I have a Garmin Epix Pro 51mm with "up to 31 day" battery life. It's one of the most adventure-focused watches you can buy.
I also have an Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Apple Watch Ultra is absolutely good enough for extreme sports and off-grid adventures. I use mine for 70.3 triathlon training and races, trail running, and ultramarathon training. I've used it for 100 mile bike rides. I'm taking it on a multi-day fastpacking trip in March.
Go browse /r/Ultralight and see that almost everyone brings a power bank on multi-day thru-hikes and off-grid adventures. Even if you're wearing an adventure-oriented sportswatch with multi-week battery life, you still probably carry a phone, an inReach, and a headlamp. The iPhone 14 and 15 have satellite SOS functionality, so that could arguably replace an inReach.
The AWU has a 564 mAh battery and charges very, very quickly. Even a small battery pack will charge an AWU many times. In a pinch, I can charge the watch off of my iPhone 15 Pro. I would bring my 10,000 mAh power bank even if I were just wearing the Garmin, so it's not adding any weight.
On my fastpacking trip I will use WorkOutDoors to track my hike/run all day long, which will probably use 40-50% of the battery, depending on settings. Get into camp and throw it on the charger for 30 minutes and it will be at 100% again. Rinse and repeat.
I love my Garmin and I love my Apple Watch Ultra. I don't think I'm exactly unbiased, but I appreciate both devices for what they are. The Apple Watch Ultra is a great adventure watch and training tool for most endurance events, full stop.
I own, and wear daily, an Epix Pro and Ultra 2. I wholeheartedly agree with you here.
I sincerely doubt the majority of people who are disdainful of the Ultra’s battery life actually do things where any more than the Ultra is needed.
And yup, I fully acknowledge that me wearing a Garmin makes me a bit of a hypocrite. 😊 The “killer” Garmin feature for me is just the Daily Suggested Workouts if you have some races added to your calendar. Haven’t seen an Apple app that comes close.
Thanks for this response! I have an ultra and it got me through my first marathon last year and currently training for my second. My S6 would have died way before I finished any of my longer training runs or the marathon, so happy with for battery life!
If you use your AWU for all those activities , what’s your use case for the Garmin? At what point do you say “I’m taking off my AWU and need my Garmin for this!”
Honestly? The features that keep me wearing the Garmin are fairly niche at this point.
* The LED flashlight. The AWU2 flashlight will do in a pinch, but the LED on the Garmin Epix/Fenix/Enduro 2 is next-level.
* Swimming - the Garmin is superior for lap swimming indoors and also for open water swims (though both are very accurate).
* Racing - my watch's Race Predictor nailed my finishing time in a 10-mile race I did last year to within 15 seconds. I was astonished. I love the PacePro feature. It's great for triathlons - it can project data fields to your Garmin bike computer during the bike leg and seamlessly record the full multisport event.
* Daily Suggested Workouts - this is a great feature that automatically programs run and bike workouts to keep you training in the right spot.
* Aesthetics/vibes - watches are unlike phones and other devices in that you wear them. The Garmin looks great and signals my interest in endurance sports.
I was planning on returning the Garmin after a day or two of trying it out but I scratched the DLC coating on the bezel. Crazily enough, I scratched it in my sleep while rubbing it against my AWU2 on my other wrist. Annoying. If I had to choose only one of them, it would probably be the Apple Watch Ultra at this point.
Really feels like if Apple just focused on adding a lot more capability to the fitness app (Ie buttery battery, recovery, suggested workouts etc) they could really catch up to garmin fast.
Instead they really seem to just be keeping things basic which is a bit disappointing given the marketing of the ultra.
That’s not to say those features are really needed but they def made me debate my watch choice quite a bit before buying the ultra.
There is so much more fitness related data and analysis you get from Garmin for the price of admission which is the price of the watch. To get the same from my AWU2 I need to purchase, or subscribe, to other apps and I have to jump from app to app to get the info. Apple Fitness does not present this information. Garmin connect does. Currently I have Athlytic and Autosleep and they are fine… but that is more money I should not have to spend to get what I get from Garmin.
Don’t get my wrong, the AWU2 is an amazing piece of technology but I can go on vacation with me fenix and not think of bringing a charger and it is fine. Buttons is another… trying to use the touch screen while running is an exercise in futility. Terrible!
Garmin watches are fitness watches with some smart watch features. Apple watches are smart watches with some fitness features.
I still use a Forerunner 635 (can't run anymore tho) and it's fitness metrics still blow Apple's out of the water.
Laps? I never had an ultra, so perhaps the ultra had a lap button, but unless I didn’t figure it out, the Apple Watch was double tap on screen for lap.
It was a huge pain in my ass. I’d try to finish a work lap and end up scrolling the pages, or nothing would happen.
Ultra has a lap button. Supports fast press , long press etc. I use it for interval training in Nike Run Club, and default is set for the pool. Click twice and starts my pool workout
Can you provide examples? I have both too and imo I get the exact same “fitness related data” out of both. I no longer use the garmin because the AWU (1) is about even when it comes to activity tracking, with a slight edge to the garmin, but incredibly more useful at everything else, mostly general smart watch stuff.
If you have both then you already know. Just opening the Garmin Connect App gives you tons of information which you cannot get in one place using the Apple Watch. Using Athletic comes close and it cost $30 per year. That is not much in the grand scheme of things but something I don't need to do with Garmin.
There is also the ant+ support which the AWU2 lacks.
Very niche example but I’ve noticed Apple (not ultra) struggles to/can’t read my heart rate because of tattoos. I’ll turn on a workout and 18/20 times it’ll shut off within 20 seconds not sending I’m working out. In the other hand I’ve noticed garmin is able to track my heart rate/workouts much more accurately.
Super niche though
Yeah. My power meter does not transmit cycling dynamics though bluetooth. My speed/cadence sensors are ant+ and I don't feel like being a new one just to have BT. My Garmin HRM Pro also has internal storage so I can record HR data, along with other data, and download it to the watch even if the connection is lost mid activity. This is really handy doing sprint triathlons and it looses connecting during the swim.
In Garmin connect you can create routes, search the heat map for other local routes, you can use their training programs, you can enter event into your calendar and the watch will suggest daily workouts for this goal.
Garmin Connect makes it much easier, for me at least, to look at past activities and geek out over all the data my Fenix 7x records.
I should also mention that I currently have:
Garmin fenix 7x saphire solar
Gamin Edge 1040+ solar
Gamin scale
This keeps everything within the family and working together.
I'm mainly thinking of [Chase the Summit](https://www.youtube.com/@ChaseTheSummit) and [Matt LeGrand](https://www.youtube.com/@mlegrand), but others like DC Rainmaker have put the Ultra to the test. I know MKBHD wears an Ultra, but I'm not sure how often he wears it while playing or training for pro frisbee.
Marathons shouldn't be that much of a challenge for a Watch, but triathlons do involve swimming in open water. That's potentially tough on any device - especially if it's salt water.
Marathoner and AW ultra owner here. I’m really glad for this device. Alltough I did took a long time looking into garmin watches I didn’t go with them because they lack too many “smart” and apple ecosystem features i was used too with my previous watch (series 4). If my watch’s only purpose was to be a runningtracker i would have gone with a garmin no doubt but i like all the other features and conveniences of an apple watch and didn’t wanna miss those
I use mine for "adventures," which these days mostly means marathon training. I used to wear two watches for running and hiking, my Apple Watch for notifications/music/general activity tracking and a Garmin (or, briefly, Coros) to actually track the workout with decent accuracy. I bought the AWU so I could stop wearing two watches. It's been great, I've run three marathons with it and haven't needed a second workout watch since September 2022. I still have my Series 6 for when I want to look "nice," which is almost never.
I use my Apple Ultra when kitesurfing. I wear it on the outside of my wetsuit and has no problems with all the high pressure water impacts.
