systems. The latest version of its wearable operating system, watchOS 9, will probably become available around early fall, and is set to bring some big changes on the fitness front.

The most interesting of these relate to running, and once your Apple Watch receives the latest update, it'll be able to show you a host of new metrics including running power and efficiency stats that you'd normally expect to get from a dedicated sports watch paired with a foot-mounted device like the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod or Nurvv smart insoles.

Although it's perhaps best known for the 'ring' interface that encourages casual wearers to stay active throughout the day and take a certain number of steps, Apple has been working hard to make its smartwatch tempting for athletes too.

It all started in December 2020 with the launch of Apple Fitness Plus – a Peloton-style workout-on-demand service that lets subscribers follow video workouts on their iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, with live heart rate data streamed to the screen from their Apple Watch. Fitness Plus has expanded rapidly ever since, with new sports, activities and instructors joining the fray every few months, and more workouts added every week.

In January 2021, Apple added Time to Walk: a podcast-style set of programs to accompany you on a gentle stroll, but this was followed in January 2022 by the more energetic Time to Run, in which running coaches lead you through a virtual tour of their favorite routes with tips to mix up your training. Now it's taking things even further.

Advanced running metrics

When watchOS 9 lands, Apple Watches will also be able to calculate vertical oscillation, stride length, and ground contact time. Many watches can estimate stride length using their accelerometers, but the other two are stats that are usually gathered by a unit that attaches to your shoe. It's tough to say how accurate Apple's method of calculating them from the wrist will be, but we're interested to see how its measurements stack up against those from dedicated devices.

The Apple Watch will also be able to calculate running power from the wrist. This is something already offered by many of the best GPS watches, but is only available on Garmin devices with an additional Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Pro heart rate monitor.

There's good news if you're a fan of heart rate  training as well, as the Apple Watch will soon provide alerts as you move between zones, helping you stay in the one you want and avoid accidentally pushing too hard during those long. slow weekend runs.

Finally, the Apple Watch is getting a dedicated triathlon option, which will switch between cycling, swimming, and running modes automatically. Although common for sports watches, this is very unusual for an everyday smartwatch, and shows that Apple has the likes of Garmin firmly in its sights.

However, there's one huge difference between an Apple Watch and a device like the Forerunner 255, and that's battery life. An Apple Watch needs recharging daily, whereas the Forerunner 255 can run for up to  two weeks in smartwatch mode. Of course, things could change in the future, and there's a chance that the Apple Watch 8 might shake things up when it arrives later this year, but we're not expecting a seismic change.

The Apple Watch's lack of physical buttons will also be off-putting for many athletes. While the Digital Crown works well in most conditions, it's not as versatile as Garmin's traditional five-button setup when your hands are cold, wet, or wearing gloves.

If you're interested in multi-day adventures then you'll want to stick with your dedicated sports watch, but runners and triathletes who prefer shorter events now have another option to consider. 

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