Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
Whatever you do, own it with Instinct 2 Solar. This rugged GPS smartwatch is tough enough to keep up with you and unique enough to fit your style. Plus, solar charging gives you unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode (assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions) so you can take on life’s unlimited possibilities. Do more of what you love with preloaded activity profiles for running, biking, swimming, strength training and more. When paired with a compatible smartphone, you even can stay connected to what matters to you with smart notifications, Garmin Pay and Connect IQ compatibility. Understand your body better with all-day health monitoring for energy levels, stress, sleep, Pulse Ox and much more (Pulse Ox not available in all countries. This device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics; it is not a medical device).
Whatever you do, own it with Instinct 2 Solar. This rugged GPS smartwatch is tough enough to keep up with you and unique enough to fit your style. Plus, solar charging gives you unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode (assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions) so you can take on life’s unlimited possibilities. Do more of what you love with preloaded activity profiles for running, biking, swimming, strength training and more. When paired with a compatible smartphone, you even can stay connected to what matters to you with smart notifications, Garmin Pay and Connect IQ compatibility. Understand your body better with all-day health monitoring for energy levels, stress, sleep, Pulse Ox and much more (Pulse Ox not available in all countries. This device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics; it is not a medical device).
Whatever you do, own it with Instinct 2 Solar. This rugged GPS smartwatch is tough enough to keep up with you and unique enough to fit your style. Plus, solar charging gives you unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode (assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions) so you can take on life’s unlimited possibilities. Do more of what you love with preloaded activity profiles for running, biking, swimming, strength training and more. When paired with a compatible smartphone, you even can stay connected to what matters to you with smart notifications, Garmin Pay and Connect IQ compatibility. Understand your body better with all-day health monitoring for energy levels, stress, sleep, Pulse Ox and much more (Pulse Ox not available in all countries. This device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics; it is not a medical device).
Whatever you do, own it with Instinct 2 Solar. This rugged GPS smartwatch is tough enough to keep up with you and unique enough to fit your style. Plus, solar charging gives you unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode (assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions) so you can take on life’s unlimited possibilities. Do more of what you love with preloaded activity profiles for running, biking, swimming, strength training and more. When paired with a compatible smartphone, you even can stay connected to what matters to you with smart notifications, Garmin Pay and Connect IQ compatibility. Understand your body better with all-day health monitoring for energy levels, stress, sleep, Pulse Ox and much more (Pulse Ox not available in all countries. This device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics; it is not a medical device).
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The lowest price for Garmin Instinct 2 Solar right now is $280.00 at CeX, compared across 29 retailers.
The all-time low was $15.48 on 9 Feb 2026 — today's price is 1709% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 4 July 2026.
Last updated at 04/07/2026 22:14:11
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar, Graphite, Rugged GPS Smartwatch
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Garmin Instinct 2 GPS Smartwatch - Graphite, B
Free delivery
Garmin 010-02627-00
Free delivery
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
14-day returns
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
14-day returns
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
originally posted on REI
I have been using the Garmin Instinct 2 for about 4 months now. The watch has many features a fitness advocate can utilize and they can tailor the settings to best fit them. That is one aspect I really like about this watch. Although I mostly utilize the watch for hiking, running and trail running I have tested it out with weight training along with swimming as well. YouTube became my best friend in learning the functions of the watch and how to properly set up the settings. That could be one downside, if you are new to Garmin devices the watch can take some time to learn (it did with me). I have compared some of the other features like heart rate monitoring and sleep data with that of an old Fitbit. The data seems to be comparable between the two and being able to ... MoreI have been using the Garmin Instinct 2 for about 4 months now. The watch has many features a fitness advocate can utilize and they can tailor the settings to best fit them. That is one aspect I really like about this watch. Although I mostly utilize the watch for hiking, running and trail running I have tested it out with weight training along with swimming as well. YouTube became my best friend in learning the functions of the watch and how to properly set up the settings. That could be one downside, if you are new to Garmin devices the watch can take some time to learn (it did with me). I have compared some of the other features like heart rate monitoring and sleep data with that of an old Fitbit. The data seems to be comparable between the two and being able to utilize the sleep data with O2 inputs along with respirations has been beneficial (if you are into that sort of thing). My biggest disappointment to the watch is the solar capability. I expected the solar aspect to help charge the watch a lot more than it does. I do not really notice the difference in solar charge versus not having a solar charge. Now this is dependent on the settings and I have tried running the watch on vary basic settings and still the solar charge does not meet the standards I was expecting. With that being said I do not mind charging it now and then via the charging port. However if you were hoping for the solar to keep the watch going 24/7 like I was from previous other brand watches you may be a bit disappointed. This watch is still an outstanding watch that can cater to the needs of just about any outdoor enthusiast.