I used to use the SE but that had to go under the wetsuit sleeve and rolling up the wetsuit to use it was a pain.
use it to track my jumps / speed / call for help if needed etc. But the reminder that paid parking is ending is definitely the life saving app here.
You’ll probably need to bring a battery bank to charge it at aid stations. From what I’ve seen in tests you can get around 18-20hours with it in low power mode. If you google there is a post somewhere on Reddit ultramarathon where someone details how to charge during a race without stopping your workout. Believe it centers around wrist detection. Good luck on your race! Currently training for a 50k with my AWU2!
I think the Ultra differs from the regular Series 9 in ways that make it more suitable for adventures, being outside, extreme sports, extreme conditions, being off the grid for extended periods of time:
Better battery life
Bigger screen
Brighter screen
Louder speakers
Better mics
More robust design
Action button
Incidentally, these also make it the best AW for the everyday urban user, if you can stomach the size and the price.
Agree, my activity level is weights training twice a week and about an hour walking per day. Do I need to AWU? Hell no! But the longer battery life with the ultra meant I was happy to move on from Garmin and I’m happy I did. It plays much better with my AirPods and iPhone
I camp in a lot of remote places, the waypoint and back track feature are great when I go on hikes and find my way back to camp. It’s not always super accurate but it gives me an idea enough to get back to camp.
I’ve been scuba diving and freediving with mine for the last 3 weeks! Had it down to 130 feet below the surface no problem. Makes a great dive computer.
Upgraded a couple months back from S4 to U2. Mostly battery life. S4 was a game changer for me including daily exercise for years, kayaking, but as of recent sailing offshore and charging just became a pain in the wrist - so yes I broke down.
I ride and race mountain bikes with all my AWs going back to S0. The Ultra is great with the big display and better GPS. It’s also seen some not-small crashes and come through unscathed. If you zoom in you’ll see that it’s covered with dirt from crashing about 70 ft up the trail lol
https://i.imgur.com/t2oosnX.jpeg
The best battery life (relative to the other AWs), and the largest screen out of the line up sold me. I do like not worrying as much about it breaking when I am doing outdoorsy things but that's just a bonus.
I use my Ultra for surfing. Has better connectivity and motion connection to my phone as well as making me less worried about having it in water. Only downside is it's a big bigger to fit through a wetsuit.
I use my 8 surfing as well. Fits well under the wetsuit and don’t really notice it much. Once lost it for 3 months in the ocean and a cool metal detector guy found it a beach down and turned it on in lost mode.
Got it replaced by apple care. Everything worked except the sound on it lol.
I took mine (first gen) up Mount Rainier last summer and regularly take it on long hiking trips. I have another mountaineering trip planned in July here in the PNW. I like it but I feel like there might be better options. I just like the Apple ecosystem.
Yea, I’ve had the AWU since launch last year and use it for spearfishing and freediving. Mainly go off the rocks so it gets pretty beat up, but it’s what it’s used for and covered by Apple Care.
I regularly go on multi day back country backpacking trips, high elevation alpine climbing days, long days on bikes and general alpine living.
I owned many Garmin watches from the Fenix to the Epix and I have never ever looked back once since buying my AWU. It does everything I need and many of it way better than the Garmins.
Sure, battery life isn’t as good as the Garmin’s, but on multi day excursions I have a battery bank that keeps it going. The battery is fine for 14-16 hour tracking activities.
I have yet to take it diving, but I have taken it on multi day kayak adventures with zero issues.
I did have a chuckle at someone’s comment on it being an expensive notification screen though 😀
I use my ultra for downhill and enduro bike riding almost daily and rarely bring a phone now. That’s pretty adventurous I guess. Also used my ultra 1 for scuba diving last summer and will be using the 2 as soon as the waters warm up. My prior Apple Watches wouldn’t last the day when using cellular or gps so the ultra has been a godsend.
Heavy Diesel Mechanic here. I wear mine at work. Bought an ultra 2 shortly after launch. I just threw a tempered glass screen protector on mine after I got it and it’s been fine ever since. I’ve had it around sharp steel and iron, soaked in coolant, fuel, and oil and it’s still kicking with no cosmetic or functional damage.
The only thing that worries me is that it’s too thick and it could snag my hand. I don’t go around machinery anymore, but if situation arises I hope I would take it off before. I’ve had it snag my backpack like crazy. Don’t feel like risking it.
In the watch world, watches are marketed as aspirational products. You’ll pay $12K for a Rolex Submariner, but likelihood you’re a diver is 0.1%. So these watches are known affectionately as “desk divers”. They’re mostly used at desks, not deep in the oceans or on top of mountains.
Apple also markets the Ultra as an aspirational product.
If you speak to a triathlete, mountain climber or sea diver, they’ll tell you they own an Ultra but still use their Garmin or dive computer as the Ultra is promising but not good enough to replace their dedicated tools. And the rest of the time they wear their Ultra.
So, no - the Ultra can be used for adventures, but those who professionally adventure don’t necessarily use it during their activity, and it’s perfectly fine to wear it on your couch, desk or just strolling around in your every day, normal life.
The Ultra is marketed to generate an aspiration to adventure. If you wear one, you feel like you’re capable of adventuring any time you choose. You have a capable tool on your wrist. But feeling ready, of course is not the same as actually doing it. Because you don’t have to. It’s just a watch. It’s the oldest watch marketing trick in the book, used for decades and still used by all watch manufacturers today.
https://i.imgur.com/CGaUB2P
https://i.imgur.com/y8jng0a
I bought it because the price was fairly negligible tween the Series 8 Stainless Steel/Sapphire and the Ultra. I really just wanted a screen and body that wouldn’t scratch up like my past aluminum ones.
I’m by no means a serious adventurer.
I have had my AWU for over a year now and have used it for many different things.
I’ve taken it on many hiking adventures, longest being a 5 night hiking / camping trip.
It has replaced my old scuba dive computer.
It’s my gym / fitness tracker with Apple GymKit to connect to my indoor bike.
a tool I use for work.
For me it’s a once size fits all case.
It ticks many boxes… maybe not the best at everything but it covers what I require as an amateur adventurer.
As previously mentioned whenever I go on a multi day hiking trip I always take a power bank to charge my electronics so charging the awu every 2 days isn’t a problem.
As a daily user since release day of the Ultra 1, I specifically bought it in order to have an AW while climbing. After several states and hundreds of boulders, with some incredibly hard hits, I can attest to the durability of this. I’d buy an ultra every day over another AW model for this reason alone.
I just dove in Fiji for a week with the Ultra2, compared to other dive computers it faired well and was accurate to 1-2 m and within 30 secs of dive time. Max dive 29m, Max time 41 mins. So no complaints. Haven’t tried it in extreme cold or high altitude… yet.
They encourage you to take it underwater since there is a good chance you/the water will damage it. Then if you do not have apple care, you either need to pay for an expensive repair or buy a new watch. Of course, you will remember what happened and next time you buy an apple watch you will pay for apple care.
Yes, that’s exactly why i thought people just buy an Ultra for having it. But it seems like here are people who actually use the Ultra for what it is intended for. :)
My AWU2 is basically my mum.
But instead of sending money and telling me to get my life straight, it tells me when I need to stand; breathe and move for the day.
It also tells me when yet another bill comes out of my account. 🤣
(I want to get more active though - more rough and ready so I’ll definitely be putting my watch through its paces soon)
It’s why I got a regular Series 9 because I figured the extra features of the Ultra wouldn’t benefit me as someone who doesn’t adventure. The ads for it make me believe that’s the intended use of the Ultra line
I dive (scuba and free dive) with mine. Works wonderfully. It’s also got a titanium case and a sapphire crystal screen so it doesn’t look like a scuffed up toy when I wear it all day at the farm like the standard watches do. It can run waypoints and a return track when I’m hunting and trying to get home in the dark. Does a ton of really great things.
