I don‘t know about you, but I get pumped seeing footage of world-class athletes and adventurers pushing the limits of human endurance. Whether it‘s trail ultra-marathons through remote mountain forests, multi-day open water swimming feats, or the next Antarctic expedition documenting climate change…the gear that makes these incredible journeys possible fascinates me.
And one piece of gear literally attached to these extreme performers through it all? Their trusty high-performance sports watch tracking every stroke, pedal stroke and heart beat while also navigating towards finish lines in the most remote corners of the globe.
Recently, Apple threw their hat into this ring officially with the rugged Apple Watch Ultra. Packed with sensors and battery life to spare, it looks primed as a breakthrough option for wilderness athletes and thrill seekers compared to niche players like Garmin, Polar and Suunto which dominated previously.
But the well-established Garmin Enduro 1 sits atop Garmin‘s hill fortified over years outfitting hardcore performers. With the Apple army storming Garmin’s walls, which adversary holds the high ground in this battle for most capable adventure smartwatch?
Well, I analyzed every scrap of data and raided my coffee reserves to provide a definitive comparison guiding you to victor…
Breaking Down the Specs
On paper, the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Enduro 1 share quite a few top-level specs in common – as expected for premium-priced sports watches pushing $800. Both claim extended battery life measured not in days but hours/weeks, wrist-based heart rate tracking, SpO2 sensors and built-in GPS to chart routes.
Peeling beyond the surface shows some intriguing distinctions that I neatly summarize for you in this table:
| Spec | Apple Watch Ultra | Garmin Enduro 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799 | $799 |
| Battery Life (Claimed) | 36 hours GPS use | 80 hours GPS use |
| Water Resistance | WR100 (100m) | 100m |
| Materials | Titanium casing & rear | Stainless or titanium bezel options |
| Weight | 61.3g | 51g (titanium model) |
| Display Size | 1.92” | 1.4” |
| Display Type | LTPO OLED, always-on | Memory-in-pixel LCD, always-on |
| Display Resolution | 502 x 410 | 280 x 280 |
I love me a good tale of the tape! But what do these internal component and spec sheet differences mean out in the real world when you strap them around your sweat-soaked wrist for a 100 mile ultramarathon? Let‘s break it down…
Designed for Adventure
You expect any watch claiming the title of "Adventure Watch King" can shrug off some bumps and soakings along the journey. Both watches back up their rugged cred through various construction elements and waterproof ratings.
For the Apple Watch Ultra exterior, Apple chose lightweight titanium providing the best strength-to-weight ratio and topped it with a flat sapphire front crystal lens for impressive scratch resistance. The rear casing utilizes a custom high-strength polymer composite able to withstandcompressive forces. Taken together, Apple claims this materials combination makes the Ultra their most rugged yet durable Apple Watch.
By comparison, Garmin constructsthe standard Enduro model using stainless steel (a titanium option exists too) along with reinforced polymer for the rear casing. They finish it off with domed glass, either chemically strengthened or perhaps the even more shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass according to some reviewers.
Interestingly, both Apple and Garmin chose to pursue 100 meter water resistance ratings meaning both watches can track open water swims and stand up to rain, spray and unexpected splashes/dunks.
For clarity, 100 meters water resistance equates to pressures found when descending just beyond 100 feet. Neither watch promises robust depth or specialty diver features. But no worries taking them shallow snorkeling.
Through slightly different routes, Apple and Garmin no doubt designed burly timepieces ready to absorb adventure bestowed upon them. I‘d give Apple the edge for using scratch-resistant sapphire glass and providing detailed construction specs that stand up to extreme testing environments.
Display Technology Diffusions
The quality and visibility of these watches‘ displays proves vital for conveying metrics or maps mid-activity. Peer down at a dim, low-contrast screen failing to convey your current pace or route prompts frustration rather than enlightenment!
For their flagship watch display, Apple chose an always-on Retina LTPO OLED spanning a generous 1.92 inches with a resolution of 502×410 pixels. Topped with a flat lens, this screen can achieve an eye-popping 2000 nits max brightness with vivid colors and true blacks.
The LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) backing enables dynamic scaling from as low as 1 Hz to 60 Hz depending on the screen content. This provides fluid refresh rates when needed or battery savings when just displaying a watch face.
Garmin took a different display route for their Enduro line relying on transflective MIP (memory-in-pixel) LCD technology at 280×280 pixels on a 1.4” diameter round display. This allows sunlight to permeate then reflect off the screen providing excellent ambient visibility akin to Kindle eReaders. The downsides tend to be less impressive colors, contrast and brightness control compared to OLED.
So which display design wins out? Honestly, each approach has merits and I applaud the innovation by Apple and Garmin‘s engineers. Both watches promise to showcase crucial performance metrics reliably even mid-workout.
My gut gives Apple the advantage here for the significantly larger viewing area and stunning vibrancy afforded by OLED. But Garmin likely counters with better direct sunlight visibility.
Battery Life: Who Lasts Longest When It Counts?
Battery life spans get touted aggressively by smartwatch makers promising liberating runtimes between charges. But translating those ambitious battery durations into real-world usage proves the real barometer of endurance.
Let‘s examine the contenders…
The Apple Watch Ultra battery comes quoted for:
- Up to 36 hours in normal usage
- Up to 60 hours workout usage with Energy Saver setting
Impressive numbers on their own that eclipse the older Series watches from Apple. But enter the Garmin Enduro 1 and its daunting battery spec:
- Smartwatch mode: 65 days (!)