originally posted on garmin.com
Overall I'm happy with the Instinct 2. I really like the looks and ruggedness of the watch as well as all the info that I can constantly have displayed including up-to-the-moment heart rate. My main frustration is that it won't track walking on a treadmill. From doing a search on the internet it seems that many people have this issue with Garmin's watches. Walking on a treadmill is my main type of exercise and I really wish it would work. I've tried using the "Walk" activity but that won't count distance because it is basing it on GPS apparently. So I made an activity by duplicating the Walking activity with GPS off but this counts only about a tenth of the distance that I walk on the treadmill (the same when I test it by walking outside with GPS off, though it ... MoreOverall I'm happy with the Instinct 2. I really like the looks and ruggedness of the watch as well as all the info that I can constantly have displayed including up-to-the-moment heart rate. My main frustration is that it won't track walking on a treadmill. From doing a search on the internet it seems that many people have this issue with Garmin's watches. Walking on a treadmill is my main type of exercise and I really wish it would work. I've tried using the "Walk" activity but that won't count distance because it is basing it on GPS apparently. So I made an activity by duplicating the Walking activity with GPS off but this counts only about a tenth of the distance that I walk on the treadmill (the same when I test it by walking outside with GPS off, though it counts my steps correctly) and the other 9/10's as stopped. So I tried the 'Treadmill Running' activity but it count's 90 percent of the time that I'm walking (with hands swinging naturally at my sides of course and not holding the handholds) as "Idle" even though I'm walking at 3 miles an hour. Thankfully walking outside with the normal "Walking" activity with GPS on is very accurate but in the winter I'm not able to walk outside everyday. I've even manually entered my walking stride into the app in case that made a difference but it didn't. Again, overall it's a good watch, however, being that I mainly walk on a treadmill it's not as ideal as I'd hoped.
originally posted on REI
I transitioned from my 3 year old Vivoactive 3 to the Garmin Instinct 2 and I'm in love.I hated the touchscreen on the vivoactive because many times when I went to look at my watch it was opened to settings and I was halfway through customizing a new background without even wanting to. Instinct isn't touchscreen so that problem is gone.The battery life was one of the biggest selling points for me, I go on 6 hour bike rides sometimes and 9 hour hikes often. The Vivoactive 3 could no longer keep up but the Instinct 2 has been GREAT. I went for a 3 hour walk and still had 26 days of battery left, which would have left my Vivoactive 3 50% through the battery.The user interface is different, but I somehow picked it up quickly. There's only 5 buttons and for the one ... MoreI transitioned from my 3 year old Vivoactive 3 to the Garmin Instinct 2 and I'm in love.I hated the touchscreen on the vivoactive because many times when I went to look at my watch it was opened to settings and I was halfway through customizing a new background without even wanting to. Instinct isn't touchscreen so that problem is gone.The battery life was one of the biggest selling points for me, I go on 6 hour bike rides sometimes and 9 hour hikes often. The Vivoactive 3 could no longer keep up but the Instinct 2 has been GREAT. I went for a 3 hour walk and still had 26 days of battery left, which would have left my Vivoactive 3 50% through the battery.The user interface is different, but I somehow picked it up quickly. There's only 5 buttons and for the one of those buttons - for the most part - is solely for the backlight. I actually like the user interface a lot and haven't found it to be much of an issue. I was usually more confused on my Vivoactive 3 somehow. To each their own.The watch is just as customizable as the Vivoactive 3... but there are more features which makes it feel MORE customizable. I've been much happier with the set up I've been able to create on the Instinct 2 compared to Vivoactive 3. I will also say that I feel their preset screens for activities are better than Vivoactive 3, I haven't customized any of those. They were already displaying everything I was looking for.I'm also pleased with the heart rate monitor. It seems much more accurate than my old watch. For once my heart rate is NOT 90 while I'm lifting weights and squatting, which is very exciting It's still not perfect, of course, but it's better than the old one and noticeably so.Now there are a couple negatives.If you look at full stats screen on an activity, the circle on the screen will block your view of some stats. Mostly you can see all stats if you scroll through but this is very annoying and I really really hope they fix that...There are also only 1-2 analog display screens available and they are not good. I checked ConnectIQ and haven't found anything better on there. Perhaps I didn't look hard enough, perhaps they add it later.
