Apple Watch Ultra: Good For Hiking? (6mo Review)

[@NegyedMisi]

The problem with the low battery time is not really the 10-15 hour hike time but you can easily start a long hike with the Garmin at 30% and still get like 10-15 hours. So you don't have to worry with 50% battery where as the AWU had to be fully charged most of the time.

[@AHungryHunky]

For example, I went on a weekend long camping trip and did several hikes during the trip. With my Fenix 6x Pro I didn't even have to think about charging over a 3 day period with multiple hours of GPS activities, including recording the fishing I did. When I got home I still had enough battery to last a for a little while without worrying about charging it immediately. I think I had a couple days left, but I can't remember the precise number. I didn't have to pack a cable at all for it. I did have electric where I stayed this time, but that's a relief knowing that with no electricity available I'm good for a while and any battery banks I bring will purely be for my phone.

[@HTC-1337]

Yeah but here the differnce Comes between a made for product And Just another serie in a Line. Apple watch stays under the smartwatch And iets software like wear OS , And OR samsung's tizen The buttons And looks should already say enough. Its a bit like a voice speaker VS a Speaker OR BT speaker. No way youre homemini with a battery gonna survive longer then OR do better then a BT rubber speaker with Hook for youre bag bassicly

[@HTC-1337]

If they would want that same performance, they bassicly need te redesign the whole thing, delete the apps, destroy the oled And use a tranflective LCD that always work on Brigtness 1 , They keep there systems so bassicly you get a city Apple watch in a rugged case And screen And with the extra room for bigger battery. So they Just added a extra battery safe mode Button bassicly. Its a Apple watch + bassiclyç

[@DrDoinks]

Exactly. I can charge my garmin from 0% to 7%, and go on an hour long walk and return back with like 5% battery remaining. It's insane to me that I could actually do that the other day. And after almost a year of owning the watch, that was the first time my battery went to 0% (it was some random battery drain bug too) When I had an Apple watch I'd go to 0% at least once every week or so.

[@Rbojama6928]

Very useful content

[@paulwannarka742]

Thanks!

[@Hikingguy]

WHOOAAAA!!!! Big big big big thank you!

[@Sozialkompetenz]

I bought the AWU2 in Jan 2024 went on a hike and lost my track, the workout was interrupted twice and the battery was at a mesly 13% when I returned. 2 Weeks ago I got my hand on a Garmin Tactix Delta from a Jeweller at a steep discount. Went on another hike last week with this watch with technology from 2019 inside, still brandnew watch. The hike went great, I could pause the activity and have lunch, switch between map and regular watch face, made it to my destination and got back home to find that I had battery left for 19 days with constant GPS, Heart-Beat and connected to my iPhone. The AWU2 I passed on to my wife, she was very excited. I'm excited with the freedom of having to charge the watch every other week and for it being reliable when I need it. Just my experience and I was very surprised of the outcome, because as a MacBook Air aficionado and iPhone addict since 2015 I thought this would never happen to me, but it did. There's even newer Garmin watches with real flashlights, I have my 2019 watch and am totally happy with it.

[@propersucio]

Thanks!

[@Hikingguy]

Big big thank you!

[@EZLogikal]

It's amazing how different the sponsored vs unsponsored reviews are. Thank you for your honesty, it's greatly appreciated.

[@FenixTech10]

or thats just confirmation bias

[@MangoMatt]

Apple rarely pays for reviews 😎

[@Westinpayne]

Apple very very rarely does sponsors...I think that should speak even more than what you're getting at

[@WarChortle]

@@MangoMattbut you can get special or early access to products or events

[@yaboi9419]

Apple hasn’t done any sponsored reviews for this product

[@Calidastas]

I dropped Ultra for Epix. Epix is great out of box and Ultra is a platform for getting you to pay subscriptions to tons of 3rd party app makers to get the same functionality.

[@mbaadiablo]

İM SUMMER outdoor guy i rarely sport activiy in winter.i go to gym mostly in winter. so what do you recommend for me?

[@jhritz]

Thanks! Very helpful!

[@Hikingguy]

Big thank you!!!!

[@leonjehle8934]

Thanks! 👏🏻 One question: Let’s say I want to use the Ultra for navigation purposes only using pre-planned routes without any activity tracking, and without all the health features (deactivated heart rate sensor)… What can I expect in terms of battery performance? Greetings from Germany

[@Hikingguy]

First, big thank you for the support! When I tested navigation using Maps routing only for the native app I get about a 2% drain per hour in low power mode. I also have data on so it's hard to tell, but should be enough to navigate a whole day at least.

[@elevatelife-nk7896]

This was the BEST review between Apple vs Garmin for hikers- FINALLY!!! Thank you!

[@fredericoamigo]

Good review. I also have the sleeve-problem. I got around it by activating the screen-lock for swimming.

[@RicoSalinger]

I have both. I use my Ultra for the smartphone usage, and my Garmin for outdoorsy stuff.

[@Hikingguy]

Yea, I do the same, wish I didn't have to though

[@wile123456]

Rich people problems

[@TheBroz]

@@wile123456No poor person is buying an Apple Watch ultra

[@tonymidmore7652]

About accidental button pushes and such, I have that when wearing gloves, with the standard Apple watch. I'd find that it had changed to Theater Mode or other such things. The "solution" is simply to put it in Water or Swim mode. From the main screen, swipe up to the control panel and find the water drop icon. Once I'm done or need to do something on the watch, I hold the crown in for a few seconds and it clears water and removes that Swim mode.

