Choosing the best headphones is always a compromise. You could buy the most powerful, noise-cancelling, bass-pounding, ear-smothering units on the planet, but – from the lack of waterproofing to the risk of your ears overheating – they’d be absolutely useless for running.

Bone-conducting models, meanwhile, are lightweight, fit snugly on your noggin, and don’t shut out ambient sounds. Unfortunately, you generally have to sacrifice audio quality (particularly on bass notes) when you’re listening to your favourite tunes.

These OpenRun Pro 2 headphones are something of a hybrid, however. Bone-conduction specialist Shokz has built additional, more conventional air-based speakers into the headset to complement the sound being transmitted through your skull. But how does this new-look 'DualPitch' tech perform on the trail?

Design and features

Appearance-wise, Shokz (FKA AfterShokz) hasn’t reinvented the bone-conducting headphone wheel. You know the drill: two transducers hook over your ears, clamped to your head by a springy band, in this case constructed from silicone and a nickel-titanium memory alloy.

The OpenRun Pro 2s are available in three colorways – Black, Orange and a special orange/white edition endorsed by former marathon world record holder (and Shokz global ambassador) Eliud Kipchoge. You can also buy the headphones in Standard and Mini fits. This Shokz video can help you choose the right size.

Perhaps the biggest worry when you purchase bonephones is that the headband might break, rendering them utterly useless – as I discovered to my cost when someone (who shall remain nameless) trod on a previous pair, and revealed rather more of their internal electronics than I’d have liked.

These headphones are durable enough to survive being shoved in a daypack, though they do come with a reassuringly solid zip case to help keep them in one piece – a step up from the cloth bag you get with some models, like the Suunto Sonics . The case also has a slot for a charging cable.

Speaking of which, the OpenRun Pro 2 is charged via the now-standard USB-C connection, its power socket protected from the elements by a handy little rubber cover. At just a foot long (30cm), the cable supplied is a little on the short side – you’ll find your headphones dangle from many plug sockets – but USB-C has become so ubiquitous that you’re bound to have a longer version somewhere in the house.

Connectivity and sound

Pairing the headset with your device is as simple as turning it on, holding down the power/volume-up button until the LED indicator flashes blue and red, and looking for Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 in your Bluetooth settings.

Of course, that should be the bare minimum for any Bluetooth device, and for me the revelation was what came next.

Even using the out-of-the-box 'Standard' setting, the sound quality was a significant step up from any bone-conduction headphones I’d used before. Even bassier tones sounded good, with none of the buzzing that sometimes occurs at higher volumes.

Shokz claims that its new DualPitch technology uses the boney bit to handle the trebles and the mids, while the air speaker takes care of the bass. It sounds like jargon, but the OpenRun Pro 2s really deliver on the promise. In fact, when “Bass Boost” is switched on (via the Shokz app – more on that in the Operation section below), there really isn’t much to choose between these headphones and a set of in-air buds.

The range is good enough that you can keep listening a good distance away from your device. My standard test for Bluetooth devices is whether I can keep listening when I go to make a cup of tea in the kitchen at the far end of the house, and these bonephones pass with flying colors.

MultiPoint Pairing promises to allow you to switch your headphones between two devices seamlessly. I tested this out with my iPhone and iPad, and can confirm that the OpenRun Pro 2s transitions between a song and a TV show with minimal effort.

Operation

When you’re out running, you don’t want to be messing around with complicated controls. My main issue with the OpenRock X air-conducting headphones, for example, was the fiddly nature of the buttons, but there’s no such issues here – everything is intuitive and seemingly foolproof.

The left-hand transducer features a single multifunction button, which can be used to play/pause music and answer phone calls (one click); skip forward to the next song (two clicks); and skip back to the previous song (three clicks). The right-hand arm, meanwhile, is home to the volume controls, which also double as the on/off switch.

Although you can happily use the OpenRun Pro 2s without it, the Shokz app adds extra nuance to the user experience. As well as checking your battery levels, you can switch between four in-built audio modes (“Standard”, “Vocal”, “Bass Boost” and 'Treble Boost') or create your own bespoke EQ settings. You can also update the headphones’ firmware.

I’ve seen more sophisticated apps for comparable products, but this one is easy to use, and does most of the things you need it to.

On the trails

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones have become my go-to choice pretty much anytime I want to listen to music or a podcast. They’ve accompanied me on road runs in Bath, on trails in Cornwall, Devon and Staffordshire, and have also stepped up to the task when I’m walking into town, cooking or doing the housework – they’re particularly useful around the house because I don’t miss inevitable shouts of, “Dad, can I…?!”

The sound quality is consistently impressive. Spoken-word podcasts are loud and clear – though I’m not a fan of the Vocal setting, which can sound a bit tinny – while the thumping bass is welcome when you’re pushing yourself at the end of a long run. I get many hours of use between charges, and it’s also useful to know that plugging the headphones in for 5-10 minutes is enough to power them up for a couple of hours on the trails if you’re short on time.

As I have a large head I’ve been wearing the Standard fit. They clamp to my head perfectly, not so tight as to be uncomfortable, but snug enough to ensure they’re not going to fall off. They certainly feel less prone to unwanted shifting than my glasses, and I’m pretty sure they’d stay in place if I wore them on a rollercoaster – alas, I don’t have one readily to hand to put this hypothesis to the test.

There’s no question the OpenRun Pro 2’s IP55 IP rating for waterproofing (billed as sweat-resistant) is a step back from the IP67 of my old Shokz Aeropex model or the slightly cheaper OpenRun – presumably a consequence of introducing tiny grilles for the air-based speakers. But while a little more waterproofing would be good for peace of mind when using a relatively pricey product, these headphones have come through numerous downpours intact, and don’t seem particularly susceptible to rain damage.

As with all bone-conduction headphones, the Shokz OpenRun 2s can struggle to compete against background noise, whether it’s traffic, public transport or wind. Phone calls are particularly hard work when the weather gets gusty but, frankly, on the rare occasion that I need to make a call in blustery conditions I’ll go old-school and hold the phone to my ear.

And sure, it would be nice if they fit conveniently in the pocket of my jeans when I’m out for the evening, but that really isn’t what these headphones are designed for.

But these are minor niggles. Compromises are always a necessity with headphones, but frankly these are compromises I’m prepared to make for this genuinely impressive piece of kit.

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Need a little extra help while you're hiking? Taking on challenging trails could be about to get a lot easier, as outdoor tech brand Hypershell has announced its latest 'ground-breaking' exoskeleton.

The new Hypershell X Ultra straps onto your waist and thighs to provide an extra boost while you're walking or climbing. It uses a combination of AI technology and super-smart robotics to ease the burden on your legs, reducing your heart rate, oxygen consumption, and overall exertion on the trails.

The Chinese brand already has several exoskeleton models on the market, but claims the X Ultra is its best yet.

“We are at a new frontier where technology serves to deepen our connection with the world, not distance us from it,” explains a statement from CEO Kelvin Sun.

“Our goal with Hypershell X Ultra is to remove physical barriers and give people the confidence to say ‘yes’ to that mountain peak, or that extra mile. It’s all about enabling personal achievement and ensuring the joy of adventure is open to everyone, regardless of their natural endurance."

The device will become available to the public on September 15 and will cost $1,999 (£1,599) direct from the Hypershell website, although this is an 'early bird' price.

The X Ultra is powered by the Hypershell's AI MotionEngine Ultra, and features more than a dozen sensors, which monitor your movements and aim to deliver support exactly where it's needed.

Hypershell claims that this translates to an astounding 39% decrease in physical exertion while cycling and a 20% reduction on tough hiking trails.

Its power and various modes can be adjusted on the Hypershell app. Different modes include Descent Assist for greater knee protection when you head downhill and Running+ to help you sprint.

The device, which weighs 3.9lb (1.8kg), comes with two batteries that each last up to 42,000 steps per charge and are designed to continue working in heavy rain and chilly temperatures.

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Amazfit T-Rex 3: first impressions 

When the Amazfit T-Rex 3 dropped last fall it was billed as the ultimate outdoor GPS watch by the Chinese brand, while onlookers hailed it as a rival to the Garmin Fenix 8. Given that the Fenix 8 is a premium watch from the world's biggest brand, and given that the T-Rex 3 comes in at about a quarter of the price, that claim was optimistic. However, this is still a great watch for adventurers heading into the backcountry – especially if you have a more limited tech budget.

The T-Rex 3 promises a rugged build, weeks of battery life, endless activity modes, smartwatch functionality and proper maps on its big, bright AMOLED screen. All for $279.99 (£249.99). Could it deliver? Mostly, but there are some wrinkles.

We had already given its predecessor, the Amazfit T-Rex 2, nearly perfect marks for its tough build, battery life and navigation features, so our hopes were high for this watch. Plus, the corresponding Zepp app has seen almost continuous improvements over the last couple of years, making it considerably easier to use.

The watch comes in a robust build that some might say is too big and bulky for all but the burliest of users. On the upside, I wouldn't be afraid to drop it on a rocky trail, thanks to its stainless steel bezel, polymer middle frame and gorilla glass screen. It's rated for free diving, so a bit of wet weather isn't going to pose a problem either.

It's powered by a battery that the brand claims gives you up to 42 hours of support in accurate GPS mode, or up to 27 days with typical use. In our field tests, we found it didn't quite live up to that incredibly high standard, but it does rival the lifespan of Coros watches, which gives it an edge over its Garmin competition. It is, however, a little on the slow side to charge.

As an outdoor adventure junkie, I was excited about the prospect of free, downloadable maps, which I thought would display well given the 1.5in (38mm) AMOLED display. In reality, I found the process of downloading maps a little fiddly, and they didn't display as well as on other watches. However, the GPS was accurate. The screen is easy to view in all light conditions, but it's not super responsive in gesture mode, which can be annoying.

Heart rate tracking was also accurate when compared with other watches, though it was sometimes a little slow to catch up when I went from slow to fast or flat to steep. Health tracking is all done by the Zepp app, which has really improved and allows you to access everything from training readiness to sleep scores. While most of us probably wouldn’t choose to sleep with a watch this size, it has a surprisingly comfortable fit – despite the brutish build.

The T-Rex 3 boasts lots of smartwatch capabilities, which means you can respond to texts and control your music playback, but you can't make or take calls like you can with the Fenix 8, and you can't install Spotify. There's also no LED flashlight for nocturnal escapades.

But enough about what's not there. This is a tough, capable sports watch that's easy to use and has a responsive touchscreen and voice commands. It doesn't seem fair or helpful to compare it to the Fenix 8, largely because you're either in the market for a thousand-dollar watch or a budget-friendly watch. We can't say it's as good, but it does share important DNA with its pricier rival and boasts plenty of perks for adventurers.

Amazfit T-Rex 3: in the field 

I've been testing the T-Rex 3 for the past three weeks of summer activities. Usually when I'm testing a sports watch, I try it out hiking, trail running, pool swimming and for yoga. However, I quickly realized this particular watch is too big to reasonably wear for lap swimming or for yoga. That's fine, because it's billed as an adventure watch rather than a general fitness watch, such as the Amazfit Active 2.

I've been wearing it on my right wrist on the trails in Scotland, including up one Munro, and using my Coros Pace 3 on my left wrist as a comparison.

Design

The T-Rex 3 comes in just one size, and it's ginormous. I don't have a birdlike bone structure, but I'm on the small side, and this beefy piece absolutely dominates my wrist.

That said, whereas the Fenix 8 bruised my wrist for the first few days of wearing it, this watch is surprisingly comfortable. Yes, it gets in the way when I'm putting on my backpack, and no, I couldn't possibly sleep with it on, but for everything in between, it's fine. However, if a smaller version were available, I'd snap it up.

Part of the reason I haven't found this watch too annoying is that I've been testing it in warm weather. It's no problem to wear with a short-sleeved shirt and even a rain jacket or windbreaker, but come winter, I can imagine it being difficult to team with multiple layers, given its high-rise profile.

It's operated by four buttons: top-right takes you into activities, while bottom-right is a back button that takes you into apps such as the Zepp Coach, your workout history and current heart rate. On the left side, there's an up and down button to navigate menus. If you press on the bottom left from the home screen, you get a snapshot of the day where you can see the weather forecast, your most recent workout, training load and recovery time. If you press the top left from the home screen, you get into settings where you can activate a 'do not disturb' setting, adjust screen brightness, check your battery level and more.

All of these screens can also be accessed by swiping in various directions – it's all pretty intuitive.

Features

This watch is absolutely packed with features. Not satisfied with just being an adventure watch, it's also got tons of smartwatch capability and training recommendations provided via the Zepp app.

Maps are free to download for offline use (see more below in 'Performance') and combined with a big, bright screen, they are a definite perk for navigating in the wild. The GPS uses six satellite positioning systems and can be disabled, along with tracking, which you might want to do for safety reasons.

The BioTracker 6.0 PPG biometric sensor is the primary health monitor, tracking key metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation and stress levels. It also analyzes your workouts to give you training readiness and recovery scores.

The dive function is a huge bonus and I almost couldn't believe the number of sports modes (nearly 180), which include ultra marathon training, pickleball, wingsuit flying, hula hooping, artistic swimming and Hyrox. The latter seems to be the one the brand is most excited about, which is understandable given the meteoric rise of the circuit training trend, but I admit I haven't tested it in a Hyrox capacity and almost certainly never will.

You can’t install music streaming apps, but you can control playback from your phone and pair headphones. There’s no built-in LED flashlight – a feature that’s becoming increasingly expected on adventure watches, especially with Garmin’s latest Fenix and Enduro models setting the standard.

Performance

A bit like when a restaurant has a 10-page menu, having lots of features in this case means that not all of them function perfectly.

To use maps, you first need to download the area you want via the app. Once that’s done, sending a route to your watch should display it as a proper map, not just line-and-pointer navigation. In my excitement, I jumped on a train, connected to the WiFi, and was pleased by how straightforward the process was. I selected all of Scotland and downloaded it in just a few minutes. But out on the trail, I still only had line-and-pointer navigation – no full map display.

When I got home, I tried downloading the map again, but kept getting a message saying I needed to enable it in ‘map settings'. At first, I couldn’t find that option – until I realized it was referring to the settings on the watch itself, not within the app. The prompt could have been clearer.

On my next outing up Ben Lomond I managed to activate the map, but I can't say it's the best map I've ever used. There were some topographical features – I could see a river when I crossed it – but it lacked detail. The bigger issue is that the route is shown from a fixed top-down view, rather than aligning with your direction of travel. As with Google Maps, I expect the pointer to face forward so it’s clear which way to turn – but on the T-Rex 3, it can point in any direction, which I found disorienting. At one junction, I even had to take a wrong turn in order to figure out which was the right way. It’s manageable for hiking, but could be frustrating if you’re trail running and need to keep stopping.

Another odd thing was that the display showed how much of the hike was remaining in kilometers. That's great, but knowing the hike, I quickly realized this was way off and soon determined that it meant to say distance elapsed, which is a big difference.

On a more positive note, the display is excellent and easy to read. I especially like that I can easily see when sunset is while I'm hiking or running, so I can make sure I'm back before dark.

As for my heartbeat, accuracy was generally within one beat. I did, however, notice that it was a little slow to catch up when I accelerated or slowed down, so I'm not sure how good the acceleration sensor is, and as I've mentioned, it was too big to wear for sleep, so I wasn't able to take advantage of that data.

I don't think the battery quite lives up to claims, but it is excellent. Using it for four hours in GPS mode drained about 20 percent, which, by my estimation, means you'd get more like 20 hours out of it, rather than 42. That said, it is one of the better batteries out there. In a normal week for me, which includes a long hike plus a couple of trail runs, I can get around 12 to 13 days from a single charge, and when out of GPS mode, it barely drains at all.

You charge the watch via Amazfit's charging cradle (included) with a USB-C cord. The cradle snaps right into place and is secure, but I did notice that charging takes quite a long time.

Finally, although I think the Zepp app has improved since I've been using it, it sometimes gives me recommendations that don't seem at all grounded in my actual activity. It still needs tweaking.

The T-Rex 3 isn't a perfect watch, but it's intuitive, has fantastic battery life, and the screen is great. I'll also add here that the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro – set to launch in October 2025 and currently on my desk – promises to address many of the issues I’ve mentioned. It features an LED flashlight and auto-rerouting maps for when you stray off course.

Value

It might seem as though I've focused heavily on flaws in this article, but to be clear, this watch is outstanding value. I'm not quite sure how Amazfit manages to pack so much into its devices and keep the prices so low. The materials aren't on par with the quality offered by premium watches from big-name brands, but they are totally in line with other mid-range watches.