| Product dimensions | 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.53 cm; 54.43 Grams |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Wireless communication technologies | Bluetooth |
| Connectivity technologies | USB |
| GPS | True |
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar, Graphite, Rugged GPS Smartwatch
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Garmin Instinct 2 GPS Smartwatch - Graphite, B
Free delivery
Garmin 010-02627-00
Free delivery
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Smart Sports Watch (Graphite, 45mm)
I have been using the Garmin Instinct 2 for about 4 months now. The watch has many features a fitness advocate can utilize and they can tailor the settings to best fit them. That is one aspect I really like about this watch. Although I mostly utilize the watch for hiking, running and trail running I have tested it out with weight training along with swimming as well. YouTube became my best friend in learning the functions of the watch and how to properly set up the settings. That could be one downside, if you are new to Garmin devices the watch can take some time to learn (it did with me). I have compared some of the other features like heart rate monitoring and sleep data with that of an old Fitbit. The data seems to be comparable between the two and being able to ... MoreI have been using the Garmin Instinct 2 for about 4 months now. The watch has many features a fitness advocate can utilize and they can tailor the settings to best fit them. That is one aspect I really like about this watch. Although I mostly utilize the watch for hiking, running and trail running I have tested it out with weight training along with swimming as well. YouTube became my best friend in learning the functions of the watch and how to properly set up the settings. That could be one downside, if you are new to Garmin devices the watch can take some time to learn (it did with me). I have compared some of the other features like heart rate monitoring and sleep data with that of an old Fitbit. The data seems to be comparable between the two and being able to utilize the sleep data with O2 inputs along with respirations has been beneficial (if you are into that sort of thing). My biggest disappointment to the watch is the solar capability. I expected the solar aspect to help charge the watch a lot more than it does. I do not really notice the difference in solar charge versus not having a solar charge. Now this is dependent on the settings and I have tried running the watch on vary basic settings and still the solar charge does not meet the standards I was expecting. With that being said I do not mind charging it now and then via the charging port. However if you were hoping for the solar to keep the watch going 24/7 like I was from previous other brand watches you may be a bit disappointed. This watch is still an outstanding watch that can cater to the needs of just about any outdoor enthusiast.
Overall I'm happy with the Instinct 2. I really like the looks and ruggedness of the watch as well as all the info that I can constantly have displayed including up-to-the-moment heart rate. My main frustration is that it won't track walking on a treadmill. From doing a search on the internet it seems that many people have this issue with Garmin's watches. Walking on a treadmill is my main type of exercise and I really wish it would work. I've tried using the "Walk" activity but that won't count distance because it is basing it on GPS apparently. So I made an activity by duplicating the Walking activity with GPS off but this counts only about a tenth of the distance that I walk on the treadmill (the same when I test it by walking outside with GPS off, though it ... MoreOverall I'm happy with the Instinct 2. I really like the looks and ruggedness of the watch as well as all the info that I can constantly have displayed including up-to-the-moment heart rate. My main frustration is that it won't track walking on a treadmill. From doing a search on the internet it seems that many people have this issue with Garmin's watches. Walking on a treadmill is my main type of exercise and I really wish it would work. I've tried using the "Walk" activity but that won't count distance because it is basing it on GPS apparently. So I made an activity by duplicating the Walking activity with GPS off but this counts only about a tenth of the distance that I walk on the treadmill (the same when I test it by walking outside with GPS off, though it counts my steps correctly) and the other 9/10's as stopped. So I tried the 'Treadmill Running' activity but it count's 90 percent of the time that I'm walking (with hands swinging naturally at my sides of course and not holding the handholds) as "Idle" even though I'm walking at 3 miles an hour. Thankfully walking outside with the normal "Walking" activity with GPS on is very accurate but in the winter I'm not able to walk outside everyday. I've even manually entered my walking stride into the app in case that made a difference but it didn't. Again, overall it's a good watch, however, being that I mainly walk on a treadmill it's not as ideal as I'd hoped.
