Garmin Instinct GPS Watch - Graphite
You’ve never been one to follow the beaten path — that’s where Instinct comes in. This rugged GPS watch was built to withstand the toughest environments. The fiber-reinforced polymer case adds durability, and the chemically strengthened, scratch-resistant display is high contrast and sunlight readable. Instinct is built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters). Internal, rechargeable lithium battery provides up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode and up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. Access multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. Navigate your next trail with ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather and three-axis electronic compass. Take the guesswork out of your return journey by using this feature to navigate the same route back to your starting point. Use preloaded activity profiles for running, hiking, mountain biking, swimming and more. The heartrate is measured from the wrist.
You’ve never been one to follow the beaten path — that’s where Instinct comes in. This rugged GPS watch was built to withstand the toughest environments. The fiber-reinforced polymer case adds durability, and the chemically strengthened, scratch-resistant display is high contrast and sunlight readable. Instinct is built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters). Internal, rechargeable lithium battery provides up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode and up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. Access multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. Navigate your next trail with ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather and three-axis electronic compass. Take the guesswork out of your return journey by using this feature to navigate the same route back to your starting point. Use preloaded activity profiles for running, hiking, mountain biking, swimming and more. The heartrate is measured from the wrist.
You’ve never been one to follow the beaten path — that’s where Instinct comes in. This rugged GPS watch was built to withstand the toughest environments. The fiber-reinforced polymer case adds durability, and the chemically strengthened, scratch-resistant display is high contrast and sunlight readable. Instinct is built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters). Internal, rechargeable lithium battery provides up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode and up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. Access multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. Navigate your next trail with ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather and three-axis electronic compass. Take the guesswork out of your return journey by using this feature to navigate the same route back to your starting point. Use preloaded activity profiles for running, hiking, mountain biking, swimming and more. The heartrate is measured from the wrist.
You’ve never been one to follow the beaten path — that’s where Instinct comes in. This rugged GPS watch was built to withstand the toughest environments. The fiber-reinforced polymer case adds durability, and the chemically strengthened, scratch-resistant display is high contrast and sunlight readable. Instinct is built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters). Internal, rechargeable lithium battery provides up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode and up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. Access multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. Navigate your next trail with ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather and three-axis electronic compass. Take the guesswork out of your return journey by using this feature to navigate the same route back to your starting point. Use preloaded activity profiles for running, hiking, mountain biking, swimming and more. The heartrate is measured from the wrist.
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The lowest price for Garmin Instinct GPS Watch - Graphite right now is $189.00 at Tristar Online, compared across 18 retailers.
The all-time low was $42.82 on 4 Oct 2026 — today's price is 341% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 27 Oct 2026.
Last updated at 27/10/2026 11:14:18
Garmin Instinct Rugged GPS Smartwatch Graphite Good – Good Refurbished
Free delivery between 2–10 Nov
Garmin Instinct Rugged GPS Smartwatch Graphite Good – Good Refurbished
Free delivery between 30 Oct – 9 Nov
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Delivery between 31 Oct – 4 Nov $41
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Garmin INSTINCT GPS Watch - Graphite
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originally posted on bestbuy.com
When I was looking for a smartwatch last year, I was looking for something that would track my steps, running pace/hiking data, etc. When I came across the instinct (which was on sale at the time) it looked to be a perfect fit for me. It even looked like the G shock I used to wear 'back in the day.'Because I wanted something to give me more information on exercising, I thought this was a no-brainer. There are a bunch of functions you can track; runs, walks, hiking, other activities too. Very easy to use and quite convenient.Battery: After a full charge, the battery life seemed to get me around 4 - 8 days of power depending on how much I would use the GPS tracking modes on the watch.Recently, I started a job that has me walking outside for hours at a time... ... MoreWhen I was looking for a smartwatch last year, I was looking for something that would track my steps, running pace/hiking data, etc. When I came across the instinct (which was on sale at the time) it looked to be a perfect fit for me. It even looked like the G shock I used to wear 'back in the day.'Because I wanted something to give me more information on exercising, I thought this was a no-brainer. There are a bunch of functions you can track; runs, walks, hiking, other activities too. Very easy to use and quite convenient.Battery: After a full charge, the battery life seemed to get me around 4 - 8 days of power depending on how much I would use the GPS tracking modes on the watch.Recently, I started a job that has me walking outside for hours at a time... I'll keep the walk function running to see my distance covered at the end of my shift.- as a result, the battery only seemed to have lasted me 3 - 4 days on a full charge after heavy gps use (about 6 GPS use hours/day). Which I thought was pretty decent.Durabilty: Yes. Its a tough watch. I took it to Nicaragua's hot and humid environment and it functioned fine. Even when covered in dirt sweat, and water. Saltwater wasn't an issue either. I've scraped it on hard surfaces as I was walking next to them and thought the display would be damaged, but no. It was perfectly fine both times.It's been off-roading and at excavations where the air around me was completely filled with dirt and dust. The charging port would get caked with dirt/mud, but a small toothbrush did the trick to clean it out. Still, never any issues with the watch.Compass: I thought it was very well designed. No surprise here, considering the brand.Compared to other watches like Apple or Samsung's own, I'm glad I went with Garmin since I was looking for something affordable but also useful. After 13 months of use, I am retiring this watch (probably giving it to someone) and upgrading to the instinct 2 solar. I need that longer battery life.This was the first smartwatch I bought and I'm glad I went with Garmin. I love how their connect app works so well on the phone.
