So my daughter and I will be backpacking in the Great Smoky Mountains this summer and my wife will only let us go if I have an InReach(likely a mini). Deal. I have also convinced myself I need a Fenix as well (model still being debated. I have a Gaia GPS membership and will be downloading maps to my iPhone for in depth navigation but I would like to have the map on my watch as well so I don’t have to constantly dig out my phone.

I want to track our route, and I imagine that since I’m paying for the subscription anyway, it is best to track the route on the InReach. Is there any point in tracking it on my watch as well? I know they talk to each other but I’m assuming they both still use their own gps for tracking and one doesn’t piggyback off the other? In practice is it best to leave the GPS on my watch off unless I need to reference the map in order to conserve battery? Is the gps tracking in one better than the other?

I know I can buy them and test it out for myself but the way I use the gps on the phone may determine which model of watch I need due to battery capacity.