For many years the ultra conundrum in smartwatch effectiveness was longevity. With GPS activated, running over 12 hours tested the battery capacity of many watches. Doing a full 24-hour event was way beyond most smart watch capabilities. For ultra runners, like current MUT Ultra and local trail running legend Ryan Sandes, battery life was an unwelcome issue to add to a long list of things to get right on the day.
Enter the solar solution: Garmin’s Fenix 7 Solar. The Fenix 7 includes technology which gives your battery a solar charge boost so you can get up to 18 days of battery life in smartwatch mode (with an additional four days when solar charging) and up to 57 hours in GPS mode (with an additional 16 hours when solar chargin).
Sandes recently won the tough MUT 100-mile Ultra in George. Sandes ran for over 20 hours to secure victory but didn’t have to recharge his battery at all. Just over a year ago Sandes also took on the challenge of circumnavigating Lesotho, running for 14 days and clocking up hundreds of hours. But with the aid of Garmin’s solar tech he only needed to charge his Fenix 7 twice.
“It’s really been a game changer for me,” said Sandes.
The Numbers
- Smartwatch: Up to 18 days/22 days with solar
- Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 57 days/173 days with solar
- GPS Only: Up to 57 hours/73 hours with solar
- All Satellite Systems: Up to 40 hours/48 hours with solar
- All Satellite Systems and Music: Up to 10 hours
- Max Battery GPS: Up to 136 hours/ 289 hours with solar
- Expedition GPS: Up to 40 days/ 74 days with solar
- Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions
- Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions
Shop the Garmin Fenix 7 Solar HERE