originally posted on garmin.com
I really liked my first garmin instinct. I hike, run, swim and wanted a way to keep track of these things accurately. Then I misplaced my first watch. I had become very dependent on it. Waited 2 weeks bought this one on sale. The battery life is really long without the solar, the solar works automatically. The accuracy for many things seemed improved from first one. I was getting inaccurate heart rate spike warnings on my first not with the second. The ability to record easily weight lifting is greatly improved. Even things like texts are easier to get and read. Please remember I loved my first instinct so this is just more positive on top of the first experience. Years ago I had a forerunner. I have stayed with Garmin. I like the options but I also like that it ... MoreI really liked my first garmin instinct. I hike, run, swim and wanted a way to keep track of these things accurately. Then I misplaced my first watch. I had become very dependent on it. Waited 2 weeks bought this one on sale. The battery life is really long without the solar, the solar works automatically. The accuracy for many things seemed improved from first one. I was getting inaccurate heart rate spike warnings on my first not with the second. The ability to record easily weight lifting is greatly improved. Even things like texts are easier to get and read. Please remember I loved my first instinct so this is just more positive on top of the first experience. Years ago I had a forerunner. I have stayed with Garmin. I like the options but I also like that it doesn't have everything under the sun like apple watches. I want it for focusing on fitness. I do have an apple phone so it doesn't connect for calls. Which I also see as a plus. Still has live tracking so someone knows where I am when it is on. If there is ever a safety concern that is a good feature. Love it.
originally posted on garmin.com
Bought the blue version of the Instinct Solar. I come from as a long time Fitbit watch owner and a more recent Apple Watch owner.My original Fitbit is the Fitbit Versa (1st generation), which is square shaped and fairly simple tech. It provided what I needed, which were steps, date and time, water proof for common usage. It allowed me around 3 days' worth of battery life. It is square shaped. It was free from work, otherwise, it would not have been my first choice for a watch.I bought my wife an Apple Watch Series 6 to wear, but after several months she stopped wearing it and went back to her own Fitbit watch. She explained she was tired of having to recharge the Apple Watch every day. She preferred her Fitbit watch that lasted 6 days before a recharge. I took ... MoreBought the blue version of the Instinct Solar. I come from as a long time Fitbit watch owner and a more recent Apple Watch owner.My original Fitbit is the Fitbit Versa (1st generation), which is square shaped and fairly simple tech. It provided what I needed, which were steps, date and time, water proof for common usage. It allowed me around 3 days' worth of battery life. It is square shaped. It was free from work, otherwise, it would not have been my first choice for a watch.I bought my wife an Apple Watch Series 6 to wear, but after several months she stopped wearing it and went back to her own Fitbit watch. She explained she was tired of having to recharge the Apple Watch every day. She preferred her Fitbit watch that lasted 6 days before a recharge. I took the Apple Watch thinking I would make better use out of it as a techie, but I also ran into the issue of it required a recharge every day or every 1.5 days at most. It was not recommended by Apple to be worn while showering even though if you go swimming Apple states that is acceptable. I literally was afraid of looking at the Apple Watch Series 6 due to the battery drain. The inconvenience of having to remember to charge the watch before I sleep to monitor my sleep, remembering to take the watch off before jumping into the shower, and multiple other issues just wore me down too. The sleep data for Apple Watch Series 6 is nothing close to Fitbit sleep data and anything more advanced, you have to buy from third party app developers. I could not find anything free that was similar to Fitbit and especially not something where you could just pay a one time fee.I preferred a circle shaped watch anyways. I did some research on what was available out there that would not cost an arm and leg to purchase but had all the bells and whistle. My criteria were:- Long battery life.- Steps count, heart rate, sleep monitoring.- Some kind of GPS feature.- Not super expensive, but not a cheap throw-away watch either.