- GPS mode: 80 hours
- Max Battery GPS Mode: 150 hours
- Expedition GPS Activity: 30 days (solar charging model)
No doubt about it – Garmin crushes Apple on battery capacity largely thanks to solar charging. Although as some experts like DC Rainmaker point out, solar extending quoted battery runtimes depends greatly on actually getting consistent bright sunlight exposure. Tree cover on trails or arm positioning may limit solar charging efficiency.
How did these watches really hold up when tested to their claimed limits by expert reviewers? Let‘s check the receipts…
Nick Harris put the Apple Watch Ultra through extensive testing for Live Science including 40+ hours of constant GPS route tracking plus activity monitoring enabled before it finally gave out. So very impressive stamina although shy of Apple‘s 60 hour spec.
When Ray Maker wore the solar version Enduro 1 model on 50-70 mile trail runs under tree cover, he hit between 30-46 hours on a charge factoring in some solar contributions – safely above Garmin‘s claim.
Advantage: Garmin for battery life although test results prove both watches largely stand behind their strong runtime claims under real exercise duress. Ultra athletes can confidently compete through multi-day challenges if conservatively leveraging battery management settings.
Tracking Your Athletic Pursuits
We expect any sports-focused wearable slapped on our wrist to track the gritty details of our efforts. Expected stats like workout route mapping, heart rate zones, pace and cadence give precious feedback on performance. And insights on oxygen saturation, sleep quality or stress paint a helpful picture of recovery needs.
I‘m thrilled to report both the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Enduro 1 qualifying as overachievers here – cramming in every bell and whistle (outside of hardcore multisport power meters) most active users could desire.
Both incorporate dual-band GPS for more accurate tracing of activities like trail runs through dense forests. You record workout data then sync back phone apps like Apple Health or Garmin Connect for deeper analysis.
standouts for the Apple Watch Ultra include:
- Enhanced compass app with waypoints setting and backtrack feature
- Custom GPS firmware upgrade improving distance/pace accuracy
- Trail loop workout mode with total ascent/descent stats
- Upgraded depth and water temp sensors for open water tracking
Whereas the Garmin Enduro 1 counters with:
- Innovative Trail Run VO2 Max metric adjusting for trail terrain
- Hill Splitter feature detecting/categorizing climbs
- Onboard TopoActive maps with global viewable/downloadable access
- ClimbPro providing ascent insights and guidance
The in-depth metrics available from both devices should satisfy any performance junkie. Apple likely pulls ahead if you want the best open water swimming tracking. But trail runners gain more custom guidance from Garmin.
Ultimately, you can equip either watch as your essential adventure partner knowing all the meaningful analytics get captured.
Smartwatch IQ
Sure fitness watch capabilities rank first for Enduro/Ultra buyers. But whether responding to notifications, controlling music playback, or tapping payments on the run – we appreciate full-featured smarts condensed on our wrist.
This arena positions as the runaway strength for the Apple Watch Series historically thanks to deep iPhone integration. That versatile skillset carries over to the Ultra model as well.
Everything from customizing watch faces, installing apps, syncing playlists, intelligently triaging notifications, walkie talkie mode and wirelessly paying with Apple Pay works smoothly. Apple continues delivering the best smartwatch platform for managing day-to-day tasks.
Comparatively, Garmin built their own proprietary software focused squarely on athletic usage rather than lifestyle versatility. It covers the basics like smartphone notifications/music controls/Garmin Pay.
But expect limitations if you demand specialized apps off-trail or Apple-caliber conveniences crossing over between phone and watch frequently. The ultra long battery Enduro does best left alone to excel at hardcore performance tracking away from civilization.
For those who want a break from distractions when diving into multi-day challenges, the Enduro‘s spartan smartwatch IQ probably suffices. Otherwise Apple Watch Ultra takes the mental muscle crown if desiring a consistently dynamic companion on/off workouts.
Bottom Line: Two Titans Built for Different Types of Users
Declaring one singular Adventure Watch ruler between the exceptional Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Enduro models feels unjust. Each watch wields optimized superpowers catering to slightly distinct needs.
For those tackling ultra-endurance pursuits or multi-day excursions off-grid, the Garmin Enduro 1 stands triumphant as your rugged ally. Its solar-siphon battery life trounces any competitor while still providing top-notch athletic performance tracking. Expect no lifestyle hand-holding here as its focused energies stay rightly fixated on hardcore fitness metrics.
Meanwhile, the impressively robust Apple Watch Ultra also convinces as a leading choice for athletes, outdoorsmen and world travelers who occasionally recharge within civilization. You‘ll revel in the high-resolution display conveying richer graphics along with Apple‘s unmatched app ecosystem keeping you informed. Compared to its Series siblings, Apple fortified the Ultra with previously unimaginable battery capacity while shedding the usual fragility worries.
Honestly, for under a grand you can snag two marvelous adventure instruments depending on the persona you want sitting on your wrist. Maybe down the road, Apple further closes the daylight training gap to Garmin and extends battery feats. But choosing either watch today nets you a motivational adventure partner charting routes less traveled.
So which one takes the final checkered flag flying from my watchtower? Too close for me to call definitively friends…I say it ends in stalemate this round! Let the adventures continue.