The only thing I can think of is that, instead of spending years in research, the brand is happy to release watches that aren't quite perfect, then update them as they go, helping keep costs down. If I'm right, that means you might get a few quirks, but in this case, for a fair price you can buy a rugged GPS watch with maps and smartwatch capabilities that will support you on your gnarliest adventures.

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Comparison table

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Could your next smartwatch be an Amazfit? The Chinese watch brand has unveiled its latest high-tech wearable, and it's got loads of new features to get excited about.

The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro watch is the latest in Amazfit's T-Rex range of watches designed for sports enthusiasts who want to track their performance in immense detail. It comes with plenty of health trackers, advanced mapping, and an impressive battery life, and will set you back a lot less than a top-of-the-range Garmin.

The T-Rex 3 Pro comes in two sizes, 48mm and 44mm. The former features a 1.5in AMOLED display while the latter has a 1.32in display. Both are protected by sturdy sapphire glass and tough titanium bezels.

Price

At $399.99 (£399.90), the Amazfit T-Rex Pro is comparable to upper mid-range sports watches like the Garmin Forerunner 965 and older models like the Fenix 7.

It will set you back a lot less than the latest top-end Garmin models, but costs noticeably more than the previous T-Rex 3, which comes in at $279.99 (£279).

Sports and fitness features

The T-Rex 3 Pro was designed with athletes, particularly runners, in mind, and features more than 180 different sports modes to help you train. The sports included range from trail running to watersports, and there are even specialist HYDROX modes.

While you work out, the T-Rex 3 Pro tracks your well-being with an extensive array of health monitors that keep tabs on everything from your heart rate to breathing. Afterwards, the watch monitors your recovery and updates its Bioscore Energy fatigue indicator, which is meant to inform when you can hit the trails next.

GPS and mapping

The T-Rex 3 Pro features tens of thousands of detailed topographic maps, which you can access for free and check on while you work out. You can also pinpoint key locations and generate new routes in a few simple steps.

Once you're on the trails, it uses a circular polarization antenna to receive accurate GPS signals and track your position with precision.

Battery life

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the T-Rex 3 Pro is its extensive battery life. This brand-new watch can last for up to three weeks on a single charge, depending on what you're using it for.

With GPS and always-on display modes on, your battery will deplete a lot faster, but it can still survive for a while. The 48mm watch lasts for up to 19 hours, while the smaller 44m watch boasts 13 hours of battery life.

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Garmin's latest high-tech smartwatch is here, with loads of new features and functions to help you hit the trails and explore the wilderness with confidence.

The Fenix 8 Pro is an upgraded version of the super-smart Fenix 8, which launched in 2024 and combined a tough, rugged design with state-of-the-art GPS and sports features.

The Pro adds to all the bells and whistles of its predecessor with several new features, including ground breaking access to Garmin's InReach tech, designed to help you stay connected anywhere that normal phone signals can't reach.

Design-wise, it's pretty similar to Fenix 8, featuring a sapphire crystal lens, encased in a titanium bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer case with a titanium rear cover.

It's also got the same wide array of health and fitness trackers, designed to monitor your progress and help you improve your performance in the wilderness.

Price

The Fenix 8 Pro looks to be one of Garmin's most impressive models, but it will also likely be one of its most expensive. The costly MicroLED version costs $1,999.99 (£1,729.99), while the AMOLED version costs $1,199.99 (£1,119.99).

In comparison, the standard Fenix 8, which remains one of Garmin's flagship models, remains priced at $1,099.99 (£899.99).

GPS and InReach technology

The Fenix 8 Pro is Garmin's first watch to use InReach technology for satellite and LTE connectivity. This tech is usually used in Garmin's handheld GPS devices, and allows you to stay connected regardless of your whereabouts in the wilderness.

With an active InReach subscription, you can send and receive messages from remote, off-grid locations and make calls without needing to connect to your phone. LiveTrack location sharing is also handy, allowing loved ones to monitor your progress as you negotiate wild trails.

In an emergency, you can trigger an SOS alert. This signal will be received by Garmin's 24/7 international coordination center, which will pass your information on to local search and rescue agencies.

Navigation has also been improved with the introduction of Garmin's TopoActive maps feature. These maps paint a detailed picture of your route and pinpoint potential points of interest, like upcoming summits and viewpoints.

MicroLED display

The Fenix 8 Pro is the first Garmin device to feature a brand new MicroLED touchscreen display.

It's comprised of 400,000 LED lights, which create a "revolutionary display that produces rich colors and high pixel densities with wide viewing angles and superior readability - even in direct sunlight," according to Garmin.

This display is only available in the large 51mm size. If you've got smaller wrists or prefer a standard AMOLED display, the Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED version is available in both 47mm and 51mm sizes.

Battery life

Despite several new features, the Fenix 8 Pro has suffered slightly in the battery department.

The MicroLED version can survive for up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and 14 days in battery saver watch mode, while the AMOLED Fenix 8 Pro boasts up to 27 days in smartwatch mode and 34 days in battery saver mode.

In comparison, the standard Fenix 8 can keep on kicking for up to 29 days in smartwatch mode and 41 days in battery saver mode.

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Hikers and climbers have two new options to help them head into the wilderness with confidence, as Garmin has released a duo of super smart handheld GPS devices.

The new GPSMAP H1 and GPSMAP H1i Plus utilize Garmin's GPS technology to track your whereabouts and keep you in touch with the outside world when you lose signal.

Both devices feature 3.5-inch color touchscreen displays and physical buttons, which you can use to access preloaded topographic maps and satellite imagery and track your progress as you hike.

They both boast up to 145 hours of battery life in GPS mode and come with an array of high-tech safety features to keep you safe in the wilderness. Livetrack sharing, for example, allows you to share your location with loved ones back at home, while a live weather feature provides up-to-date information and warnings about local weather conditions.

If you're in danger, you can trigger an SOS alert. This signal will be received by Garmin's 24/7 international coordination center, which will pass your information on to local search and rescue agencies.

The H1i Plus is the premium device and comes with a few more bells and whistles to streamline your outdoor experience.

With an active InReach subscription, you can share photos, voice messages, and texts regardless of your position in the wilderness. There are built-in front and back cameras so you can snap a selfie or a landscape shot, and your device will also respond to voice commands.

"When your journey takes you off the grid, the new GPSMAP H1i Plus lets you connect with loved ones through a photo, a text message or a voice memo where mobile phones do not work," says Garmin's Vice President of Consumer Sales & Marketing, Susan Lyman.

"Now, you can share your adventures in real-time, sending photos when you’re at the mountain summit or communicate with friends and family from the trail."

Although they're impressive, these extra features will cost a pretty penny. The GPSMAP H1i Plus will set you back $999.99 (£849.99) while the standard H1 is priced at $699.99 (£549.99).

These devices are the latest in Garmin's range of handheld GPS devices. We've tested and been very impressed with previous models, including the InReach Mini 2, which received a rare five-star rating in our review.

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In what looks like the latest move to secure its place among the top GPS watch brands, Amazfit has signed trail running star Ruth Croft to its roster of athletes.

The New Zealand runner is heading back to the UTMB finals next week for her second attempt at the legendary 100-mile race after coming second in her 2024 debut, and she'll have an Amazfit watch strapped to her wrist when she arrives in Chamonix.

Croft took first place at Western States in 2022 and has already won the Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB 100k race this year. Among her many achievements, she also ran the length of Greenland's 125-mile Arctic Circle Trail in 2022.

The 36-year-old previously worked for Garmin, and Amazfit says she will be working with its Research and Development team to contribute to the creation of new products and the refinement of existing ones "to help deliver the most advanced, athlete-focused sports watches on the market."

“I’m equally excited about representing Amazfit on the global stage and getting hands-on with the product development process,” says the ultra runner, who's also training to be a naturopath.

“I’ve spent years understanding what athletes truly need from their sports watches, and I look forward to bringing that knowledge to help Amazfit establish itself as the reference point for innovation and quality in the category.”

The announcement is a strong indication that Amazfit intends to stake out a place in the world of elite athletes, and follows news that American trail runner Rod Farvard has also joined the Chinese wearables brand.

Both runners will be competing at the 100-mile distance in next week's UTMB finals. Find out who else is running, and how to watch this iconic event in our article on the 2025 starting list.

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Garmin Forerunner 570: first impressions 

In 2024, Strava's Year in Sport review revealed one clear winner when it comes to GPS watches: the Garmin Forerunner. While this Garmin range has earned its reputation as one of the brand's most dependable, there's always room for improvement, and ever since the 570 was announced as the official successor to the 265, we've been excited to see what's next.

The 265 was already an excellent entry-level triathlon watch with an AMOLED screen and was the first smaller Forerunner to feature touchscreen functionality. The 570 has taken that winning formula and added an even crisper screen, smartwatch functions similar to what you'll find in the Venu 3, so you can take and make calls from your wrist, and a new heart rate monitor, the Elevate v5, which provides really excellent tracking.

There are two sizes available, with the choice of a 42mm or 47mm case size and several fun colorways of silicone strap including Raspberry, Cloud Blue and Lemon Yellow, in addition to the bog standard black and grey. The aluminum bezel is a welcome upgrade that both looks and feels more robust, and the watch manages not to be too heavy despite it, weighing only 1.76oz (50g) for the larger size.

The design has no surprises: there's a Start/Stop and Back/Lap button on one side and Up, Down, and Light on the other, and Garmin has even been so kind as to label them, which is fantastically helpful. It's a high-profile watch, and by that we mean pretty bulky – enough that you'll find it annoying to wear with long sleeves – but really quite comfortable on the wrist.

Almost no matter what you're doing and how cold your hands are, it's easy to operate between the responsive touchscreen and voice commands, and the interface is really intuitive for a watch that has many options.

For features, there's not nothing here that we haven't seen before on another Garmin watch, but that doesn't mean it isn't feature-packed and everything works brilliantly. The new heart monitor is pristine, as is the GPS tracking, and it supports a ton of different activity modes, with a few intriguing additions like gravel biking and skate skiing. Though it's not a dive watch, you can take in the water for swimming and kayaking.

It's probably more helpful to talk about what's missing than what's included. For starters, the Forerunner 570 still lacks proper maps, and while the line-and-pointer navigation does work, we think that with such a great screen and such a high price, it would be a great time to have added that function for outdoor adventurers.

There is no LED flashlight (Garmin saves that for the newer Fenix and Enduro models), but there is the possibility of a white and red light screen for late-night rooting around.

It also still doesn't have ECG functionality, which again seems like it could have been an easy win, what with the updated HR monitor and price tag. Outside of that, you can expect all the metrics and tracking you've probably come to expect from Garmin, including Training Readiness Score, Training Status (which Garmin says is improved), Body Battery and Sleep Tracking.

The official battery life is up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to 18 hours in GPS mode. We turned off the Always On display, and even when using it in GPS mode for nearly 10 hours we got about a week out of a single charge.

All in, this is an improvement on its already-celebrated predecessor, and if you've been running with an old Garmin watch, you'll be thrilled with this watch's performance. That said, it is $200 / £150 more expensive than the 265, so it's starting to inch into the premium pricing zone. At that price, you might expect one or two extra bells and whistles, and if you already own a newer Garmin, we probably can't make the case for an upgrade.

Garmin Forerunner 570: in the field 

I've been testing the Garmin Forerunner 570 on the trails (and in the pool a couple of times) for the past three weeks, clocking up a fair amount of miles between hiking and trail running in Scotland and in the Ashdown Forest of England. I've been wearing it on my right wrist and my Coros Pace 3 on my left wrist to see how the two compare in terms of metrics.

Here’s how it performed:

Design

I tested the 47mm case, which really does look massive on my wrist, and it's almost as high profile as the big and bulky Fenix 8 at 12.9mm thick. If I were to choose, I'd certainly opt for the smaller case, but I think the watch will look big on just about every wrist.

That did mean I couldn't comfortably sleep with it on my wrist, which meant I missed out on some data. However, I really am surprised at how comfortable this watch is to wear. I don't usually get on with silicone straps all that well, but this one manages to fit properly and feel quite light and friendly on my wrist.

I've been testing it during summer, so I haven't had to struggle to wear it with long sleeves, but it is still annoying when I'm trying to pull my backpack or running vest on, and I'm sure winter would be a different story.

The flip side of that is that with the new aluminum case, it has a really robust build and feels like the high-quality watch that it is. I accidentally whacked it against the sharp edge of a metal trash can in London a few weeks ago while I was walking down a busy street, and, thankfully, it didn't leave a scratch.

Features

This watch is packed with features, having kept everything from the Forerunner 265 and added more. When compared to other watches I've been testing, the new Elevate v5 heart rate monitor really is super precise.

You can scroll up from the home screen and quickly check Glance Folders like Training Readiness and Status, and the weather, and of course, this information is also delivered in a friendly morning and evening report, which I quite like.

Though I really wish it had proper maps, I used the line-and-pointer navigation on downloaded maps several times and found the GPS to be excellent. Other functions I used regularly on the trail are the Back to Start function, which gives you the option of retracing your steps, or going in a direct line, which could be risky in the wilderness, but elsewhere is a nice option if you need to get home fast. I also really appreciated that when I'm out on the trail, I can easily see how many hours I've got left until sunset.

Rather than the LED flashlight which I loved on the Fenix 8, it's just got a white and red light screen, which is somewhat useful for finding things in the dark when I'm getting ready for an early run, but not something that would provide much assistance on the trail.

The voice command works great and means that I can just double-press the Start button and say "start trail running" which works every time and means I never have to scroll to find the activity I want to do, and the touchscreen is really responsive.

I'm not so interested in the smartwatch functions, but I did test out the taking of a phone call, which is weird, but works, and there's music playback if you like to run to tunes.

Performance

Once again, the 570 manages to have a really intuitive interface and I think the labelling of the buttons is just genius, so I didn't have to spend any time at all getting to know this watch. The big bright screen really is a joy to use no matter whether I'm running in blinding sunshine with polarized sunglasses or through the Scottish mist and rain.

I primarily use sports watches to navigate on the trail and to track my adventures, so I downloaded a few maps from AllTrails to test this functionality. It was all very straightforward except that on my first run in the Ashdown Forest, I had foolishly downloaded two possible routes the night before. The morning of, I hit start on the trail I intended to run on my watch, but then pulled up the other, longer route on my phone, and pretty quickly was wondering why the two devices were giving me different information. I was worried the GPS was off on the watch, but in fact it was entirely user error, and I was really pleased with how quickly the watch buzzed to let me know I was off route, and got me back to where I intended to be.

The next time, I got it right and tested it out on a trail I knew and confirmed that it is very precise. I used the Back to Start function several times on new routes through the trees and really love that function. For trail running, when I get ready to start the activity, I like that it gives me the option to select the day's suggested workout (e.g. Base Run or Tempo Run).

Because the watch has a brighter screen, the battery life is a little less than the 265, but compared to some other watches I've tested lately (ahem, Suunto Run) I was quite satisfied. After a full charge, I was able to wear it for a week that included nearly 10 hours on the trail and two pool swims before I needed to charge it again.

Value

While this is an undeniably brilliant Garmin watch, the real crux of the 570 is its hefty price tag. While it's not in the same realm as the Fenix 8 or Enduro 3, it's really creeping up there in terms of price, and even though it delivers a lot, I think it's reasonable to wonder why it doesn't have some features like proper maps.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

When Garmin released the Fenix 8 last summer and the Amazfit T-Rex 3 came along a few months later, Coros clearly identified a glaring omission in its GPS watch lineup: a rugged adventure watch. According to Coros, that ends today, with the release of the Nomad, a watch that's purpose-built for your outdoor expeditions.

The Irvine, CA-based brand came to life with the Coros Pace watch back in 2018, entering the market with a lightweight, budget-friendly but reliable multi-sports watch. The first Coros Apex came along the same year with a higher quality build but similar performance, and in 2019 the brand launched its premium sports watch in the Coros Vertix, intended primarily for elite athletes.

Now, the Coros Nomad is here to carve out a new vertical in the Coros watch ecosystem that's specifically built for those who hike, trail run and fish in wild spaces. Keep reading for everything we know about this new release.

Starting with the nuts and bolts, the Nomad promises a higher quality bezel than the Pace or the Apex, with a dual-layer aluminum and polymer bezel. It comes with a hardened mineral glass screen rather than sapphire, which isn't quite as scratch-resistant, but is far less likely to shatter, arguably making it a better choice for outdoor environments, and we've found the mineral glass screen on the Pace 3 to be pretty bulletproof.

While most new releases lately, from the Amazfit Active 2 to the Garmin Forerunner 570, are focusing on bigger and brighter AMOLED screens than ever before, Coros has gone with a new high-contrast 1.3in Memory-In-Pixel display, which the company says improves color saturation and ensures clear visibility in both bright and low light conditions. The real benefit of this is of course is an incredible battery life – up to 50 hours in All-Systems GPS mode and up to 22 days in standard use according to the specs, which is key if you're on a multi-day mission.