I transitioned from my 3 year old Vivoactive 3 to the Garmin Instinct 2 and I'm in love.I hated the touchscreen on the vivoactive because many times when I went to look at my watch it was opened to settings and I was halfway through customizing a new background without even wanting to. Instinct isn't touchscreen so that problem is gone.The battery life was one of the biggest selling points for me, I go on 6 hour bike rides sometimes and 9 hour hikes often. The Vivoactive 3 could no longer keep up but the Instinct 2 has been GREAT. I went for a 3 hour walk and still had 26 days of battery left, which would have left my Vivoactive 3 50% through the battery.The user interface is different, but I somehow picked it up quickly. There's only 5 buttons and for the one ... MoreI transitioned from my 3 year old Vivoactive 3 to the Garmin Instinct 2 and I'm in love.I hated the touchscreen on the vivoactive because many times when I went to look at my watch it was opened to settings and I was halfway through customizing a new background without even wanting to. Instinct isn't touchscreen so that problem is gone.The battery life was one of the biggest selling points for me, I go on 6 hour bike rides sometimes and 9 hour hikes often. The Vivoactive 3 could no longer keep up but the Instinct 2 has been GREAT. I went for a 3 hour walk and still had 26 days of battery left, which would have left my Vivoactive 3 50% through the battery.The user interface is different, but I somehow picked it up quickly. There's only 5 buttons and for the one of those buttons - for the most part - is solely for the backlight. I actually like the user interface a lot and haven't found it to be much of an issue. I was usually more confused on my Vivoactive 3 somehow. To each their own.The watch is just as customizable as the Vivoactive 3... but there are more features which makes it feel MORE customizable. I've been much happier with the set up I've been able to create on the Instinct 2 compared to Vivoactive 3. I will also say that I feel their preset screens for activities are better than Vivoactive 3, I haven't customized any of those. They were already displaying everything I was looking for.I'm also pleased with the heart rate monitor. It seems much more accurate than my old watch. For once my heart rate is NOT 90 while I'm lifting weights and squatting, which is very exciting It's still not perfect, of course, but it's better than the old one and noticeably so.Now there are a couple negatives.If you look at full stats screen on an activity, the circle on the screen will block your view of some stats. Mostly you can see all stats if you scroll through but this is very annoying and I really really hope they fix that...There are also only 1-2 analog display screens available and they are not good. I checked ConnectIQ and haven't found anything better on there. Perhaps I didn't look hard enough, perhaps they add it later.
My purchasing experience through REI was as trouble free as expected. I have always had very good luck with all of my Garmin products, the Instinct 2 is no exception. As an occasional mountain hiker, camper and off-road enthusiast, I purchased the Instinct 2 for mainly for the navigation functions to compliment my Garmin Inreach Explorer +, as well as the fitness capability to a lesser extent. Learning the operation and functions at first was a little overwhelming, I had to have the manual with me and I watched many tutorial videos. I have since learned how to navigate the watches functions with zero problem. I do have one blip that I cannot find the answer, the temperature frequently reads as - - then at some point during the day it begins reading again. The ... MoreMy purchasing experience through REI was as trouble free as expected. I have always had very good luck with all of my Garmin products, the Instinct 2 is no exception. As an occasional mountain hiker, camper and off-road enthusiast, I purchased the Instinct 2 for mainly for the navigation functions to compliment my Garmin Inreach Explorer +, as well as the fitness capability to a lesser extent. Learning the operation and functions at first was a little overwhelming, I had to have the manual with me and I watched many tutorial videos. I have since learned how to navigate the watches functions with zero problem. I do have one blip that I cannot find the answer, the temperature frequently reads as - - then at some point during the day it begins reading again. The fitness functions are very comprehensive and complete, and is accurate on distance, reps and speed. I do have two critical comments; the Instinct 2 communicates with the Inreach Mini but not the Explorer +, that was disappointing. The other is I do not know if I would purchase the Solar version again. It does work and can maintain a charge when just using its basic functions, but not with GPS. I may be asking to much, I don’t know. I would recommend the Instinct 2 to anyone looking for a moderately priced fitness and navigation device.