[@Double_Vision]

Solid tip, I'll be using that in the future.

[@oak415]

Thanks for sharing

[@magsrejman6045]

Totally spot on! I love Apple but god! Its a real pain to use Ultra on long hikes with no reception😫 Made that mistake today, its back to Garmin for the remaining days of hiking home

[@18yearsoldnot]

Good to know. Here in Europe, you can’t even use cellular when abroad…

[@TheMetaSD]

Just so you know, this is the video which ultimately pushed me to buy an AWU instead of a Garmin. As primarily a day hiker in Southern California, you convinced me that the Apple Watch Ultra is more than good enough for my hiking needs (footpath is awesome). Yeah, its definetely not the best outdoor watch (That Epix DOES look nice), and if I were to ever start getting into longer multiday hikes in the backcountry I would probably look into getting a Garmin, but until then the AWU it is. Excellent video.

[@Hikingguy]

That's great to hear, thank you for sharing that, it's exactly why I did this video. And glad Footpath is working out for you as well. One rumor that's flying around is that a new AWU is going to be announced on Sep 12. Will keep you posted.

[@birdofprey108]

is this paid comment lol?

[@Gooeybrowniebaby]

I really like my Apple Ultra but I do agree with all your points. Really appreciate this review, coming from the real ‘ultra’ user, meaning you’re actually the kind of people on their promo video. I’m not an adventurer or an extreme sport person at all, just do casual hikes from time to time. At the end of the day, I think the Ultra is like fancy sports cars. Not really meant for the racetracks, just for show. If i were a serious hiker, an Everest climber or a serious driver, I wouldn’t depend on my Ultra alone.

[@1800marwin]

Thank you for this review! I've said this many times before but the quality of your videos is SO GOOD!

[@Hikingguy]

Big big thank you! And thank you for your support, I couldn't do it without you. More vids coming soon...

[@sio2ch.168]

Regarding the Alpine Loop, I actually swap the sides over so that the hook is facing upwards and it becomes much easier to get a secure hook

[@gxnn.i]

that's the correct way to wear it.

[@carsten7845]

Bedankt

[@Hikingguy]

Dank U wel! (btw I went to uni in Maastricht many many moons ago...) Big big thank you

[@5ervalkat192]

I enjoyed your review and definitely agree that Garmin makes the better hiking watches. However, as a smaller person, I really dislike the giant round Garmins. Plus, the Epix is ahem, a $900 purchase. Then, recently they came out with a 265S and I jumped on that. Now, it's true that the 265 does not have maps (just a track, breadcrumb line), but when hiking, I use my phone with Gaia for maps anyway (along with a battery backup). In any case, I love the Garmin 265S for its form factor, amoled screen, and especially for its superior exercise features. Garmin actually gives you feedback on your training and body battery, etc., unlike Apple who just throws data at you (alphabetically, lol) and you gotta figure it out. However, I love Apple for the smart watch features. So, yes, I'm one of those troubled souls who wears both, at the same time, on different wrists. I'm used to this now, and I don't care what anyone thinks. When backpacking, only the Garmin and the phone are coming along though. (oh, and I did not splurge on the Apple Ultra; I have the lowly SE 2022, which is still great).

[@Hikingguy]

Ha yea, well, the watches are def not cheap, and def not necessary but more of a nice to have . And I've gone back and forth over the years, and sometimes I just get fed up and wear nothing for a while because it can be data overload. I've found that the Garmin with my phone, like you, is a nice sweet spot for everything since I have the phone with me all of the time anyway.

[@Itb7687]

The Epix Pro was just released and comes in a small size!

[@johalun]

Hands down the best review I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing your experience with the ultra! Love all the technical details.

[@Hikingguy]

Big big thank you!

[@Mdogbrown]

Loved this content. Subscribed. I have an Apple Watch 7 and it didn’t last my hike on Mt. Elbert. My fenix 7 SS is arriving today. I considered the AW ultra, but I wanted a better battery and I didn’t want an iPhone on my wrist. I like that Garmins look like an actual Watch. I look forward to your future videos. I’ll be putting the Garmin to good use next month hiking in Wheeler peak, NM and some various trails around the area. *update* I took the Watch out for a test run and walk. The watch is fantastic, but I find the screen annoying. It’s great in the sun (when you get the right angle). I often blinded myself with the reflection of the screen. IMO the screen is terrible with mid lighting (in car, shade etc). It’s not light enough to see and not dark enough where the backlight helps. I think the Epix would be fantastic and better in most lighting scenarios. The battery life will be worse but I’m not going into the wilderness for a week tracking gps lol. Even if I did, I’d be carrying a solar battery charger anyway. Just my experience so far. Update The fenix 7 pro came out so I pulled the trigger on a SOLAR ONLY model because of my experience with Sapphire screen. The solar only model IS indeed a little clearer than the solar with sapphire. The backlight is also significant brighter than the regular 7 (you just have to turn auto brightness off). I have brightness on at 20% with gestures and I have absolutely no problems. I’m happy with my decision. Now I get a 7 with an updated HR sensor, flashlight in 47mm model and 32gb of storage. I don’t have to worry about pixel burn in and will use this Watch for as long as I can.

