Are you an outdoor enthusiast seeking a reliable companion for your adventures? Look no further than the Garmin Instinct!
This rugged GPS watch is designed to withstand the most challenging conditions while providing essential tracking and navigation features.
Whether hiking in the mountains, exploring remote trails, or conquering challenging terrains, the Garmin Instinct is built to keep up with your adventurous spirit.
Join us as we dive into a comprehensive review of this remarkable outdoor smartwatch and discover why it’s the ultimate companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
Garmin Instinct, Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS, Features Glonass and Galileo, Heart Rate Monitoring and 3-Axis Compass, Graphite
User reviews
The perfect smartwatch for people who dislike smartwatches. This model came out from Garmin at the same time I was starting to seriously want a device for a mixture of tracking activity, in my case most of which is outdoor oriented, like hiking and riding my mountain bike, plus I wanted to start exploring some physical data from a heart rate monitor as I get more active.When smartwatches first started becoming popular, I thought they were pretty stupid and redundant, and in my mind a teeny tiny 2" screen will never replace a phone screen which is small enough, especially for GPS navigation duty. However, the function of getting the sensors and GPS antenna in a more favorable location, plus heart rate monitoring, I could see the benefits of a smartwatch. I didn't like most of what was on the market until this unit.What I liked about this watch was it didn't have all the features and bloated interface to replace interacting with your phone for things a phone is best at. In some ways the Instinct is a throwback to older tech, but in a good way, the way anyone who has experience with GPS from the time it first became widely available for consumer use will appreciate. The interface will just make sense if you were used to the older devices.It does all the things you might want your phone to do, but a phone is not really suited to doing well. I disliked using my phone for tracking hikes and on my MTN bike because either the phone was safe in my pocket with a horrible view of the sky and where I couldn't see it, or I had it strapped on my handlebars where it could get knocked off. Or while hiking I had to pack it in my hands or strapped to my backpack in an awkward position. Not to mention if you use GPS on the phone and keep the screen on to see stats, it will hit the battery hard. With this, you can tuck the phone safely away but still see the info you want.This watch was the right combo of features for outdoor activities and activity tracking to get my attention and be a useful tool more than an expensive trinket. I did not wear any watch before buying the Instinct, and now I wear this most of the time for the last 2-3 weeks I've had it.While it lacks some features of more dedicated fitness devices, I got it mostly for what it did not have rather than what it did. Most criticism of this watch I read prior to purchasing clearly was because this watch has a niche and those folks didn't fit it. This is mostly for outdoor activities, it's simple, rugged, and doesn't do as much because it's made to do it's set of tasks well, and it's trade off is the things it does not do allow it to be smaller and use the battery more efficiently.You can read up on it's features and functions elsewhere, but a few things I will point out as exceptional. Some may harp on the old school LCD type display, but it's high contrast and the way the face catches ambient light extremely well makes it very easy to read. Actually I set the back light on 5%, it's lowest setting, because if it's so dark you need the back light, that is plenty to see it by.I like it's size, it's not huge feeling, and it's light. As I mentioned I did not wear a watch before this one, and I find it comfortable to wear despite a history of disliking things on my wrist. I had to get used to it yes, but it's not like having a rock strapped to your arm.Battery life has been great, using the GPS 2-3 times a week for an hour at a time pulls it down some but I still get over a week on a charge. I've yet to let it run down to the point it claims it needs charging, but so far I've yet to charge it in a period of less than 7 days.Definitely a personal preference but I also really like it's appearance. I got the Graphite colored one, it's not black but kind of a charcoal grey. It's not preppy looking or stylish, and that's what I'm going for. It does not give off that "oh look at me I'm athletic I have a fitbit" vibe, or look super snazzy and expensive, it just looks like a run of the mill boring watch if no one inspects it closely. For sure a more utility look, and for folks who would get the most out of this watch, that's probably perfect.Also will throw in there for my mountain bike, I later picked up Garmin's cadence and speed sensors, and they paired up effortlessly with the Instinct. GPS will cheat you distance on a bike especially and that is just the nature of the tech, I was getting some big discrepancies between the Instinct's recorded track and my wheel sensor bike computer. The trails I ride on frequently are a particular hardship for GPS anyway with heavy tree cover and tightly winding trails. With the speed sensor the difference is much smaller and I recommend it if you are going to use this on a bike.So far I've been very happy with the purchase and impressed with the device, enough to write this lengthy review, which I don't bother with often. (I did lean heavily on reviews deciding to purchase, so this is to help those like me.) If you fall into the niche this watch is intended to appeal to, I recommend it.
