‘I Went Diving And Trail Running With The Apple Watch Ultra—These Are The Coolest Features’
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Last month, I found myself in the ocean off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. I was closing my eyes and fidgeting with my snorkel mask in an attempt to get the water out of my goggles without having to return to the surface to regroup. (I learned from our guide shortly before that all you have to do is tilt your head back, press your mask against your face, breath out your nose—and voilà.) This was my first time more than a few feet under in the ocean for more than 15 seconds, and also while using an oxygen supply. What made the experience all the more unique was the Apple Watch Ultra on my wrist, allowing me to check details like how deep I was and the water temp (more on that to come).
Fast-forward to the following day, mid-downpour on a muddy trail, chasing the heels of multiple ultra-marathoners and an Olympic sprinter (fine, "chasing the heels of" is generous). The conditions were ideal for messing around with the extra-sensitive touchscreen and grippy buttons as we pushed ourselves through heart-rate zones and tempo intervals.
As the executive health and fitness director at Women's Health, I have the privilege of gear-testing the latest wearables so we know, as a brand, which gadgets out there are worth your investment. When I was offered the opportunity to take the Ultra on a few extreme-sport adventures like these, in an environment fit for its features, it was not only a no-brainer—I knew it was also the only way to accurately gauge for whom, where, and what this piece of tech is for.
The wearables market is crazy-saturated, yes. And this was certainly not the first time I've tested a fitness tracker that did all the things I needed it to do (running metrics, post-workout data) perfectly well. But this was the first time I used a smartwatch and walked away actually aspiring to do more with my fitness, go harder, and get stronger.
Ahead, a deep dive (ahem) into the three most unique features of the Ultra, how it measured up to the Apple Watch Series 8, and who the next-level sport watch makes sense for.
Apple Watch Ultra Noteworthy Features:
Upgraded compass app with Waypoints and Backtrack
Emergency SOS (via iPhone 14)
Action Button
Water resistance up to 100 meters, Depth app
Oceanic+ dive computer app
Ultra Feature: Compass Waypoints And Backtrack
The Test: Pololu Historic Trail Hike
It hit me as we descended the rocky, slippery first piece of the out-and-back trail in Kapaau: The Ultra had far superior hiking features compared to my Series 8. It could also likely save your life in an emergency in the wilderness.
My phone had zero service so, in theory, losing the trail or getting injured could have been a serious problem. (I was with a small group, so this wasn’t an actual concern in the moment—don’t worry!) That’s where the Compass Waypoints and Backtrack features came into play.
With Compass Waypoints, you can create a “Waypoint” (which is kind of like dropping a pin) on your Ultra for where you are in the moment, or manually input a location or specific latitude and longitude points. So, if you need to easily reach (or return to) a campsite or ranger station, for instance, all you have to do is select the Waypoint you’re headed toward, and it shows you what direction the Waypoint is in and how far away it is. As a group, we created Waypoints at the trailhead parking lot as well as the halfway point on the hike, and we then had the freedom to explore the trail safely at our own paces. Think of it like the high-tech version of dropping breadcrumbs.
Even if I had forgotten to create Waypoints, no biggie. Turning on the Compass Backtrack feature at the start of the hike also made it incredibly easy to retrace my steps. Once activated, it used GPS data to log my exact path on my watch face, which I could then follow back to the start. (Backtrack also becomes available automatically if you don’t have Wi-Fi.)
I witnessed just how helpful these exploring capabilities were for a few hours on a moderate trail I had never hiked before. I felt more in control, safe, and connected to the world—without feeling like the tech distracted me from the experience of being in nature. (FYI: The Ultra battery can last up to 60 hours on low-battery mode for longer treks.)
Who needs it: anyone regularly going off the grid on hiking, backpacking, or climbing excursions—especially solo adventurers
Ultra Feature: Dive And Oceanic+ Apps
The Test: "Snuba" Diving
On day two, half our group went scuba diving, and all of us uncertified athletes headed to Snuba (a crossover between scuba and snorkeling where your air supply floats on the surface of the water). I went in over-confident, thinking only exploring 20 feet below would be child's play. Boy, was I wrong.
During my initial dive, I struggled to slow down my mouth breathing and felt as if I was hyperventilating. In, out, in out, I reminded myself. I could see on my Ultra face that I was only 20 feet below the surface, and I could float to my raft safely in just a few minutes. But I still felt small and out of control.
It made total sense since it was my first time Snuba-ing, and it's pretty common to feel panicky and claustrophobic when you're 20 feet down and breathing through a mouthpiece for the first time ever. But after a couple of these shallow dives, paired with all the useful info I could access underwater on my wrist, I was hooked.
How the Ultra came in handy? Unlike the Series 8, the Ultra has a built-in Depth app that measures how deep you are, as well as a water temperature sensor. (These features are also fun for basic snorkeling too.) I enjoyed having the peace of mind knowing how long I'd been under since we had a target time to regroup as a group on the boat.