[@fendermon]

Very insightful description of the 7 SS screen and confirms my thoughts after playing with one in a store. Thanks :)

[@XxXx-sc3xu]

Thanks for the fun updates!

[@JessieGau]

I’ve watched a lot of reviews of Ultra and I have a ultra as well. And I really like yours. Your aspect is very practical and I am so related. Thanks for spending time making this reviews. 👍👍👍

[@Hikingguy]

Big thank you, and yea, just trying to look at from a practical standpoint. I love tech but just trying to talk about it as if I was making a recommendation to a friend. Glad you enjoyed it and again, big thank you.

[@JohnCornnell]

I am glad I am not the only weirdo with two watches on a hiking trail; the looks I receive....

[@jamesgaskin7762]

I run ultra marathons and rely on having maps and navigation with reliable battery life! Garmin Fenix for me 👍🏼 Apple have some work to do to make this a true outdoors adventure watch!

[@3runjosh]

the rugged look has always appealed to me more. something i wont be afraid to scratch, something that lasts (reliability) in battery. I prefer circular face too.

[@ADPeguero]

I have to feel comfortable and look good wearing a watch. Unfortunately, to me at least, the Apple Watch Ultra is too thick and looks too big for my 5'4" body. I bought the Ultra when it came out and in the end, I just couldn't see anything that it really improved over my Series 7 Titanium and as I said before, it looked far too big on my wrist so I returned it. I'm happy with my Series 7 for now.

[@vannsmall2223]

For the Alpine Loop band. In your video looks like the band is in backwards. The hook should be looping from the top of the watch not bottom, much easier to fasten. I did the same thing when I first got mine.

[@crandallcrute3918]

🤘Thanks

[@Hikingguy]

WHOAA Big Big Thank You!

[@crandallcrute3918]

@@Hikingguy Your videos are so informative - but I just took a chance and went a little off course of your advice, mostly because I love tech. I've ordered the ForeRunner 965. It actually looks like it may serve my purposes better than the Apple Watch Ultra, but we'll see. I can try and look for 30 days and if it's not working out, I can return it. Again, thanks for your advice.

[@Hikingguy]

@@crandallcrute3918 965 is a great unit and has everything you need without the fluff, you'll get the Garmin experience is a solid package

[@peterbedford2610]

Bought the Topo Pursuit, thru your link, based on your review. Ive hiked about 50 miles on them and they are great. After 5 years of Altra Lone Peaks, Im now a Topo convert.

[@Hikingguy]

great to hear, thank you for posting that - still loving mine too

[@veins91]

Before I made the switch to COROS I was an Apple Watch user. The wet sleeves pausing or stoping my activites drove me nuts, I would lock the screen as a way to stop that from happening as you mentioned.

[@co0lers]

Best review so far. Seen a lot of comparison videos to decide which one to buy. This one is the most practical video.

[@capwatkins3671]

I mentioned this over email, but 1000% agree with this video. I was so disappointed by how non-outdoorsy the Apple Watch is (from the weird sleeve interactions to the lack of any built-in nav). Traded it in for an Epix and have been SO happy I did! Even for running and normal workouts the Epix just really is so much better and a joy to use.

[@capwatkins3671]

@@crowehar That makes a ton of sense! I think I just personally don't find a ton of value in those features. I know a lot of people who do, though!

[@capwatkins3671]

@@SkepticalRaptor You mean besides Apple Maps on the iPhone?

[@AHungryHunky]

I think it's a good attempt from Apple and an improvement over the standard watch. It's definitely a great option for the casual outdoorsman who needs something a little more rugged but doesn't really need battery for multi-day events. You know, the guy decked out in North Face and Patagonia at the office. It does have some advantages over Garmin, my big one would be that it can use the iPhone as an emergency satellite call, Garmin has incident detection but it only works in cell range. Ironic considering Garmin would be my pick for spending multiple days out of cell range. This would be a great option for my aging parents who still like to stay active and go on hikes, but who's bodies may fail at the worst time. Now if only I can argue it's price to them.

[@TheZanshen]

Epix beats it hands down. I switched from AW to epix and never looked back.

[@maxducoudray]

To be fair, it’s the first version.

[@SD-ik3fb]

Terrific review. Very helpful. Recent Utra owner but now I know the shortcomings. I definitely had different expectations. Thanks. Cheers!

[@Davedublin]

I’ve watched a lot of Watch ultra apps. This is by far is the best. Subscribed 👌🏻

[@Dk-qf8dd]

Have the AWU and Fenix 7. I wear the AWU for day use and short hikes. Anything more than that is Garmin. Garmin is a better fit for my hiking style. After using both I see the AWU as a great smartwatch with some outdoor functionality and the Garmin as an Outdoor watch with some smartwatch functionality. After this may have to look at an Epix.

[@jborrelli34]

Do you use workoutdoors with the gps breadcrumb trails for hiking with the AWU? And if so, how does it compare to your Garmins gps maps?