- Can take a little bit beating but doesn't have to be military grade ruggedness.- Circle watch and looks good (obviously).I know that "smartwatches" will not last as long as a non-smartwatch, unless the battery replacement is simple, LCD screen will last for a long time, etc.This Garmin Instinct Solar seems to fit all my wishes at this price range. The battery life is crazy good, I mean enable everything including the pulse ox and you should get at least a week+ worth of battery life easily. This is with the watch not absorbing any sunlight at all. It has a simple GPS, nothing fancy, but I bike ride and will be using an external dedicated GPS device for routes. I just want something for casual hiking and biking, nothing serious. I can wear this to sleep, the sleep data mimics close to Fitbit's details. Really nice and it's built-in to the watch, you do not have to make a separate purchase. I do not know how accurate ANY of the watches' heart rate are, but wearing the Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin working out, the rates show to be within 15 beats of each other. Take that for what its worth, I don't need the accuracy for any critical medical monitoring conditions. I read that external heart rate monitor strap would make the readings accurate, so I am considering to get that should I need it later (5K/10K running, etc). There's a lot of other features from this watch that I have not yet used, so that is just a bonus goodie for me. I have used Garmin to connect to Strava, the data recorded is great and as expected (same with Apple Watch and Fitbit), no complaints there. I wear this watch showering, sleeping and everything in between. The recharge of the watch is fast too, if I am standing around working, I plug in the watch and I think within 30 minutes I can get a full charge from 50% (I never really paid attention how long it takes to fully charge).There's got to be something not that great about this watch, you ask? Otherwise, why the 4 stars instead of 5 stars? Yes, the PULSE OX feature is a bit flaky. At night, it seems to measure the oxygen level all over the range. As log as 80, and as high as 100. I wore the Apple Watch Series 6 and my wife's Fitbit Luxe, they all had above 90 range. Now, one thing I am starting to realize is how you need to wear the Garmin Instinct Solar and online research also confirms. You have to wear the watch higher on the wrist, it cannot be loose. When you sleep, just slide it up the wrist and make sure it's tightly pressed against your skin. I need a few more sample nights to test, but I had one night where it was 85 or higher, the next night it was 90 or higher. I'll sleep on it a few more nights and then see, but looks hopeful now that I have the watch tightened a bit more against the skin. If you measure the Pulse Ox manually, it is always 95 or higher, this is as expected.Overall, highly recommended watch. I would buy again!
| Hardware Sensors | GPS |
| GPS | Yes |
| Heart Rate Monitoring | Yes |
| Sleep Monitoring | Yes |
| Step Counting | Yes |
Garmin Instinct Rugged GPS Smartwatch Graphite Good – Good Refurbished
Free delivery between 2–10 Nov
Garmin Instinct Rugged GPS Smartwatch Graphite Good – Good Refurbished
Free delivery between 30 Oct – 9 Nov
Garmin Instinct Waterproof Gps Smart Watch Heart Rate Monitor - Tundra
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 Rugged Outdoor GPS Watch Tundra Wrist HRM GLONASS 010-02064-01
Delivery between 31 Oct – 4 Nov $41
Garmin Instinct Outdoor GPS Watch (Graphite, 010-02064-00, US)
Delivery $48
When I was looking for a smartwatch last year, I was looking for something that would track my steps, running pace/hiking data, etc. When I came across the instinct (which was on sale at the time) it looked to be a perfect fit for me. It even looked like the G shock I used to wear 'back in the day.'Because I wanted something to give me more information on exercising, I thought this was a no-brainer. There are a bunch of functions you can track; runs, walks, hiking, other activities too. Very easy to use and quite convenient.Battery: After a full charge, the battery life seemed to get me around 4 - 8 days of power depending on how much I would use the GPS tracking modes on the watch.Recently, I started a job that has me walking outside for hours at a time... ... MoreWhen I was looking for a smartwatch last year, I was looking for something that would track my steps, running pace/hiking data, etc. When I came across the instinct (which was on sale at the time) it looked to be a perfect fit for me. It even looked like the G shock I used to wear 'back in the day.'Because I wanted something to give me more information on exercising, I thought this was a no-brainer. There are a bunch of functions you can track; runs, walks, hiking, other activities too. Very easy to use and quite convenient.Battery: After a full charge, the battery life seemed to get me around 4 - 8 days of power depending on how much I would use the GPS tracking modes on the watch.Recently, I started a job that has me walking outside for hours at a time... I'll keep the walk function running to see my distance covered at the end of my shift.