For navigating in the backcountry, there's, of course, dual-frequency GPS as well as global maps with street names, waypoints, and save locations powered by a new, faster Gen 3 processor.

The most intriguing new feature is what Coros calls Adventure Journal, which allows you to record voice notes, upload photos and videos to your activities, which sounds great for reliving your adventure or for outdoor bloggers and influencers.

“We built NOMAD to help adventurers have a new way to capture memories and experiences, without compromising the high-performance hardware COROS users expect," says Coros CEO Lewis Wu.

"It can't replace being outdoors, but it can help you remember what it felt like to be there."

If your adventures tend to take you into deep or shallow waters, there's great news. The Nomad features eight dedicated fishing modes, including fly, lure and boat, and if you're an angler, environmental insights like Moon/Tide phases, air pressure can help you fish smarter. You can also log your catches and document species. Like most watches these days, it's rated 5 ATM water-resistant, which is more than enough for swimming and water sports.

As with other Coros watches, you have your choice of nylon and silicone bands, and the lightest option is a reasonable 49g. The Coros Nomad is available for $349 / £319 in three colorways: Green, Brown, and Dark Grey via Coros.

• The best GPS watches: smart timepieces to keep every adventure on track
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The Suunto Run: first impressions 

The Suunto Run is the Finnish brand's first GPS watch aimed exclusively at runners, and its first watch priced at under $250. In a nutshell, that means it's largely stripped away features that aren't necessary for runners, and focused on a watch that's lightweight, low profile, has music storage and provides great metrics and tracking across different types of running, such as trail, track, and treadmill plus a dedicated marathon mode. It also has plenty of other activity modes that runners might use as cross training, such as yoga, swimming and cycling, and even a few unrelated ones, like climbing and orienteering.

Despite its more budget-friendly price tag, the Run boasts a bright AMOLED display that you can view easily in any conditions, though it has simple line and pointer navigation rather than proper maps, which may be a downside for trail runners. It's got a super accurate GPS and heart rate monitor, with the Suunto app providing you with more data than you could ever need.

With a 1.8in (46mm) case, it's around the same size as the Suunto Race S with a low profile design, and it's lighter than many other watches we've tested. The nylon strap secures with hook-and-loop fastenings, and it's one of the most comfortable and secure designs we've tried.

The Run is operated with three buttons: a digital crown that takes you straight into the different sports modes if you press it, and can also be used to scroll through what Suunto calls your Widgets: control panel, heart rate, step count, sleep tracking and more. There's a Back button and a button that takes you directly into your most recent sports mode if pressed from the home screen. It's all slightly less confusing than the Race, where we always felt like no matter what we pressed, we ended up in the same place, and the buttons all work well.

You can also control the Run via the touchscreen, swiping up or down to access the Control Panel, and left to get right into sports modes, and it's all very responsive, though a bit surprising that you can't turn the touchscreen off.

On the features front, the Run is packed with all the cutting-edge training tools you'd expect, and it almost seems redundant to mention anymore, but just in case we need to, you'll find heart rate monitoring and GPS, a pulse oximeter, barometric altimeter, sleep tracking and recovery predictions. The homescreen can be tailored to show your current altitude, heart rate, calories burned, or whatever it is you want to keep an eye on.

Once you get out on the trail, the GPS is truly pristine, as is the heart rate tracking, and if you're running, you can train by duration, distance, calories burned or ascent. Interestingly, the Run advertises Sunnto's Ghost Runner mode, where a virtual pacer runs just ahead of you, but the watch we were sent to test seemed to be missing this feature, with no obvious way to download it.

When you get home from a run, one of the most glorious things about the Suunto app is that you'll be able to watch a digital flyover of your route on the 3D topo map so you can force the details of your run upon your friends and family endlessly.

The battery life definitely didn't seem to hold up to claims. With regular usage, meaning used most days for a run, hike or swim, we found we didn't even get a week out of a single charge (more like five days), and while that will sound like a lot to some Garmin users, it's nothing compared models like the Coros Pace 3 which lasts for weeks. As the battery drains, the watch becomes less responsive, which makes it difficult (or at least annoying) to get real-time data when you're out on the trail.

Because it's designed to be light and running-focused, it's not a full smartwatch, but you can read messages and receive call alerts, and even control music playback.

In total, the Run has 34 different sports modes, including water sports, and while it's not a dive watch, it is waterproof for swimmers. There's no LED flashlight, which at this price point should be obvious, but there is a bright white screen, which does provide a little illumination, if not enough to ditch your headlamp in winter.

Like every GPS watch on the planet, to access the entirety of metrics available, you need to wear this watch night and day so it can gather as much data as possible, and this one was fairly comfortable to wear for a few nights of testing. We especially appreciated how easy it is to turn on sleep mode so it doesn't wake everyone up with an unnecessary flashing green heart rate monitor.

The Run has accomplished some of its goals in that it's light, comfortable, affordable, and has some good running tools, and the AMOLED screen certainly ranks it higher than some budget watches, but it also falls short on battery life, maps and some promised features that seem to be missing. It's a good start and a good price, but if you're not too tied to the bright screen, you can probably find a better watch in the same price range.

Suunto Run: in the field 

I've been testing the Suunto Run for most of the summer, which means I've had it out here on the trails of Scotland, in the Lake District and in Verbier in the Swiss Alps. I've used it for hikes, yoga, and pool swimming as well as trail running, but here I'll mostly focus on how it performed for running.

I've been wearing it on my right wrist and my Coros Pace 3 on my left wrist to see how the two compare in terms of metrics.

Here’s how it performed:

Design

Being a lower-priced and lighter model, the Run is mostly made of plastic, but it does have a stainless steel bezel, and in general, it seems to be of good quality and robust build.

I tested the bright and fun Sonic Lime colorway, which came with two different-sized wrist straps (S/M and ML). The straps were a bit fiddly to put on, but the smaller size is perfect for my wrist, and I was really pleased with how comfortable and secure it feels.

It's secured by hook-and-loop fastenings, and it never budges once it's on. It's a little bigger than my Coros, and even the Suunto Race S, but it's relatively low profile, which means it's not annoying and doesn't make it difficult to get my clothes or backpack on when I'm wearing it. It also meant I could wear it overnight for a few nights, which I sometimes find impossible with bulkier watches.

The AMOLED screen does what it says on the tin and is easy to see whether I'm running in brilliant sunshine, overcast conditions or a downpour.

The Run looks like most watches I've tested, with three buttons on the right side of the case, and Suunto has simplified the buttons presumably after so much feedback about them being complicated in models like the Race, so it all became pretty instinctive pretty quickly. The placement of the digital crown button does mean that sometimes my wrist accidentally presses it when I'm doing a plank (an occupational hazard as a yoga teacher), but if you don't love plank as much as I do, this won't present much of an issue.

Features

Suunto bills this watch as being geared towards runners, and in a sense that's true, since it's the first to have a track running mode, but I think the sports tracking features and metrics are largely the ones we've all come to expect from a sports watch, like heart rate, sleep, and blood oxygen. I found the heart rate tracking to be extremely precise and especially during pool swimming.

In addition to the new track running mode, there's a marathon mode and interval training, which I think is fairly standard, but useful. One feature I was excited to test out was Ghost Runner, or a virtual pacer, but I couldn't find it anywhere on the watch, even after reading online guides. In the end, I asked my contact at Suunto and received a video showing me where to find out, and it turns out I'm not technologically challenged; it just isn't there. As I'm writing, they're looking into it to see what might have gone wrong, and I'll update this if there turns out to be a solution, but my investigations have at least revealed that SuuntoPlus doesn't work on the Run, so it may be that's why.

Several times, I've downloaded a GPX file from AllTrails and sent it to my Run, which was a painless procedure. This watch doesn't have proper maps like the Race, but it means I can use breadcrumb navigation. I'm really pleased with the accuracy of it, but I can't help but think that trail runners seeking a run-specific watch would probably prefer maps.

The Suunto Run is the first watch from the brand to offer music storage, I guess because they assume most runners want to listen to music. I don't listen to music on the trail, so I didn't use this function, though it seems as though you drag the mp3 files over onto your computer, which somehow seems outlandishly outdated since most people stream music rather than download it these days. In theory, it would mean a road runner could ditch the phone and download a playlist or podcast and control music from the watch, but for those of us heading out on the trails, it seems prudent to bring the phone along for safety.

This is a training watch, so don't expect lots of smartwatch features, but you can read text messages, which I find handy on the trail, and check the weather forecast.

Performance

This watch is much more intuitive than the Race S and I had no problem just getting out on the trail with it from day one. It's easy to navigate and on the trail, I find the GPS to be brilliantly accurate.

It's super responsive until it's not, which means that as the battery starts to drain, nothing happens when I lift my wrist, and I find that annoying on the trail if I want to see how far I've gone or how long I've been out for.

As for the battery, that's probably my biggest gripe about this watch, since I don't think it's nearly as good as advertised. I took it with me on a trip to the Alps and wore it for a trail run on the first day followed by two days of hiking. It died on day three, which is under the 20 hours of GPS mode, and I had to charge it again for my final day of running. In normal use, meaning that most days I do a run, hike, swim or yoga class, I get maybe five days of use out of it. Compared to some watches, that's quite good, but it doesn't even touch my Coros Pace 3, and means for active trips you'll need to bring the charger.

The Run is charged by a charging cradle, and that's another area that needs refinement, as it's a bit fiddly to get the watch on the cradle and easy for it to slip off. Once it's on, it does charge quickly.

While the GPS and heart rate monitor are really precise, I did find some flaws with sleep tracking and step count. I wore this for the requisite three nights of sleep, and on one night I definitely got up to go to the toilet and my watch showed no signs of having noticed, which is a bit alarming. I've also had the experience where I've been sitting for a while and got up to do something, then 10 minutes after I've sat back down, I get an alert telling me I've been sitting too long. I don't pay much attention to step count generally, but it's clear to me that it's missing some motion.

Value

At $249 / £199 the Suunto Run is definitely friendlier on the wallet than previous efforts from the brand, and that's a good price for the AMOLED screen and access to Suunto's amazing training data. However, it's noticeably lacking in some features you can get for $100 more in the Race S and even if it doesn't look as fancy, I think the Coros Pace 3 is overall a better watch for a cheaper price.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

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
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Runners, hikers, and other athletes from all over the world rely on their Garmin sports watch to track their movements and monitor fitness in the wilderness.

The best Garmin devices combine a sturdy, durable exterior with a sleek design and plenty of built-in sports features.

Garmin models from up and down the price range include loads of handy workout modes to help you up your game and multiple health monitors to keep score of your fitness. Top-end models like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 955 cover everything from jet lag to water skiing, while budget options like the Forerunner 55 offer a basic but dependable set of metrics for workout tracking.

With so many different options, using your Garmin to track workouts might seem a little daunting. Don't worry, Garmin makes it simple enough, and you can start tracking your workouts by following a few simple steps.

Read on for our guide to tracking your workouts with a Garmin device, including advice on how to find workouts and view them on your phone or computer.

How to select an activity

Garmin devices come with basic sports monitoring modes, known as activities, for individual sports.

These modes collect different fitness data relevant to said sport. For example, if you select the running activity, your device will measure your cadence and running dynamics in addition to basic info like your time, speed, and heart rate.

If you select hiking, it will monitor different metrics like your elevation gain and altitude.

Activities will also track your position in the wilderness with your device's GPS tracking. Garmin watches have a stellar reputation for accurate and dependable GPS, so you can stick to the trails wherever you are in the wilderness.

Finding and selecting an activity is quick and easy. Just follow these simple steps:

• Press the Start/Stop button
• Scroll through the Activities list and select one
• Select Start to begin your workout

How to select a workout

Activities track your health with precision, but don't guide you through a workout. If you want to follow a step-by-step training plan, you can use Garmin's workouts mode to find pre-made or custom workouts that you can edit and change to suit your preferences.

Like Activities, Workout modes also track your position via GPS.

You can select a workout by following a few basic steps:

• Press the Start/Stop button
• Select the Workouts app
• Select an activity type
• Select a workout from the available list
• Select Do Workout
• Press the Start/Stop button to begin

How to create a workout

If you're feeling a little creative, you might want to make your own workout, which you can customize to suit your preferences on the trails. This might sound a touch daunting, but it's easy enough once you get the hang of things.

You can create a workout on the Garmin Connect app or Garmin Express website:

Via the Garmin Connect app

• Open the Garmin Connect app
• Select More in the bottom right
• Select Training and Planning
• Select Workouts
• Select Create a Workout
• Select a workout type from the activities listed (Run, Bike, Swim etc)
• Create your workout by choosing from the options available, including your distances, rest times, target pace, target calories burned, and more
• Select save
• Your workout will now be available under My Workouts

Via the Garmin Express website

• Sign in to the Garmin Express website on a web browser
• Select Training and Planning
• Select a workout type
• Create your workout by choosing from the options available, including your distances, rest times, target pace, target calories burned, and more
• Select Save Workout
• Select Send to Device to access your workout under My Workouts on your Garmin watch

How to view your progress

Once you've completed your hike, run, or other workout, it's time to check your stats and see how you got on.

You can see data from your individual workouts on your Garmin device, via the Garmin Connect app, or on the Garmin Express website.

You'll then be able to view a detailed analysis of your performance and a round-up of all the metrics that your watch tracked while you moved. You can also find detailed breakdowns of specific measurements, like your heart rate and lap data.

If you want a broader vision of your progress, you can access detailed charts and graphs that display your stats over time, to show how you've improved with each workout.

Accessing your activity data is an easy job, whether you're using a mobile device, laptop, or your Garmin watch itself.

Via the Garmin Connect app

• Open the Garmin Connect app
• Select More
• Select Activities
• Select the specific activity you want to view
• Select Charts to view your data

Via the Garmin Express website

• Sign in to Garmin Connect via a web browser
• Select Activities
• Select the activity you want to view, and your stats will appear

Via your Garmin device

• Hold the Menu button
• Select History
• Select Activities
• Select the activity you want to see
• Select All Stats to see your data

You can also track your health and fitness stats on the Strava app by syncing your Garmin device with the workout-specific social media. To find out more, check out our expert guide to syncing your sports watch with Strava.

If you want additional coaching, the Garmin Coach feature will provide a personalized workout regimen based on your individual targets and progress on the trails. Find out how to use it here.

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

Garmin inReach Mini 2: first impressions 

If you're heading out into the backcountry in any season, one thing you can't rely on is cell service, and that's why a satellite communicator is such a vital piece of equipment. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that Garmin is the gold standard in satellite messengers – handheld devices that allow you to signal for help, and sometimes more, even when you're far from civilization.

Early satellite communicators simply allowed you to trigger an emergency alert and relay your location, but these devices have grown more sophisticated in recent years. In 2017, after acquiring DeLorme, the Garmin inReach SE+ and inReach Explorer+ were the first from the brand to utilize inReach satellite communication technology, which meant two-way messaging in addition to SOS alerts and GPS navigation capabilities, all using the Iridium satellite network.

Today, Garmin says it receives over 10,000 SOS alerts from inReach devices each year, and the brand has set about making the devices smaller and lighter for backcountry use. The Garmin InReach Mini lived up to its name and presented the communications possibilities in a smaller package. Then the Garmin inReach Mini 2 came along, boasting a larger 1.75-inch display for easier in-device use, a friendlier app, a better battery life, unlimited Cloud Storage, and TracBack routing with off-course alerts.

This device has a small screen that allows you to tap out a message to a loved one or communicate with mountain rescue, and you can also communicate via the Garmin Messenger app on your phone, which is easier and faster. It comes with an all-important SOS button that can trigger an alert to emergency crews and communicate your location.

As long as you have a clear view of the sky above you and aren't under a rocky overhang or a dense canopy of trees, no matter where you are on the planet, you can send a message via the small antennae. A quick caveat here, though: there are a few countries where its use is regulated, and a few hikers have even been arrested for trying to bring one into India so do read up on which countries are embargoed before you buy.

Anyway, assuming you're using your inReach in a country that allows them, if you have an emergency, you'll press the SOS button and a message will go first to the satellites in space, then down to the Garmin Response center in Texas.

Garmin Response will contact the closest emergency services to you to activate mountain rescue, and provide updates to your selected emergency contacts. But that's worst-case scenario. The rest of the time, you can use this device to stay in touch with friends and family, either typing out your own messages or using preloaded ones.