[@loudog232]

Like you, I have both and use them exactly as you do. I really like the functionality of the AW when I go on training runs as I can leave my phone behind. I've done a 50K race with the Ultra and it did great. For any multi-day adventures, its the Fenix by a mile.

[@theresa337]

I am not an hiker, but I love learning new things. I am one who would jump in not knowing what I was doing. Thanks for the details! I am considering life in a Prius and played the idea of hikes with my dog.

[@officialmelon]

This is a great video showing an interaction with a watch on a normal users level! Thank you!

[@GerNijkamp]

Thanks for addressing these issues with the Apple Watch Ultra. I'm a long distance runner and you mentioned exactly all of Apple's design mistakes during more serious use of the Apple Watch Ultra in daily practice. Even the aspect of paying attention while forced to scroll through menus with a finger on glass while you are exhausted... 🙂👍 P.S: Fenix here... 😉

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you, good to hear that my experience is jibing with yours. It's hard to explain how not fun it is dealing with the touch screen when you're wiped out.

[@pistopit7142]

When you are running, even long distance all you relly need to do is lift your wrist to view all the data in real time. This is assuming you are willng to keep workout app in focus on your watch while running. I do that all the time for 10km distances and it's perfect. Apple could improve this by simply dimming the display for the workout app when you are not looking at the watch. Similar like they do for watch faces. You can still mitigate it by turning off always on display but it's not as good.

[@kevintaylor7047]

There’s literally a wheel on the side of the watch to let you scroll through something. Much more convenient than buttons.

[@Hikingguy]

@@kevintaylor7047 not when you're sweaty and tired - speking from experience / 100s of miles using both

[@jantepas7511]

Great in depth view from a heavy user. Thanks. Hiking and one day charging is for me a no-go. You have give a good review. Thanks.

[@immnotaboutthatlife2086]

Best hiking channel!!!❤ I prefer the ocean band because it’s easier to clean and dry but currently use the older model made for the regular Apple Watches. Same concept as the ocean band though.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you!

[@Word187]

Great video. I use Garmin for hiking and cycling since the 90's. And there havent, unfortunately, been a competitor for handhelds, cycling computers and watches. Even though I'm sucked in to the Garmin Eco system. It would be good for the market if an other company could compete. And no Mio you're not one of them!

[@garyl2000]

I am in the camp of already have an Apple Watch and thinking of upgrading to the Ultra (or gen 2 since its out now). The Garmin is likely a much better device for hiking, but it's purpose built I can't really afford to buy both. Your video is the one of the clearest and best descriptions of the pros and cons that I have seen. Thanks!!!! - great job (actually I love most of your videos). Keep it up and maybe I'll find an update to this report as some of the hiking apps update their software to work better on Apple Watch.

[@XxXx-sc3xu]

Will never happen as they don’t want apple to eat the outdoors market

[@mickeybrumfield764]

Love my Garmin Fenix. I think its great. The Garmin people seem to really know what they're doing in meeting the needs of hikers with their watches.

[@Hikingguy]

Yea, they're way more dialed into the outdoors and athletic crowd in my opinion. It's obvious that the watches get lots of attention and feature updates. Probably at the expense of handhelds but as long as something is moving forward, it's better than not.

[@virtualZ161]

Yes I agree. I recently upgraded from Fenix 3 to Fenix 7. As a endurance athlete is fits my needs. Garmin customer support is A+ and stand behind their brand.

[@RazerView]

Great review! Debating these two now. Think I’ll get the garmin, but I hope the new ones don’t come out soon lol

[@Windows98R]

In some sense, this might be Apple’s opportunity to differentiate Apple Maps. Apple Maps and basically every other maps app step on each other’s foot since there isn’t too much to gimmick on a maps app. I’m not an outdoors person by any stretch (I got the Ultra because driving route navigation obliterates battery on the normal watch) but it’d be cool to see Apple take in input from people like him who do actually go out and compare how the Ultra performs with dedicated hardware like Garmin’s

[@blumchue]

I think the biggest thing holding the ultra back, is the fact that the processor inside is the same one that has been used as a series 6. I really think I will hold some things back just to get you to upgrade unfortunately… I love my Series 7 but I won’t be upgrading until they have a new chip inside.. good video

[@ivancajka732]

Great insight

[@weston407]

that's exactly why I never want to get Gen1 of ANYTHING - I'm gonna wait for Gen2 or 3 before I get the Ultra - my Series 6 still has a bit of life left in it, especially if I get the battery replaced

[@markmelton5472]

Thanks for the footpath rec, I will check it out. I have an All Trails subscription and would love to see a comparison of those two plus any other similar apps

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you, and yes, AllTrails is on the list, I plan on covering lots if not all the apps I can find for hiking on the AW in the next couple of months.

[@computer_carnivore]

I bought an AWU2 and had no idea it didn’t come with navigation software. Absolutely shocked that a watch targeted at this market has zero nav baked in.

[@Hikingguy]

Check out the Footpath app, it's great - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hn7EoWiVjZmBfs0

[@AllenStauffer]

Thanks for the review - I currently have an Epix and an Ultra and most of these points resonate with me. I'm trying to decide which to stick with (or more accurately, decide if I could happily part with the Ultra, since my iPhone broke and I'm back to using a Pixel, unsure if I really want to pick up another iPhone or not) - from the comments it sounds like there are more watch dual-wielders than I'd expect. 😊

[@Hikingguy]

Yea it's a tough call but if it were me I'd probably just go Pixel / Epix until I needed a phone upgrade and then decide from there.