- as a result, the battery only seemed to have lasted me 3 - 4 days on a full charge after heavy gps use (about 6 GPS use hours/day). Which I thought was pretty decent.Durabilty: Yes. Its a tough watch. I took it to Nicaragua's hot and humid environment and it functioned fine. Even when covered in dirt sweat, and water. Saltwater wasn't an issue either. I've scraped it on hard surfaces as I was walking next to them and thought the display would be damaged, but no. It was perfectly fine both times.It's been off-roading and at excavations where the air around me was completely filled with dirt and dust. The charging port would get caked with dirt/mud, but a small toothbrush did the trick to clean it out. Still, never any issues with the watch.Compass: I thought it was very well designed. No surprise here, considering the brand.Compared to other watches like Apple or Samsung's own, I'm glad I went with Garmin since I was looking for something affordable but also useful. After 13 months of use, I am retiring this watch (probably giving it to someone) and upgrading to the instinct 2 solar. I need that longer battery life.This was the first smartwatch I bought and I'm glad I went with Garmin. I love how their connect app works so well on the phone.
I really liked my first garmin instinct. I hike, run, swim and wanted a way to keep track of these things accurately. Then I misplaced my first watch. I had become very dependent on it. Waited 2 weeks bought this one on sale. The battery life is really long without the solar, the solar works automatically. The accuracy for many things seemed improved from first one. I was getting inaccurate heart rate spike warnings on my first not with the second. The ability to record easily weight lifting is greatly improved. Even things like texts are easier to get and read. Please remember I loved my first instinct so this is just more positive on top of the first experience. Years ago I had a forerunner. I have stayed with Garmin. I like the options but I also like that it ... MoreI really liked my first garmin instinct. I hike, run, swim and wanted a way to keep track of these things accurately. Then I misplaced my first watch. I had become very dependent on it. Waited 2 weeks bought this one on sale. The battery life is really long without the solar, the solar works automatically. The accuracy for many things seemed improved from first one. I was getting inaccurate heart rate spike warnings on my first not with the second. The ability to record easily weight lifting is greatly improved. Even things like texts are easier to get and read. Please remember I loved my first instinct so this is just more positive on top of the first experience. Years ago I had a forerunner. I have stayed with Garmin. I like the options but I also like that it doesn't have everything under the sun like apple watches. I want it for focusing on fitness. I do have an apple phone so it doesn't connect for calls. Which I also see as a plus. Still has live tracking so someone knows where I am when it is on. If there is ever a safety concern that is a good feature. Love it.
Bought the blue version of the Instinct Solar. I come from as a long time Fitbit watch owner and a more recent Apple Watch owner.My original Fitbit is the Fitbit Versa (1st generation), which is square shaped and fairly simple tech. It provided what I needed, which were steps, date and time, water proof for common usage. It allowed me around 3 days' worth of battery life. It is square shaped. It was free from work, otherwise, it would not have been my first choice for a watch.I bought my wife an Apple Watch Series 6 to wear, but after several months she stopped wearing it and went back to her own Fitbit watch. She explained she was tired of having to recharge the Apple Watch every day. She preferred her Fitbit watch that lasted 6 days before a recharge. I took ... MoreBought the blue version of the Instinct Solar. I come from as a long time Fitbit watch owner and a more recent Apple Watch owner.My original Fitbit is the Fitbit Versa (1st generation), which is square shaped and fairly simple tech. It provided