I never got in on the smart watches craze. I enjoy *real* watches that seem to have value 5-10-20 years down the road. Example, will the lithium batteries last forever/be replaceable on these "smart" devices? No telling. What I can say though is that for a digital watch, especially if you are a hiker or new to running, this is FUN to use!Two things:1) This watch "smartly" allows us to add equipment to a handful of activities. Let's say I have two pairs of running shoes that I alternate. The only thing we can't easily do is "clone" an activity or add a specific additional activity so that when we run the shoes will be tied to the variant of the activity. In other words, if you alternate shoes and use the amazing "equipment" feature, you will have to manually ... MoreI never got in on the smart watches craze. I enjoy *real* watches that seem to have value 5-10-20 years down the road. Example, will the lithium batteries last forever/be replaceable on these "smart" devices? No telling. What I can say though is that for a digital watch, especially if you are a hiker or new to running, this is FUN to use!Two things:1) This watch "smartly" allows us to add equipment to a handful of activities. Let's say I have two pairs of running shoes that I alternate. The only thing we can't easily do is "clone" an activity or add a specific additional activity so that when we run the shoes will be tied to the variant of the activity. In other words, if you alternate shoes and use the amazing "equipment" feature, you will have to manually adjust your shoes each time on your phone before beginning your next activity. Better yet would be the option to clone activities and tie a shoe to a specific clone of an activity. Since "run" and "walk" are different categories, I am at least able to use different shoes for those individual categories. I would still enjoy seeing a "run 1" "run 2" where "1" and "2" could be tied to each pair of shoes. This may seem like a complaint, but it is not. It is just a note I wanted to mention somewhere in case someone is reading these and able to offer product suggestions up the design line.2) I enjoy my watch so much that we got another for my partner and both watches register different distances even though we track our neighborhood walk (to walk the pup) using the watch's GPS. Today my walk was something like 1 mile and my partner's Instinct 2 Solar S (the smaller one) registered something like .89 miles. Using GPS on both watches, how can they vary so much?3) I am so excited to see the data on my mobile device and also on the computer screen! How cool to hike a local state park and then see the terrain I crossed over and through, my corresponding pace, heart rate during elevation gains and on and on! I am so happy to have gotten into running recently during this time in history where a "basic digital watch" (by appearance and usability) can help me record and decipher so much information! I look forward to trekking out into the desert in Big Bend (Texas : ) and knowing confidently how much time 'till sunset, how to get back, etc. I tend to enjoy off trail hikes in the middle of nowhere more than anyone else I know and every so often I have guestimated my route back only to find that I had to retrace my steps a few times so I could pick the correct safe way back.Thanks Garmin! I hope someone checks out the points we made here and follows up somehow!Happy New Year!
I like the look and feel of the watch. It has some great functions and the GPS is very accurate. I do have two main complaints about the watch though. First, the solar recharge is vastly overstated by the Garmin marketing department. I live in New England and so far during the winter months my watch is able to maintain about 5 days of battery life. Garmin claims the watch has "unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode" assuming you get "3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux." These conditions are fairly difficult for the average user to attain as 50,000 lux is an extremely sunny day with basically head on contact with the watch surface. It also assumes you turn off many of the functions the watch has that makes it useful. Unless you live in the desert or sun bath 3 ... MoreI like the look and feel of the watch. It has some great functions and the GPS is very accurate. I do have two main complaints about the watch though. First, the solar recharge is vastly overstated by the Garmin marketing department. I live in New England and so far during the winter months my watch is able to maintain about 5 days of battery life. Garmin claims the watch has "unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode" assuming you get "3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux." These conditions are fairly difficult for the average user to attain as 50,000 lux is an extremely sunny day with basically head on contact with the watch surface. It also assumes you turn off many of the functions the watch has that makes it useful. Unless you live in the desert or sun bath 3 hours daily with your wrist pointing to the sky, I wouldn't spend the extra money for the solar option.Second complaint, the buttons on the watch can easily be accidentally pressed by your sleeves or gloves. In my case I've lost all or parts of exercises I'm trying to record because I failed to notice the pause exercise button was accidentally pressed. The engineering team at Garmin could place a locking switch on the watch to prevent buttons from being pressed during exercise or they could simply make pausing an exercise a double button press to decrease the likelihood of losing miles of running.
