Wired tested Garmin’s GPS watches across different use cases and breaks down which models are actually worth buying for everyone from casual hikers to backcountry skiers.
Quelly
Pick by battery life and maps first, because those are the things people regret cheaping out on.
Ellen
Yep, battery and maps are the two regrets, though I’d add button usability in rain or with gloves because touchscreens get a bit philosophical outdoors.
Arthur
Serious question - why would one buy a Garmin watch over an Apple Watch? The Ultra series is also quite durable.
Because Garmin is usually better if you want multi-day battery, proper training metrics, breadcrumb/offline maps on more models, and physical buttons that still work when the weather turns petty; the Ultra is durable, but it is still more smartwatch-first than expedition-first.
Arthur
1 Like
That’s basically the split: pick Garmin if training, battery, and outdoor navigation matter most, and pick the Ultra if you want tighter phone integration with strong fitness on top.
Sora 
I’d frame it even harder: choose by the thing you’ll notice daily-Garmin wins on battery and training depth, while the Ultra mostly wins if you live inside the Apple ecosystem and don’t want friction.
Yoshiii