The Ultra also boasts a water resistance of up to around 328 feet, which is roughly twice what the Series 8 can withstand. The extra-large and vivid screen also made it easy to see my stats, while the bright-yellow ocean band made it easy for our guide to spot us all as we explored on our own. (I wasn't wearing a wetsuit, but the band is also designed to fit securely over one.)
For the hardcore scuba divers, it's also worth knowing that the Ultra-exclusive Oceanic+ dive computer app (which you can download in the app store) was created exclusively for the Ultra in partnership with underwater experience company Huish Outdoors—so you know it's legit. It's a real-deal dive computer for recreational diving as deep as 130 feet. I appreciated having an app directly on a wearable I'm already comfortable using. It informed me of key scuba stats, such as exactly how long to take to float to the surface in order to equalize properly (when you equalize the pressure in the ears with the water around you, by pinching and blowing through your nose).
The Oceanic+ app lets you see all of the dive stats I mentioned as well as a no-deco planner (to help you know how much time you can spend underwater without having to pause during your ascent to the surface) and logbook. You can also set handy custom alarms for while you're diving, like if you reach a point where the water gets too cold for your gear. This advanced tech made my Snuba adventure a total blast—and I'm so ready to go after a certification now to go on bigger diving adventures.
Who needs it: watersport enthusiasts such as scuba divers and surfers
Ultra Feature: GPS, Heart Rate Zones, Custom Workouts
The Test: Trail Run On The Kohala Coast
The Series 8 and older Apple Watches have really solid GPS capabilities. But out of them all, the Ultra has the most accurate GPS, even when you're in dense forest or brush or running through tons of tall buildings (hello, NYC).
But one of my favorite details on the Ultra was that the larger screen let me see six lines of metrics while we ran along the coast. Our coach during the trail run (shout-out to Apple fitness+ trainer Josh Crosby for leading a killer cardio session even in the mud!) had us keep tabs on our heart-rate zones, guiding us when to push into a higher zone or pull back, program specific sprint intervals, set tempo goals, and more. These details were all a cinch to program directly on the Ultra in minutes, and easy to read and make changes to mid-run.
Keep in mind that these new workout metric updates are part of watchOS 9, so you can update the software on a standard Apple Watch to access them too. That being said, I don't know if I would have bothered trying to scroll through screens and stats during a grueling run like this one using my Series 8, given the smaller face and buttons. The larger Ultra screen and indentations on the buttons allowed me to tap and scroll even in the heavy rain and wind.
The Action Button, which is an Ultra-specific design feature, is an additional oversized side button that you can program to automatically launch any watch app that you want. For each activity, I changed mine each day to seamlessly launch Compass Backtrack, Oceanic+, and a custom run workout.
Who needs it: ultra-marathoners and endurance athletes, or anyone with a big distance event on the calendar (or goals of completing one)
Final Thoughts
Apple Watch Ultra
amazon.com
$779.99
AppleAfter returning from Hawaii (sore, tired, and smiling!), I’ve gotten countless texts from friends and family asking whether I *really* think the Ultra is worth the price. My answer is this: If you are a diver; avid hiker, climber, or mountaineer; or regularly participate in endurance races like marathons or triathlons—yes. The Ultra works as hard as you and may even help you perform better, all while keeping you safe.
Don’t have an Apple Watch but plan to buy one…and do big (fitness) things? I would skip the Series 8 and invest in the Ultra, given that it has all of the same features as well as has additional sport capabilities detailed here.
Ultra: $799 | Series 8: $399
Now, if you are a more casual everyday exerciser and don’t care about wearables and data, or you have a standard Apple Watch and are totally satisfied with its capabilities, I wouldn’t suggest the Ultra. At its core, the Ultra is a larger, more rugged Apple Watch. So unless you plan to really push yourself into new workout territory and/or want to treat yourself to a fancy new piece to help motivate you, you don’t need to spend more on the Ultra. Stick with what you know and love.
Where do I stand? I went back to wearing my Series 8 day to day. To be candid, the slightly smaller screen and sleeker bands are more comfortable for me when I’m at work, running errands, taking a workout class, going for a walk, or sleeping. But I now have both watches linked to my iPhone, and I’ll utilize the Ultra whenever I go hiking and snowboarding. (I’m visiting Jackson Hole this February and already know the brighter screen and larger buttons will come in handy when tracking my runs or sending texts to locate my husband, who is much faster than me, in the cold and snow.)
But I can confidently say that experiencing the Ultra in the elements reminded me how much I’m physically capable of. After leaving Hawaii, I already plan to get scuba-certified. And after years of telling myself I’d never run another long race, I was feeling so hyped and inspired that I signed up to run the Yosemite half marathon in May 2023 with my brother and sister-in-law. You can bet the Ultra will be on my wrist through all my training.
We can do hard things. And it’s a lot easier when you have gear like the Ultra that motivates *and* makes it safer, more trackable, and more fun.
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