[@JustinEdge-i3i]

@@Hikingguywhen watch os 10 comes out of beta it’s a lot better and action button gets more apps and then I get 3 days on mine that’s with general use n walking

[@Itb7687]

I own both of these watches as well and agree 100% with your assessment. I’ll add three important points: 1) As Apple Watches go, the Ultra is the best deal going for the added features you get standard (sapphire, titanium case, cellular, larger screen, 3-day battery, dive watch, 100m Wp, extra buttons and capabilities) 2) the Apple Watch Ultra is useless for all snowsports or anything where you don’t want to wear it against your skin. You don’t have enough control through a jacket, the screen is finicky when wet, and if not next to your wrist you either have to enter your passcode every time you raise it or disable security and in doing wipe all the other cool features like Apple Pay. 3) Garmin has FAR better fitness metrics. It also records sleep automatically and far more accurately (the Ultra places to much faith in your programmed ‘sleep schedule’ to determine when you go to sleep and almost alway misses) The Ultra has other limitations around which apps you can use simultaneously, and the best app there is, WorkOutDoors, has some annoying quirks like the inability to record laps. I wear my Ultra almost always, for it’s smartphone functionality and seamless integration with my iphone. I use it for walks and light workouts, but for any serious hikes (over an hour), camping, biking, snowsports, etc, I turn to the Garmin Epix A final caution on the AWU. The screen and case are bomber, but it’s achilles heel is the HRM crystal. If you drop it on that it WILL break, and costs $450 to repair if you don’t have AppleCare.

[@wesgilbert3030]

This is an excellent review and exactly what I was looking for and needing. After watching (no pun intended) this video I think I will be going with the AWU. Here's my reason. Even though I live in one of the greatest areas in the country for outdoor life (Bozeman, MT), I'm a casual outdoorsman. I am one of those that is looking for a rugged smartwatch that can do some great outdoors things also such as hiking and fitness tracking. I'm deeply ingrained into the Apple ecosystem as I use a MacBook, iPhone, my wife and kids all have apple products, we use iCloud to sync most things to, etc etc. I have been an Apple Watch wearer for several years and I do enjoy and use the smartwatch features that iOS offers. I feel like I'll be able to get the exact use that I'm looking for out of an Apple Watch Ultra with potentially installing a couple of add-on apps. HOWEVER, if I feel like I need or want to have a more outdoors-centric GPS watch then I will definitely consider the Garmin Epix. At this point I'm mostly concerned about batter life so I'll see how it holds up with daily smartwatch use and doing day hikes around the valley here. Thanks again! I give your review 10 thumbs up.

[@voterdown]

👍🏻🤔 I had planned on doing my fast forward skimming of long reviews and ended up watching all of this review. It was balanced, very well researched and presented, with thoughtful and intelligent insights. Learned a lot! 👍🏻☺️

[@PadraicFreeman]

Greatly appreciate your time, your review of the Ultra; you offer a wonderful perspective; I wish Apple did reach out to you; maybe next time. all the best. So appreciate what you bring.

[@kojo977]

Thank you for the review a lot of useful information and your analysis is great to watch

[@shsalabdali]

I love how you’re concise with the information. Good job and great video! Subscribed 👍

[@bobgralewski211]

Great video. I switched from Apple Watch to epix and am glad I did. Can you recommend an external battery for day hiking/backpacking that is reliable, powerful, and as light as possible?

[@Hikingguy]

I've been using this guy - amzn.to/3LMHYj4 - there's probably something lighter now (bought it last year) but it works well, and as the silly copy says "as light as 3 eggs"

[@bobgralewski211]

Thanks so much - for this recommendation and for all your really, really helpful content.

[@陳俊廷-b7m]

感謝分享，也期待您分享的兩個hike app經驗。對眾多使用者幫助很大❤

[@dodoontherocks]

I use the ultra for my triathlon training and so far it works very good

[@_icscata_]

Very good review. Both are awesome products. Garmin is more like the pro outdoor version but Apple is an all-in-one city and trail companion. But incredible products overall.

[@TheRealStructurer]

Seems like a balanced and grounded review. Thanks for sharing 👍🏼

[@30mattdavies]

Great review as always. You can stop the cuff hitting stop by just water locking it. Agree with all your comments. It’s a tough one as the choice is between a pin point accurate watch (Apple Watch ultra) and bolt in apps. Or… the much better looking/longer lasting- but more inaccurate EPIX 2. The quantified scientists review of garmin sleep tracking and optical hr really disappointed me. Either - Apple releases a software update/Ultra 2 with proper mapping/routing/native training analytics (double battery again would be great 😂) or - garmin sorts it’s sleep/optical flaws out and potentially some more smart features (not a dealbreaker for me, but nice to have) I’m not loyal to any brand, just what the customer gets. The rumour is that the Epix 2 pro is inbound. If the 51mm model has a flashlight… take my money garmin.

[@ronaldquint]

Thank you for reminding me about the “water lock” cuff hits. While I don’t own either of these 2 fine watches, I had forgotten about the “water lock” feature.