Great watch. I wear this often for work as I spend 14 days at a time on wildfires. The battery holds up well with not needing to recharge which was something important to me. Fits great and looks very tactical. The functions are great and the app for it is awesome for tracking my runs and hikes! Good quality watch, highly recommend!
Excellent field watch, disappointed in Garmin Concur App. I purchased this watch for use in geologic field work, and it has been an excellent choice. It is light weight, has excellent battery life of over 2 weeks when paired to the phone, but not using the GPS, and even longer when you turn off phone pairing. I have not used it extensively in GPS mode for tracking courses, but I have a dedicated GPS for that. I use the GPS on the watch for the occasional location.The biggest selling point for me was the battery life, heart rate monitor, and smart watch phone pairing.My recent use case was ~3 weeks in remote Greenland at 76 North. The GPS coverage that far north was spotty on this watch, but that is not a major fault in my opinion. The watch was excellent for use in the field with the timer, alarms, and stop watch. I found I utilized the barometer a lot when planning weather related activities. The altimeter is based on the barometric pressure and was reasonably precise with elevation change, but needs to be calibrated to be accurate. I was not able to test if the altimeter could be calibrated on the GPS fix though, and I don't believe that it is. The temperature sensor is too close to skin and was effected by layers, so I did not rely on the temperature. The compass worked pretty well.The heart rate monitor worked well for me, but I don't have anything to compare it to for accuracy. I found it worked well with both tight and loose wrist band settings.The user interface was fairly straight forward to learn.I have found since getting this watch that I have been more active to see how to get better numbers. The Garmin Connect app is interesting and helpful, but my biggest announce is the app requires an internet connection in order to sync data from the watch to the app. While in remote areas without internet, I was unable to look at the trends in data I was hoping for. That is a problem with the app and not the watch, however, and I have confirmed that with Garmin.I elected to get the older version of the watch rather than the newer Instinct 2 because of the cost difference. I have been happy with it so far, and for my purposes the Instinct has fit my needs well.
The media could not be loaded. I've had this watch for years now and it's been effective. Hence why I'm writing this review years later.This watch is rugged. I mountain bike with it, I golf with it, I play soccer with it, I swim in the ocean with it and not once have I found any wear to the actual body of the watch. The strap did give out just a couple months ago, but you can find replacement straps (off brand) on Amazon that work great and for cheap.To be frank, I don't know how accurate the heart rate monitor is, but through watches you can never be 100%. The GPS works fantastic both during workouts and for backtracking hikes. The compass I find can be quite weird. I'll reporting North and it won't exactly read that. The battery's fantastic -typically lasts 14 days wearing everyday sleeping with it every night.The Garmin app is the user friendly and I love how it tracks sleep and sleep cycles and body battery. For the price, I would much rather this watch over an Apple watch despite the fact that you can't send typed messages on Garmin.Note that this watch does not work with the Garmin golf app.There are several other cool features that this watch can do. It can find your phone. You can select individual workouts for it to track your movements. You could send brief text messages. It even gives you weather including sunset and sunrise. It tracks your steps and calories burned. Overall, it is so worth the price.Highly, highly recommend.
Es un excelente producto. Me sorprendió la precisión con la que registra el recorrido con el GPS. Lo uso para senderismo, caminar en la ciudad, correr en pista y bicicleta de montaña. En todo marca bien el recorrido. La combinación del recorrido, el registro de la frecuencia cardíaca y los algoritmos de cada actividad dan una buena referencia para conocer la intensidad de cada sesión. También lo uso en la bicicleta fija para medir la frecuencia cardíaca y funciona bien. Aunque el producto vale la pena en realidad para las actividades de exterior usando GPS. Estoy muy satisfecho y sorprendido ya que es la primera versión del Instinct, pero lo mejor fue el precio.Lo uso unas 4 veces en actividades con GPS y la batería dura menos de una semana. Pero la verdad me parece correcto y no me molesta ponerlo a cargar. La batería carga muy rápido. Cuando no hago deporte prefiero apagar el sensor de frecuencia cardíaca.Por el tamaño y por la pantalla en negativo se lee claramente en cualquier condición de luz, aún en exterior a pleno sol. También se agradece que los botones son grandes y se pueden manipular aún con guantes de ciclismo.En mi caso la compra fue con Fashion Outlet 15 y llegó rápido desde Canadá.
