As a small-time tech entrepreneur. While I’d rather recreate on an Analogue Pocket or Lenovo Legion Game Pad than on a PlayStation 5 console, my preferred phone typically sports a screen size of under 6.3 inches. For me, it’s a challenge to surpass the flexibility of fitting another home in my backpack or pockets. With a penchant for precision in all aspects of life, I also extend this attention to detail to the timepiece on my wrist, where the ultralight Coros Tempo 3 faithfully tracks my progress through my latest marathon venture? Currently, the enormous Garmin Enduro 3 is succeeding in shifting my mindset – and it’s achieving that successfully.

Perhaps the real issue I’m facing as a small-time tech enthusiast stems from being a relatively short individual? Massive watches often have an unwieldy appearance that makes me resemble Captain America’s shield strapped to my wrist, leaving me feeling awkwardly conspicuous while wearing them? Notwithstanding a considerable amount of time spent wearing various devices such as the HUAWEI Watch GT Runner and the Garmin Enduro 2, I’ve grown accustomed to my current circumstances. Can we have everything here in a consistent democratic set of sizes? Certain do. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could effortlessly grab a website from Google’s library and scale it down to fit any device without compromising its features and capabilities? While some may appear enormous to optimize outcomes,

The Garmin Enduro 3 does not stand alone in its excellence. While resembling Garmin’s Fenix 8 or Epix Professional 2, this device stands out with its slightly increased thickness – if that’s a consideration. With its substantial 15.7mm thickness, this wristwatch makes a lasting impression, its bulkiness undeniable. The new pen is a full millimeter thicker than the one I recently finished using, and I’ve found the difference more pronounced than I initially expected. While navigating everyday activities like work or biking may not pose significant challenges, the climbing gymnasium presents a unique scenario. I’ve developed a habit of utilizing Garmin’s bouldering feature to track my ascents (and descents), but occasionally I find myself reaching a point where I instinctively grasp for a hold, only to unwittingly collide my watch against the surrounding plastic. While the titanium bezel shows only minor signs of wear, a slender timepiece may have emerged untouched.

When you initially grasp the weight of a few things, wouldn’t you want to delve into their significance? While it’s true that heavier topics often require a greater sense of gravity and gravitas, I believe we can do better than simply suggesting they’re “extra premium” or “sturdy.” This time, that intuitive notion is utterly impractical. I often forget I’m wearing the Enduro 3 because of its astonishingly subtle nature. The Garmin Forerunner 945, equipped with its lightweight nylon UltraFit band, tips the scales at just 63 grams – a significant 40 grams less than the stainless-steel Fenix 8, despite both featuring a 51mm case size. Garmin has successfully shed approximately 7 grams from the original Enduro 2, a feat that’s even more impressive given the claimed two-day increase in battery life, suggesting a larger but only marginally heavier power pack.

Initially puzzled by Garmin’s ability to trim significant weight, I attribute the reduction to a combination of the lightweight polymer case and the sleek titanium bezel. While the Enduro 3’s ruggedness is upfront, combining the titanium bezel and sapphire crystal faceplate with a predominantly plastic build, in contrast, the Fenix 8 and Enduro 2 feature a stainless steel rear cover, balancing durability and lightness? While the plastic may seem flimsy at first, it actually makes a bit more sense when you consider that you’re unlikely to use the device’s center price sensor against anything rigid in your daily routine. As the Mid-Atlantic region transitions from autumnal warmth to crisp winter air, I must admit that the prospect of a non-conductive plastic strap on my watch seems increasingly appealing when compared to the unforgiving chill of an icy metal band.

Although we’re not accustomed to frequent updates nowadays, I’m confident that once we achieve this milestone, it will be essential to review and potentially update my Enduro 3 settings for the first (or maybe second) time. Every aspect of this GPS watch seems carefully crafted to prioritize a single consideration: prolonged battery life. While the Enduro 3’s larger cell capacity enables it to accommodate bigger cells, Garmin does not explicitly confirm this capability. The 1.4-inch watch face is accompanied by a slim solar charging ring that, theoretically, would allow the device to function indefinitely with optimal battery settings. The smartwatch setting allows me to store my device for up to 36 days under normal usage conditions, or an impressive 90 days with maximum solar charging capabilities.