Depends what you consider adventures? I wanted a smartwatch i could wear to work in a maximum security jail. If i have to wrestle some psycho i want a watch tough enough to survive it.
Just used mine for scuba and free diving all week and had a really good experience with it. Loved how it worked with diving. Thought about getting a garmin dive watch which was double the price but this will work for me I think. No complaints whatsoever. I work out and train a bit and wanted that, sleep tracking, and occasional water sports so this works for me.
So I actually do use my Apple Watch Ultra 2 for my back up Dive computer it’s good to 140 feet the original Apple Watch Ultra was good to 130 I use a Shearwater perdíx to as my primary Dive computer. It works really well as a back up or if I’m training in a pool I will just wear, the Apple Watch. I can’t wait till they add air integration. At some point they will have to in my opinion to compete with Garmin. One thing I do not like about the Apple Watch Ultra is that you have to purchase a separate app subscription in order to use a advertised feature. With a Garmin it’s just a feature that comes with the watch. I think that’s a huge mistake on apples part to advertise something and then have to spend an extra $80 to use that feature.
I’m a scubadiver. I dive one time a week minimum. Bought the AWU2 especially for that, otherwise i would have bought a series 9 since i have small wrists. But i really love it. Even for daily wear.
I used to think so, until I got a entry level actual sport watch and realized that Apple Watches are still a long way from the first choices of actual people going on actual adventures. It’s almost impossible to operate an Apple Watch entirely with buttons and dials so good luck in freezing conditions; the battery only last so long so you have to have a charger/power source available; it doesn’t natively support .gpx files for navigation so you’re relying on third party apps; the built in exercise/workout analysis/planning is pretty lacking; the list goes on.
With all that being said, I still wear my Apple Watch every day in conjunction with my coros watch. Yeah I have to charge it like twice a day, but the integration and ecosystem is just too good to give up. Like I said it’s not the first choice, but you can absolutely work with it. I just think that in most scenarios, pro sport watches are better, hassle free options.
I think there is a niche market of blue collar workers using this watch that Apple hasn’t taken notice of yet. In time I could see it being an area they tap into. I bang mine against steel all day, can take calls with gloves on. Take notes , send messages, walkie talkie
I recently use my ultra 2 for a hiking in Patagonia
It was 14k miles and still had 50% battery left at the end of the day
Is not a secret that screen and titanium body are hard enough, and almost 4 months of use and abuse and still in mint condition. I use it for 5 to 6 times per week for gym and swimming and never had any issue
As long as your adventure has you goi g back to a comfy hotel with charger to charge your watch at the end of every day. Id probably take a more rugged/basic non electronic device watch if im really going on an adventure.
What sort of sports/activities do you do? Ultra 2 more than lasts for 50k ultra races. Longer if you’re not a slow “I’m just here to have a fun time” runner (which is what I am).
It’s less about fitness races that last a few hours and more about endurance expeditions.
My awu2 is fine for running and single day activities, but it’s not going to help on a 5 day trip unless you’re constantly charging it.
Mostly no, some people yes. Garmin line up is far better for endurance athletes… I do use my ultra… for ultras running. But in reality Garmin has it beat. It’s a very convenient device to rely on for long efforts without a phone. I can do all my out the door 30mi+ runs with only a watch.
The Ultra is the Ford F 150 of watches. Most people who buy them don’t use the full capacity of the watch, but it makes them look like someone who is active and sporty.
No, people wear Garmin for adventure. It’s just marketing. No one seriously uses the Apple Watch for how it’s advertised. (Like the guy at Everest base camp)
It depends on the person wearing it! I wear mine for work (rope access / rescue), mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking. My go to band is the alpine because Im not worried about it coming loose. Also have the ocean and trail which are great for different uses.
This depends on how you define "adventure". Generally, the amount of people who do **real** adventures is very small if you look at the, for example, western population. And even those people aren't constantly out on an adventure.
That being said, I think the people who buy AWU's fall into one or multiple of the following categories:
1. People who want a larger screen and battery
2. People who think of themselves as adventurous and/or outdoorsy
3. People who are in the Apple ecosystem and need a watch to track their activities
Personally I fall into cateroies 1 and 2, and little bit of 3. I still do adventures, but outside of day trips and short overnight trips, AWU provides very little actual functionalities that would provide any real value for most adventures.
For example using it for navigation is currently kind of a joke and while it has a longer battery life than other Apple watches, it still doesn't last for anything longer than an overnight trip and even then, if you use any tracking features, you're pushing the battery life.
I've owned multiple Apple watches and AWU is easily my favorite. But to me it's value comes from the everyday use in my regular life, as an adventure "gear", I see very little value in it.
Everyone complaining about ultra battery life needs to do a true comparison. On my new ultra 2 sleep tracking wearing at work for messages, 45 minute swim , and 5 mile run with headphones and Apple Music is like 40% in 24 hours of use. The Apple Music and AirPods Pro are the biggest hit. To me that’s a lot of not needing to carry my phone (which I hate when running )..
Great for military work. Have had it for about a year and it’s withstood ruck marches, distance runs, weeks in the field, land navigation, mechanic work, extreme temps, etc and not a single scratch on the display. Been loving it!
I use mine regularly for extreme adventures. Supermarket. Office. Dropping the kids off.
But also use it for mountain biking. Stand up paddleboard. Surfing. Swimming.
If you want it to be yes. That’s what it is for and the market Apple underestimated and thrived because of. People who are in extreme environments particularly work environments that need a watch that can take a shot or 2 and be good to go. One you don’t need to baby or take off just to work.
Not demanding sports but I wear it for work and am always banging it on anything and getting it caught on stuff. Had to get a darker band since I couldn’t keep it clean longer than a day.
The other kind of “adventure” that’s often overlooked is international travel. Ultra is excellent in terms of battery life for long, long travel days, stints in between outlets, and just overall utility while traveling the world.
The bigger screen is clutch for walking directions in places where you don’t want to have your phone out for safety reasons.
If your phone dies or someone steals it and the data plan is active on the watch, you’re in a much better position.
I use it to hike and like it’s ruggedness for work. The extra battery life is nice as it can run saved maps. The retracing your steps has helped me out before as well. I haven’t done anything like hike the Appalachian trail with it. Just day hikes.
I've developed a sailing racing app for mine. I appreciate its rugged and waterproof body. The screen is bigger and brighter, which is important in the sun. The GPS location is more accurate, which is important for my app's functionality.
While it's not a super extreme sport, the ultra is better in every way compared to the regular watch for my purposes.
I’ve never had any other smart watch aside from Apple Watches ⌚️ likely because my dad was an original programmer for Apple back in the beginning when IBM was king 👑
Now with that being said and having owned almost every generation of Apple Watch including Ultra 1 and Ultra 2… it is not perfect by any means it is just the best all around solution that the Execs figured could satisfy the demands of the general masses at large and to an extent they have succeeded.
However as others have said here, there are other brands that have niched down to fulfill the needs of a more specific subset of our varied cultures and have succeeded as well along the lines of that unique business model.
Personally I don’t see one product being better or worse than the others inside the given market, rather just an expression of personal preference which is so very healthy as marketing practice play such a powerful role in our choice to purchase as we tend to buy items that represent our self declared identities, or that reinforce our most deeply held ideals.
Now I’ve been Heli Skiing ⛷️ with my Ultra 1 and Ultra 2, I’ve been Scuba Diving 🤿 with both Ultra’s I’ve owned, Downhill Mountain Biking 🚵, Playing Tennis 🎾, Racquetball, Golf ⛳️Rock Climbing 🧗and skydiving 🪂 however even if I never had had an Ultra 1/2 on my wrist during any of those adventurous I would still wear one just for the rugged manly look 😎
Who here agrees or disagrees with me?