Have used Fitbit for 10 years, their platform is awesome from UI to the community in the app. The product itself is easy to broke. I have change fit towards five times.This one is something different. this one seems will stay with me for a long time and that’s what I’m looking for.
När jag fick klockan förstår jag att jag har valt fel modell, så jag ville returnera den klockan men säljaren svarade att jag kan inte få mina fullt pris tillbaks. Jag har skrivit att Jag har valt gammal modell instinct 1 men jag ville köpa instinct 2.
My first garmin watch and first smart watch as well. Looks rugged, light weight. Strap is long and very comfortable. Using it for tracking activities like running cycling etc. Data seems to be pretty accurate. If you are into sports, this device is not gonna let you down. Good battery backup(around 2 weeks) so if you go out on long treks, you will want to carry one of these. If you are looking for something sturdy and durable in all conditions, go for it.Not compatible with connect IQ though, but that should not be an issue.
Key Takeaways
The Garmin Instinct stands out from the vast majority of fitness trackers with its unique circle window, providing a clear, readable screen that adjusts perfectly to different light conditions. This smartwatch covers all the bases, from monitoring your stress levels and blood oxygen levels with the pulse ox sensor and Body Battery feature to providing weather updates through the Weather widget.
Enjoy endless days in smartwatch mode thanks to the device’s impressive battery life. Never fret about losing power during your outdoor activities, as the battery level is always displayed in the circular window. This robust smartwatch comes in a tactical edition, complete with third-party apps available through Garmin Connect IQ.
Garmin goes above and beyond with Garmin Instinct’s outdoor features. Track your current elevation and barometric pressure in real-time, and navigate unfamiliar terrain with breadcrumb navigation. The device also syncs seamlessly with Garmin Explore and Garmin Connect Mobile, providing an integrated experience across devices.
Basic features such as receiving phone calls and Bluetooth connection are also covered, not to mention advanced capabilities like golf mode with cadence sensors and barometric trend tracking. For music lovers, the Garmin Instinct matches up to devices like Vivoactive 3 Music with its music storage feature.
The Fenix 5 Plus series, including Fenix 5, Fenix 5 Plus, and Fenix 5x, may have set a high bar in the realm of smartwatches. Still, Garmin Instinct rises to the challenge with its unique features and durability. Whether you’re a sweepstakes entry enthusiast looking for promo considerations or a mountain hut dweller needing a reliable gadget, this review will show you why Garmin Instinct is worth considering.
Garmin Instinct Overview
For outdoor adventurers who want to unleash their spirit of exploration, having the right gear can make all the difference between an epic journey and an exercise in frustration. In sports watches, the Garmin Instinct aims to strike the ideal balance between hardcore data tracking and bombproof durability so users can focus on the thrill of adventure instead of babying finicky electronics.
This rugged GPS smartwatch was designed from the ground up with activities like hiking, climbing, trail running, and watersports in mind. The Instinct combines essential sensors like GPS, heart rate monitor, compass, and altimeter with smartwatch features into a tribal and tactical design built to military standards. No matter how far off the beaten path your exploits take you, the Instinct promises to keep up while standing up to the elements.
In this in-depth review, we’ll closely examine how the Instinct performs in real-world conditions to see if it lives up to the promise for outdoor enthusiasts. Key factors we examine include:
- Build quality and durability – Does the rugged polymer case and special lens treatment really hold up to abuse?
- Activity tracking – How accurate is the GPS, altimeter, etc., and how in-depth are the metrics?
- Battery life – Does ultra power-saving mode really extend it for weeks?
- Smart features – Are notifications and smartwatch capabilities useful or just gimmicks?
After putting the Instinct through its paces for hiking, climbing, running, swimming, and everyday use, we weigh in on who this watch is best suited for and where it offers the greatest value. Read on to see if the Garmin Instinct could be the ultimate wingman for your next adventure.
Key Features
Now that we’ve covered the overall concept and mission of the Garmin Instinct smartwatch let’s dive into the core features that set this rugged GPS tracker apart. The Instinct squeezes an impressive array of sensors and technology into its tactical chassis built to stand up to hardcore adventures.