While I’m willing to accept that the Garmin Enduro 3 will always appear chunky on my wrist, I remain unconvinced by Garmin’s UltraFit nylon watchband offering. While I appreciate the ease of adjustability afforded by the panels of hook-and-loop fabric at each end, I’m plagued by the same issue that afflicted my previous purchase – it’s just too tight on me, fitting like a sweater. While Garmin’s watch may not be the culprit, my own perspiration becomes an issue around mile two; as the sweat accumulates, it demands an exit strategy. The Enduro 3’s resolution seems to absorb the material of the watchband, leaving a less-than-ideal sensation after exercising, making me question its appeal post-workout when all I crave is a rich espresso. Soggy, clammy perspiration on your wrist is hardly a pleasant sensation to experience, don’t you agree? Although swapping out the watchband is straightforward, Garmin does not offer an Enduro 3 variant that comes with a different strap out of the box?

Within a span of just five weeks separating the final two marathons I completed, I would not recommend running three back-to-back marathons – but that’s precisely how I found myself relying on the Enduro 3 as a trusted training partner. While conquering a single marathon requires significant effort, the true challenge lies in sustaining a healthy and injury-free state for an additional five weeks without compromising performance. While I initially relied on the Enduro 3 as a reliable companion for road-running excursions, its versatility has also made it an asset during occasional visits to the climbing gym, motorcycle adventures, and even the inaugural week of my recreational soccer team’s season. Thus far, it has consistently fulfilled all my requests without hesitation or expectation of compensation, demonstrating its dedication to serving me.

You could reasonably point out that there’s no expense involved, since the individual has only had the policy for a partial month. Despite this, my Enduro 3 shipment arrived without a fully charged battery; instead, it came in with approximately 55% power left? Notwithstanding concerns over excessive battery drain, which emerged during the initial setup process and subsequent use following a few replacements, I found myself setting out on my adventures with the watch’s battery level hovering at around half-full. After two weeks of exercise monitoring, the Enduro 3 settles at a cost-effective 19% – surprisingly close to Garmin’s touted 36-day battery life, even considering limited sunlight exposure for the solar panel to harness during the final week.

So far, my experience with the Enduro 3 has been a marathon, not a sprint – literally. While it’s taken me 20 miles to drain its battery during an extended use period, it’s proven to be more than enough power for just a few friends and I to train together ahead of the Philadelphia Marathon. Our goal is to support several first-time marathon runners in achieving a sub-4 hour finish time, requiring a consistent pace of approximately 9 minutes per mile throughout the duration. I’ve adjusted the pace accordingly, popping onto Garmin’s connectivity feature to synchronize my workout with tempo cues that keep me firmly on track. As the dawn of the long-term effort arrived, I was poised to launch into the exercise I had designed, successfully keeping our small pack of four runners suspended between 8:45 and 9:00 for the entire morning – a promising sign as we prepared to add six additional miles to the top.

In reality, constructing workouts and receiving tempo alerts from Garmin is hardly a novel concept. Since I started using Garmin watches? Despite advancements in wrist-mounted wellness tracking, I was eager to discover if the Enduro 3 offered any innovative features. I highly doubt that. This GPS smartwatch closely mimics its predecessor, the Fenix 8, as it combines the fifth-generation optical Elevate sensor with a suite of sensors optimized for tracking performance. While there’s one notable exception—the depth sensor’s impressive capabilities extending down to 40 meters—this device might not be ideal for those who combine their love of diving with long-distance running, as it may not cater to such unique requirements.