[@kraigseder]

Great information. Best video yet for an honest opinion on the Ultra and hiking. Thank you.

[@CoryNadilo]

Great Video and the software navigation tips are useful. What band are you wearing in the video? Thanks

[@Hikingguy]

amzn.to/3NTulhR

[@freshliving122]

Very thorough👍. KZbinrs please take notes before doing reviews. This is what every reviewer should be doing

[@tgaskill]

Great video. Very informative and honest. I really like your long sleeve shirt you have on. What’s the brand?

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you - it's a Kuhl - bit.ly/3LWTfNv

[@Cortezuma]

I’ve had the Garmin Fenix and the Apple Watch for years. The Garmin quickly turns into something you only put on when you go out for activities, which is such a small percentage of the time we spend. The majority of the time, it’s a crappy smart watch. I’ll take the Apple Watch Ultra, which is useful 100% of the time and doesn’t particularly hinder you outdoors. If I was super super serious about extreme outdoors stuff, I’d probably re-invest in the Garmin devices. Being more casual about it, the Apple Watch Ultra is more than what I even need and actually functions phenomenally as a smart watch. It’s definitely not perfect, but my Fenix is in a bag somewhere in my basement at this point… so…. My Ultra lives on my wrist, even during sleep, and I charge it for a few minutes when I’m at my desk or during my commute to and from work. I love the Garmin ecosystem but the Ultra is the best thing to happen to the main stream consumer market for smart watches in a very long time.

[@Hikingguy]

Yup, Ultra is better all-around watch that works for most hikers, the Garmin is a better tool for hiking.

[@theinfiniteisallaroundus2576]

That’s it, totally agree with you man. People complain about Apple Watches battery life that they don look at the whole picture as it is. Garmin and other brands battery life supposedly lasts for days or weeks but again they are not all round smartwatches, they are sport watches and do not have many features Apple watch or galaxy pro watches have in each of their ecosystems 👍🏻. Besides people it’s extremely spoiled this days, series 8 and takes less than an hour to completely charge and for the use a I’m giving to it, last me for 2 days so I don’t see what they complain about 🤷🏻🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️.

[@krisvanaut]

Im not sure what smartwatch features you use 90% of you time? I run on average 30 minutes a day, that is still more time that I actively spend witch smartwatch features on my watch, like taking a phone call, watch the time and take a message. . The other 90% of my time the watch just sits at my wrist.

[@theinfiniteisallaroundus2576]

@@krisvanaut sits at your wrist as any other analog watch does bro!!! and at least with smartwaches your health is being monitored all the time, i know watches are not specialized medical devices but you can access health data that other wise would be impossible to know, heart beating rate, sleep tracking, ECG, temperature, blood oxygen saturation etc., it can automatucally call emergency services for you, if you have a car accident or a hard fall, in countries where eartquakes happens very often (like mine) people trapped under debris could call emergency or loved ones if smartphone is not reacheable. Maybe you dont give any other use, but lets hope we don´t have to use it for any of the scenarios mentioned before.

[@krisvanaut]

@@theinfiniteisallaroundus2576 ok understand your point & makes sense. Both Garmin and Apple Watches collect medical data, that is not the reason to prefer one over the other.

[@ryanw8664]

Fantastic review! Very comprehensive and focused on real-world usage. Subbed!

[@jrodriguez8216]

What an excellent review and insight to this watch before I buy it. Thank you very much. This was extremely useful.

[@andy5478-MTB]

Garmin is absolutely the best choice for the multisport enthusiast. I mountain bike, ski, golf, snowshoe, hike, walk etc ... all that and more is natively on Garmin watch with no extras required. Additionally Garmin connect is superior for data and analytics.

[@twistedml4132]

you can water lock the watch screen while wearing long sleeves as well to help eliminate accidentally shutting off activity monitoring or workouts etc....

[@IvanMalechko]

Yes, it doesn’t come with navigation. But Workoudors completely solves this issue. I tried garmin watch and immediately returned it, it’s so slow, sluggish and cumbersome. It took me a while to upload my route to Forerunner 945 (as it cannot be uploaded easily by air as in case with garmin bike computers). Then I came to the trail and had to wait around 5-10! Minutes until it finally loaded the route I already uploaded to the watch prior. On the trail it was lagging badly so I missed a couple of turns while running (maybe not so critical for a walking pace). It is related to Foruner 945 but I don’t think there more improvement for newer models. And workoutdoors is just smooth and flawless in real time. And I’m not even talking about smartwatch functionality as I mainly use it just as fitness watch and still find it better. All the gimmicks of garmin like estimated vo2max, recovery time etc, can be easily replaced by apps or built in apple features. And the price is about the same, or even twice lower if you get a regular Apple Watch instead of ultra. For me the one and only advantage of garmin is battery life which is only make sense for over 1-2 day adventures. And thanks for mentioning the foot path, I should try it too.👍

[@twiblr]

Greta video. The review was well organized and written. Subscribed.

[@___Chris___]

I guess your Epix watch has 47mm diameter, correct? The new Epix Pro comes in 3 sizes (42, 47, 51 mm). Do you think the 42 mm version might be too small? The reason I'm asking: I like the gold/beige design that only comes as a 42 mm version . It's probably targeting women, but I think it's quite elegant for men, too. I don't care in the outdoors, but for everyday life I don't want a watch to be ugly that costs >1000€. Great video, thanks!