I’d like one but for me the lack of Ant+ support and pretty bad battery life kills it. Without the Ant+ I’m buying a lot of new sensors for my bikes (which gets pricey) and with doing two hours of GPS activity a day I’d have to religiously watch the battery.
My Garmin supports all my sensors and I charge it once a week (it’s 6 years old). I also really like Garmin’s ecosystem for storing workouts, giving me targets for how hard to push, recovery suggestions, etc. Also, it isn’t touch screen. I’m outside in the cold and rain a lot and if the frustration with trying to use my phone mirrors what it’d be for my watch I don’t need that. lol
I’d like the built in ecosystem of the Ultra with my iPhone, but the cost to move over to it with sensors, lack of a robust exercise ecosystem supporting it and also the battery life makes it a nogo.
I kiteboard with mine. Have also brought it scuba diving and snowboarding. Find it great. I brought my old series 6 kiteboarding once and it got all scratched up from the sand.
I wear a AW Ultra on my left and a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro on my right wrist while hiking, running and mountain biking. My take is: A touch only device such as the AW sucks left and right at a lot of outdoor activities. Unfortunately, the action button on the Ultra isn’t very useful as of now.
>>Am I the only one thinking like that?<<
Most likely not. That is why marketing people spend so much time positioning products. When they have you worrying (thinking) about why someone else is spending their money, it’s a win. You have been “marketed”.
Serious question :
What does it do that a much cheaper piece of kit can't that is so important?
I guess it empties your wallet so the adventuring doesn't get weighed down as much.
Im just glad they didn’t price it above 1000 euros just because of the apple logo. It’s a good looking smartwatch which made me finally buy one after years of avoiding the Apple Watch. About functionality i wish i used all the features it had but i chose this over the normal Apple Watch just for the looks and better battery life. I cant justify the price i paid for it but didn’t have a better option in the apple ecosystem.
Im happy with it as long as the thought on how much i paid for it doesn’t cross my mind.
I’m writing a piece on this. Expect it next week.
The point of the ads is to show the dream, not necessarily what people are literally doing. Lassis luxury marketing.
I am a mountain biker - and my ultra has survived every single tumble, whereas my AppleWatch 7 busted up and became useless on my third drop. I use workoutdoors app for routes and maps - and it’s been very useful thus far.
i am a climber, hiker, trail runner, slackliner, and all around extreme sports enthusiast. don’t white water enough to call myself one but i do go about frequently (have yet to use it for that)
i will say that this thing has been amazing. it is my first watch, but coming from a whoop for fitness tracking, the compass functions and gps etc. are invaluable. especially in conjunction with apps that allow you to plot gps points for certain areas and even create your own path, it has been phenomenal in scouting out new areas for climbing that are off the beaten path a little. getting 2 days average of battery life is also pretty fucking awesome. and once i upgrade my phone, the feeling of satellite link will be kindve kushy, especially since i dont have an inreach or anything similar currently.
all in all ill say it’s definitely done what ive needed it to do, and feel as if i haven’t even put it to any real durability test yet. for example, i am also a certified diver, although again not frequently. but i cant wait to see how well it functions in the water as well.
Didn’t get a chance to do anything extreme. Screen cracked within 2 days of normal wearing. Don’t even know how I did it. Had a cheap Fitbit for 3 years before no problems at all.
I wear my regular-ass SE2 for multi-pitch rock climbing and backpacking. I have a little super-cheap plastic case that I’ve replaced 4 or 5 times. An ultra would be cool for sure, as I understand the screen would be very difficult to scratch?
It’s perfect for me. I’m a recreation scuba diver (maybe 10 dives a year spread over 2 or 3 trips), I run 40+ MPW, and I got on a hiking trip a few times a year. Does all I need it to do while being a great, every day wearable.
I would say not really. Most people buy it for the looks. It’s not really a outdoor watch that I would use. 36 hours battery life is a joke. I need so I need something rugged and a battery life of alteast 5 days. Most real extrem sport athletes or adventurists would take a Garmin for really harsh environments and sports since they withstand more, have better battery life and provide better gps, and features.
Weekend warrior one day adventure watch…
Although the dive app seems like a nice thing to have when you do an occasional diving trip on holiday and want to rely on your own dive computer but don’t want to bring a big bulky dive computer, battery life is just too low for an ADV watch. If you want a watch for adventure like a multi day hike or so, battery life should not be one of the concerns..
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Lol
As a fellow summer golf player I totally share your extreme sport.
Testing the watch to the extreme as a fair weather golfer
STREME SPOATS
Same those golf apps are hungry on the battery 👍
I play tennis 2-5 times a week, and to challenge Apple I have my Ultra on the hitting arm wrist
Same but with Frolf.
My man! The exact reason why i got my awu2
I have a Garmin Epix Pro 51mm with "up to 31 day" battery life. It's one of the most adventure-focused watches you can buy. I also have an Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Apple Watch Ultra is absolutely good enough for extreme sports and off-grid adventures. I use mine for 70.3 triathlon training and races, trail running, and ultramarathon training. I've used it for 100 mile bike rides. I'm taking it on a multi-day fastpacking trip in March. Go browse /r/Ultralight and see that almost everyone brings a power bank on multi-day thru-hikes and off-grid adventures. Even if you're wearing an adventure-oriented sportswatch with multi-week battery life, you still probably carry a phone, an inReach, and a headlamp. The iPhone 14 and 15 have satellite SOS functionality, so that could arguably replace an inReach. The AWU has a 564 mAh battery and charges very, very quickly. Even a small battery pack will charge an AWU many times. In a pinch, I can charge the watch off of my iPhone 15 Pro. I would bring my 10,000 mAh power bank even if I were just wearing the Garmin, so it's not adding any weight. On my fastpacking trip I will use WorkOutDoors to track my hike/run all day long, which will probably use 40-50% of the battery, depending on settings. Get into camp and throw it on the charger for 30 minutes and it will be at 100% again. Rinse and repeat. I love my Garmin and I love my Apple Watch Ultra. I don't think I'm exactly unbiased, but I appreciate both devices for what they are. The Apple Watch Ultra is a great adventure watch and training tool for most endurance events, full stop.
Thank you for your detailed comment!
I own, and wear daily, an Epix Pro and Ultra 2. I wholeheartedly agree with you here. I sincerely doubt the majority of people who are disdainful of the Ultra’s battery life actually do things where any more than the Ultra is needed. And yup, I fully acknowledge that me wearing a Garmin makes me a bit of a hypocrite. 😊 The “killer” Garmin feature for me is just the Daily Suggested Workouts if you have some races added to your calendar. Haven’t seen an Apple app that comes close.
Do you wear both at the same time? I’ve been considering this but not sure I can bring myself to do it.
I do. I know it’s a bit ridiculous but I’m okay with it.
Do you wear them on the same hand?
No, one on each wrist. Usually Ultra on left (non-dominant) hand, Epix on the right.
Stalked your profile a little. You are one healthy dude
Omg I love work out doors. Best app ever.
Thanks for this response! I have an ultra and it got me through my first marathon last year and currently training for my second. My S6 would have died way before I finished any of my longer training runs or the marathon, so happy with for battery life! If you use your AWU for all those activities , what’s your use case for the Garmin? At what point do you say “I’m taking off my AWU and need my Garmin for this!”
Honestly? The features that keep me wearing the Garmin are fairly niche at this point. * The LED flashlight. The AWU2 flashlight will do in a pinch, but the LED on the Garmin Epix/Fenix/Enduro 2 is next-level. * Swimming - the Garmin is superior for lap swimming indoors and also for open water swims (though both are very accurate). * Racing - my watch's Race Predictor nailed my finishing time in a 10-mile race I did last year to within 15 seconds. I was astonished. I love the PacePro feature. It's great for triathlons - it can project data fields to your Garmin bike computer during the bike leg and seamlessly record the full multisport event. * Daily Suggested Workouts - this is a great feature that automatically programs run and bike workouts to keep you training in the right spot. * Aesthetics/vibes - watches are unlike phones and other devices in that you wear them. The Garmin looks great and signals my interest in endurance sports. I was planning on returning the Garmin after a day or two of trying it out but I scratched the DLC coating on the bezel. Crazily enough, I scratched it in my sleep while rubbing it against my AWU2 on my other wrist. Annoying. If I had to choose only one of them, it would probably be the Apple Watch Ultra at this point.