We've used this on the trek to Everest Base Camp and from Swiss mountain cabins and found it all fairly straightforward, plus the battery lasts for months, presuming you're turning it off between uses. Messages take a few minutes to go through, and your loved ones will be able to send you messages back as long as they have the Garmin Messenger app installed. It stands on its own base if you want to set it aside while your message sends and it comes with a carabiner so you can clip it to your backpack if you want to keep it within easy reach.

A full keyboard would make this device even more user-friendly, but would also make it bigger, and of course, the app removes that issue. On the other hand, reliance on the app also means your phone needs to be in good working order. This is also a pricey model that requires a subscription plan – we've compared the different options for you below – and these start at $7.99/month.

That may seem like a big price to pay to go for a hike, but it's a small price to pay for your life, and we think if you're heading out into the wilderness, it's crucial to carry a satellite communicator, and this one has certainly earned its title as one of the best out there.

Garmin inReach Mini 2: in the field 

When I was offered the chance to trek over 11 days to Everest Base Camp, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to test out the Garmin inReach Mini 2. After all, just getting to the trailhead requires air travel, and from remote Lukla airport, I'd be heading another 40 miles into the Himalayas. While the trek is better serviced than I'd imagined, there certainly wasn't any cell service, so it seemed the ideal scenario to test the device's legendary functionality.

A few weeks after my return from Nepal, I also took the inReach Mini 2 on a yoga and hiking retreat in the Swiss Alps to a cabin where I knew there wasn't any service or WiFi and for good measure, I've taken it along on a few hikes in the Scottish Highlands but if I'm being honest, I usually have service there.

Now that I've tested this out in three countries and two continents, I think I can confidently deliver my opinion on it.

Here’s how it performed:

Design and features

The Garmin inReach Mini 2 looks like a tiny version of the walkie-talkies you might have played with as a child. It fits easily in the palm of my hand and has a small screen that displays messages and a small antenna that connects to the satellites in space.

On the top is a power button and on left-hand side are two buttons: one to navigate up on the screen and the other to navigate down. On the right-hand side is a select button (labelled with OK) and another to go back, plus that all-important SOS button. That one is actually sheltered under a cap, as shown below so you don't accidentally press it, but it's easy to just peel it back and signal for help if things go wrong.

Those buttons, which aren't that unlike the controls found on most Garmin watches, let me send messages to loved ones while on my travels and gave me some peace of mind as I ventured further afield, but there are loads of other features too.

From the home screen, you can use the up or down buttons to scroll through the menu, which includes checking messages, navigation (I checked the digital compass was accurate but won't pretend I used it to bushwhack my way across the Khumbu Valley), turn on live location tracking and get a weather forecast, which is super handy. There's also TracBack routing, which helps find your way back to your start point if you get lost or find yourself in the fog, much like what you can find on the Garmin Fenix 8.

You can send photographs to loved ones via the Garmin app, but not in the device itself and even link your Facebook account to your Garmin app and post directly to social media, but I have to admit I preferred to skip this feature.

Weight and portability

At just 3.5oz (100g), the Mini 2 is comparable to a bar of soap or a deck of cards, meaning I didn't notice it in my daypack on my treks, and it's super portable too. It's small enough that I usually just stash it in the lid pocket of my Osprey Tempest 33, but it comes with a carabiner, which makes it really easy to clip onto the shoulder strap.

I wasn't in such treacherous terrain that I felt I needed to carry it this way, but certainly if I was picking my way across a steep trail where I felt rockslides were a possibility, I can see why I might want it within instant reach. For the purposes of thorough testing, that's how I carried it in the Alps and again, it's so small and light that I didn't even notice it.

Ease of use and messaging

I tend to think the litmus test for usability is whether or not you can figure out how to work a device without reading an instruction manual, and I'm pleased to say that with a little practice, I found the Mini 2 straightforward to use.

I did play around with it a little at home once my subscription was activated and as I set up the Garmin Messenger app on my phone, and I sent a few messages using the app on my phone during my first couple of days, but the first time I used the actual device properly was just after leaving Tengboche Monastery. It was the fourth day of my trek and I had just had a chance encounter with Tenzing Norgay's son Jamling, just a few days before the anniversary of his father's first ascent of Everest. Giddy with excitement, I sat down on a rock and powered up the inReach to tell my editor about the fortuitous meeting.

The device comes preloaded with a few messages such as "I've arrived!" and "I'm having a great time" – you can also preload your own messages at home on the app – but obviously, none of these would do the experience justice. So using the up/down and select buttons, I started typing out the message "I just met Tenzing Norgay's son" using the alphabet down the left-hand side of the screen. If you were born before a certain date, this is just like typing out text messages on an old cellphone, and if you were born after a certain date, the closest thing I can liken it to is searching for a video on YouTube or Netflix.

Anyway, I found it all quite painless, though I can imagine it being more challenging to some elderly users and those with vision problems because the screen is quite small. It does come up with predictive text that's reasonably helpful, so you may not have to type every word, and you've got 160 characters to convey your message, which is less than you'll get on Twitter.

I hit send and then went to turn off the device, when it warned me that the message hadn't been sent yet, so I set it aside, and only a couple of minutes later, I had received a response.

It's definitely easier to use the app, but to me, the whole point of the device is reducing reliance on my phone. I used it again in the Alps to send a few messages and found they took a little longer to go through (perhaps 5 to 7 minutes), but the more I use it, the easier it all becomes.

Battery life

Improved battery life is one of the advantages of the Mini 2 over the Mini, and I charged the device fully using the USB-C cable provided before setting off for Nepal in early May. Since then, I've turned it on and off no more than a dozen times to send and receive messages, and at last check, it still had 64% battery left.

Obviously, if you're using it as your primary means of communication, you like to send a lot of messages from the wild and keep it on all the time for tracking and navigation purposes, it's going to drain faster, and Garmin's guide suggests that you'll need to charge it roughly every 14 days in that scenario.

Personally, I can't really understand why you'd use it as your primary means of navigation when GPS watches and maps exist, so I'd suggest keeping it mostly off and saving it for check-ins and emergencies so you never have to worry that you'll run out of juice if you get cliffed out.

If you keep it off and just bring it with you on every adventure as a standard part of your kit, Garmin says you can expect a full year out of a single charge. I believe them, but I still think it's vital to check before you go out.

Value

With a retail price of $399.99 / £289.99, I can understand why people hesitate over making this purchase. It's certainly cheaper than most GPS watches and smartphones you're likely to buy these days, but since those increasingly come with SOS functionality, it makes sense that some people don't want to cough up.

Of course, that one-off payment isn't the whole story, because you need a subscription plan to use your inReach. Every plan carries a one-time activation fee, and then the cheapest plan is $7.99 (£7.99) per month, which does add nearly $100 (£100) a year. But the plans are quite flexible, and though regular mountaineers should probably just have an ongoing plan, you can also go month-to-month, which means you could activate it for a trip like mine, or only in the months when you tend to be out in the backcountry a lot.

In short, it does add up the more you want to use it, but as a journalist who often writes about hikers whose lives have been saved thanks to an inReach device, I think that when you tumble down that canyon or find yourself in whiteout conditions on Mountain Washington, the last thing you'll be thinking is how glad you are to have saved a few hundred dollars.

There are cheaper satellite devices available such as the Zoleo (though this one has a more expensive subscription so I think it all comes out in the wash) and if you have a newer iPhone with SOS, you could keep it in a waterproof case and carry a portable charger at all times and you might be pretty well-serviced. But I think the bottom line is that this device does what it says on the tin, does it well, and you won't regret owning it if you find you're faced with spending the night on a mountain.

Garmin inReach consumer subscription plans

• How Advnture tests products

Heading outdoors with a map doesn’t just help to keep you safe – it can help you discover natural features you might otherwise have overlooked or choose the best route to a summit according to your ability level. These days, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to online maps, with navigation apps like AllTrails, OS Maps and Komoot leading the way, and now the US Geological Survey has got in on the action.

The USGS is a scientific agency that studies the landscape of the US, so they’ve been amassing data useful to hikers and backcountry explorers for nearly 150 years. With the launch of its new digital 25K Recreational Topos – so-called because they have a 1:25,000 scale – you can access highly detailed maps of any area in the US you want to explore with a user-friendly design that the agency says is built for recreational users.

“Whether you are a seasoned explorer or a casual hiker, the new USGS maps are a game-changer for recreational activities,” says Ariel Doumbouya, a USGS geographer and product lead.

The maps show subtle changes in terrain so you can plan routes that match your skill level, time constraints, and interests. Specialized symbols denote important recreational features you might be interested in, such as trailheads, campsites, and other amenities. Rivers, trails and forests are emphasized to help you focus on recreational opportunities, as are protected areas, such as National Parks, to encourage responsible exploration.

“They empower adventurers to explore the outdoors with greater confidence, insights, and awareness of their surroundings,” says Doumbouya.

A 1:25,000 scale means one inch on the map represents 25,000 inches on the ground, or roughly 1.4 miles, which is the common scale used in Alaska, Canada, and by the U.S. Military.

The new 25K Recreational Topo is available through the USGS topoBuilder app, where you can customize and download digital OnDemand Topo maps featuring the most up-to-date data from The National Map. The maps can be integrated with GPS devices such as your phone, GPS watch or other apps, so you can use them for navigation in the field, and perhaps most exciting of all, they’re all free for digital use.

Check out our article on how to read a map to get the most out of your experience, and if you’re relying on a digital device for navigation, always carry a portable charger and consider bringing a paper map and compass for backup.

• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings

Two hikers were rescued in dramatic fashion after becoming stranded on a remote California beach due to rising tides that trapped their exit.

Sonoma County Sheriff's Office shared a video of the helicopter rescue, which you can watch below, and says the hikers were on a beach near Elephant Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore when they discovered they had "no safe access by land or sea."

The short video shows rescuers landing at the top of the cliff to rig up a hoist before lowering one team member down onto the small strip of rocky beach not submerged in water. The hikers are then evacuated together with the rescue crew member, with SCSO calling the response "a great example of multi-agency coordination and skilled execution."

Point Reyes National Seashore comprises a peninsula in Marin County with 80 miles of shoreline, wild beaches and rocky headlands. It serves as an important wildlife reserve for grazing elk and raptors as well as marine life like whales and seals.

How to read a tide chart

If you've ever been to the beach in coastal areas that see plenty of tidal variation, you'll know how quickly the tide can come in. At best, it can have you quickly grabbing all of your stuff and heading up to drier land. In the worst-case scenario, it can cut you off, placing you in a potentially dangerous situation. This is why knowing how to read a tide chart is essential, whether you're hiking a coastal path, surfing, swimming, or looking to access a sea-cliff climb.

Tide charts indicate the times of low and high tides for a specific area on specific dates. They tell you when low tide will be, when high tide will be, and how low and high the water will be. It’s important to know that tides can be vastly different from one location to another, so you’ll want the specific tide table for the area where you’re going. Tide tables are often posted at the beach, and you can find them online.

It’s worth knowing that all tide tables are slightly different, but generally speaking, once you have the tide table for where you’re going, there are three important pieces of information to pay attention to: date, time and tide height. If you're going to be hiking or recreating in a coastal area where there's no easy exit, read our article on how to read a tide chart before you.

• The best water shoes: gear up for wild aqua adventures
• The best changing robes: cocoon yourself post-swim in a protective layer

If you're into trail running, chances are you've considered getting yourself a high-tech sports watch from Garmin. The American brand has been creating top-notch fitness wearables since the release of the Forerunner 201 in 2003 and has developed a stellar reputation for quality.

These days, Garmin is the biggest name in the sports watch market, selling upwards of 10 million devices every year. The best Garmin watches combine sleek and dependable design with super-accurate GPS and plenty of health trackers to help you monitor your progress on the trails.

If you've just got your hands on a brand new Garmin, there's plenty to get used to.

Along with their vast range of health and fitness features, Garmin watches have plenty of options for customization. Whether you're using a top-end device like the Fenix 8 or a cheaper alternative like the Forerunner 55, several aspects of your watch can be adapted to suit your preferences.

One of the best ways to add a little personality to your Garmin watch is by changing its watch face. This is the initial visual display on your device, where the clock hands would be on an analog clock.

How to change your watch face

Garmin offers three different ways to personalize your watch face:

• Personalize a pre-existing watch face on your device
• Choose a new watch face in the Connect IQ store
• Use your favorite photos to create a unique watch face using Garmin's Face It app.

All three methods can be completed in a few simple steps.

How to personalize a pre-existing watch face

Garmin watches come with an eye-catching handful of pre-existing watch faces, which you can customize to suit your individual preferences. There are loads of different parts of the watch face to personalize, including the layout, style of hands, style of numbers, and much more.

You can personalize a pre-existing watch face by following these simple steps on your Garmin device.

• Select Settings
• Select Watch Face
• Swipe up and down to choose your watch face
• Select Add New if you want a minimal watch face
• Once you've chosen a watch face, you can scroll through the available customization options
• Select Apply to save your new watch face

How to a choose new watch face in the Connect IQ store

The Connect IQ store is a platform where you can access additional apps and functions for your Garmin watch. Along with compatible apps and widgets, there are thousands of unique watch faces to choose from.

You can access the Connect IQ store through its app and see available watch faces in a few simple steps.

• Open the Connect IQ Store app on your mobile device
• Select My Device
• Select My Watch Faces

• Scroll through the options to find your chosen watch face
• Select settings
• Adjust the available options to customize your watch face
• Select Save

How to use your photos to create a unique watch face

Face It is an app, available on the Connect IQ store, which turns your favorite photos into watch faces. It's free to access and easy to use.

• Open the Connect IQ app on your mobile device
• Select Face It from the bottom menu
• Select Add
• Select Photos (to bring up your camera roll), Camera (to take a photo), or Preset Backgrounds (to choose from pre-installed options)

• Select Allow Access
• Select or take a photo, or choose a pre-installed option
• Choose display options
• Select Done or Save (depending on your device)
• Select Install to add the watch face to your Garmin device

• The best GPS watches: smart timepieces to keep every adventure on track
• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings

Are you in the market for a super-smart Garmin watch to help you up your game on the trails and smash that elusive PB? Then check out this awesome deal on one of our favorite Garmin watches, now over $230 off!

Garmin devices don't usually come cheap, but we've managed to find the high-tech Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar Edition smartwatch for just $684.95 at Walmart.

This reliable fitness tracker serves as a durable companion for runners and other outdoor enthusiasts who want to take their performance to the next level. It's 1.3in (3.3cm) solar-charging sapphire display is protected by a fiber-reinforced polymer case and sturdy titanium bezel, tested to US military standards for thermal, shock, and water-resistance.

Once you've strapped your hiking boots or running shoes on, you can measure your progress with a detailed array of fitness trackers.

"Fenix 7 Pro can track stats including running power, cadence, vertical oscillation, and ground contact time without the need for any external sensors," explained running expert Cat Ellis in her review for Advnture.

"It's interesting to see how these vary as you change your pace, and it's a very useful tool if you're working on increasing your cadence and running more efficiently," she added, giving the Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar Edition a rare four-and-a-half-star rating.

The other feature worth mentioning is the solar-charging. Just three hours of sunlight per day gets you up to 22 days of charge in smartwatch mode, making this watch a great option for long-distance runs or multi-day hiking trips.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Garmin Fenix 7 deals where you are:

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

Looking for a powerful sports watch that won't bog you down with too many extras? Right now, you can pick up the awesome Garmin Venu 2S watch for just $149.99 at the Amazon Renewed store. That's a massive saving of 44% off the list price for this smart watch, and the cheapest we've ever seen it on Amazon.

The Venu 2S is compact, light and offers a great blend of everyday smartwatch and fitness tracking features. It looks great, with a crisp OLED display that's easy to read in any light and a minimalist design that's much more sleek than popular-but-chunky Fenix and Forerunner models.

Don't let that fool you, though – this is a serious fitness watch with excellent location tracking, on-screen workout guidance, and muscle maps to help you balance your training.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for the best deals on the Garmin Venu 2 near you.

If you're comparing this watch to the original Venu, there's not a ton of difference if we're being honest, but compared to the newer Venu 3 it doesn't have advanced sleep tracking or the ability to take calls. Learn more in our article on the Garmin Venu 3 vs 2.

If you're not in the US, here are the best deals on the Garmin Venu 2 near you:

• Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated
• Best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without breaking the bank

When you've got 150 million athletes using your app, you want to make it as user-friendly as possible, and that's presumably why Strava has rolled out yet another update, this time to the Record function.

Despite the fact that just about all of us run, hike and ride with GPS watches that can track our adventures these days, the 2024 Year in Sport report from Strava revealed that nearly 75 percent of users still use the app to log their activities.

Previously, the Record function, which tracks your activities, was on the clunky side, so this update streamlines the whole process, which will save you a few seconds when you just want to get out on the trail and be less irksome once you're on the move.

