Which to buy? Tactix Delta / Fenix6 / Forerunner

Fenix 6 Pro))

My wrist is 6.75", so a little bigger than yours, but still small.  Obviously try them on if you can.  I have a VA4, F6 Titanium, F6X sapphire, and the Tactix Delta. I prefer the F6X/Delta 51mm size this time due to screen to case ratio AND because they shortened the lug distances this time.  My F6X and Delta are same size lug pin to lug pin as my previous F5 (the 47mm watch).  Obviously bigger around, but no wider on the wrist. Having the F6 AND F6X size, I'm amazed at the screen size difference with content.  It's simply more than the .1" implies, especially for these older eyes.  It's also the latest and greatest.  

With all the activities and interests you listed it does sound like F6 series (including Delta) is what you're after.  Buy from REI or someone with good return policy you understand.  I would say start with the 51mm size since you don't mind a bigger watch--which you can return quickly in stock condition if just too big.  Good luck.

Edited to add:  be sure when checking out sizing you don't turn watch and wrist toward your face to judge.  This rotates radius and ulna bones to make wrist thinnest. Look in mirror with palm toward belly.  This is what others will mostly see. Here are two pics of my Delta to show the difference:

https://flic.kr/p/2iTT5Zh

https://flic.kr/p/2ithyEr

Exactly the response I was looking for - much appreciated. We were thinking along the same lines. I ordered the Tactix Delta tonight... I just can't get past how beautiful it looks and I feel like it will give me the best of both worlds. 

I'll post pictures when I get it so everyone can see the 51mm on my small wrists :)

Thanks so much !

Great choice. It's also a minor thing, but the Delta *looks* a little less big around because it's bezel ring steps down in size a little from the case, where the F6X bezel has a slight bevel, but is full width out to the case edge.

Here is the F6X next to the Delta to show the bezel width I'm talking about:

https://flic.kr/p/2itguTR

This definitely confirms my love for the tactix delta. Much cleaner. How does one accumulate so many great watches?? haha

Kids gone, we both have good jobs.  More dollars than sense sometimes I guess.....

Tough choice between the Fenix and the Delta, both would fit your needs. I think it just comes down to which style you prefer.

I don't think Forerunner would be a good choice for your needs. The plastic bezel doesn't look as classy, and the battery life is less than ideal for your multi-day hikes.

As far as style is concerned, though, I think it doesn't matter so much for a fitness watch. Nobody is going to care how nice your fitness watch looks. I work with uber-wealthy people, and they're FAR more likely to judge your Rolex, Omega, or Breitling than they are your fitness watch. Like, "Oh, he's only got the cheapest model Rolex, so he's trying to look rich but isn't." With fitness watches, on the other hand, everyone understands that it's 100% a function-over-form scenario, and nobody really cares how it looks. Nobody cares if a billionaire wears a Fitbit, or an AW, or a Forerunner. 99.999% of the time, people choose their fitness watch based solely on its features, not its looks. There's no such thing as a $100k fitness watch (aside from those ridiculous diamond-encrusted AW's that I seriously doubt anyone really buys), so if a billionaire wants to track their fitness, they get the same choices as the rest of us.

It's sort of like cars in that regard. It would be weird to see a billionaire drive a C-class Mercedes, people would wonder if he's going through hard times or something. But if you're a billionaire driving a Prius, nobody will think anything of it, they just assume you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint or whatever and the Prius is a perfectly fine car for that. There's a fine line between "Looking like you're trying too hard (but not hard enough)" and "Not trying at all", and when it comes to luxury items like watches, I'd rather look like I'm not trying at all ;)

FWIW, I've had several VERY rich clients at work comment on my Fenix 6x and ask me questions about it, while my coworker with his Breitling got no comments at all.

Is it true the Delta doesn't get the same rapid updates as the Fenix? What about Beta, as 8.78 isn't officially on Delta?

No. Delta=Fenix 6 firmware.  All F6 updates apply to Delta, at least so far.