what I needed, which were steps, date and time, water proof for common usage. It allowed me around 3 days' worth of battery life. It is square shaped. It was free from work, otherwise, it would not have been my first choice for a watch.I bought my wife an Apple Watch Series 6 to wear, but after several months she stopped wearing it and went back to her own Fitbit watch. She explained she was tired of having to recharge the Apple Watch every day. She preferred her Fitbit watch that lasted 6 days before a recharge. I took the Apple Watch thinking I would make better use out of it as a techie, but I also ran into the issue of it required a recharge every day or every 1.5 days at most. It was not recommended by Apple to be worn while showering even though if you go swimming Apple states that is acceptable. I literally was afraid of looking at the Apple Watch Series 6 due to the battery drain. The inconvenience of having to remember to charge the watch before I sleep to monitor my sleep, remembering to take the watch off before jumping into the shower, and multiple other issues just wore me down too. The sleep data for Apple Watch Series 6 is nothing close to Fitbit sleep data and anything more advanced, you have to buy from third party app developers. I could not find anything free that was similar to Fitbit and especially not something where you could just pay a one time fee.I preferred a circle shaped watch anyways. I did some research on what was available out there that would not cost an arm and leg to purchase but had all the bells and whistle. My criteria were:- Long battery life.- Steps count, heart rate, sleep monitoring.- Some kind of GPS feature.- Not super expensive, but not a cheap throw-away watch either.- Can take a little bit beating but doesn't have to be military grade ruggedness.- Circle watch and looks good (obviously).I know that "smartwatches" will not last as long as a non-smartwatch, unless the battery replacement is simple, LCD screen will last for a long time, etc.This Garmin Instinct Solar seems to fit all my wishes at this price range. The battery life is crazy good, I mean enable everything including the pulse ox and you should get at least a week+ worth of battery life easily. This is with the watch not absorbing any sunlight at all. It has a simple GPS, nothing fancy, but I bike ride and will be using an external dedicated GPS device for routes. I just want something for casual hiking and biking, nothing serious. I can wear this to sleep, the sleep data mimics close to Fitbit's details. Really nice and it's built-in to the watch, you do not have to make a separate purchase. I do not know how accurate ANY of the watches' heart rate are, but wearing the Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin working out, the rates show to be within 15 beats of each other. Take that for what its worth, I don't need the accuracy for any critical medical monitoring conditions. I read that external heart rate monitor strap would make the readings accurate, so I am considering to get that should I need it later (5K/10K running, etc). There's a lot of other features from this watch that I have not yet used, so that is just a bonus goodie for me. I have used Garmin to connect to Strava, the data recorded is great and as expected (same with Apple Watch and Fitbit), no complaints there. I wear this watch showering, sleeping and everything in between. The recharge of the watch is fast too, if I am standing around working, I plug in the watch and I think within 30 minutes I can get a full charge from 50% (I never really paid attention how long it takes to fully charge).There's got to be something not that great about this watch, you ask? Otherwise, why the 4 stars instead of 5 stars? Yes, the PULSE OX feature is a bit flaky. At night, it seems to measure the oxygen level all over the range. As log as 80, and as high as 100. I wore the Apple Watch Series 6 and my wife's Fitbit Luxe, they all had above 90 range. Now, one thing I am starting to realize is how you need to wear the Garmin Instinct Solar and online research also confirms. You have to wear the watch higher on the wrist, it cannot be loose. When you sleep, just slide it up the wrist and make sure it's tightly pressed against your skin. I need a few more sample nights to test, but I had one night where it was 85 or higher, the next night it was 90 or higher. I'll sleep on it a few more nights and then see, but looks hopeful now that I have the watch tightened a bit more against the skin. If you measure the Pulse Ox manually, it is always 95 or higher, this is as expected.Overall, highly recommended watch. I would buy again!