I had ordered the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar from Best Buy as I had been experiencing some rapid battery rundown on my Garmin Instinct Solar first generation.By the time I got the new watch, I had done some settlings tweaks, including eliminating the pulse ox monitoring at night.I was hoping I could set up the new device as primarily and the first generation one as a backup or for use when doing dirty tasks such as yard work. I found it was more difficult than I thought it would be.I liked the appearance of the new light gray (almost white) but thought it might get dirtier and messed up compared to my old first generation.Bottom line, I ended up returning for refund as I didn’t think the $450 plus tax was worth it when my first generation Instinct Solar is ... MoreI had ordered the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar from Best Buy as I had been experiencing some rapid battery rundown on my Garmin Instinct Solar first generation.By the time I got the new watch, I had done some settlings tweaks, including eliminating the pulse ox monitoring at night.I was hoping I could set up the new device as primarily and the first generation one as a backup or for use when doing dirty tasks such as yard work. I found it was more difficult than I thought it would be.I liked the appearance of the new light gray (almost white) but thought it might get dirtier and messed up compared to my old first generation.Bottom line, I ended up returning for refund as I didn’t think the $450 plus tax was worth it when my first generation Instinct Solar is working.I would consider getting an Instinct 2 Solar if the first generation watch does actually go bad. By that time there may be more of the newer version in stock at the stores, especially if there is a third generation version by then. I saw that Best Buy had the first generation at good markdown sale.Overall, I like the Garmin experience in terms of what all the device tracks. It is far better than any Fitbit I have used. Also, although I like iPhone and iPad, I don’t think I would like the Apple Watch. I’m not into using watch as an extension of the phone. I do not use any phone messages, and would not want to answer the phone via my watchI do wish your settings could be revised for lap swimmers to allow a pool lap size compatible with a backyard pool. I can’t track lap swimming in our 28’ pool. My old Fitbit Charge 4 can do that.
The watch has a fatal manufacturing flaw regarding the positioning of the polarisation filter on top of the display. It is upside down (as in, 180 degrees wrongly aligned) and therefore negatively affects the viewing angle of the display, especially when the backlight is used in the dark. Comparing to my Instinct 1 the issue is clearly visible but, when you turn the watch upside down and view the display from the top, the display is fine. Obviously we don't wear our watches upside down though do we and, just to confirm, neither my old Instinct nor this new one are the solar versions so it has nothing to do with solar.This is not a matter of opinion but a genuine 'mistake' in the manufacturing blueprints for every Instinct 2 produced so far. Garmin have obviously ... MoreThe watch has a fatal manufacturing flaw regarding the positioning of the polarisation filter on top of the display. It is upside down (as in, 180 degrees wrongly aligned) and therefore negatively affects the viewing angle of the display, especially when the backlight is used in the dark. Comparing to my Instinct 1 the issue is clearly visible but, when you turn the watch upside down and view the display from the top, the display is fine. Obviously we don't wear our watches upside down though do we and, just to confirm, neither my old Instinct nor this new one are the solar versions so it has nothing to do with solar.This is not a matter of opinion but a genuine 'mistake' in the manufacturing blueprints for every Instinct 2 produced so far. Garmin have obviously refused to acknowledge this as a defect and merely state that "the display of the Instinct 2 is different to that of the Instinct 1".Yes Garmin, it definitely is. Every Instinct 2 SHOULD be recalled but instead it'll probably be silently fixed in the Instinct 3 by which stage my custom would probably have moved elsewhere. It's a pity though as I really love my Instinct 1 but it's battered and bruised now and in need of an upgrade. Alas, I shall be returning this Instinct 2 within my 30 day returns window.