The big change to Record is that you can now view your stats while you're navigating, meaning you don't have to switch back and forth between screens. That means you don't have to break stride to check your pace, distance, or plan your next move.

Maps are also more detailed thanks to the new update, and are now powered by the recently updated Map Rendering Engine, so you can unlock map layers and see things like heatmaps and winter conditions.

There are other handy updates too, such as the ability to view your splits in real time rather than just getting a summary at the end. That could be useful if you're training for a race and want to gain a better understanding of your performance.

If you're a subscriber and a segment chaser, the addition of Live Segments means you'll be able to track your progress in real-time as you chase best efforts, and coming soon, laps will be added to the Record feature so you can set specific intervals or distances to track your journey.

The update is available now for Android users will be available on iOS in the coming weeks.

• The best cheap GPS watches: log your adventures without depleting your savings
• The best trail running shoes: get a grip on the trickiest terrain

Bone-conducting headphones were a gamechanger for me when running, as I mentioned in my Suunto Sonic headphones review. Too many pairs of Bluetooth running headphones had become casualties to rain, sweat and/or breakage, while I loved the fact they allowed me to hear what was going on around me. I use my Shokz Openrun Pro 2 headphones so frequently that they’re now rather like sunglasses, in that I usually forget I’m wearing them when I walk into a shop or pub.

The OpenRock X should not, however, be confused with bone-conduction headphones. Instead, this is effectively a hybrid between traditional in-ear buds and 'bonephones'. Rather than sitting in front of your ears and transmitting sound to the eardrum via your skull, the speakers in these air-conduction headphones rest over the auditory canal, held in place by small adjustable arms that loop around the back of the ears. And, because they don’t require an alice band-like strap to anchor them to your noggin, they’re small enough to fit in your pocket when not in use.

It’s a neat concept but could air-conduction headphones win over a self-confessed bone-conduction zealot like me?

Design and features

The first time I took the OpenRock X headphones out of the box, it took me a couple of minutes to work out how to wear them. This is my problem rather than theirs, however, because a quick read of the instructions (and looking for the industry standard 'L' and 'R' on the earbuds themselves) would have made this perfectly clear. The arm is attached to the speaker unit by a hinge that rotates around two perpendicular planes, helping you get a snug fit on your ear.

They come in a bespoke carrying case/charging unit, which has a very satisfying slow-release action when you click the drawer open and shut. The case connects to power via the now-ubiquitous USB-C connector (you get another cable in the box to add to your collection), and works as a portable charger when you can’t get to a plug socket, giving you extra listening time when you’re on the go. An LED flips from red to blue when you’re fully powered up.

The OpenRock X headphones have a waterproofing rating of IPX5, which means they should stand up to low-power water jets – or, in outdoor terms, all but the heaviest of rain.

Connectivity and sound

The OpenRock X headphones were a doddle to pair with both my iPhone and my iPad. You can connect them to two devices simultaneously and switch between them fairly seamlessly. The Bluetooth range is good, with no loss of signal when I go downstairs to make a cup of tea.

To be fair, that’s the minimum I’d expect from any set of Bluetooth headphones or speakers. The sound quality, however, proved to be a really pleasant surprise.

With bone-conducting headphones you accept that you may have to sacrifice a bit of clarity and bass to enjoy their many other benefits. That’s certainly not the case with the OpenRock Xs, whose 14.2mm dynamic drivers impressed me from the very first bar of music I played. Songs sound good across the frequency range, and don’t distort at higher volumes. They also do a decent job on podcasts, my usual running companion of choice.

Operation

You control the OpenRock X headphones by means of a small button on each of the respective earbuds – more on that in the 'On the trails' section below. For more sophisticated settings you need the app, which I’ve found incredibly easy to use.

As well as allowing you to update the firmware on your earbuds, the app gives you plenty of ways to optimise your listening experience: you can adjust the left/right balance, turn on spatial sound, limit the maximum volume, and choose between three preset listening modes (Rock, Relax, Boom). You can also create your own bespoke sound profile.

Other handy app features include individual battery levels for the carrying case and the respective earbuds; auto power-off; and a 'find my…' function that prompts your headphones to make a VERY LOUD noise if they ever go AWOL. There’s also an in-built product manual just in case, like me, you’ve struggled to work out how to wear the things.

On the trails

The OpenRock Xs have accompanied me on many runs on road (mostly around Bath) and trails (rural Staffordshire, Cornwall), as well as walking around town and sitting on public transport.

In fact, it’s on buses and trains that you really hear their benefits over bone-conducting headphones, as air-conduction models shut out more of the inevitable engine-based racket – particularly if you take advantage the Boom mode, which is specifically designed to punch through background noise.

That said, the listening experience still isn’t great in strong winds, especially when making phone calls – despite OpenRock’s claims that the AI-driven, 4-microphone noise-cancelling tech will 'wipe out background sounds for clear voice pick-up, even in strong winds'. (This is an extremely minor criticism, seeing as making phone calls in the wind is a long way down my list of priorities – with or without headphones.)

The OpenRock Xs’ adjustable arms give enough freedom of movement to find a snug fit around your ears, while also offering enough resistance to keep them firmly in place. I’ve rarely felt they’re going to fall off, which is a massive advantage over many smaller, in-ear buds on the market. I’ll admit I haven’t explored the limits of the IPX5 rating in extremely wet conditions, as that’s a test you only get to fail once.

While I think you’d need to adhere to some very strict conditions to meet the manufacturer’s battery life claims, I’ve been impressed by the headphones’ longevity. A full charge will see the earbuds through several long runs, while the charging case gives you the freedom to go away for a few days without sacrificing a USB port in a power bank.

There is one thing about the OpenRock X headphones, however, that I’ve literally never got to grips with. The controls are an absolute pain to use when you’re out on the trails, with the two tiny buttons proving totally inadequate. Aside from being fiddly to find and press, the fact that the buttons are used to play/pause (a single quick tap), skip tracks (two or three taps to go forward and back, respectively), and adjust the volume (a long press on the left to go down, a long press on the right to go up) is incredibly frustrating. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to make a podcast episode louder, been taken to a completely different podcast, and had to pause my run to get back to where I was. Controls can’t really be considered intuitive if you have to think before you press.

Generally, though, the OpenRock X headphones are an impressive piece of kit. They’re pricier than some other ear-conduction headphones on the market but there’s no question their impressive battery life and sound quality delivers on the trails. And while I’m not sure I’d swap my Shokz bone-conduction headphones for these air-conduction cousins, they’re a good alternative– especially if you want something that will fit in your pocket, or to use when taking the train or bus to your next adventure.

• The best trail-running shoes will put an extra spring in your step
• Find the best running shorts for hitting hills and tackling trails

Also consider

Got a high-tech Garmin sports watch on your wishlist? Now's the time to buy, as retailers across the web have slashed their prices to compete with Amazon Prime Day, and one of the best offers we've noticed is on Best Buy.

Right now, Canadian Garmin lovers can save 50% and snag the adventure-ready Garmin Instinct 2 sports watch for just $199.99 at Best Buy.

The Instinct 2 is one of Garmin's toughest sports watches, built for heavy use in the unforgiving conditions you're likely to encounter in the wilderness. Its clear memory-in-pixel (MIP) display is protected by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass and encased in fiber-reinforced polymer. This rough and ready model is tested to US military standards for water, shock, and thermal resistance, so it's more than ready to take on harsh weather on the trails.

It's also got great fitness tracking credentials, monitoring everything from your pulse oxygen levels to your heart rate. There's even a handy array of sleep tracking and coaching modes to help you recover well and get a good night's kip after a long day outdoors.

Garmin deals aren't rare, but they're seldom as good as this one, so act now and save yourself $200 while you still can.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Garmin Instinct 2 deals where you are:

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

Yep, you read that right, these Beats earbuds can monitor your cardiovascular health as you trek or run through the wilderness. Strange as it might sound, the high-tech Powerbeats Pro 2s feature sensors that pulse over 100 times per second to deliver an accurate, real-time heart-rate reading.

If this super-smart tech takes your fancy, then you're in luck, as these excellent headphones are now available for only $179.95 on Amazon, as the US retailer slashes hundreds of tech prices for Amazon Prime Day.

Along with heart-rate monitoring, there are plenty of other exciting features, perfect for outdoor exploration and trail running. They're rated IPX4 for sweat and water-resistance, so you can don your earbuds and head out for a rainy run or an intense workout in the sun.

While you're in the backcountry, you can choose to hear as much or as little as you like, thanks to the new Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes. And if you get a call mid-run, you won't have to reach into your pocket, as this device can pick up and end calls with a simple touch.

Sound-wise, Beats claims to offer a rich listening experience with its Personalized Spatial Audio, which tracks the movement of your head and adjusts audio accordingly.

This tech impressed our expert colleagues at TechRadar.

"I really rate this in Powerbeats Pro 2, thanks to the solid fit and seal the design promotes, particularly when listening to more acoustic tracks," said expert tester Becky Scarrot in her TechRadar review.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 deals where you are:

• The best running headphones: tested on the roads and trails
• Trail running tech: the best gadgets for off-road adventures

Do you love to race through the trails to your favorite music? Then you're in luck, as Apple's latest and greatest AirPods have hit their lowest price ever this Amazon Prime Day. Right now, you can get your hands on Apple's Pro 2 AirPods and run along to your favorite tunes for a record-low price of only $149 on Amazon.

These wireless earbuds are a significant improvement over their predecessors, boasting enhanced audio and plenty of handy new features. They're powered by Apple's adaptive audio technology, which adjusts sound levels based on your environment, to deliver the best audio experience possible.

After plenty of testing, our colleagues at TechRadar were blown away by this pair's "phenomenal" audio performance.

"It's hard to put into words how a pair of headphones can bring joy, because it's about how they enable a connection with the music that wasn't there before," said tech expert Gareth Beavis in his four-and-a-half-star TechRadar review.

"The way that the AirPods Pro 2 do this is a combination of factors: a clear ability to separate out different elements in the music, a strong ability to reproduce bass, a crispness in voice, especially, and all combined with excellent Spatial Audio playback and mind-blowing noise cancellation."

Along with excellent audio performance, the AirPods Pro 2 are a durable option for runners thanks to their dust, sweat, and water resistance, which comes in handy on harsh wilderness trails.

This epic deal is one of many available in the Amazon Prime Day sale. If you're after a cheaper pair of pods, the budget-friendly Apple AirPods 4 are now available for just $119.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's Apple Airpods deals where you are:

• The best running headphones: tested on the roads and trails
• Trail running tech: the best gadgets for off-road adventures

Fancy listening to your favorite tunes as you run, swim, or hike through the wilderness? Shokz's versatile range of open-ear headphones is designed to help you do just that. It's super-smart models use the latest tech to transmit audio without sacrificing your senses, and are now up to £64 off this Amazon Prime Day.

Rather than lodging in your ear canal like regular earbuds, Shokz models sit outside, often wrapping around your ear with a hook design. There, they use the latest technology, like bone-conduction, to play your favorite music and podcasts without eliminating outside noise. This can be especially useful for runners, who need to have their wits about them to navigate and avoid collisions on busy trails.

Different Shokz models are suited to different activities. The best-selling OpenRun headphones are made for the trails and fit tightly around your ears, so are unlikely to fall off. Right now, they've been reduced to just £89 on Amazon.

If swimming's more your thing, check out the OpenSwim Pro headphones, which are suitable for depths down to 6.6ft (2m) up to two hours at a time. They're now down from £169 to just £135.

Continue reading for our top three deals or check out the Amazon Prime Day Shokz sale for yourself.

Shokz deals

More epic deals

Stick with Advnture for more handpicked deals from the Amazon Prime Day sale, which runs until July 11.

• The best running headphones: tested on the roads and trails
• Trail running tech: the best gadgets for off-road adventures

Along with Apple, Amazfit, and plenty of other big brands, you can find massive savings in the Amazon Prime Day sale on some of our favorite Garmin sports watches, like this high-tech solar-charging model, which is now $300 off.

Right now, you can get your hands on the Garmin Fenix 7X Pro Solar Sapphire Edition smartwatch for just $599.99 at Amazon.

This super-smart device boasts an extra-long battery life thanks to its smart solar glass display, which turns the sun's rays into additional charge for your Garmin watch. In total, this top-end wearable can last for up to 37 days on a single charge, more than enough for lengthy hiking, camping, and ultra running adventures in the wilderness.

With all that battery life, you can head out and put your device to the test with confidence. It's got loads of detailed health trackers and sports modes to try out, and monitors everything from your heart rate to jet lag levels. A new hill score level is particularly handy for runners who want to gauge their endurance during ascents.

If you've got an extreme adventure in mind, this watch could be the one for you, thanks to its super-accurate GPS tracking, which monitors your position wherever you are in the wilderness. The vibrant display is encased in durable, scratch-resistant sapphire glass that's ready for action in the wilderness.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Garmin Fenix 7 deals where you are:

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

Prime Day is officially over, but it looks like someone at Amazon didn't get the memo, as there are still tonnes of great Garmin deals for you to sink your teeth into.

Among loads of epic deals, you can save over $400 on high-tech Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), and take advantage of great reductions on super-smart models like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 955.

If you're unsure which wearable is best for you, our roundup of the best Garmin watches has all the information you need. It features expert opinion and rankings from the testers here at Advnture, so you can be sure that you're getting the best advice possible.

If your budget is a little tighter, our guide to the best cheap GPS watches includes plenty of budget-friendly Garmin watches, along with other well-rated devices from other big-name brands.

For free delivery and other handy perks, you can sign up to be an Amazon Prime member. You can join Amazon Prime on a free, month-long trial, and then pay $14.99 per month in the US, or £8.99 per month in the UK.

Quick links

Here are the best Garmin deals after Amazon Prime Day.

US links

• Amazon: today's savings on Garmin tech
• Best Buy: hundreds of dollars off Garmin watches
• Garmin: the big summer sale
• REI: sale ending July 18

US Deals

UK links

• Amazon: Garmin offers updated daily
• Garmin: clearance deals to grab now
• Very: up to date offers on Garmin watches
• H.Samuel: loads of Garmin deals available

UK Deals

More deals

If you're shopping for a Garmin watch, here are today's best prices for a wide range of gear, updated daily. We're always adding products to our price checker, so check back often to see what's new.

When is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is a four-day sales bonanza, offering great deals on all sorts of products across the Amazon website. Along with great Garmin watches, you can find trail running shoes, hiking gear, tents, and all manner of outdoor gear at reduced prices.

How long does Amazon Prime Day last?

This Amazon Prime Day runs from July 8 to July 11. There are usually great deals available after the sale, but the best are live during.

We're not sure if someone at Amazon hit the wrong button, but a bunch of Garmin watches just saw huge markdowns even though Prime Day doesn't kick off till next week.

Right now, you can pick up the super smart Garmin Forerunner 255 for a mere $199.99 at Amazon. That's a massive 43% off the regular list price for this highly-rated watch and the lowest price we've ever seen it at.

The Forerunner 255 represents a big step up from the 245, and is a fully fledged triathlon watch. Its dual-band GPS tracking is particularly impressive, and its battery life is superb as well.

The Race Day widget is also a real winner, helping you prepare for event days, and really builds on Garmin's excellent training suggestions. In short, this is an excellent watch if you want to take your training to the next level, but top-tier watches like the Fenix 7 or Forerunner 955 offer more tools than you're going to need, and this is an excellent price.

Amazon Prime Day kicks off on July 8, and we'll be keeping you updated on all the best Garmin deals.

If you're not in the US, scroll to the bottom of this page for today's best deals on the Forerunner 255.

And if you'd rather browse the sale for yourself, you can check out all the Garmin deals at Amazon right now here.

The Forerunner 255 has the same five-button layout as most Garmin watches, but unlike many of the company’s latest devices (including the Forerunner 955), it doesn’t have a touchscreen, so you’ll be using these controls for all its everyday functions.

Like all Forerunner watches, it has a color memory-in-pixel display, which uses less power than the OLED displays of watches like the Garmin Epix and Venu 2, but is less striking. It’s to be expected for a watch in this price band, though.

Not in the US? Here are today's best deals on the Forerunner 255:

• The best Garmin watches: the latest models tested and ranked

With features that place it in line with the very best GPS watches on the market, the Suunto Vertical is a great choice for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking trips, but this premium sports watch comes at a premium price – until now.

Amazon Prime Day doesn't kick off till next week, but right now, you can pick up the Suunto Vertical for just $499 at Amazon. That's a healthy 21% off the regular asking price for this GPS watch and the cheapest we've ever seen it on Amazon.