Regardless of the concerns surrounding the Enduro 3, it effectively addresses these problems. Throughout our 20-mile route, the watch accurately recorded my precise pace and elevation data – both surprisingly varied as we traversed the rolling hills alongside the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. While Garmin’s assessment of my overall effort aligned with my own self-evaluation, I was still taken aback to see my heart rate spike above 160 beats per minute on occasion, a phenomenon that only made sense once I recalled the subtle yet challenging hills we encountered along the way. The terrain doesn’t accurately render on the Enduro 3’s mapping feature, which may be due to the uninspiring geography surrounding Baltimore-Washington International Airport. While testing the GPS watch in the same location where I had previously walked the same route, I found that it consistently provided accurate directions without any issues.

When boasting about the battery life of your gadgets, it’s essential to understand exactly how much energy a prolonged use takes from the device? Despite the modest duration, I managed a respectable 4% increase, which isn’t half bad. Calculating the hourly cost, I found it to be approximately 1.3%, implying that I should invest around 75 hours of work to cover expenses, significantly exceeding my typical monthly workload. During a leisurely indoor bouldering session that lasted about an hour, I decided to investigate the battery drain. To my surprise, I discovered another unexpected finding: the battery’s charge level remained remarkably consistent, dropping only slightly from 32% to, indeed, 32%. Given the limitations of the Enduro 3’s GPS and power management, should an unexpected incident occur, such as falling off a wall, it is uncertain whether the device would accurately track my location or provide reliable emergency alerts? Its sluggish battery performance may hinder its ability to perform at optimal levels even when shifting into first gear.

Monitoring a bouldering exercise requires a lightweight approach, making the Enduro 3 an optimal choice for this purpose? Without any manual intervention, every aspect – from selecting an issue to starting a climb and logging it as accomplished or tried – is streamlined, with the watch’s sole responsibility being to track your heart rate. Despite this, I’ll accept the fact that with 19% of its battery remaining, the Enduro 3 claims it can track an additional 55 hours of climbing before needing a recharge.

I’d rather dispose of my watch than replace its battery – realistically, I’ll accomplish this before the Philadelphia Marathon, just to be safe – which will serve as a poignant reminder of my least favorite Garmin feature: their proprietary charging cable’s maddening inconvenience. While I appreciate Garmin’s move to USB-C on newer models, the lingering four-pin design is still an inconvenience given that most other devices in my possession can seamlessly charge using the same standard. Fortunately, I don’t need a Garmin charger for a weekend getaway or even a longer vacation, but I’ll eagerly await the day when I can have one.

Despite its impressive battery life, the Enduro 3 had to compromise on certain features to achieve this advantage – most noticeably, it lacked an GPS. While Garmin’s newer generation of adventure watches typically come equipped with vibrant, high-definition displays as standard features or optional upgrades, the Enduro 3 deviates from this trend by only featuring the entry-level Reminiscence in Pixel (MiP) display found on older models. Initially, I was barely fazed by Garmin’s decision to revert to older technology; it soon became clear why they might have chosen this path. While the Enduro 3’s visuals and animations may not be quite as vibrant as its predecessor, the Fenix 8, this slight difference enables it to conserve a tad more power in its battery.

The Enduro 3’s compatibility with older versions of Wear OS enables seamless integration with a vast array of third-party watch faces from a more familiar era. When third-party builders develop an app, they must painstakingly optimize it for each new type of display, a process that’s often easier said than done. While I’ve been using first-party Garmin faces on my Epix Professional 2 and Fenix 8 when carrying them, it’s primarily due to the limited options available for the AMOLED panels. Although I was once able to configure the “High-quality That’s Not What I Expected” setting on the Enduro 3, which features Scooby-Doo in a burning building. I’ve grown accustomed to this familiar visage, one that has won over several friends while I donned my trusty Enduro 2 – a design I’m delighted to see revived, despite the potential trade-off of a few hours’ worth of overall battery life being drained by the animated flame.