[@Hikingguy]

I think the 42 will be a good choice - you're just sacrificing some screen real estate

[@Frangrance]

very honest review. actually I am into cycling, I have been through the phase of trying to use my iphone and apple watch for everything (heart rate, following gpx routes, and all data helpful during the activity such as speed, elevation, ...). And, I can say that it worked fine! with a bit of effort on setup and searching for the right app. the only big issue was the phone's battery life that I had to plan around it. Then, I found an offer on a bike gps computer (wahoo) and I decided to give it a go. after setting it up, and buying a cardio chest strap, I would never go back. It's just far more immediate, less distracting, less informations but they are the helpful one that allows you to focus on your ride.I still carry my phone to occasionally use Maps (for having a satellite view, or search a way point I am not sure about), but for the rest I prefer to have it outside of my view. My watch stays at home instead. I came to the conclusion that for occasional users, already owner of iPhone/Watch, those devices will do the job just fine. For more regular users, there's nothing as good as dedicated hardware.

[@ajpoe17]

I have a dedicated computer for cycling, too... the Karoo 2. I really like it. But, with an HR strap, you can now mount the Ultra to the handlebars and use it as a cycling computer wihtout having to look at your wrist for navigation, power or HR info. You just have to turn off wrist detection to use it this way. An app like Workoutdoors, Cyclemeter or Navigr8 work very well and connect to your power meter and other sensors, too. You can even connect a power meter to the native watch workout app. If I had the Ultra before the Karoo 2, I would probably just use the Ultra with one of the 3rd party apps mentioned. I also don't have to carry my phone with a data plan on the watch. But, it is nice to see how Apple is progressing and becoming more and more able to be the all-in-one solution. A significant increase in battery time would be the next HUGE step.

[@tommacdougall]

Enjoyed your honest video.

[@samuelaxtubia6808]

about the unwanted pauses or touches in the screen. You can activate the drop like icon and it would block the screen from unwanted touches. This function is destined to water related sport but is also great to use in hiking environments

[@AHungryHunky]

I think the AWU will never truly be the best option until they make it totally operational via buttons alone. Anyone who spends enough time outside knows that touch screens are the least optimal controls and nothing you want to rely on entirely. A light drizzle and suddenly opperating your device becomes a challange in itself.

[@quantuminfinity4260]

One thing that I find helps significantly, and I just find quite useful and nice in daily use especially when my hands are full, is enabling AssistiveTouch. Not having buttons to do everything doesn’t bother me too much usually, It’s not a perfect substitute, but it is just a genuinely useful feature, even when the screen is not wet.

[@CrueLoaf]

Put the water lock on. Set up the action button for it.

[@johnatkinson1111]

Some of the accessibility features can be very useful for hands free usage such as assistive touch which lets you control the Watch using pinching gestures with your fingers

[@god-son-love]

I love physical buttons. The haptic feedback gives me peace of mind.

[@attika70]

There is no reason to use put buttons on Apple Watch when assistive touch does the same thing

[@daniaaal]

If a future Apple Watch Ultra comes with more buttons (ideally at least three in total) + significantly improved battery life (can last a week at least), I think it's a no-brainer for me to pick AWU. I just need an apple watch that can last a marathon or a vacation without worrying about battery life.

[@johnatkinson1111]

When disabling the always on display my ultra can last me between 4-5 days where as with always on I get around 2-2 and a half days, for activities all the sensors are working so your going to get less battery however it’s sort of at the impass where you either disable features or you make it even bigger as the battery density is about as good as it can get without a completely new battery technology. Ultra low power mode is that option of disabling features to boost battery life but the consequence is less workout data.

[@shimona500]

The battery life is down to the cpu/gpu mostly. The CPU that can show 3d memojis, all sorts of other 3d effects. Garmin CPU is around 10-100x slower, but more than enough for the task at hand and sips so much less power. Display doesn't really matter that much, new Garmin Epix Pro has similar screen to Ultra but can get similar battery life to the Fenix. Unless they remove all that normal apple watch capability from ultra, or battery tech jumps considerably (much less likely), they can't get the battery life up to fenix levels.

[@axepourhomme]

Does it take you one week to run a marathon?

[@latitudeoutdoor]

This is exactly reason I ended up returning mine. I should not have to touch any settings to get 36 hours of battery life. I just go with my Sunto instead and picked up a classic AW for day to day.

[@DieTabbi]

APW is like men want to have golden p3nis ;-) only bling bling

[@kevinmaibaum7375]

Great Video! Which app did you use for navigation?

[@Hikingguy]

Footpath is the best for me

[@The.JZA.]

You can lock the screen at any time from any app. Just hold your finger on the bottom edge of the touch screen and then swipe up when the grey bar appears and then click the water lock button.

[@Hikingguy]

Yup - and some apps like Workoutdoors have lock screens as well. Sorry if I wasn't clear, but the point I was trying to make is that you have to lock the screen, but on something like a Garmin, you can just use the buttons.

[@Marruk8865]

Nice clear review! What faceplate do you use? The black one. Like it!