The Suunto Vertical is a big, rugged GPS watch that's just begging to be taken on adventures. It's designed as a rival to the Garmin Enduro 2 and Apple Watch Ultra – and if you're a keen hiker or trail runner, it's highly recommended.

When former Advnture editor Cat Ellis took it out on the trails, she noted its brilliant battery life, excellent maps and great in-app route planner.

"The Suunto Vertical is a joy to use on the roads, but it really comes into its own when you're heading off the beaten path. Maps and navigation are fantastic, with the watch and mobile app working beautifully together to guide you in the right direction," says Cat.

If you're not in the US, you'll find the best deals on the Suunto Vertical near you at the bottom of this article.

The display is a color memory-in-pixel (MiP) panel with a bright backlight. It's less striking than the OLED display of the Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin Epix, but it's easily readable even in bright sunlight, and opting for a less striking screen really pays off in terms of battery life.

Not in the US? Here are today's best deals on the Suunto Vertical near you.

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A GPS watch isn’t essential for trekking and thru-hiking, but it can provide some great benefits, from providing navigational assistance and showing how far you still have to walk each day to understanding the impact of the trek on your body.

As an outdoor journalist, I get to test the best GPS watches on the trail, so when I was offered the opportunity to trek to Everest Base Camp, it wasn’t so much a question of whether I was going to wear a watch, as which watch I was going to bring.

Fairly quickly, I settled on the Garmin Fenix 8, which came out in 2024. I had already given it a thorough test over a three-week period earlier this year, so I knew it was a showstopper, brilliantly built and fantastically featured. But because I’d only used it for day-long adventures, I was curious to see how it would perform on an 80-mile, 11-day trek.

For the Fenix 8, Garmin took the winning formula of the near-perfect Fenix 7 and added extra navigation tools plus the option of a crystal clear AMOLED display, voice commands, and more smartwatch functions like the ability to take and make phone calls. On the trails of Scotland, I found it to be rugged, responsive, accurate and easy to use, but how would it perform in the remote Himalayas?

On the morning that we flew from Kathmandu to Lukla to begin the trek, I strapped the Fenix 8 onto my right wrist and, for control purposes, kept my considerably more humble (but very much beloved) Coros Pace 3 on my left wrist. This way I’d be able to compare metrics like heart rate and distance.

En route to one of the highest points on the planet, I found four standout features I really loved about the Garmin Fenix 8.

Altimeter

For a long-distance mountain trek, it’s helpful to know what altitude you’re at for navigation purposes and to understand why you might be feeling out of sorts. On the trek to Everest Base Camp, you start at about the elevation of Breckenridge ski resort in Colorado and keep climbing until you reach 17,598ft (5,354m), so altitude plays a really crucial role in your experience.

Thanks to its built-in barometric altimeter, whether the Fenix 8 is in activity mode or daily use, it automatically shows what altitude you’re at on the main screen, which I used more than any other feature.

While this is generally true for adventure watches, it’s not the case for all Garmins. In fact, another trekker in my group had a Garmin intended primarily for playing golf, which didn’t display what height we were at, and fitness-based models like the Vivoactive 5 have left it out to keep costs down.

As a result, I ended up assuming the unofficial but very useful role of Chief Altitude Information Officer for the trek, keeping my companions informed about our height.

LED flashlight

Lots of watches I’ve tested (for example the Suunto Race S) claim to have a flashlight, but what they actually have is a white screen. It’s marginally useful if you just want to find something on your bedside table at night without waking your partner, but you wouldn’t use it to navigate on the trail.

The Fenix 8, on the other hand, has an actual LED flashlight, which was one of my favorite features during my initial testing period. This proved invaluable on the trek, from finding my way to the shared bathrooms in the teahouses at night without having to strap on a headlamp, to getting organized for early alpine starts.

At the time of year we were trekking, the days were long and we typically started in daylight, but one of the most special days of the trip – the hike up Kala Patthar to watch the sun rise over Everest – had us setting off in the pitch darkness at 3am.

I started out wearing my headlamp, but it was so overly bright that I quickly realized my watch was a better choice. I switched off my Petzl, double-pressed the top left button on my Fenix 8 to turn on the flashlight, then turned it down to red light mode. Thanks to the clear skies, this provided enough illumination for me to walk safely, not blind my companions, and still let my eyes adjust to the stars above, so I could really appreciate the stunning views.

Visibility

The biggest difference between the Garmin Fenix 8 and its predecessor is the option of that bright, AMOLED display, which makes it easy to view in just about any weather conditions you might encounter. The Coros Pace 3, on the other hand, features a Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) display, which can be harder to read in low light conditions.

For the trek to Base Camp, we were mostly treated to bright skies, but that meant I was always wearing a brimmed sunhat and my SunGod FORTY2s sunglasses to protect my face and eyes. Though SunGod uses what it calls its 8KO Iris photochromic lenses, these are essentially polarized lenses that can make it hard to see certain watch faces. This proved no problem at all for the Fenix, but if I’d been hiking with only my Coros, I’d have been removing my shades every time I wanted to find out what altitude I was at.

Accuracy

Because I was trekking with two watches on, I was able to get two different reports of each day’s activities, and it quickly became clear there was a discrepancy between the two watches in terms of distance data.

This isn’t uncommon; in fact, hike with anyone also wearing a watch and you’ll almost always notice a slight difference due to variances like GPS signal limitations, environmental interference, watch settings and the improbability that you both start your watches at exactly the same time.

I noticed that my Coros consistently showed my distance every day to be about 0.2 miles less than the Garmin. That doesn’t sound like a huge difference, but in metrics it’s close to half a kilometer, or one lap of a high school track, and I hadn’t noticed this discrepancy when I’d previously tested the two watches together, so it was enough to make me investigate.

Without a yard stick, it would be impossible to say for sure which watch was more accurate, but by speaking to my local guides, comparing distances with other people in my group and looking up the trek distances on route reports online, I became as certain as I can be that my Garmin was giving me the most accurate reflection of distance.

This isn’t a make-or-break feature, but for long treks in remote places, it is nice to feel confident that you’re getting the most accurate readings possible.

Battery life

I had a lot of fun testing the Fenix 8 in the Himalayas, but it wasn’t perfect, and there were some features that would make me pause and consider a different watch next time. For starters, battery life.

In general, the Fenix 8 model has a better battery life compared to the 7, but since there are different sizes and models, it's hard to compare them accurately and it turns out that the 43mm model I was testing is a bit of a downgrade compared to the similarly-sized 7. It claims up to 28 hours of battery life when you’re using it in GPS mode with gesture (meaning it only lights up when you lift your wrist). Obviously this is plenty when you’re using it for day hikes and regular runs.

For this trek, I had it on GPS mode (with gesture) for at least six hours a day, and I didn’t activate any of the settings to save battery life. In real terms it meant that I had to charge it every third day, and it died during one of the hikes. In comparison, I charged my Coros just once during the whole trek.

Charging my watch wasn’t a huge deal, as I was carrying three portable power banks, but it was more than I’d have liked. This is an issue that could theoretically be solved (or at least improved upon) by going with a solar option, but honestly the jury is really out as to how much of a difference a solar Garmin really makes.

Weight and size

The Fenix 8 is currently available in 43mm, 47mm and 51mm sizes, and there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a big, bulky watch. This is the trade-off for having every feature imaginable, a better battery and a brighter screen. But it did mean I found it annoying.

The profile of the watch is just big enough that it got caught on the strap of my backpack every time I put it back on, which was multiple times a day. It also meant that as we got higher, and the weather got cooler, it was a hassle to pull my multiple sleeves up to view the screen.

Now the bigger you are, the less huge the watch looks – one of my trekking companions wore the same watch, but he’s much taller than I am, and perhaps it was less unwieldy for him. But there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a brute of a watch, and heavy enough to really hurt when you drop it on your toe, as I have discovered the hard way.

Is the Garmin Fenix 8 right for your trek?

If you’re a Garmin junkie, you’ll have noticed that most of the features of the Fenix 8 that I loved – altimeter, flashlight and razor sharp GPS – are available in the Fenix 7, while the Enduro 3 has the same features and boasts better battery life. So if you’re not too fussed about the AMOLED screen, there are other Garmin models that will perform similarly (or even better) for a lower price.

Despite my battery charging woes, I still thought the Fenix 8 was a super fun tool for my trek, and if I happened to have a lot of cash lying around, I’d certainly consider buying it. That said, one feature that I think would really send premium Garmin watches over the edge would be the option to review my routes in 3D video animation.

This comes free with the Suunto app and I’ve really loved having it while testing the Suunto Run lately, but it looks like it’s only available using third-party apps with Garmin watches. Now that Base Camp is becoming a distance memory, I’d love to be able to look back at each day of trekking and watch the terrain I crossed in a miniature movie.

You can read our full Garmin Fenix 8 review here.

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

Since Strava announced it had acquired the coaching app Runna, tech-loving runners have been wondering how the merger will benefit them. Now the wait is over, with the announcement of a joint subscription plan that offers significant savings to anyone looking to enjoy the perks of both apps.

To get you up to speed, Strava, the leading fitness app, announced the acquisition of Runna, a run coaching app that provides AI-powered plans for runners, back in April.

At the time, Strava made it clear that the plan was to keep the two brands separate for the foreseeable future and further accelerate the development of the Runna app, but no doubt Strava runners everywhere have been curious about what kind of joint offering was forthcoming.

Yesterday, Strava announced a dual subscription bundle that's available globally in the 180+ markets where both apps operate. For $149.99 / £119.99 per year, runners can now enjoy full access to expert coaching, community motivation, route building, segments, and leaderboards.

What's the deal?

Runna plans are personalised, with a coach-backed training plan that adjusts to your pace and schedule, while every run you do is tracked (and gets you kudos, of course) on Strava. You'll get stats to help you improve over time and receive personalized routes linked to your training plan, and as Strava points out, it all comes for less than the cost of a pair of running shoes.

The price of the joint subscription is indeed a big discount for anyone who was planning on subscribing to both apps, which would set you back $200 / £165 a year. The difference of $80 / £45 is nothing to scoff at, and could even be enough to get you a new hydration pack, but if you're an existing subscriber to either app, it does look like there are a few hoops you need to jump through to avoid paying double.

If you're already subscribed to Runna, Strava advises you to cancel your subscription first, then purchase the joint subscription. You won't get a refund for your remaining months with Runna, but essentially, you'll need to contact Runna to get those months tacked onto your new subscription.

Existing Strava subscribers can get a pro-rated refund post-purchase, but exactly how it's handled depends on whether you're an Android or iOS user, so it's best to head to Strava's support page for all the details.

There also isn't a monthly payment option yet, so signing up does require a bigger upfront payment that's bound to be a disadvantage for some.

If you're ready for some coaching, you can head to Strava and purchase the Strava + Runna Subscription Plan now.

• The best GPS watches: feature-packed timepieces to keep you on course
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For anyone who spends time in the backcountry, a satellite communicator is a must. One turned ankle or a sudden change in the weather when you don't have cell service can spell disaster, but not if you're always able to signal for help.

Right now, you can pick up the Spot X with Bluetooth 2-Way Satellite Messenger for just $199.95 at Amazon. That's a healthy 20% off the regular asking price for this satellite communicator that could save your life.

Like a Garmin InReach, this device can connect to your phone for two-way messaging, or it can be used on its own to stay in touch or call for help in a pinch. What sets it apart from many satellite communicators is that it has a full keyboard, so if you're not too techy or have physical limitations, it's super easy to type out a message on.

To use your Spot X, you'll need to sign up for a subscription plan. These start at $11.95 per month and include a one-time activation fee of $29.95. You can learn more at findmespot.com

If you're not in the US, you'll find the best deals on the Spot X near you at the bottom of this article.

This small, handheld device weighs less than 7oz (198g) with batteries and uses GPS to track your location and send precise coordinates to mountain rescue if needed. It has a built-in compass for navigation and allows you to track your adventures with waymarkers and cloud-based mapping.

Not in the US? Here are today's best deals on the Spot X near you.

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Looking for a top-notch health tracker that doesn't carry the price tag and bulk of the equivalent of a personal sports coach on your wrist? We've found the deal for you.

Right now, you can pick up the bright Garmin Vivoactive 5 for just $197.84 at Amazon. That's a hefty savings of 34% off the regular list price for this watch, which some fitness fans say they ditched their Apple Watch for.

"Compared to the Apple Watch, the first major thing I noticed was this is nowhere close in terms of smarts," writes one reviewer.

"After a few days I can confidently say that I don't need them. I would argue that Garmin knows what this is and what it is not - it's a fitness device first and foremost, and everything else comes second. And on that basis they nailed it - the fitness tracking has been excellent and noticeably better than the Apple Watch especially in sleep tracking."

The Vivoactive 5, like earlier watches in the series, is designed to help you strike a better balance of activity and rest, and includes features like Sleep Coaching and nap tracking to help you along the way.

The Vivoactive 5 has the same round face as its predecessors, but the device now sports a bright AMOLED display, which makes text and graphics look much crisper.

The Vivoactive 5 measures 42.2mm diameter (a moderate size that sits in between the two options for the Vivoactive 4) and comes in four colorways: orchid, slate, cream gold/ivory, and navy.

Not in the US? Check out the best deals on the Garmin Vivoactive 5 where you are:

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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.

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Do you like to listen to music while you run, hike, or bike through the wilderness? Then check out the latest model from sports headphones specialists OpenRock.

The new OpenRock S2 open-ear earbuds are designed for outdoor enthusiasts who want to hear their favorite tunes without sacrificing their senses as they dart through the trails.

Design

The S2 earbuds are made from ultra-light titanium and silicone materials, weighing just 7g per earbud, and clip onto your head with a handy HookClip design. The minimal weight will be welcomed by athletes who want to shave every gram while they push for that elusive PB.

Once they're on, the earbuds use OpenRock's own BassDirect technology to channel "low-frequency energy directly into the ear canal through a precision-engineered acoustic cavity", according to the brand.

Use in the wilderness

The S2 earbuds were designed with heavy outdoor use in mind. They offer an "advanced and enduring" sweat defence which redirects perspiration, while the BassDirect acoustic chamber has its own internal protection to avoid damage.

Although they're not suitable for swimming, an IPX5 waterproof rating and reinforced hydrophobic nano-coating mean you should be able to run in the rain without worrying about damage.

Battery life

The S2 earbuds boast a competitive battery life.

They can survive for up to 32 hours of total playtime on a single charge, including eight hours from the earbuds and 24 hours from the charging case. The case fully charges within one hour.

Price

The S2 earbuds are available for $98.99 (£79.99) on the OpenRock website.

At this price, the S2 earbuds are a cheaper alternative to other popular brands like Shokz. Top-end Shokz models like the OpenFit bone-conducting OpenFit 2 earbuds cost $179.95 (£179).

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If you're planning to take advantage of the warm weather and head out into the wilderness this summer, the AllTrails+ app can help you find new trails, navigate on the trail, and stay in touch with loved ones.

Right now, you can save 50% on an annual subscription to AllTrails+ app. This deal applies in all northern hemisphere countries (except the US and Canada) and means you can pick up this feature-packed hiking tool for just £17.99 in the UK or €14.99 in Europe. That's a full year of access for about the same price as a decent pair of hiking socks.

I've been hiking with AllTrails+ for over a year now, and I think it's great for finding new trails anywhere in the world, and it's only getting better with several huge new upgrades that were announced this spring.

AllTrails+ gives you access to premium features like offline maps, wrong turn alerts, 3D previews, and live location sharing, which is super handy if you don't want to fork out extra for a Garmin device but want to keep your loved ones in the know when you're on the go.

This great deal is available now through July 29. Click here to sign up for AllTrails+ and use the code SUMMERNOW2025 for a 50% discount for an entire year of membership.

AllTrails+ blends social media with navigation by allowing you to share your routes and times with friends. It boasts over 450,000 verified trails and makes finding a hike or trail run near you super-easy and with AllTrails+ you can also choose a trail by distance from you.

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When Garmin released the Forerunner 970 in May, followed by the Venu X1 earlier this month, owners of the Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 might have had a little buyer's remorse to see so many new features.

Not to worry, though, Garmin has just rolled out a massive update for Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 owners that ensures your Garmin watch is still the absolute best in class.

The update, which includes 28 new features plus 30 fixes, is available now as part of Garmin's public beta testing program. I've been trail running with the Fenix 8 for the past three months, and in this article, I outline the four updates I'm most excited about.

Running Tolerance

Let's face it, most of us have a weekly mileage goal in mind, and that's what we run, almost regardless of how we're feeling. But not every mile you run is created equally, and Running Tolerance uses an algorithm to determine the impact of a run on your body, taking into account factors like speed, terrain, your weight, cadence, and ground time to assess the impact of each run on your body.