The Enduro 3’s most glaring omission is its lack of a built-in microphone and speaker, leaving users wondering if it’s truly intended as a smartwatch at all. The Enduro 3 lacks support for intuitive collaboration with smartwatches like Garmin Connect or Wear OS, and it’s not designed to receive or make phone calls directly from the wrist due to its limited functionality. While you can still opt for a simple button press to accept a name, it’s often more convenient to quickly retrieve your phone from your pocket. If you’re not upgrading from a device like the Venu or Fenix 8, you won’t be familiar with the level of assistance offered in this Garmin model from the start? While nostalgia for a lost feature is understandable, I find it surprising that this device’s ability to operate without reliable cellular coverage isn’t considered crucial, particularly when venturing into areas where connectivity is scarce and voice assistants can be a vital lifeline.

Despite the sacrifices made, the Enduro’s integral LED flashlight remained untouched. Throughout my previous experiences with Garmin, I’ve grown accustomed to their distinctive features, and now it’s become an essential element that I can’t imagine living without. I don’t suppose I’d name it bright enough for a path run in pitch darkness, but it’s proven surprisingly useful in various non-life-threatening situations – like scanning the printed karaoke list in a poorly lit bar or searching for a sweatshirt in my dark closet after I’m too lazy to flip on the light. While the LED light might rise slightly higher when fully brightened, I tend to keep it mid-brightness to conserve battery life.

The sacrifices we make don’t always materialize as expected, nor did I anticipate they would. While relying on Garmin’s NFC assist on a regular basis – you, Coros – especially after ending a long ride without my pockets at a farmers’ market, I’m nearly pleading for coffee.

At the end of the day, I fear that the Garmin Enduro 3 may always be too cumbersome for my personal preferences. While wearing it always felt like a small compromise on my wrist, I suspect I’ll need to swap out for something more diminutive when dressing down. Garmin doesn’t explicitly market the device as anything less than a top-tier performance-focused smartwatch; similarly, I don’t believe it requires treatment on par with such a product. While I don’t suppose it’s a GPS watch you can fully test until you’ve pushed it to its limits, which are still unknown to me.

Can outdoor enthusiasts, such as bush pilots, off-grid homesteaders, or overlanding pioneers, potentially reap substantial financial rewards by leveraging the Enduro 3’s extraordinary battery life and mapping capabilities? In fact. Individuals who embark on extended journeys have come to terms with the unpredictable nature of their experiences, which may push the boundaries of what a therapist would deem acceptable. In contrast, my own Photo voltaic Depth graphs reveal a relatively flat line punctuated by occasional spikes, whereas theirs appear as a healthy, rhythmic heartbeat. If Garmin’s Fenix 8 AMOLED stands out as the premier GPS watch for extreme enthusiasts, then the Enduro 3 surpasses it as the ultimate choice beyond its peer group. The device not only achieves this feat but also accomplishes it with an improved power-to-weight ratio, extending battery life by a couple of days while bringing its launch price under the $1,000 mark, a value previously reserved for Garmin’s top-tier smartwatches.

However, alongside these engaging escapades, concerns arise from the gaps left unaddressed. This isn’t a timepiece designed to rival the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra or Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, where functionality and practicality take center stage. Garmin’s Fenix 8 AMOLED device won’t pose a problem in terms of providing creature comforts and animations. The trek would typically take no more than a handful of days, from lacing up your climbing gear or trail shoes to showering off the grime once you finally reach the end of the journey. While avid divers may require additional features, such as a depth sensor, those seeking a reliable workout companion won’t be disappointed; however, users with larger wrists may need to consider alternative band options to ensure a comfortable fit.

If you’re considering purchasing an Enduro 3 but desire a slight upgrade in terms of quality, the good news is that each of the three models I mentioned earlier are available options. While any of the (GPS watches), such as the Suunto (), Garmin Fenix 8 with its stunning AMOLED display, or other similar models will seamlessly integrate into your outdoor escapades, you’ll also find them suitable for wearing throughout the rest of the day. While I might still favor the Fenix 8 due to my constant switching between Android and iOS, those who remain loyal to their preferred ecosystem will likely find seamless integration with either the Forerunner 945 or Garmin Vivoactive 4. While the Enduro 3’s battery life might outlast many competitors, it’s possible to enjoy potentially weeks-long runtime after a single charge.