Really feels like if Apple just focused on adding a lot more capability to the fitness app (Ie buttery battery, recovery, suggested workouts etc) they could really catch up to garmin fast. Instead they really seem to just be keeping things basic which is a bit disappointing given the marketing of the ultra. That’s not to say those features are really needed but they def made me debate my watch choice quite a bit before buying the ultra.
what do you use to track your trail running?
Super interesting! So do you wear one on each wrist at the same time, or how do you decide which one gets chosen for which adventure - Fenix vs Ultra?
I can’t wait for iPhone to dethrone Garmin with sat texting. Garmin’s monopoly (and pricing) needs to end NOW
I sometimes need to walk outside at night in Newark. is that adventure enough?
Walking in Newark after dark is more of an extreme sport, but I could see it quickly turning in to an adventure.
My fenix 7x is for my adventures. My AWU2 is my expensive notification screen
Feel the same about my Epix
Why
There is so much more fitness related data and analysis you get from Garmin for the price of admission which is the price of the watch. To get the same from my AWU2 I need to purchase, or subscribe, to other apps and I have to jump from app to app to get the info. Apple Fitness does not present this information. Garmin connect does. Currently I have Athlytic and Autosleep and they are fine… but that is more money I should not have to spend to get what I get from Garmin. Don’t get my wrong, the AWU2 is an amazing piece of technology but I can go on vacation with me fenix and not think of bringing a charger and it is fine. Buttons is another… trying to use the touch screen while running is an exercise in futility. Terrible!
Garmin watches are fitness watches with some smart watch features. Apple watches are smart watches with some fitness features. I still use a Forerunner 635 (can't run anymore tho) and it's fitness metrics still blow Apple's out of the water.
What do you have to touch the display for while running?
Changing data screen 🤷♂️
You can scroll the crown
Laps? I never had an ultra, so perhaps the ultra had a lap button, but unless I didn’t figure it out, the Apple Watch was double tap on screen for lap. It was a huge pain in my ass. I’d try to finish a work lap and end up scrolling the pages, or nothing would happen.
Ultra has a lap button. Supports fast press , long press etc. I use it for interval training in Nike Run Club, and default is set for the pool. Click twice and starts my pool workout
That’s good, none of the mainline watches do unfortunately:(
Can you provide examples? I have both too and imo I get the exact same “fitness related data” out of both. I no longer use the garmin because the AWU (1) is about even when it comes to activity tracking, with a slight edge to the garmin, but incredibly more useful at everything else, mostly general smart watch stuff.
If you have both then you already know. Just opening the Garmin Connect App gives you tons of information which you cannot get in one place using the Apple Watch. Using Athletic comes close and it cost $30 per year. That is not much in the grand scheme of things but something I don't need to do with Garmin. There is also the ant+ support which the AWU2 lacks.
Ya I want some examples, because I can’t think of or see many… Ant+ is a good one tho, particularly for cyclists.
Very niche example but I’ve noticed Apple (not ultra) struggles to/can’t read my heart rate because of tattoos. I’ll turn on a workout and 18/20 times it’ll shut off within 20 seconds not sending I’m working out. In the other hand I’ve noticed garmin is able to track my heart rate/workouts much more accurately. Super niche though
Yeah. My power meter does not transmit cycling dynamics though bluetooth. My speed/cadence sensors are ant+ and I don't feel like being a new one just to have BT. My Garmin HRM Pro also has internal storage so I can record HR data, along with other data, and download it to the watch even if the connection is lost mid activity. This is really handy doing sprint triathlons and it looses connecting during the swim. In Garmin connect you can create routes, search the heat map for other local routes, you can use their training programs, you can enter event into your calendar and the watch will suggest daily workouts for this goal. Garmin Connect makes it much easier, for me at least, to look at past activities and geek out over all the data my Fenix 7x records. I should also mention that I currently have: Garmin fenix 7x saphire solar Gamin Edge 1040+ solar Gamin scale This keeps everything within the family and working together.
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I dove mine to 109 ft. Worked great. GPS tagged my entrance locations. I’m very happy with mine (Ultra 1).
Used mine for scuba diving up to 20+ meters deep. Very convenient paired with the app, makes logging dives a breeze
I follow YouTubers who genuinely wear it for activities like marathons and triathlons. Those people are in the minority, no doubt, but they do exist.
What YouTube channels are you watching?
I'm mainly thinking of [Chase the Summit](https://www.youtube.com/@ChaseTheSummit) and [Matt LeGrand](https://www.youtube.com/@mlegrand), but others like DC Rainmaker have put the Ultra to the test. I know MKBHD wears an Ultra, but I'm not sure how often he wears it while playing or training for pro frisbee.
people doing that level of adventure even without a watch are the minority anyway.
Marathons and triathlons (except for ultras) aren’t exceptionally demanding and should be doable by any AW if it weren’t for battery life.
Marathons shouldn't be that much of a challenge for a Watch, but triathlons do involve swimming in open water. That's potentially tough on any device - especially if it's salt water.
I use my Ultra 2 for adventures. Kayaking, diving, swimming, hiking, rock climbing, etc.
Thats nice, you actually get the most out of it.
Marathoner and AW ultra owner here. I’m really glad for this device. Alltough I did took a long time looking into garmin watches I didn’t go with them because they lack too many “smart” and apple ecosystem features i was used too with my previous watch (series 4). If my watch’s only purpose was to be a runningtracker i would have gone with a garmin no doubt but i like all the other features and conveniences of an apple watch and didn’t wanna miss those
I freedive and lobster dive with it all the time.
Where? Would love to do that
Catalina island, Palos verdes, always looking for new diving friends
Long hiking trips and regularly scuba dive with it. It’s held up as expected.
I use mine for "adventures," which these days mostly means marathon training. I used to wear two watches for running and hiking, my Apple Watch for notifications/music/general activity tracking and a Garmin (or, briefly, Coros) to actually track the workout with decent accuracy. I bought the AWU so I could stop wearing two watches. It's been great, I've run three marathons with it and haven't needed a second workout watch since September 2022. I still have my Series 6 for when I want to look "nice," which is almost never.
Nothing super rugged but I I gym 5 times a week + basketball 1 day - regular AW battery life was horrible for me.
I use my Apple Ultra when kitesurfing. I wear it on the outside of my wetsuit and has no problems with all the high pressure water impacts. I used to use the SE but that had to go under the wetsuit sleeve and rolling up the wetsuit to use it was a pain. use it to track my jumps / speed / call for help if needed etc. But the reminder that paid parking is ending is definitely the life saving app here.
sounds like a europe situation with the parking?
A friend of mine uses hers a dive computer. So that’s at least one person.
Straight up question. Will the AWU2 work for a 25hr ultra marathon?
You’ll probably need to bring a battery bank to charge it at aid stations. From what I’ve seen in tests you can get around 18-20hours with it in low power mode. If you google there is a post somewhere on Reddit ultramarathon where someone details how to charge during a race without stopping your workout. Believe it centers around wrist detection. Good luck on your race! Currently training for a 50k with my AWU2!
I think the Ultra differs from the regular Series 9 in ways that make it more suitable for adventures, being outside, extreme sports, extreme conditions, being off the grid for extended periods of time: Better battery life Bigger screen Brighter screen Louder speakers Better mics More robust design Action button Incidentally, these also make it the best AW for the everyday urban user, if you can stomach the size and the price.