The Garmin Connect app then assesses the load of your recent runs beyond just distance to give you tailored advice for your next run and more accurate recovery suggestions to help you reduce load and hopefully prevent injuries.

Running economy

Running Economy is a measurement of your running efficiency, specifically measuring how much oxygen you use to maintain a certain pace. It's expressed in milliliters of oxygen consumed per kilogram of body weight, and if it's not obvious, a lower number is better since that implies you can get more miles out of less fuel.

Your Garmin Fenix 8 or Enduro 3 can now measure your aerobic performance (think zone 2 and 3 runs) using metrics like heart rate, speed, stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation (the up-and-down movement of your torso while you're running).

This is a great tool to have if you're training for a long-distance run and aiming for a Personal Best, but you will need to use a Garmin Heart Rate Monitor to access it. You'll start to receive this data after at least four runs.

Step Speed Loss Support

Even when it feels as though you are sprinting through the forest like a gazelle, if you were able to watch yourself run in slow motion, you'd see that you are essentially braking every time your foot strikes the ground, then accelerating again. The more you brake, the slower you go and the more energy you use.

Step Speed Loss Support is another feature that requires a Garmin heart rate monitor, and it measures just how much braking you do in centimeters per second. A higher number means you're braking more and working harder to speed back up, and it's often the result of running with a lower cadence or a long stride.

If you're a mountain runner like me, you should expect to brake more on the downhills and less on the uphills, and so this is measurement more helpful for flatter or rolling terrain, but the feedback from your Garmin watch could help you pick up the speed on those flat sections of a race.

Evening report

If you own a Fenix 8 or Enduro 3, you'll be used to receiving your morning report when you wake up, but now you'll get an evening report too, and I think that could be more helpful. After all, often when we wake up, we just get right into autopilot and have the day we planned, regardless of the weather and how we feel.

The evening report takes the impact of your day's stress levels and activities to give you a more tailored sleep suggestion, so you can set yourself up for success tomorrow by getting more or less sleep as you need it.

You'll also see things like tomorrow's weather, what you have in your calendar, and your workout suggestion from Garmin, which means you can tweak your calendar and lay out your running gear in preparation.

You can view the full suite of updates and fixes at Garmin.

How to get the updates

To join the beta program, log into your Garmin account at connect.garmin.com and click the small watch icon at the top right (devices and sync status).

Select the device that you want to connect from the list that appears (you should be able to see all the watches, cycle computers, and other devices that are linked to your Garmin Connect account) and click Device Settings.

Provided your device is one that's supported, you'll see a link to Join Software Beta Program along with the current software version.

Select this, and read through the terms and conditions. If you're happy to go ahead, click Agree. Now, open the Garmin Connect app on your phone, select the device you've just added, select System and choose Software Update. Make sure that you have auto updates enabled, and you should get the latest beta releases as soon as they're available.

You can learn more in our in-depth article on Garmin's beta testing program.

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Amazfit just dropped two new wearables that offer a complete training and recovery system and it looks enough to put major brands like Garmin, Polar and Coros on watch.

The new bundle features a premium GPS watch plus a screen-free wearable that the brand says increases versatility during use as well as the accuracy of your performance data.

Amazfit Balance 2 smartwatch

The Amazfit Balance 2 is a premium sports watch from the Chinese brand, which has the goods for all your outdoor activities, from hiking and trail running to wild swimming and diving.

With a scratch-resistant 1.5-inch Sapphire glass screen, this watch is designed to hold up against rugged pursuits, and the AMOLED display means you can keep an idea on your pace, distance or heart rate even in the brightest conditions. But it's the free downloadable maps that we've got our eye on, helping you navigate on your next trail run or hike without draining your battery.

Speaking of, the 21-day battery life looks good for backpacking trips, although obviously that shrinks when you're using it for long periods in GPS Mode.

If you're a data geek, the brand says the Balance 2 has improved its accuracy of all the key biometrics, and added an all-new BioCharge Score that sounds a lot like Garmin's Body Battery and continuously analyzes your energy levels in real time using data from your sleep, exertion and stress tracking to help you balance activity and recovery.

And finally, if water sports are your thing, the 100-meter water resistance means it supports both freediving and scuba diving up to 45 meters, enabling accurate tracking and enhanced safety for underwater performance.

But what makes this release most exciting is that it can be paired with the screen-free Helio Strap for increased accuracy.

Amazfit Helio strap

What is the Helio Strap, you ask? Meet Amazfit’s first screen-free tracker that you can strap around your bicep or wrist, making it better for outdoor adventures than a ring, for data without the distractions. This isn't a new idea of course – Polar and Coros both have arm bands that pair with their watches – but it brings Amazfit into the high-performance wearable conversation.

Amazfit says the Helio Strap can capture advanced metrics with no subscription required and most importantly, it pairs seamlessly with Amazfit smartwatches, including Balance 2 and Helio Ring through the the Zepp App.

“Each one complements and fills in the gaps of the other, enabling more accurate, cross-referenced data. This means more precise insights for the user, all within one simple, unified system,” says Wayne Huang, CEO of Zepp Health.

Although these two wearables can be purchased and used separately, Amazfit says when used together, you'll get even more accurate heart rate monitoring, fatigue assessment, and recovery analysis.

The Helio Strap also has the new BioCharge Score and features a 10-day battery life, continuous heart rate monitoring and 27 sports modes including running, hiking and yoga.

“With no subscriptions, advanced tracking, and effortless syncing, this duo redefines what wearables can do – whether you’re a competitive athlete or simply striving to be your best," says Huang.

Pricing and availability

The Amazfit Balance 2 smartwatch is available now for $299.99 / £299.99 / €299.9 euro on Amazon, and the Amazfit Helio Strap retails for $99.99 / £99.99 / €99.99.

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Millions of people worldwide rely on their Garmin sports watch to track their fitness and help them progress on the trails. Since its founding in 1989, the American brand has sold over 280 million products and developed a stellar reputation for crafting high-performance GPS watches.

Along with their insightful health monitors, accurate GPS tracking, and sleek design, Garmin watches are well-known for their durability. Everything from premium models like the Fenix 8 to budget options like the Forerunner 55 can last for years with the right care and attention.

So, how do you properly care for a Garmin watch? After heavy use, these super-smart wearables can become dirty, scratched, and damaged on the inside and out, so it's important to know how to properly clean and look after your device without causing any additional damage.

Read on for our guide on how to care for and maintain your Garmin sports watch.

When to clean your Garmin watch

The best Garmin watches are built for constant use in tough environments, so whether you're racing through sandy desert trails or negotiating rocky mountain pathways, your device is bound to get dirty.

Your watch strap can also take on sweat and may begin to smell after a little while.

To keep your watch clean and odor-free, Garmin advises that you perform a short rinse and dry wash after every exposure to sweat, debris, and dirt.

How to clean your Garmin watch

You can clean your Garmin's watch face and body in just a few simple steps.

First, use water to rinse your watch or wipe it with a damp, lint-free cloth. Then use a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove dirt and debris from the charging points on your device. Make sure to scrub gently and keep the toothbrush away from holes in your device, like in the speakers and microphone.

Avoid using sharp or dirty objects and don't prod any openings.

If it's really dirty, Garmin recommends using a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe to gently remove dirt. You can also use disinfectant wipes, but must rinse the watch under water after washing, to avoid skin irritation.

Metal bands are similarly easy to clean using a damp, lint-free cloth. Make sure the cloth is clean before application.

Leather or suede bands may need a little more regular TLC. These bands are designed for casual wear rather than repeated sporting activity, and will deteriorate faster if used on the trails.

They can also be cleaned using a damp, lint-free cloth. Make sure to avoid leather cleaners and polishes as they can discolor your strap.

Whether you've got a metal, leather, or suede watch strap, it's important to wait for it to dry before you put it on again

Substances to avoid

There are several substances that can damage your Garmin device. Here is the full list Garmin recommends you steer clear of.

• Moisturising cream
• Hair dye
• Insect spray
• Perfume
• SanitiserSoap
• Solvent
• Detergent
• Sunscreen
• Oil

Keep your Garmin running smoothly

You can make sure the tech inside your Garmin watch is in tip-top condition and keep your device up to date using the Garmin Connect app or Garmin Express website.

Software updates will download automatically with the Connect app. You can check for more and download them manually on the Garmin Express website.

If you encounter a serious issue, like failing GPS, you can reset your Garmin by following our expert guide.

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After releasing its first Forerunner smartwatch in 2003, American brand Garmin has earned a stellar reputation for producing super-smart fitness wearables to track your fitness and help you up your game on the trails.

The best Garmin watches combine a tough and durable exterior with reliable GPS tracking and plenty of handy sports and fitness features.

Great Garmin devices are available at multiple price points. The latest and greatest models, like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 955, offer hundreds of high-tech features but will make a noticeable dent in your wallet. Budget options like the Forerunner 55 can still track your health and position in the wilderness, but come without the expensive bells and whistles of their top-end counterparts.

Whatever you're wearing, you can probably use Garmin Pay, a handy smartwatch feature used to make contactless payments. Instead of reaching for a wallet or smartphone, you can simply pay with your Garmin watch.

While you're unlikely to get much use out of it on the trails, Garmin Pay, which is available on most modern models, can come in handy when paying for that post-run coffee or slice of cake.

So, what is Garmin Pay? And how can you access it? Read on for our expert guide to this handy payment feature.

What is Garmin Pay?

Garmin Pay is a contactless payment system used to make purchases without the need for a credit card or cash. It works like a digital wallet and stores your credit and debit cards.

Once set up, you can make payments by simply tapping your device against a card machine or other payment terminal.

How to download Garmin Pay

Most modern Garmin watches and multiple major banks are now compatible with Garmin Pay.

Want to try it out for yourself? You can get started by following a few simple steps, which are as follows:

• Download and open the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone.
• Log in or create a Garmin account.
• If you've just created an account, sync your smartphone with your Garmin watch by following the on-screen prompts.
• Select 'More' on your Garmin watch to access the Menu.
• Select 'Garmin Pay'.
• Select 'Get Started'.
• Select the watch you want to use with Garmin Pay.

• Create a four-number password you'll use to access Garmin Pay.
• Select the card you want to use.
• Read the first set of terms and conditions and select 'Continue'.
• Enter your card details and select 'Next'.
• Fill out your address information and select 'Next'.
• Read the second set of terms and conditions and select 'Continue'.
• Your bank may require you to confirm you're selection with a phone call or text. Follow the on-screen prompts to do so.

You can add more cards by repeating the above steps.

If you want to get rid of an old card, select it in the Garmin Pay section and press 'Delete'.

How to use Garmin Pay

With Garmin Pay downloaded, you can access it and start making transactions with just a few simple steps.

• Press and hold the light button.
• Select the wallet icon.
• Enter the passcode you created when downloading Garmin Pay.
• Hold your watch near a card reader to pay for purchases.

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If, like us at Advnture.com, you really want to live the outdoors, this rugged new portable power station from Jackery is the solution. Whether you're setting up a coastal base camp with family and friends, or RV-ing into the wilderness on your own, the Explorer 3000 v2 is the most powerful portable unit yet, allowing you to live self-sufficiently for longer.

While we love getting off-grid and unplugging from the buzz of modern life, there are great reasons to bring a power source on your travels. Cooking hot food and chilling perishables keeps you and your loved ones fuelled and healthy. Electrical accessories, such as head torches and GPS units, put you on course on your backcountry missions, while Kindles, radios and cameras lift spirits.

Phones are great safety backups, acting as navigation aids, flashlights, clocks and links to emergency services. And it's always nice to take comfort in calls with family.

The Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 can aid with all of the above, powering appliances and charging devices to help keep you safe, comfy and connected.

More power, improved performance

If you're serious about your overlanding odysseys, the Jackery Explorer 3000 v2's durable housing and proven lithium battery tech gives you maximum freedom. It offers industry-leading performance with maximum capacity, output and efficiency in the most lightweight unit possible.

With a huge 3072Wh capacity and 3600W output (that's 20% more than the previous generation) you can run high-demand home appliances, including microwaves and refrigerators, and outdoor essentials, such as showers and stoves.

There are eight output ports (AC, USB-C, USB-A and car port) for you to power multiple devices at the same time. The longlife battery lasts 10 years, and it doesn't matter if you want to keep it for occasional use or emergencies – the unit keeps 95% charge after 365 days, so it won't let you down.

Plus, you can generate up to 3,500kWh of clean energy over 5 years with two Jackery SolarSaga 200W panels.

When it comes to charging, there are fast and flexible options: wall charge in just 1.8 hours or use hybrid charging (AC and Solar/DC) to fully charge in 1.7 hours. Solar charge in as fast as 3.5 hours, or charge through your car in 36 hours.

Designed with exploration in mind

The Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 is built without the bulk, and while you're not going to lug it by hand up a mountain, the lightweight and compact design is built for sliding into your vehicle without taking up too much space.

It's 47% smaller and 43% lighter than the industry standard. The CTB (cell-to-body) tech features a honeycomb cell structure instead of previous bulky clamp systems to save space and increase durability. It has improved shock resistance and stability – ideal for rugged outdoor and off-road conditions.

The portable carry handles make it easy to manoeuver at camp.

Brains as well as brawn

As well as having a rugged build, this powerful camping partner comes with all the smart controls you'd expect from a modern-day piece of kit.

Connect to it via wifi or Bluetooth to control settings and monitor in real-time the battery level, input and output power, estimated remaining runtime, as well as solar power and carbon emission-reduction stats. Use the smart settings to switch the unit to battery-saving or quiet-charging mode, or even self-consumption mode to maximise free solar power. At home you can schedule charging to coincide with off-peak electricity rates.

Reliable and long lasting

The Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 is built to deliver dependable power anytime and anywhere. You can use it safely knowing the Jackery exclusive ChargeShield 2.0™ technology offers cutting-edge hardware and software protection.

There are dedicated safety mechanisms built in and the system continuously monitors for abnormal conditions, including overtemperature, overcharge or overcurrent. It takes preemptive action if necessary.

Key features of the Jackery Explorer 3000 v2

• 3600W output (7200W surge)
• 3072Wh capacity
• Fully charged in as fast as 1.7 hours
• 3 × AC outlets, 2 × USB-C (100W Max PD), 2 × USB-A, 1 × Car port.
• Versatile recharging methods – AC, solar, car, AC+DC hybrid
• 95% power retention after 365 days
• 3+2 years warranty

Find out more about Jackery portable power stations at uk.jackery.com.

Most hikers are used to coming across hazards on the trails. From fallen trees to loose rocks, there are plenty of dangers that can impede your walk, and paths can potentially become blocked or flooded all year round.

Now, with OS Maps' new hazard-reporting tool, you can check ahead for obstacles and warn others of any potential danger.

The Community Alerts tool, which is available now on the OS Maps navigation app, allows users to report obstacles on the trail and indicate whether they're passable or not. Others can then see the hazard on a map and decide whether or not to proceed.

Hazards are updated in real-time, so everything from flooding to an angry group of cows can be flagged. If someone else visits the same location, and it's no longer there, they can report this on the app, and the hazard will be removed from the map.

OS Maps compares its new tool to road-map app Waze, which alerts drivers to accidents, traffic, and other incidents on the roads.

OS Maps is Britain's largest mapping service, providing detailed cartography right across the country. The OS Maps app is free to use, but offers a paid subscription package that includes greater topographical detail, offline maps, and other handy functions.

An OS Maps premium subscription costs £34.99 annually, or £6.99 per month. You don't need one to access the new Community Alerts feature.

Managing Director Nick Giles says the move is a "huge step forward" for OS Maps and the community of hikers who use it to navigate the wilderness.

"Previously the only hazard reports we could do was ask people to post photos of issues they find on a route and then write a review underneath - which is only useful if someone goes on to read the reviews," he said in a statement.

"As ever, we aim to make the outdoors accessible and safe for everyone, and this hazard reporting tool does just that."

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Heads up, Garmin fans, the sports watch is here with a huge new screen and loads of features to help you race through the wilderness.

The brand-new Garmin Venu X1 is designed to be the ultimate all-rounder, combining a stylish, square design with plenty of exterior protection (built for use on the trails) and hundreds of health and fitness features.

"Venu X1 is the perfect blend of form, function and style," says Susan Lyman, Garmin's Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing.

"Not only does it pack all of Garmin’s most popular features into a slim profile, but the large display makes it easy to see everything from preloaded maps and workout stats to health insights and smart notifications with stunning clarity".

Price

Garmin's latest high-tech watch retails for $799.99 (£679.99) on the Garmin website, putting it among Garmin's premium top-end watches.

It's comparable in price to one of Garmin's other recent launches, the Forerunner 970, which you can get for $749.99 (£629.99) on the site.