Rugged Design and Durability
The “tactical” look of the Instinct gives it a bit of a military vibe. Still, more importantly, it’s ruggedized to meet U.S. military standard 810G for resistance to thermal, shock, and water hazards. The polymer case reinforced with fiber resin bumpers can take more abuse, while the chemically strengthened glass lens shrugs off scratches. Buttons are textured for easier operation while wearing gloves.
In real-world testing, the Instinct lives up to its durability billing. The watch emerged unscathed from rock scrambling, cliff jumping into water, and all-day hikes. For adrenaline junkies, it provides confidence in tracking data, even on hardcore pursuits.
Built-in Sensors and Navigation
Packed into the rugged shell, the Instinct offers an array of sensors tailored for outdoor adventures:
- GPS/GLONASS/Galileo – Utilizes multiple global navigation satellite systems for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone.
- 3-axis compass – Aids navigation when out of mobile range.
- Barometric altimeter – Essential for hiking and climbing for tracking elevation gain and descent.
- Optical heart rate sensor – Monitors intensity level during activities and all-day stress.
- Accelerometer – Tracks cadence, distance, and intensity for running and biking.
Combined with navigation features like TracBack routing and waypoint marking, these sensors equip the Instinct as a formidable adventure partner.
Activity Profiles and Tracking
The Instinct comes preloaded with activity profiles for all-day use, running, biking, swimming, skiing, and more. The sensors and GPS provide detailed metrics for each sport, like distance, pace/speed, heart rate zones, elevation, and more.
With robust tracking capabilities packed into a durable shell, the Instinct has the potential to be the ultimate go-anywhere, do-anything Garmin watch. But how well does it deliver when you’re far from civilization? Let’s find out in our performance testing.
Garmin Instinct Specifications
- 45mm watch with interchangeable 22mm straps
- 128 x 128-pixel monochrome display
- Up to 16 hours of GPS battery life
- GPS / GLONASS / Galileo
- Works with iOS and Android
- 24/7 activity tracking
- Heart rate monitoring
- Multisport (running, cycling, swimming, hiking, skiing, and much more)
- Let’s start with the basics. The Instinct comes in three colors: Flame Red, Tundra, and Graphite.
Garmin Instinct: interface
Although the Instinct is very easy to use, its five-button control system takes some getting used to.
Like activity selection or forward / backward / up-down, some are relatively simple to ‘memorize’ after half an hour of use. But delving into the options can be a bit more complicated.
The Instinct has a wide range of display options that provide heart rate information in the last four hours, top-of-the-line activity statistics, phone notifications, events, weather, and a compass.
Access to each of these is via simple up and down buttons, and for the most part, most are what you would expect from a Garmin.
The real superiority of the Instinct comes from the customization options. First, you can customize the top-level displays (12 standard clock displays from the beginning).
Each visible information acts as a small modifiable block. Once selected (using the top right customization button), you can scroll through other options to replace it, depending on your needs.
You can customize heart rate, cadence, temperature, elevation, goal, intervals, and stress data.
Garmin Instinct – Outdoor Tracking
As we have said before, with Instinct, you can measure a wide range of sports. Running, biking, and swimming is basic modes, but it will also cater to outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, and even skiing.
For many sports watch companies, incorporating activities like hiking into a standard list of activities has been a problem with most sports watches.
Hikers or trail hikers want very different information mainly because the things that concern us are issues like getting lost in the middle of the night or falling off a cliff because of the fog.
Overall, the Instinct is a sleek compass that accurately tells you your direction and tracks your route.
Unlike the Phoenix, the monochrome display doesn’t allow for a map. Instead, the route you follow is drawn via GPS markers in a very simple line drawing.
Map
At first glance, and without messing with the zoom settings, the “map” appears utterly useless as it is labeled. The first time I tried to get information, I thought I broke it. However, it is not a map but a device to track your location.
It does not offer the ability to see landmarks, but you can use topography and direction data to get plenty of exercise. It would be best if you spent a little time on it.
This may lack the apparent benefits of a more sophisticated map, but it makes finding routes much easier. The information it gives you goes a long way in solving most problems you will likely encounter.
Compass
In addition to a magnetic compass, something not always present in smartwatches, the Instinct includes elevation profiles, the ability to have specific coordinates, storm alerts, Galileo support (to use multiple satellites for optimized accuracy), Site and Go (which essentially allows you to set a direction to follow) and routes (the ability to download a route to follow using a breadcrumb trail).
After getting used to the route tracking features, I suddenly realized how useful it would have been on the previous hikes, where I ended up walking in circles for a long time.
