Running Watch Expert Admits Garmin's LED Flashlight Is a Top-Tier Smartwatch Feature

The expert recalled that in 2022 Garmin made the LED flashlight the headline feature for the Fenix 7X. He initially saw it as a novelty and questioned why anyone would use it instead of the flashlight on a smartphone. His opinion changed after he lived with the watch beyond his initial month-long testing period, when he found himself using it more each week.

He described using the wrist light to move around his apartment at night without turning on the main light, to illuminate dark sections of nighttime running routes, to find his way home from the gym, and to help align fixings during DIY work. The expert came to appreciate that Garmin did not simply add the flashlight for show. Settings allow it to strobe or match the wearer's running cadence to improve visibility, and it can also switch to red light to be less intrusive while still bright.

According to the article, Garmin has expanded flashlight features across its watch range and made them smarter. Certain watches now prompt users after sunset to activate strobe mode. A distress mode can flash an SOS pattern and display emergency contact information set up through the Garmin Connect app.

Rival watchmakers have also adopted the concept, the expert said. Suunto, Coros, Amazfit and Polar now all offer smartwatches with built-in flashlights.

The expert also acknowledged drawbacks. The flashlight requires extra space on the watch case, which is why it has mainly appeared on larger, rugged watches such as the Suunto Vertical 2, Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro and Polar Street X, although Garmin has also placed it on its slimmer Forerunner and Venu series. Battery life will be affected when the flashlight is used with GPS or other sensors, but the expert wrote that the drain is not a major concern unless the light is left on continuously for hours.

The expert concluded that he would now want an LED flashlight on any new smartwatch. He noted that no Apple Watch Ultra has included such a feature yet, and said one may be coming.