I’ve spent multiple multi-day trips wearing both a Garmin Epix and an Apple Watch Ultra, and I still get asked: which is the better choice for adventure tracking? There’s no single answer that fits everyone, but from the perspective of someone who cares about reliable maps, long battery life, and clean, reproducible data, the differences matter. Below I walk through the key areas that actually change the day-to-day experience on long outings — battery, navigation, sensors & accuracy, durability & controls, safety & communications, and the software ecosystems that make the data useful afterwards.

Battery life: the single biggest real-world difference

For multi-day navigation and tracking, battery life is the feature that most often decides whether your watch helps or becomes another thing to manage. In my experience the Garmin Epix consistently wins here.

The Epix (Garmin’s high-end multisport watch with AMOLED and multi-band GNSS options) is built around long-duration use. It offers multiple power modes, including battery-optimized GPS and “expedition” style modes that slash power draw to stretch tracking over several days. I’ve run multi-day hikes where precise breadcrumb tracking and periodic full GPS fixes continued for 48–72+ hours by leaning on these power profiles.

The Apple Watch Ultra is impressive for a smartwatch: excellent power management for a full-featured watch, but its full-GPS, high-frequency tracking will run down faster than a Garmin configured for endurance. Apple has improved low power modes in recent watchOS releases, and the Ultra is better than previous Apple Watches for all-day battery and longer training sessions — but it still prioritizes rich display and cellular features over marathon battery life. On long expeditions where I want continuous GPS logging, I’ve had to compromise on sampling frequency to hit 24–36 hours on Ultra; with Garmin I could maintain higher-frequency tracking much longer.

Navigation and mapping

Maps and route tools are where Garmin’s DNA really shows for outdoor folks.

What I find most useful on the Epix:

  • Detailed topo maps and routable data stored offline — you get contour lines, trail/forest detail and the ability to upload GPX routes and follow breadcrumb/turn-by-turn navigation without a phone.
  • Multi-band GNSS and advanced positioning modes — in dense valleys or near cliffs, multi-band fixes on recent Garmins improve lock and reduce drift during long tracks.
  • Plenty of configurable map widgets — I can put a compass + elevation + turn guidance on a single watch face during a long traverse.

    • The Apple Watch Ultra has very competent maps for backcountry navigation — including a compass app with waypoints, waypoint navigation, and downloadable maps for offline use — and it’s approachable for users who prefer a phone-like interface. But compared to Garmin’s mapping stack, Ultra’s routing and map detail are less aimed at technical navigation. For example, if you want to follow contour-accurate routes, combine high-detail topographic maps with custom GPX and advanced map layers, Garmin’s toolchain (and third-party integrations like Komoot, Gaia, and ViewRanger) is deeper.

    Sensors, tracking accuracy and performance metrics

    Both watches pack excellent sensors: optical heart rate, barometric altimeter, accelerometers, compass and pulse-ox. Their raw sensor quality is comparable, but the software layer changes how useful that data is for long adventures.

  • GPS accuracy: In open terrain both are great. In canyons and heavy canopy I’ve seen Garmin’s multi-band/GNSS modes hold a steadier track and produce fewer wandering points on long routes.
  • Altitude/elevation: Garmin’s barometer calibration and elevation smoothing tend to produce cleaner ascent/descent numbers over long climbs, which matters when you’re tracking elevation gain across several days.
  • Training and recovery metrics: If you care about VO2, training load, or power-based metrics for long-distance running or bikepacking, Garmin’s ecosystem provides more advanced, exportable analytics.

    • Apple focuses on accurate daily health metrics with tight phone integration; if you want the watch to be your only device and you value simplified, reliable outputs, Ultra does a great job. For in-depth performance analytics tailored to endurance athletes, I prefer Garmin’s approach.

    Durability, user interface, and controls

    Practical factors that matter on long outings:

  • Controls: Garmin uses physical buttons (with touchscreen on many models) that are easy to operate wearing gloves or in wet conditions. Apple Ultra adds a dedicated Action button and the large digital crown, which helps, but the Ultra’s touchscreen is naturally more sensitive to weather and gloves.
  • Display and visibility: Ultra’s display is extremely bright and very readable in direct sun; Garmin’s AMOLED is crisp and pleasant but not quite as blindingly bright. For snowy alpine days or very bright deserts, Ultra gets a nod for sheer legibility.
  • Ruggedness: Both are tough — sapphire glass options available, 100m water resistance, and rugged casings. Apple’s build quality and coatings are excellent; Garmin has decades of durable GPS-watch pedigree and often slightly lighter weight options for ultra-distance users.

    • Safety and communications

    This is where the ecosystem plays into life-or-death decisions.

  • Apple Watch Ultra: built-in cellular + Emergency SOS + satellite support — Ultra can contact emergency services via cellular or send a satellite SOS without additional hardware (where the service is available). For solo backpackers who want built-in, one-device emergency access, that’s a huge advantage.
  • Garmin: incident detection and inReach options — Garmin’s watches can pair with an inReach device (or some models have inReach functions integrated) to provide two-way satellite messaging and SOS, but that often requires a separate subscription and sometimes an extra device depending on the model. Garmin does provide incident detection and assistance messaging via phone when paired.

    • If immediate SOS without carrying a separate satellite communicator is non-negotiable, Ultra’s integrated services are compelling. If you already carry an inReach or SPOT for two-way messaging and want a long-lived GPS tracker, Garmin integrates better into that setup.

    Software ecosystem and data handling

    After the trip is finished, the quality of your data and how you can use it matters just as much as it did on the trail.

  • Garmin Connect & third-party integrations — Exports are straightforward, GPX/KML exports and deep compatibility with Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot, and advanced mapping tools make Garmin my go-to when I want full control over my route files and training logs.
  • Apple Health & Fitness — Seamless everyday synchronization, excellent activity summaries, and an ecosystem that prioritizes health sharing and convenience. If you prefer a unified health timeline on your phone and don’t need granular GPX control, Apple’s approach is simpler.

    • Practical recommendation from the field

    Speaking plainly: for long multi-day adventure tracking where the objective is to log every mile, follow topo-accurate routes, and avoid battery anxiety, I usually reach for the Garmin Epix. Its battery modes, mapping depth, and multi-band GNSS produce data I can trust across long expeditions.

    But that doesn’t make the Apple Watch Ultra a bad choice. For trips where I value emergency satellite SOS without extra hardware, want a bright display and excellent smartwatch features, and expect to be within a day or two so battery can be managed, the Ultra is a compelling, more phone-like option. Many users will accept its shorter continuous-GPS runtime in exchange for cellular messaging and an easier UI.

    Feature Garmin Epix Apple Watch Ultra
    Battery for continuous GPS Superior — multiple power modes for multi-day tracking Good — shorter when recording high-frequency GPS
    Mapping & routing Best-in-class topo maps, offline routable maps Competent offline maps, simpler routing
    Emergency comms inReach integration (may need separate device/subscription) Built-in cellular and Emergency SOS via satellite
    Sensor & performance analytics Advanced training metrics and export options Strong health metrics, better phone ecosystem
    Controls for harsh conditions Physical buttons + touchscreen Action button + touchscreen; touchscreen more sensitive

    If you want help choosing for a specific kind of trip — bikepacking vs. alpine winter traverse vs. a thru-hike — tell me the trip profile and I’ll give a tailored recommendation (including suggested GPS settings and map layers to use). I test these devices in the lab and on real trips, so I can share the exact power and navigation settings that made a difference on multi-day outings.