Garmin Instinct: Sports tracking
The Instinct is aimed at hikers and outdoor activity (especially climbers or trail runners). However, if you want a watch for a specific sport, that doesn’t mean the Instinct isn’t a multi-sport watch. It just means that for the price, you’d probably be disappointed if you were using it primarily for city running.
Hikers do other things, though, and luckily I got to try the Instinct for a half marathon. Like a general racing Garmin watch, it did the job.
Like almost all Garmin watches, the Instinct offers 24/7 activity tracking.
So we’re talking about counting steps, monitoring sleep, and displaying that bar to quickly indicate your activity level throughout the day.
There are also stress tracking and adaptive step goals to motivate you a little more each day. Garmin’s fitness tracking capabilities align with Fitbit’s regarding striking the right balance between features and insights.
I didn’t have many complaints from an accuracy standpoint, though sleep tracking tended to attribute more sleep time than the Garmin Forerunner 935.
Smartwatch Features
The Garmin Instinct is an adventure-ready smartwatch that provides outdoor enthusiasts with a wealth of information at a glance. This includes GPS coordinates, altitude, air pressure, sunrise and sunset times, and more. It also comes equipped with a barometer, altimeter, and compass. The display is full color, sunlight-visible, and compatible with Garmin’s Connect IQ app market.
In terms of smartwatch features, with the Instinct, you can see notifications on the watch screen. There is the possibility of answering text messages and answering/rejecting calls (if paired with an Android phone).
You can also control music playback, connect to the Garmin Virb Action Camera, and view calendar and weather information.
Garmin Connect App
The display is full color, sunlight-visible, and compatible with Garmin Connect App (Garmin’s Connect IQ app market).
To use the Instinct device’s connected features, you must pair it directly through the Garmin Connect app instead of from the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone.
You won’t have Garmin Pay, the ability to listen to music with Spotify or Connect IQ support. You can’t add custom fields, widgets, and apps to the watch.
While you can review much Instinct data on the watch, you are more likely to explore it once it syncs with Garmin Connect. Whether it’s the phone or the web app, there’s a lot to look at here, and of course, you can send data to third-party services like Strava once the two accounts have been linked.
There is nothing significant to say when offering a different experience than what you would get by combining a Fenix watch or a Forerunner watch.
Much of what you’ll see will be very familiar if you’ve used a Garmin device. It’s packed with data, and it can take a little time to understand where everything is.
Solar Panel
Garmin Instinct has a solar charging panel on its screen. The watch does need to be exposed to light to charge, and it is not a very powerful one, but if you are going to be in the sun anyway, you can just let your watch charge.
Garmin Instinct – Heart Rate Accuracy
If you’re going to make fair use of the built-in heart rate monitor, I’d say it works similarly to other Garmin watches that include the same technology.
Overall, it’s okay, particularly for 24/7 monitoring, but not exceptional once you start putting it through the high-intensity training test.
Against a Garmin chest strap, the live data appeared to be quite inconsistent, with the chest strap reacting quickly to fluctuations in inactivity and rest periods. The Instinct tends to lag briefly before reaching the chest strap.
On the other hand, if we talk about lower-effort training sessions, the highest heart rate in interval training came in one or two beats per minute and the average of only three bpm, which is quite good.
But more variations appear once you start increasing your training and quickly changing your pace and intensity.
When tested against a more consistent bpm activity, such as a 10k run, the Instinct noticeably fits the chest strap but still registers a higher maximum heart rate reading.
It seems well-equipped to do a pretty good job for more endurance-based activities like trail running or hiking.
However, suppose you plan to use the Instinct as your primary training watch. In that case, I recommend purchasing a compatible chest strap to give you the most reliable information on your heart rate.
Garmin Instinct: battery life
The battery is an essential factor for outdoor watches when you plan to spend a lot of time away from civilization and not carry that charger with you.
Garmin claims the Instinct gives you 16 hours with GPS on, 40 hours using UltraTrac optimization mode (worse GPS but better battery), and two weeks if you only use it as a smartwatch.
In my experience, these data make the price worth the right one. It is well equipped for a long day of trekking or hiking with all those sensors that are used well and without worry.
This is your best option if you are willing to sacrifice your mapping data’s accuracy for a longer tracking time. For most users, the Instinct’s battery life is more than enough.