[@Hikingguy]

ty! & think its called Explorer

[@yuraserdiuk9571]

thanks for the video, it was interesting and useful 😊

[@klabton]

The best comparison I’ve seen. Thx!

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you!

[@alecfotsch3533]

Great Video! I have used a compass for navigation as my primary when island hopping on sea kayaks but it'd be a total hassle if the compass was stuck to my wrist because it'd be hard to see so yeah compass is still not that useful here.

[@MrFurioushamster]

Best video about Apple Watch ultra. Ty!

[@tiberiupaun8966]

Congratulation for the review! Onestly, can ultra be compared with garmin in terms of gps acuracy? I want to buy it and i use it only for outdoor runing and runing on a treadmill indoor! Thank you anticipately!

[@readyplayer2]

Yes, the ultra GPS accuracy is excellent. But that’s not going to matter much on your treadmill 😉

[@tiberiupaun8966]

@@readyplayer2 thank you so much for your answer! Yes, on the treadmill the watch doesn’t use gps, only the acelerometre. But tell me please., it’s the same, precise as garmin? And if you tested it., is it better and precise than apple watch 8?

[@Hikingguy]

Accuracy is great but if you want to be able to tweak the settings like change the recording interval to 1 second, you'll want the Garmin. But overall the Ultra would usually be super close to what the Epix had for distance.

[@mailcarl]

Realy nice comparison - showed excactly for whom are the watches for. Thank you for your interesting and entertaining video! Kind regards form Dresden / Germany :-)

[@Hikingguy]

Danke!

[@ghostdoguk184]

The Apple Watch is arguable the best smart watch out there, its also a fantastic tool for the many people who just want to track basic fitness. If you want to do some serious distances and monitor fitness levels and recovery in an industry standard, useful way then you are on Garmin, Polar, Suunto, Coros. Surely it comes down to what you expect from the device. The Apple Watch, despite the name is not an ultra watch, its barely a marathon capable but that’s a niche. The same could be said of Garmin etc, they are a long way away from matching Apple’s design and features for the average person. Great review btw. I have yet to meet a fellow runner with an Apple Watch on an event

[@pistopit7142]

I can assure you that AWU is very well capable for marathon. You can keep the music on entire time too ;)

[@ghostdoguk184]

@@pistopit7142 That's great to hear, how does it fair on an ultra? say anything more than 80km? I can imagine that Apple will introduce low GPS mode that will support longer runs. Thanks for replying.

[@pistopit7142]

@@ghostdoguk184 I don't think I would be able to run 80km in one seshion so don't know. If it takes you less than 12h then battery should last.

[@andrewc6874]

Practical, pragmatic review. Really helpful, thanks.

[@00-JT]

The compass has a back tracking feature that will show you where to go, and the directions to take not just a straight line

[@MrTvansickle]

What watch band did you have for the Ultra? Can you provide the link?

[@dwarakeshgolla8427]

Nice analysis dear please do a video about how accurate the ECG, SPO2 , blood oxygen and hart rates please

[@blond-in-blue]

Appreciate your viewpoint but as someone who hikes, backpacks, cycles, and kayaks, I love the Apple Watch Ultra for all of those things. The built-in apps are basic, but that gives the opportunity for developers to make apps that are way better and more purpose-built like AllTrails, Strava, Slopes, Wikiloc, Redpoint, Cyclemeter, etc. Garmin doesn’t really offer those options. You get what you get. That on top of being able to use it as a general-purpose smartwatch makes it hands-down the winner for me.

[@N13J]

imo if you don’t really care that much about smartwatch utilities and focus solely on activities tracking then absolutely go for Garmin. Anyway, Apple has come in the right direction in the world of premium tracker. I will be looking forward to AWU2.

[@Mark_Hemmings]

This was very helpful, thanks for the watch input as I’m considering my next watch option

[@anthonymillett16]

Great comparison! Thanks for your insight from your experience

[@NickAndrianov]

Thanx for app recomendations!

[@Outoffboxes]

Thank you very much from Germany 😊so much helpfull information of hiking. I never heart in Germany, 🎉

[@chrisw3327]

Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is also amazing: Weeks of battery life or infinite if you have decent sunshine where you are. It also links seamlessly to your phone and to the Garmin Inreach devices (e.g. Inreach Messenger), which you can keep in your backpack, for satellite comms.

[@alexcordero6672]

All due respect to these reviewers but... I have a long history of hiking and trail running (long hikes and races) with Garmin devices and now an AWU and... honestly, the AWU's default tracking apps are sufficient for most of the Apple Watch's target audience. In fact, I just wrapped up a 15 mile trail run this afternoon just using the AWU default running app and it tracked great. I bought and installed Workoutdoors because I listened to another reviewer that indicated that it was an absolute must and honestly, it's more trouble than it's worth. The thing is that, if you're going to hike or run far enough that you need a map, you're likely going to either have your phone or a printed map (AllTrails or something similar) and it's a better and bigger display than finding your position on a dinky little screen sitting on your sunburned arm. For shorter distances (5 to 10Ks mile runs), you probably won't need a map. Additionally, I took my AWU on a two day camping trip that included a 20 mile backpacking hike--again, just the default apps and it did great. Thorough and helpful review but... what more do you want? These devices are beyond amazing already.