I'm a UK surfer and very active (exercise most days, cycle to work and play tennis regularly). I had the 1st generation FitBit HR (c2015) which wasn't water proof and then got a Polar (c2018) fully waterproof model. The FitBit website (pre-app launch), was good but basic, widget based but light on data. The Polar was very slow to sync to it's mobile app but data was better, plus the battery would last for 2 weeks, which was way more than FitBit with 5 days. Now for Garmin... This Instinct 2S Surf edition, so far is very impressive. I've compared with a friend who has a Garmin Fenix 3 and this model comes with more functionality and lots and lots of variable settings (watch face appearance, power modes, connectivity - mobile/GPS - and customisation on app data). It ... MoreI'm a UK surfer and very active (exercise most days, cycle to work and play tennis regularly). I had the 1st generation FitBit HR (c2015) which wasn't water proof and then got a Polar (c2018) fully waterproof model. The FitBit website (pre-app launch), was good but basic, widget based but light on data. The Polar was very slow to sync to it's mobile app but data was better, plus the battery would last for 2 weeks, which was way more than FitBit with 5 days. Now for Garmin... This Instinct 2S Surf edition, so far is very impressive. I've compared with a friend who has a Garmin Fenix 3 and this model comes with more functionality and lots and lots of variable settings (watch face appearance, power modes, connectivity - mobile/GPS - and customisation on app data). It takes a while to read through and learn the functions but all are quick to navigate once you're familiar with it. The biggest appeal I haven't tested is that via the GPS and built-in Surfline software it provides swell forecasts and will allow you to actually record your surfing session via Surfline Sessions (subscription required) website/app. If you're at a spot where there's a Surfline webcam installed it will save the live camera feed during the time you're in the water straight onto your iPhone. Downsides? This Surf edition isn't solar powered like other models of the Instinct 2S are, which is disappointing but the battery (with full connectivity and all settings turned on), will get you through 10 days, with daily workouts. It's also called 'rugged' but having gone for the Waikiki lime green & aqua colour I've noticed I've already scuffed the bezel from using weights but that's all.
This is a great smart watch. I like that it doesn't have to be tight to the wrist to measure all the health data. I haven't worn any jewelry in decades so this is a change for me. The only complaint that I can make about it is that the documentation for the features and how to access them is not accurate. Reaching some of the relevant menu items does not work as easily in real time use as it does in the manual description.When looking for a specific feature in the manual you must make sure you are using the manual for the exact smart watch that you bought since the menus may be different for solar/non-solar watches in the same family.The watch is light. The band is adjustable in 1/4" increments so it should fit anyone in the size range. The display is excellent ... MoreThis is a great smart watch. I like that it doesn't have to be tight to the wrist to measure all the health data. I haven't worn any jewelry in decades so this is a change for me. The only complaint that I can make about it is that the documentation for the features and how to access them is not accurate. Reaching some of the relevant menu items does not work as easily in real time use as it does in the manual description.When looking for a specific feature in the manual you must make sure you are using the manual for the exact smart watch that you bought since the menus may be different for solar/non-solar watches in the same family.The watch is light. The band is adjustable in 1/4" increments so it should fit anyone in the size range. The display is excellent and all information can be customized so you can make it display those things that are important to you to know.I have had this for more than a month and have used it for various activities in the activity list and so far it has been useful tracking metrics for me. I use the Connect app from the Apple store and everything syncs perfectly and is easy to reference.The only issues I have found are related to coming up to speed with usage of the watch so it is all on me if I hit the wrong button while I learned how not to set up an activity.Battery life is great. I use it to track health metrics and get more than three days out of it before I pop it onto the charger. The cable could be longer and that would be great but it works so it is good enough. GPS use while doing an activity will decrease battery life quite a bit. there are multiple power management settings though so you can find one that works for your situation.Great watch! I would buy this for a friend or family member or I would consider other Garmin watches as gifts. Within their product line there should be a watch for just about anyone.
| Product dimensions | 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.53 cm; 54.43 Grams |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Wireless communication technologies | Bluetooth |
| Connectivity technologies | USB |
| GPS | True |