More Than Just Outdoor Tracking
So far, we’ve focused on how the Instinct performs as an outdoor activity tracker, but it also offers helpful smartwatch capabilities for daily life. While the monochrome display and basic UI aren’t as stylish as a Garmin Fenix or Apple Watch, it gets the job done for notifications and convenience features.
Smart Notifications and Customization
With the Instinct connected to your smartphone, you can receive calls, texts, app alerts, and calendar reminders on your wrist. The notifications are basic but helpful for screening what’s worth pulling out your phone.
The watch face is also customizable with various layouts and data fields, so you can see the most important metrics to you at a glance. There are also free apps and widgets to tailor the experience further.
All-Day Activity Tracking
Even when not doing hardcore workouts, the Instinct provides all-day activity tracking to motivate you to stay active. It monitors steps, intensity minutes, calories burned, and sleep. The move alert reminds you not to stay sedentary for too long.
Music Control and Payments
Like most Garmin watches, the Instinct lets you control phone music playback and supports Garmin Pay contactless payments when connected to a compatible smartphone. These conveniences let you potentially leave the phone behind on runs and workouts.
Battery Life
The Instinct delivers on its long battery life claims, easily lasting a week or more of everyday use. The UltraTrac mode extends it to a month using activity tracking and sleep monitoring. This allows multi-day excursions off the grid.
While smart features aren’t the main appeal, they make the Instinct more versatile as an everyday watch in addition to the rugged performance.
Bottom Line of Garmin Instinct Review
After testing the Instinct across various outdoor pursuits and daily life, I can confidently say it lives up to its promise as a rugged GPS sports watch ready for adventure. The tactical design isn’t just for show – it can take a beating while continuing to log accurate data.
The wealth of sensors like GPS, altimeter, compass, and navigation features provide outdoor enthusiasts with helpful tracking and mapping right on their wrist. Whether you’re trail running, hiking, climbing, or getting wet, the Instinct has the metrics and durability to keep up.
Battery life is also a highlight, and it is able to keep going in expedition mode for weeks. The smart notifications, music controls, and Garmin Pay give it versatility for daily use.
For the price point, it’s impressive how much technology Garmin packed into this rugged build. The Instinct punches far above other watches in its budget-friendly price range.
While the monochrome display and basic UI won’t win any fashion awards, the Instinct isn’t about flashy style. It’s function over form.
For hikers, climbers, runners, swimmers, and outdoor explorers who want robust tracking without babying a delicate smartwatch, the Garmin Instinct is a trusty companion ready for adventure. It can truly unleash your spirit of adventure without compromising on data.
Garmin Instinct 2X Solar, Rugged GPS Smartwatch, Built-in Flashlight, Solar Charging Capability, Multi-Band GNSS, Graphite
User reviews
Excellent Durability and Functionality. I've been using the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar in Graphite for a while now, and it's been an outstanding experience. This rugged GPS smartwatch has not only met but exceeded my expectations with its solar charging capability, built-in flashlight, and multi-band GNSS support.The solar charging feature is a game-changer. It significantly extends the battery life, ensuring that I rarely have to worry about charging the watch manually. This is incredibly convenient, especially during long hiking trips or outdoor activities where access to power sources is limited. The watch face is designed to maximize exposure to sunlight, efficiently converting it to energy and keeping the watch powered for days on end.Durability is a hallmark of the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. Its rugged build can withstand all kinds of rough treatment, from bumps and drops to extreme weather conditions. I've used it in heavy rain, on dusty trails, and under the scorching sun, and it has performed flawlessly in every scenario. The graphite color not only looks sleek but also masks dirt and wear, keeping the watch looking new.The built-in flashlight has proven to be more useful than I initially thought. It's powerful enough to guide me through dark paths during night treks and convenient when I need to find something in my backpack after dusk. This feature adds an extra layer of utility, making the watch an indispensable tool for any adventure.As for navigation, the multi-band GNSS support ensures accurate location tracking in even the most challenging environments. Whether I'm in a deep valley, near tall buildings, or under thick canopy, the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar maintains a precise signal, giving me confidence in my location and route.The user interface is intuitive, and syncing with my smartphone is seamless, providing me with notifications, weather updates, and other essential information. The range of activity tracking features is impressive, from standard fitness metrics to specialized outdoor activities, all accurately monitored and recorded.The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar is a top-tier smartwatch that stands out for its solar charging, durability, and precise navigation. It's the perfect companion for anyone who loves the outdoors or needs a reliable timepiece that can handle the rigors of adventure. I highly recommend it to those seeking a rugged, feature-rich smartwatch that won’t let you down.