This list price may come as something of a surprise to those awaiting the arrival of the new sports watch, considering the previous model, the Venu 3, cost $499 (£449) on release.

The X1 looks drastically different from the Venu 3, and Garmin has promised plenty of changes, but the sudden price hike could be enough to give some potential purchasers serious pause for thought.

Garmin has recently hinted at upping the prices of its watches after the American brand took a beating from President Trump's controversial tariff policy, which they say will cost them $100 million in the coming months.

Design

The Venu X1 features a rectangular Apple Watch-like design with Garmin's largest ever AMOLED display. The 2in (5.08cm) screen is protected by sturdy, scratch-resistant sapphire glass and a lightweight titanium case.

There are two standard buttons on the right side and a built-in LED flashlight to illuminate your surroundings.

The Venu X1 straps to your arm with a 24mm quick-release ComfortFit nylon band, and is available in the Black and Moss colorways.

Health and fitness

As with every top-end Garmin watch, the Venu X1 comes with myriad high-tech features to help you navigate the wilderness, plus multiple handy tools for negotiating everyday life.

Health trackers monitor everything from sleep cycle disturbances to jet lag, and provide useful round-ups via the Morning Report and Wellness Snapshot features.

When you're ready to hit the trails, you can track your progress with over 100 different activity profiles and training tools. The running dynamics, running power, and pacing strategies tools are designed to help you take your running game to the next level, with in-depth trackers and coaching advice.

Climbers will be particularly keen on the ClimbPro tool, which provides real-time data about your previous and upcoming ascents to help you climb with confidence.

Navigation

Navigation-wise, the X1 features full-color GPS mapping, dynamic round-trip routes, and plenty of sensors to keep you on the right track.

You can also subscribe to Garmin's new Outdoor Maps+ feature for $49 (£49) annually, or $4.99 (£4.99) monthly to access ultra-detailed, downloadable topographic maps.

Garmin has been experimenting with controversial paid subscription models in recent months, following the release of its AI coaching tool Garmin Connect+.

Smartwatch features

The Venu X1 isn't just for athletes, and it aims to be just as at home in the office as it is on the trails. You can make and take calls using the built-in speaker and microphone, and use a paired smartphone's voice assistant to dictate text messages.

It also boasts up to eight days of battery in Smartwatch Mode, and up to 11 days in Battery Save Smartwatch Mode.

The new Garmin Venu X1 is available to purchase on the Garmin website from June 18.

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Not all Garmin watches are created equally, and for long adventures in the backcountry, you'll want something rugged, weather-resistant, and with a long battery life. Enter the new Garmin Instinct 3 Solar, which you can currently pick up for only $349.99 at Amazon. That's a healthy savings of $50 off the regular list price for this tough watch, which only came out in January and has already earned itself a 4.2-star rating from customers.

The Garmin Instinct 3 was built with the wilderness in mind and is built with a super tough metal-reinforced bezel for expeditions that take you up against ice and rock, plus it's got that all-important built-in flashlight for navigating on the trails after dark.

Speaking of navigation, a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter, and multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology deliver superior positioning when you're trying to find your way in the wild. These features also optimize battery life, which is one of the big stories with the Instinct 3 Solar. Thanks to solar charging, this watch can go three weeks without needing to be plugged into an outlet, making it ideal for thru-hiking and travel.

This deal applies to the Solar edition with 45mm case, but stocks are flying off the shelves, so don't delay.

Not in the US? Scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the Garmin Instinct 3 where you are.

Whether your adventures take you underwater or just into weat weather, you won't need to worry about your watch thanks to 10 ATM water rating, plus the Instinct 3 is designed to MIL-STD-810 for thermal and shock resistance

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Garmin Instinct 3 deals where you are:

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Strava has been forced to drop a controversial trial after widespread criticism for publishing the private data of runners, hikers, and other athletes who use the app.

Bewildered users were stunned to realise that workout data from synced Garmin sports watches and workout apps Runna and TrainingPeaks was suddenly being made public on the app.

They took to the internet to complain that detailed information, including pacing notes, custom workout names, and coaching comments, appeared in place of previously generic activity titles like 'afternoon run'.

"Making previously private data public should always be accompanied by a notification beforehand," complained Reddit user alexanderhumbolt.

"There are many people (including me) who may not want to share their workout names."

After widespread criticism, Strava said the changes had been part of a two-day test, and it had now ended.

In a statement to Advnture, Strava said: "This past Monday, June 2 we ran a short-lived test to surface workout titles and descriptions. After listening to our community, we ended the test on Wednesday, June 4. We appreciate the feedback and have no plans to revisit this."

Syncing accounts means that Strava will automatically post workout data from your Garmin sports watch, although this information is usually limited to basic stats like your time, distance, and pace, and labelled with a generic moniker.

Further information from the Runna and TrainingPeaks apps was also made public. Both provide personalized workout plans to help you up your game on the trails, and can be synced with Strava.

What was published?

During the test, users reported wide ranging formerly private data appearing on their Strava feeds. The full list is as follows:

• Coach notes
• Custom workout titles
• Pacing guidance
• Personal targets
• Training descriptions

Past controversy

Strava is no stranger to information controversies. In 2018, it prompted security concerns after publishing a heatmap that inadvertently revealed the movements of military personnel in bases around the world.

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Do you love listening to music as you run, hike, or bike through nature? Then check out the latest earbud models from headphones brand Shokz.

The new OpenFit 2 and OpenFit 2+ earbuds sit around your ears so you can remain aware of your surroundings and listen as you move.

Price

The OpenFit 2 earbuds are available for $179.95 (£169) on the Shokz website and cost a similar amount to Shokz's other top-end devices, like the OpenSwim and OpenRun models.

They're also similar in price to earbuds from big-name brands like Apple, whose AirPods.

The OpenFit 2 earbuds aren't yet available, but are expected to sell for around $15 more.

Design

Rather than sitting in your ear canal like regular earbuds, Shokz models like the OpenFit 2 and OpenFit 2+ go just outside, using open ear technology to transmit sound without eliminating outside noise.

These Bluetooth earbuds come in a handy charging case, which provides two hours of charge in just ten minutes, according to Shokz. In total, both models can last for 11 hours of listening time with a single charge, and 48 hours with the charging case.

The OpenFit 2 and OpenFit 2+ are made from plastic, silicone, and stainless steel and weigh just 0.3oz (9.4g) per pair, so you can race through the trails without anything to weigh you down.

They also feature an IP55 rating for water resistance. It's not enough to safely go swimming, but it will protect your pair from sweat and rain while you exercise.

Audio

The main differences between the OpenFit2 and OpenFit 2+ become apparent in the audio experience.

The OpenFit 2 model has two individual speakers in each earbud. Shozk claims that this design delivers a deep, resonant base, with crisp, higher-pitched sounds.

"By separating and processing sounds in different frequency bands, it produces more refined music details," says the brand.

The OpenFit 2+ earbuds use a top-end Dolby Audio system, which "surrounds you with lifelike audio," while you run, hike, or just going about your day, according to Shokz.

• The best running headphones: tested on the roads and trails
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Runners and hikers have a new option for tracking their fitness on the trails, as sports wearables brand Polar has launched its latest high-tech watch.

The all-new Polar Grit X2 aims to be the perfect companion for tough treks and speedy runs through the wilderness, boasting a sturdy exterior, GPS capabilities, and plenty of handy sports and fitness modes.

Price

This model retails for £399 in the UK, a price that puts it in competition with upper-end Garmin watches, like the Forerunner 955. This high-tech Garmin received heavy praise in our review, meaning the Grit X2 has a lot to live up to on the trails.

The new Polar Grit X2 is now available to users in the UK and Europe via the Polar website. A US launch is planned for the coming months.

Exterior

This rugged new sports watch is designed for heavy use in all conditions. Its colorful 1.28In (35.5mm) AMOLED display is protected by a stainless steel bezel and sapphire crystal glass, which remains visible in "sunlight, on the move, or in harsh outdoor conditions," according to its creator.

The Grit X2 is tested to the latest 810H standards for extreme temperatures, altitude, shock, and water immersion.

This watch aims to fit in at the office before you head onto the trails, and retains a sleek, minimalist look despite its tough exterior.

"Too often, designs are bulky or lack essential features," said Polar CEO Sam Werring.

"With the launch of Grit X2, we address this long-standing gap, delivering premium functionality in a streamlined design, built to move with a new generation of adventurers."

It's available in two colorways: Night Black and Brown Copper. Both come with a standard 0.9in (22mm) rubber wristband.

Features

The Polar Grit X2 features a range of handy health trackers to monitor your fitness and help you up your game on the trails.

A wrist-based ECG, blood oxygen saturation tracker, and skin temperature sensor are just a few of the health monitors Polar says are used to deliver insight into your performance, recovery, and overall health.

Data from these trackers is used in the Grit X2's training tools, which are designed to help you make informed decisions about your training, rest, and recovery.

Navigation is another key feature. The Grit X2 is built to keep you on track with full-color offline topographic maps, which are pre-loaded and ready to use regardless of your position in the wilderness.

GPS navigation is generally reliable on Polar watches. In her review of the recent Vantage M3 Polar watch, former editor Cat Ellis described its trustworthy GPS as "extremely impressive, even in difficult conditions."

The Grit X2 watch boasts up to 90 hours of use in Eco training mode, 30 in Performance mode, and around a week in Smartwatch mode.

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Can't get enough Garmin gear? You're in luck, as the American brand's latest high-tech fitness monitor looks to be just around the corner.

After months of rumours, a new report from the usually reliable Fitness Tracker Test website has revealed loads of new details about Garmin's upcoming sleep tracker, including its name: the Index Sleep Monitor.

The report suggests that the new Whoop-style device attaches to your upper arm with an adjustable Velcro strap and uses an optical sensor to measure your sleep. Next to the sensor is an LED light and an 'integrated vibration module', which can be used to gently wake you from a long sleep.

According to the report, the new Sleep Index Monitor will feature an array of different health monitors, including a blood oxygen saturation monitor and sleep score tracker.

The rechargeable device is rumoured to boast around a week of battery life, and is expected to hit the market in the coming months for roughly $170.

Expected features for the new Garmin sleep monitor

• Sleep score
• Sleep stages
• Sleep duration
• Heart rate

• Blood oxygen saturation
• Respiration tracking
• Skin temperature
• Women's health trackers
• Body battery

Wearable fitness bands strap onto your upper arm and provide 24/7 information about your health and fitness. Popular models like the Whoop 4.0 paint a vivid picture of your sleep and recovery by measuring various health metrics.

You can also log activities, food, and alcohol consumption in the Whoop app to access a more in-depth analysis. The latest Garmin device will likely link to the Garmin Connect app, so you can see your sleep stats from your phone.

Unlike Garmin watches, Whoop uses a subscription model. You pay an annual subscription of $239 (£229), or a monthly fee of $30 (£27) to access its health tracking services.

Garmin has been experimenting with paywalls in recent months, and currently charges $6.99 (£6.99) monthly or $69 (£69.99) annually for access to its Active Intelligence AI, which sends personalised health insights and suggestions to your Garmin watch.

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If you're into trail running, chances are you've heard of Strava. The fitness tracking app launched 15 years ago to immediate success in the US and abroad, giving users a quick and simple way to record their runs and share stats with their friends.

Today, more than 120 million users use Strava to monitor their runs and other fitness activities. Along with tracking your progress on your phone, the popular app is now available on smartwatches, including all the best Garmin watches.

Like Strava, Garmin boasts a long history of reliable health monitoring, with more than two decades of experience crafting high-tech wearables that monitor your exercise.

It's also got a stellar reputation for GPS tracking, boasting super-smart models like the Garmin Fenix 8, that can accurately monitor your progress wherever you are in the wilderness.

By syncing the two, all data recorded on your Garmin watch will be immediately available on your Strava account.

Interested? Read on for our guide to using Strava with your Garmin watch.

What is Strava?

The Strava app is an exercise tracker and social platform that allows you to record your workouts and share them with your friends. It collects GPS and health data from your smartphone or wearable to paint an accurate picture of your performance and wellbeing after an activity.

Although it's primarily used for running and cycling, Strava has plenty of modes for other sports like swimming, basketball, and tennis.

After exercise, Strava provides a handy round-up of your activity, which includes stats like your distance, moving time, and average pace. It also compares your workout to previous exercises, so you can track your improvements and find out when you achieve a PB.

There are plenty of in-depth health trackers on the Strava app, but you'll need to fork out for a subscription for a really detailed analysis. Scroll to the bottom of this article for more details.

Perhaps the best thing about Strava is its community feel. Via the app, you can share your workout info, statistics, and pictures with friends and groups. Others can share 'kudos' and comment on your posts to congratulate you on a job well done.

How to access Strava on your Garmin watch

Plenty of Garmin watches support Strava, which you can download to your device in a few simple steps.

You can connect the two using the Garmin Connect app or website.

Connecting via the app

• Open the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone
• Select More at the bottom right of the screen
• Select Settings
• Select Connected apps
• Select Strava
• Select Agree
• Select Organize

Connecting via the website

• Sign in to the Garmin Connect website
• Select the option to add a widget at the bottom of the main page
• Select Segments from the Add to Dashboard menu
• Select the settings icon
• Select Use Strava Options
• Select Connect with Strava
• Select Agree and follow any further prompts

It will take a few minutes for your Garmin watch to sync with Strava. Once it's done, your past 90 days of recorded Garmin activity and all future workouts will be visible on your Strava account.

How to use Strava

Once you've connected your Garmin device to your Strava account, it's time to hit the trails.

If you're just getting started on your Strava journey, its wide range of features and modes might seem a little overwhelming. But don't worry, each function has its purpose, and Strava's intuitive interface is easy to use once you get the hang of things.

First things first, you'll need to create a profile and follow some fellow fitness enthusiasts. These can be friends and loved ones, but you can also take the opportunity to follow some of the world's best athletes, like trail running superstar Killian Jornet.

You can also follow brands like Nike and Hoka to see what their high-level athletes are up to.

You'll see posts from whoever you follow on your feed. And they'll be able to see yours if you follow them back.

Once you're onboard and following a few people, it's time to expand your community by joining a club. This can be a local or international sports club, where you can see what fellow members are up to.

With over 5 million members, Strava's own Strava Club is the largest club on the app. Along with the standard stats, it posts coaching and inspirational content that you can access to up your game on the trails.

As you use Strava more, you'll unlock achievements and 'silverware' to commend you on your progress. Achievements can be community-based, like the fastest run of a local route, or they can be personal, like a new PB or record distance covered. You can share these achievements with your followers, so everyone can see your progress on the trails.

Is a premium subscription worth it?

Strava is free to download and use, but you'll have to fork out $11.99 (£8.99) per month, or $79.99 (£54.99) annually for the premium subscription. This isn't essential, but it does include a few handy features if you want to map your runs with pinpoint accuracy.

With the premium subscription, you can plot a route to follow ahead of time, access offline maps while you run, and benefit from advanced analytics after your workout.

These analytics include Strava's Perceived Exertion tool to see how much energy you've used and custom heart rate zones, for an in-depth look at your ticker.

There's also a range of additional coaching tools, which you can use to set personalized goals and access training plans.

These features can be fun and helpful, and are worth considering if you're serious about fitness tracking, but they're certainly not essential.

If you have a Garmin watch, you likely already access many of them on the Garmin Connect app. Connect has plenty of training plans and in-depth health analysis, so there's no need to fork out the extra money.

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

In the market for a super-smart new sports watch for all your adventures? This well-rated Garmin model features a tough exterior, great GPS, and plenty of health trackers, and it's now over $100 off at REI.

The Garmin Venu 3 was built with the wilderness in mind and is currently available for just $349.99. Its super-bright AMOLED display is encased in scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass and surrounded by a tough and durable stainless steel bezel to minimize damage in the wilderness.

Once you're on the trails, the Venu 3 tracks you're whereabouts and fitness with precision. It features a reliable GPS receiver, which former editor Cat Ellis tested in her review for Advnture.

"The Venu 3 never took more than five seconds to establish a lock, and was only 20m short when tracking my pre-measured 5km route," explained Cat.

Its wide variety of health trackers measures everything from hydration to jet lag, to help you get the most out of your workouts. The Venu 3 also features handy recovery tools like sleep coaching, so you can rest well after a lengthy run or hike.

"Sleep Coach doesn't just tell you how well you slept, it also gives you personalized advice on how long you should aim to sleep tonight, helping you decide whether you need to hit the hay early," said Cat, who gave the Venu 3 a coveted four-and-a-half-star rating.

This deal is officially available until June 16, while stocks last.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Garmin Venu 3 deals where you are:

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

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