Often, when testing and reviewing smartwatches and other pieces of fitness kit, I notice a familiar pattern.
It often feels like modes are designed more for aspirational joggers, who like the sound of logging a 5K on Strava, than for actual prolific runners like myself.
It’s rare for me to get excited by new running watch features.
Still, when I saw the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, its similar body made me dismiss it as barely changed from the original Watch Ultra. But then I saw my perfect mode.
Ask those who’ve worn the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and they’ll tell you that real upgrades are hidden inside a familiar body.
Just as the Galaxy Watch 9 highlights were its new modes, the highlight of the Ultra seems to be its Trail Run mode.
What even is Trail Run mode on the watch?
It sounds t-rail-y useful
Okay, confession, Trail Run isn’t just a mode. It’s more of an aggregate mode that seems to pull various pieces of Samsung Health smarts into one place.
But at its core, it’s a feature designed to give long-distance trail runners the dedicated information they need.
At its core, it gives you the classic running watch experience, but turned up to 11. It’ll log not only your distance but “elevation, climbing progress, and terrain impact,” according to the brand.
What does that mean? Well, by the sounds of it, you can pre-program a route into the watch. Then, it can tell you how much of the elevation you’ve already ticked off. It also provides an estimated finish time.
This couples with what Samsung calls Nutrition Alert, an advanced version of the Sweat Loss Monitor we’ve seen in the likes of the Galaxy Watch 8. Now, you’ll get notifications reminding you to hydrate.
As any runner knows, hydration is pivotal to a good workout (some would argue, and I’d concur, the most important thing). And the Ultra 2 ensures you drink water at the right times to avoid dehydration while on longer trips.
The highs and lows of trial running
Useful for prolific outdoor runners
I’m a pretty prolific runner — I’ve done several marathons and countless half-marathons.
I’m slowly working towards the goal of completing a marathon on every continent on the planet, and have my first ultra-marathon in the crosshairs, too.
A lot of my training runs (and my first ever marathon) probably count as trail runs. These are runs done on outdoor trails. I count that as any non-paved path, though purists might have a more specific definition.
There are loads of benefits to this kind of running. Paved surfaces can cause joint stress over time due to their being hard, so trail running is gentler.
Plus, I prefer to be immersed in nature (or somewhere new) instead of doing laps on the same few roads or urban parks.
However, there are some dangers, which are mostly because these trails often go through rugged or wild areas.
I’ve often become completely lost when I’ve taken a wrong turn, sometimes in areas with steep drops, muddy fields or poor visibility.
When doing these runs, you’re often without internet. There’s no popping over to Google Maps to see where you are.
Trail runs are often longer too, due to the amount of space in nature. You’d be hard-pressed to find a decent 5K loop in a mountain range. More likely you’re looking at long trips, which require more strength and training.
This brings all the expected dangers: dehydration, injuries, and cramps. So it makes sense that tech brands are looking for ways to solve common problems.
Why I need a trail running mode, stat
Leave the cramp back at camp
I’ll admit I’ve learned the hard way about good running nutrition and hydration. Most novice runners do at some point.
It’s common to under-hydrate when you’re doing a long run to avoid needing the toilet mid-trip. But you lose so much liquid through sweat that a lack of water generally does more harm than good.
I also had to learn to better fuel before a run. Frequent mid-run cramps taught me just how much body salt you can lose through sweat.
Of all the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’s Trail Run features, it’s Nutrition Alert that really spoke to me.
Often as a runner, you’ll need simple reminders to take a sip of water or compensate for lost sweat. This could be a real game-changer.
The terrain impact tool also sounds incredibly helpful, as it’ll help you dictate your pace when changing ground.
Like many runners, I often speed up on paved ground. It’d be great to get an on-wrist reminder to avoid this kind of surface when possible.
But one other detailed mode sounds like the most handy for me. As a busy city boy, I have a tight schedule, and fitting in long runs often involves shuffling other parts of my day.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has an estimated run finish timer, so you can tell when you’re meant to get back from your trip.
This could help me work out how much time I have after my run … or, in other words, how long I can sit down.
A feature to tempt Garmin users
I can’t pretend that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’s running tools are unique, and I’ve been testing rugged watches for years now with GPS-enabled trail run tools.
But Samsung’s new feature is important for the brand because it could help the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 compete with the best Garmin smartwatch for a place on long-distance runners’ wrists.
- RAM
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2GB
- Storage
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64GB
- Bluetooth
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v6.0
- Weight
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61.5g
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