Gone are the days when a sports watch offered 'only' distance, speed and time. Today’s athletes, from novice through to professional, demand a big list of features, such as cadence, elevation, GPS navigation, heart rate, recovery time and sleep monitor. However, one major hurdle that people, especially ultra-distance runners, still grumble about is battery life.
Batteries for sports gadgets have become smaller, lighter and far longer lasting in recent years, yet there are still few sports watches that can go the full distance during ultra training and races.
Now one of the big sports gadget brands, Garmin, has launched the Enduro ultra-performance GPS watch. The battery life is clearly at the forefront of the designers’ minds when creating this watch for headline features including 'customisable power management modes' and a Power Glass solar charging lens.
It’s claimed the Garmin Enduro will give an athlete 70 hours in GPS mode on a full charge, which is extended to 80 hours with solar capabilities.
- Read our guide to the best trail running shoes
- Find out more: what is ultra running?
Garmin Enduro features list
Other features of the Garmin Enduro include a lightweight and durable design with an UltraFit nylon strap and optional DLC coated titanium bezel.
The Enduro also has several new training and recovery tools. These include:
- Trail Run VO2 Ma, which adjusts your VO2 Max to take into account the impact of terrain and altitude on heart rate and pace.
- Enhanced ClimbPro that allows you to pace your current and upcoming ascents and descents.
- Rest Timer for quick checking of time spend in aid stations.
There is also a number of health and wellness features, such as a wrist-based heart rate2; a Pulse Ox3 sensor for altitude acclimation and advanced sleep tracking; and a Body Battery™ feature that monitors data to gauge energy levels, which can help with scheduling workouts and rest times.
The Enduro has plenty of navigation and connectivity features, including access to multiple global navigation satellite systems to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone, as well as built-in ABC sensors such as an altimeter for elevation data, a barometer to monitor weather and a 3-axis electronic compass.
“The Enduro has proved to be perfect for ultra-running,” says trail-running athlete Tom Evans, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) CCC winner and Garmin’s new global ambassador. "It’s light but hard-wearing and includes some amazing new features that make it something special for endurance runners. I particularly love the updates to ClimbPro, which make elevation pacing a breeze. But what’s incredible is the battery life - it would be a real challenge to outlast 80 hours of battery on one run!”
The Garmin Enduro models range from RRP £699.99 to £799.99. See garmin.com/enduro.