High Functionality Watch. This is a backcountry and athletic watch. Much deeper functionality that it appears. The watch gets more use than expected, all the time use. Great watch for off trail hiking. Physical design with rubber surrounding the face makes it hard to scratch the crystal. Completely waterproof, worn in rain, in the shower, pool, at the beach. Zap an azimuth with the watch pointed at a landmark, and the watch will guide you to the landmark. You can set waypoints along the way. You can mark your car in case you get lost, and the watch will lead you back, but it's almost impossible to get lost with its accurate gps. Nice ongoing interface with your phone/tablet, and the free app is comprehensive, still discovering new information 3 months later. Flashlight is great, use all the time. Solar could be better, needs direct sun. Lots of great free watch faces from another free app, and now with a new watch face, about 20 metrics all the time, so this watch is sucking a lot of juice. Battery is pretty good, but needs a charge every 10 days even with solar. Haven't tried battery save or expedition modes. Altimeter could be more accurate +/- 100 ft. isn't too impressive. Too much to review in short space. Sunrise/Set times, Barometric Pressure Drop alert, great monitor of body vital signs and sleep. Ongoing picture of body readiness, exertion, recovery. Tracks trends, gives recommendations and warnings, customizable, integrated with phone and in-reach, can send tracking info to someone at home. weather reports, guided breathwork, community support, can remind you x minutes before sunset/moonrise, among other unusual features, good timers and alarms, accurate time of day all the time. can be a little hard to read, lotta info in monochrome on a small watch, no touch screen. garmin, what's the difference between a walk and a hike? overall, Great Watch. Recommended.
Great watch! 100 day review. I got it 100 days ago and have only charged it 5 times. I've used the GPS and activity tracking for about 125 hours, and ran over 135 miles, including 2 spartan races. The band is very durable and lets me tighten it as much as needed to keep most mud out, though the mud during one race did prevent it from tracking my HR properly for about 10 minutes. The watch itself is also durable, and it's activity tracking is as accurate most other Garmin trackers I've used. The GPS is fairly accurate though it does leave the trail by about 3 meters in the foliage (though you can make it more accurate if you want). The solar panel works very well and the battery lasts far longer than I need. The first charge lasted 32 days (charging at 10-20% battery). In total, in 100 days, I've worn it for all but 10 or so hours (while charging it). The torch is very nice too, though I use it very sparingly as it can rapidly drain the battery. I've found no fault with the watch so far in any activity including swimming, running, biking, HR broadcasting, or cardio (though some activities don't track properly on instinct series watches such as jumping rope). All in all, it's a great buy.
Solar Instinct 2x. A real nice watch. A big step up from my original Instinct. Nice big clear watch face. Easy to read, home screen has lots of info. Or you can make it appear analogue. Seems much more accurate than my old original. Seems to track sleep better than my original Instinct. The flashlight is quite something too.
Absolutamente ÓTIMO!Relogio da tudo que promete, com uma bateria que durou mais de 17 dias com todos os aplicativos funcionando! Muito resistente!Vale muito a pena!
Vengo de un Apple Watch 8, no lo extraño para nada. Si eres de los que contestan llamadas desde el reloj o si no puedes presindir de la pantalla touch en definitiva este no es para ti; de lo contrario quedarás más que satisfecho.La duración de la batería excelente, desde que me llegó van 15 días y aún no he tenido que cargarlo. Notificaciónes excelentes, datos de deporte (utilizo pesas, ciclo indoor, ciclo outdoor, caminar, carrera cinta, carrera exterior) excelente.Los materiales se sienten 100% de calidad y robustos. La linterna led con intensidad ajustable está perfecta. La opción de luz estroboscopica al correr está excelente.Me compré el color Grafito (que es grisaseo); como se ve en las imagenes.Mucho que decir, totalmente satisfecho.
Waiting time is a bit long but no complains as long as its cheap
I have tried a few Garmin watches and the Instinct 2X is my favourite. Amazing battery life, large screen and so many activities.
As a veteran fitness technology innovator and the founder of GearUpToFit.com, Alex Papaioannou stands at the intersection of health science and artificial intelligence. With over a decade of specialized experience in digital wellness solutions, he’s transforming how people approach their fitness journey through data-driven methodologies.