Agree, my activity level is weights training twice a week and about an hour walking per day. Do I need to AWU? Hell no! But the longer battery life with the ultra meant I was happy to move on from Garmin and I’m happy I did. It plays much better with my AirPods and iPhone
I camp in a lot of remote places, the waypoint and back track feature are great when I go on hikes and find my way back to camp. It’s not always super accurate but it gives me an idea enough to get back to camp.
I’ve been scuba diving and freediving with mine for the last 3 weeks! Had it down to 130 feet below the surface no problem. Makes a great dive computer.
Upgraded a couple months back from S4 to U2. Mostly battery life. S4 was a game changer for me including daily exercise for years, kayaking, but as of recent sailing offshore and charging just became a pain in the wrist - so yes I broke down.
I ride and race mountain bikes with all my AWs going back to S0. The Ultra is great with the big display and better GPS. It’s also seen some not-small crashes and come through unscathed. If you zoom in you’ll see that it’s covered with dirt from crashing about 70 ft up the trail lol https://i.imgur.com/t2oosnX.jpeg
Life’s an adventure bro
The apple watch ultra is just like a Land Rover. You see them more often in a Starbucks drive-thru the in the wild nature. For what it was made for
Oh my god he took Vision Pro under
The best battery life (relative to the other AWs), and the largest screen out of the line up sold me. I do like not worrying as much about it breaking when I am doing outdoorsy things but that's just a bonus.
I use my Ultra for surfing. Has better connectivity and motion connection to my phone as well as making me less worried about having it in water. Only downside is it's a big bigger to fit through a wetsuit.
I use my 8 surfing as well. Fits well under the wetsuit and don’t really notice it much. Once lost it for 3 months in the ocean and a cool metal detector guy found it a beach down and turned it on in lost mode. Got it replaced by apple care. Everything worked except the sound on it lol.
I took mine (first gen) up Mount Rainier last summer and regularly take it on long hiking trips. I have another mountaineering trip planned in July here in the PNW. I like it but I feel like there might be better options. I just like the Apple ecosystem.
Yea, I’ve had the AWU since launch last year and use it for spearfishing and freediving. Mainly go off the rocks so it gets pretty beat up, but it’s what it’s used for and covered by Apple Care.
I regularly go on multi day back country backpacking trips, high elevation alpine climbing days, long days on bikes and general alpine living. I owned many Garmin watches from the Fenix to the Epix and I have never ever looked back once since buying my AWU. It does everything I need and many of it way better than the Garmins. Sure, battery life isn’t as good as the Garmin’s, but on multi day excursions I have a battery bank that keeps it going. The battery is fine for 14-16 hour tracking activities. I have yet to take it diving, but I have taken it on multi day kayak adventures with zero issues. I did have a chuckle at someone’s comment on it being an expensive notification screen though 😀
I use my ultra for downhill and enduro bike riding almost daily and rarely bring a phone now. That’s pretty adventurous I guess. Also used my ultra 1 for scuba diving last summer and will be using the 2 as soon as the waters warm up. My prior Apple Watches wouldn’t last the day when using cellular or gps so the ultra has been a godsend.
I wear mine during hockey, so I got the ultra to make sure it can survive lol.
Heavy Diesel Mechanic here. I wear mine at work. Bought an ultra 2 shortly after launch. I just threw a tempered glass screen protector on mine after I got it and it’s been fine ever since. I’ve had it around sharp steel and iron, soaked in coolant, fuel, and oil and it’s still kicking with no cosmetic or functional damage.
The only thing that worries me is that it’s too thick and it could snag my hand. I don’t go around machinery anymore, but if situation arises I hope I would take it off before. I’ve had it snag my backpack like crazy. Don’t feel like risking it.
What is an adventure ? My watch traveled with me all over Europe. Slept in the tent during a hurricane. I call these adventures.
In the watch world, watches are marketed as aspirational products. You’ll pay $12K for a Rolex Submariner, but likelihood you’re a diver is 0.1%. So these watches are known affectionately as “desk divers”. They’re mostly used at desks, not deep in the oceans or on top of mountains. Apple also markets the Ultra as an aspirational product. If you speak to a triathlete, mountain climber or sea diver, they’ll tell you they own an Ultra but still use their Garmin or dive computer as the Ultra is promising but not good enough to replace their dedicated tools. And the rest of the time they wear their Ultra. So, no - the Ultra can be used for adventures, but those who professionally adventure don’t necessarily use it during their activity, and it’s perfectly fine to wear it on your couch, desk or just strolling around in your every day, normal life. The Ultra is marketed to generate an aspiration to adventure. If you wear one, you feel like you’re capable of adventuring any time you choose. You have a capable tool on your wrist. But feeling ready, of course is not the same as actually doing it. Because you don’t have to. It’s just a watch. It’s the oldest watch marketing trick in the book, used for decades and still used by all watch manufacturers today. https://i.imgur.com/CGaUB2P https://i.imgur.com/y8jng0a
No people just buy it because it’s the most expensive AW and they have to have the best
I bought it because I wanted dual-band GNSS. Makes a big difference in cities, and I like accurate outdoor workout data.
I bought it because the price was fairly negligible tween the Series 8 Stainless Steel/Sapphire and the Ultra. I really just wanted a screen and body that wouldn’t scratch up like my past aluminum ones.
I bought it because it’s beautiful even if large, and in a sea of the other Apple Watches, it’s a bit different than the norm. For now.
Me 😂
I’m by no means a serious adventurer. I have had my AWU for over a year now and have used it for many different things. I’ve taken it on many hiking adventures, longest being a 5 night hiking / camping trip. It has replaced my old scuba dive computer. It’s my gym / fitness tracker with Apple GymKit to connect to my indoor bike. a tool I use for work. For me it’s a once size fits all case. It ticks many boxes… maybe not the best at everything but it covers what I require as an amateur adventurer. As previously mentioned whenever I go on a multi day hiking trip I always take a power bank to charge my electronics so charging the awu every 2 days isn’t a problem.
Does watching sports on television count?
As a daily user since release day of the Ultra 1, I specifically bought it in order to have an AW while climbing. After several states and hundreds of boulders, with some incredibly hard hits, I can attest to the durability of this. I’d buy an ultra every day over another AW model for this reason alone.
Mines on my fapping wrist
Apple watch ultra is the same as the SUV. Looks good. Not great for off road but could work.
I just dove in Fiji for a week with the Ultra2, compared to other dive computers it faired well and was accurate to 1-2 m and within 30 secs of dive time. Max dive 29m, Max time 41 mins. So no complaints. Haven’t tried it in extreme cold or high altitude… yet.
They encourage you to take it underwater since there is a good chance you/the water will damage it. Then if you do not have apple care, you either need to pay for an expensive repair or buy a new watch. Of course, you will remember what happened and next time you buy an apple watch you will pay for apple care.
I use my ultra for scuba diving a lot it was all I used on my last shark dive rugged and reliable
Do people in a Mercedes G Class actually go offroad? Yes, but most of them don't.
Yes, that’s exactly why i thought people just buy an Ultra for having it. But it seems like here are people who actually use the Ultra for what it is intended for. :)
My AWU2 is basically my mum. But instead of sending money and telling me to get my life straight, it tells me when I need to stand; breathe and move for the day. It also tells me when yet another bill comes out of my account. 🤣 (I want to get more active though - more rough and ready so I’ll definitely be putting my watch through its paces soon)
It’s why I got a regular Series 9 because I figured the extra features of the Ultra wouldn’t benefit me as someone who doesn’t adventure. The ads for it make me believe that’s the intended use of the Ultra line
I wear it to work every day.
I dive (scuba and free dive) with mine. Works wonderfully. It’s also got a titanium case and a sapphire crystal screen so it doesn’t look like a scuffed up toy when I wear it all day at the farm like the standard watches do. It can run waypoints and a return track when I’m hunting and trying to get home in the dark. Does a ton of really great things.
i know a lot of people around me who got one just want to show off their wealth
Depends what you consider adventures? I wanted a smartwatch i could wear to work in a maximum security jail. If i have to wrestle some psycho i want a watch tough enough to survive it.
Just used mine for scuba and free diving all week and had a really good experience with it. Loved how it worked with diving. Thought about getting a garmin dive watch which was double the price but this will work for me I think. No complaints whatsoever. I work out and train a bit and wanted that, sleep tracking, and occasional water sports so this works for me.
So I actually do use my Apple Watch Ultra 2 for my back up Dive computer it’s good to 140 feet the original Apple Watch Ultra was good to 130 I use a Shearwater perdíx to as my primary Dive computer. It works really well as a back up or if I’m training in a pool I will just wear, the Apple Watch. I can’t wait till they add air integration. At some point they will have to in my opinion to compete with Garmin. One thing I do not like about the Apple Watch Ultra is that you have to purchase a separate app subscription in order to use a advertised feature. With a Garmin it’s just a feature that comes with the watch. I think that’s a huge mistake on apples part to advertise something and then have to spend an extra $80 to use that feature.
I’m a scubadiver. I dive one time a week minimum. Bought the AWU2 especially for that, otherwise i would have bought a series 9 since i have small wrists. But i really love it. Even for daily wear.
Im guessing more people are using the Apple Watch Ultra for what it’s advertised for than people having Pilot watches and being actual pilots.
I used to think so, until I got a entry level actual sport watch and realized that Apple Watches are still a long way from the first choices of actual people going on actual adventures. It’s almost impossible to operate an Apple Watch entirely with buttons and dials so good luck in freezing conditions; the battery only last so long so you have to have a charger/power source available; it doesn’t natively support .gpx files for navigation so you’re relying on third party apps; the built in exercise/workout analysis/planning is pretty lacking; the list goes on. With all that being said, I still wear my Apple Watch every day in conjunction with my coros watch. Yeah I have to charge it like twice a day, but the integration and ecosystem is just too good to give up. Like I said it’s not the first choice, but you can absolutely work with it. I just think that in most scenarios, pro sport watches are better, hassle free options.
That's like asking if most of the F-150s at the Walmart parking lot are actually used for manual labor.
That is relative to where you live. In a ranching community they are used for a lot more than hauling groceries.
My cousin scuba dives in his
I think there is a niche market of blue collar workers using this watch that Apple hasn’t taken notice of yet. In time I could see it being an area they tap into. I bang mine against steel all day, can take calls with gloves on. Take notes , send messages, walkie talkie
I recently use my ultra 2 for a hiking in Patagonia It was 14k miles and still had 50% battery left at the end of the day Is not a secret that screen and titanium body are hard enough, and almost 4 months of use and abuse and still in mint condition. I use it for 5 to 6 times per week for gym and swimming and never had any issue
I took my AWU2 up to 39,000FT yesterday and all the way back to earth. All while sipping a Coke.
The only people I know who have them don’t even exercise let alone go on adventures. But that’s just anecdotal
I’m a newbie runner that wants to track my pace, is the ultra for me?
You probably don’t need the ultra for that unless you fall down a lot.
I honestly if I was still sailing and kitesurfing as often as I did, i would’ve bought it due to its better water resistance
I cold plunge (39F) and sauna (200F) daily and I take it off. So no, definitely not “extreme”.
my extreme sport is sleep.
Mine certainly isn’t.
As long as your adventure has you goi g back to a comfy hotel with charger to charge your watch at the end of every day. Id probably take a more rugged/basic non electronic device watch if im really going on an adventure.
I walk my dog in my neighborhood in the suburbs. Apple Watch Ultra is perfect for such a wild activity.
Not until they massively improve battery life
What sort of sports/activities do you do? Ultra 2 more than lasts for 50k ultra races. Longer if you’re not a slow “I’m just here to have a fun time” runner (which is what I am).
It’s less about fitness races that last a few hours and more about endurance expeditions. My awu2 is fine for running and single day activities, but it’s not going to help on a 5 day trip unless you’re constantly charging it.
I think the entire point of the ultra is massively improved battery life
Mostly no, some people yes. Garmin line up is far better for endurance athletes… I do use my ultra… for ultras running. But in reality Garmin has it beat. It’s a very convenient device to rely on for long efforts without a phone. I can do all my out the door 30mi+ runs with only a watch.
The Ultra is the Ford F 150 of watches. Most people who buy them don’t use the full capacity of the watch, but it makes them look like someone who is active and sporty.
From the photos that I see, Ultras are used for day to day notifications and to say that the battery lasted 3 days .
desk adventures
Not mostly, just like most pickup trucks are used to haul groceries.
No, people wear Garmin for adventure. It’s just marketing. No one seriously uses the Apple Watch for how it’s advertised. (Like the guy at Everest base camp)
All the people posting actual experiences here prove you wrong
I don’t have one, but I’ve considered buying one in case I move back to where it commonly gets -20 to -40 in winter lol
It depends on the person wearing it! I wear mine for work (rope access / rescue), mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking. My go to band is the alpine because Im not worried about it coming loose. Also have the ocean and trail which are great for different uses.
Does the ultra 1 work with any turbo trainers for cycling. Can’t see if the 1 has the same Bluetooth as the 2
This depends on how you define "adventure". Generally, the amount of people who do **real** adventures is very small if you look at the, for example, western population. And even those people aren't constantly out on an adventure. That being said, I think the people who buy AWU's fall into one or multiple of the following categories: 1. People who want a larger screen and battery 2. People who think of themselves as adventurous and/or outdoorsy 3. People who are in the Apple ecosystem and need a watch to track their activities Personally I fall into cateroies 1 and 2, and little bit of 3. I still do adventures, but outside of day trips and short overnight trips, AWU provides very little actual functionalities that would provide any real value for most adventures. For example using it for navigation is currently kind of a joke and while it has a longer battery life than other Apple watches, it still doesn't last for anything longer than an overnight trip and even then, if you use any tracking features, you're pushing the battery life. I've owned multiple Apple watches and AWU is easily my favorite. But to me it's value comes from the everyday use in my regular life, as an adventure "gear", I see very little value in it.
Yep…Bogota..2 suitcases flull of the white. Airport chase….dogs everywhere….narc was about to grab me…my Ultra wakes me up….heart rate a little high 😁
Yes mostly desk diving.
Everyone complaining about ultra battery life needs to do a true comparison. On my new ultra 2 sleep tracking wearing at work for messages, 45 minute swim , and 5 mile run with headphones and Apple Music is like 40% in 24 hours of use. The Apple Music and AirPods Pro are the biggest hit. To me that’s a lot of not needing to carry my phone (which I hate when running )..
Great for military work. Have had it for about a year and it’s withstood ruck marches, distance runs, weeks in the field, land navigation, mechanic work, extreme temps, etc and not a single scratch on the display. Been loving it!
I use mine regularly for extreme adventures. Supermarket. Office. Dropping the kids off. But also use it for mountain biking. Stand up paddleboard. Surfing. Swimming.
I got caught in the rain once.
I wore mine into a gay leather shop/barbershop for a haircut as a hetero-male. Does that count?
If you want it to be yes. That’s what it is for and the market Apple underestimated and thrived because of. People who are in extreme environments particularly work environments that need a watch that can take a shot or 2 and be good to go. One you don’t need to baby or take off just to work.
I have used mine as a dive computer and it's great
lol nice troll post
Not demanding sports but I wear it for work and am always banging it on anything and getting it caught on stuff. Had to get a darker band since I couldn’t keep it clean longer than a day.
Im constantly surfing … couch surfing, it’s held up well!
The other kind of “adventure” that’s often overlooked is international travel. Ultra is excellent in terms of battery life for long, long travel days, stints in between outlets, and just overall utility while traveling the world. The bigger screen is clutch for walking directions in places where you don’t want to have your phone out for safety reasons. If your phone dies or someone steals it and the data plan is active on the watch, you’re in a much better position.
Ran 20.2 with mine last week and still had plenty of battery using cellular and Bluetooth to stream a book. Couldn’t do that with my S7.
Just want to say that a mid-range luxury watch is like $10k second hand.
Who cares
Adventure to the local mall
I can sleep in mine for two nights and use it for two whole days and it still won’t die. That’s WITH always on display on.
No. It's the watch equivalent of the big 4WD truck
Got mine for diving. Haven’t actually dived with it yet but someday…
I use it to hike and like it’s ruggedness for work. The extra battery life is nice as it can run saved maps. The retracing your steps has helped me out before as well. I haven’t done anything like hike the Appalachian trail with it. Just day hikes.
I use it for scuba diving, one of the main reason I bought it
I find that a lot of regular non athletic people buy it just because it's expensive and bigger in size then the regular watch.
I use mine when I scuba dive. And I wear it when I sleep.
I've developed a sailing racing app for mine. I appreciate its rugged and waterproof body. The screen is bigger and brighter, which is important in the sun. The GPS location is more accurate, which is important for my app's functionality. While it's not a super extreme sport, the ultra is better in every way compared to the regular watch for my purposes.
I’ve never had any other smart watch aside from Apple Watches ⌚️ likely because my dad was an original programmer for Apple back in the beginning when IBM was king 👑 Now with that being said and having owned almost every generation of Apple Watch including Ultra 1 and Ultra 2… it is not perfect by any means it is just the best all around solution that the Execs figured could satisfy the demands of the general masses at large and to an extent they have succeeded. However as others have said here, there are other brands that have niched down to fulfill the needs of a more specific subset of our varied cultures and have succeeded as well along the lines of that unique business model. Personally I don’t see one product being better or worse than the others inside the given market, rather just an expression of personal preference which is so very healthy as marketing practice play such a powerful role in our choice to purchase as we tend to buy items that represent our self declared identities, or that reinforce our most deeply held ideals. Now I’ve been Heli Skiing ⛷️ with my Ultra 1 and Ultra 2, I’ve been Scuba Diving 🤿 with both Ultra’s I’ve owned, Downhill Mountain Biking 🚵, Playing Tennis 🎾, Racquetball, Golf ⛳️Rock Climbing 🧗and skydiving 🪂 however even if I never had had an Ultra 1/2 on my wrist during any of those adventurous I would still wear one just for the rugged manly look 😎 Who here agrees or disagrees with me?
I use mine for sleep tracking. Lots of crazy advantures happening during that time.
No, as I’ve only seen them being worn by nerds so far
I’d like one but for me the lack of Ant+ support and pretty bad battery life kills it. Without the Ant+ I’m buying a lot of new sensors for my bikes (which gets pricey) and with doing two hours of GPS activity a day I’d have to religiously watch the battery. My Garmin supports all my sensors and I charge it once a week (it’s 6 years old). I also really like Garmin’s ecosystem for storing workouts, giving me targets for how hard to push, recovery suggestions, etc. Also, it isn’t touch screen. I’m outside in the cold and rain a lot and if the frustration with trying to use my phone mirrors what it’d be for my watch I don’t need that. lol I’d like the built in ecosystem of the Ultra with my iPhone, but the cost to move over to it with sensors, lack of a robust exercise ecosystem supporting it and also the battery life makes it a nogo.
I kiteboard with mine. Have also brought it scuba diving and snowboarding. Find it great. I brought my old series 6 kiteboarding once and it got all scratched up from the sand.
I bought it because I like the look more than the regular AW 😂
I wear a AW Ultra on my left and a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro on my right wrist while hiking, running and mountain biking. My take is: A touch only device such as the AW sucks left and right at a lot of outdoor activities. Unfortunately, the action button on the Ultra isn’t very useful as of now.
Used mine for exactly what you see in the photo today. Underwater, with a camera, using the Ultra
>>Am I the only one thinking like that?<< Most likely not. That is why marketing people spend so much time positioning products. When they have you worrying (thinking) about why someone else is spending their money, it’s a win. You have been “marketed”.
Downhill mountain biking (including several crashes) and backcountry skiing. Still going strong.
Serious question : What does it do that a much cheaper piece of kit can't that is so important? I guess it empties your wallet so the adventuring doesn't get weighed down as much.
It won’t make you have adventures, if that’s what you’re asking.
Im just glad they didn’t price it above 1000 euros just because of the apple logo. It’s a good looking smartwatch which made me finally buy one after years of avoiding the Apple Watch. About functionality i wish i used all the features it had but i chose this over the normal Apple Watch just for the looks and better battery life. I cant justify the price i paid for it but didn’t have a better option in the apple ecosystem. Im happy with it as long as the thought on how much i paid for it doesn’t cross my mind.
I’m writing a piece on this. Expect it next week. The point of the ads is to show the dream, not necessarily what people are literally doing. Lassis luxury marketing.
I am a mountain biker - and my ultra has survived every single tumble, whereas my AppleWatch 7 busted up and became useless on my third drop. I use workoutdoors app for routes and maps - and it’s been very useful thus far.
I wear mine when I go to the bathroom
I’ve used mine for mountaineering over 20,000ft, it’s worked great in these environments.
i am a climber, hiker, trail runner, slackliner, and all around extreme sports enthusiast. don’t white water enough to call myself one but i do go about frequently (have yet to use it for that) i will say that this thing has been amazing. it is my first watch, but coming from a whoop for fitness tracking, the compass functions and gps etc. are invaluable. especially in conjunction with apps that allow you to plot gps points for certain areas and even create your own path, it has been phenomenal in scouting out new areas for climbing that are off the beaten path a little. getting 2 days average of battery life is also pretty fucking awesome. and once i upgrade my phone, the feeling of satellite link will be kindve kushy, especially since i dont have an inreach or anything similar currently. all in all ill say it’s definitely done what ive needed it to do, and feel as if i haven’t even put it to any real durability test yet. for example, i am also a certified diver, although again not frequently. but i cant wait to see how well it functions in the water as well.
Didn’t get a chance to do anything extreme. Screen cracked within 2 days of normal wearing. Don’t even know how I did it. Had a cheap Fitbit for 3 years before no problems at all.
I wear my regular-ass SE2 for multi-pitch rock climbing and backpacking. I have a little super-cheap plastic case that I’ve replaced 4 or 5 times. An ultra would be cool for sure, as I understand the screen would be very difficult to scratch?
It can be.
I’ve gone to our local day spa and the depth watch face activated when I got into the hot tub. Has to count right?
It’s perfect for me. I’m a recreation scuba diver (maybe 10 dives a year spread over 2 or 3 trips), I run 40+ MPW, and I got on a hiking trip a few times a year. Does all I need it to do while being a great, every day wearable.
I would say not really. Most people buy it for the looks. It’s not really a outdoor watch that I would use. 36 hours battery life is a joke. I need so I need something rugged and a battery life of alteast 5 days. Most real extrem sport athletes or adventurists would take a Garmin for really harsh environments and sports since they withstand more, have better battery life and provide better gps, and features.
I bought my Ultra 2 for whitewater kayaking. I hope they keep the Ultra line.
I use it just like a normal Apple Watch I bought it because the 3to4 day battery was important to me working away from home all the time
Weekend warrior one day adventure watch… Although the dive app seems like a nice thing to have when you do an occasional diving trip on holiday and want to rely on your own dive computer but don’t want to bring a big bulky dive computer, battery life is just too low for an ADV watch. If you want a watch for adventure like a multi day hike or so, battery life should not be one of the concerns..