I spent weeks figuring out which smartwatch and app duo to buy for 1) fitness, 2) GPS, 3) messages & calls, 4) battery life and 5) durability that cost $200. I list other reasons to grab this watch as well at the end.1) Fitness and 2) GPS - Garmin Connect, Garmin Explore and the Instinct Solar allow me to create (generic and custom), execute and track my HIITs, hikes, rides and swims (and more that I do not perform).It took me 3 seconds to figure out how to create my custom HIIT and weight training exercise groups/routines. Garmin offers a drop down list of all the exercises you can think of. I select the routine for the day, hit play on my Spotify (Via my Garmin!!) and go to it - easy!It took me some time to figure out how to start using my Instinct for maps ... MoreI spent weeks figuring out which smartwatch and app duo to buy for 1) fitness, 2) GPS, 3) messages & calls, 4) battery life and 5) durability that cost $200. I list other reasons to grab this watch as well at the end.1) Fitness and 2) GPS - Garmin Connect, Garmin Explore and the Instinct Solar allow me to create (generic and custom), execute and track my HIITs, hikes, rides and swims (and more that I do not perform).It took me 3 seconds to figure out how to create my custom HIIT and weight training exercise groups/routines. Garmin offers a drop down list of all the exercises you can think of. I select the routine for the day, hit play on my Spotify (Via my Garmin!!) and go to it - easy!It took me some time to figure out how to start using my Instinct for maps and hike routes but I just let the Explore app initiate the first 2 hikes. But only because I am stubborn and wanted to play-to-learn vs spending the 14 minutes to read/watch a video... Then I got smart and watched a video explaining all features and functions and now I am as close to a pro as I need to be.I created 12 hike and bike courses in about 5 minutes using the Explore app and created two bike routes on my Instinct that are now saved in Explore and on my phone.The highest quality GPS, compass mapping and track-back features are going to be invaluable for when I do my on/off-trail 3 night hike this Spring - and I will only be bringing my phone for emergencies - keeping it off so I will be relying on the Instinct itself!The Instinct offers 3 types of GPS to use depending where you are and what you plan to do. I use basic GPS and it is accurate enough for my needs, and it uses less battery life than , and coupled with the Explore app, you don't need anything else for a weekend hike.3) Messaging and calls - I get notifications and can turn on/off Do Not Disturb from my watch. I set up Do Not Disturb windows for certain notifications thru Garmin Connect, as well as custom message replies. I can answer calls when wearing ear buds or directly on the phone via the Instinct. And it pauses Spotify whenever I take a call. This was the least important to me on my "needs" list, but now that I have it, I find myself using it more and more.4) Battery Life - So very important to me. All of my watches (except 1) are automatics or Solar! Charging daily is a big "NO" for me, as is changing batteries. Maybe it's a the only bit of prepper in me, but relying on power sucks! And what's worse are items that suck power!The Instinct Solar has a 21d battery while using base features and functions. I got in a weekend while using basic GPS during my trip (turned it off when not in use). Wnd I haven't had the watch long enough to test the Battery Save mode (1000s of hours!). And the watch still has great features in Battery Save mode - but only one base digital watch face. But seriously, if the world does end, I am not going to give two sticks about my watch face and functions because THE INSTINCT SOLAR HAS UNLIMITED POWER WITH SOLAR CHARGING, BABY! Which is moot if we have a nuclear winter... Didnt think of that one... Oh well.5) Durability - Garmin made these to be tough for rugged work and play, including cliffjumping and swimming. Seriously - saw a guy in Hawaii banging one around ro k climbing and jumping into deep water. I just use mine in the pool for now but will be ocean-bound soon enough.The watch face is made of protective glass and the gorilla glass face protector is scratch- and shatter-proof without affecting the Solar charging capabilities. I also bought after-market rubber case covers and charging port covers, just to add a bit more protection.Others things I pondered before choosing the Instinct Solar:1. Size - 44mm is perfect. I am 6'1" 240 and it looks great on me. I've seen smaller people wear them too and it isn't "clunky" looking. It is also light so it doesn't feel like I'm wearing it.The 22mm comfy, silicon band is easily replaced with quick remove pins - I grabbed a khaki strap for mine. It feels even more comfortable and non-existant on my wrist.2. The screen!!! This is the BIG one for so many people...I thought I wanted color - I really did. And the touchscreen? For sure. So cool to scroll and tap that color screen, right!?WRONG. None of that matters with the Instinct button layout, menu screen and Widgets. Seriously. I think I am faster with the botton press and widget navigation! It's press, press, go vs slide slide go. Does you hike really care? And water doesn't accidently slide your screen like it can on touchscreens.As for color, I don't mind the monochrome display. It adds toothed rugged look in my opinion, and helps with that battery life. The Instinct even comes with two analog faces! Which I thought I would only use (a reason I got it acutally), but I don't! I have a casual and a dress dress watch for that (which I haven't worn in the month I've hadn't his Garmin).Lastly, for $230, it got all I wanted! I got an AlphaStrong Delta watch (also 21day battery with color touchscreen) and regret not spending the Xtra $100! It is total garbage compared to my Instinct!I just ditched my Delta and sold my Solor Pathfinder, which I used ALL THE TIME and am loving the Instinct.So what about the Fenix?? Sure! Same features and functions with color touchscreen. $200 vs $900-$1000 for Fenix7 solar people. The next one down is the the Fenix 6 and that is around $400-$450. The Venu doesn't compare and the Epix is a color screen downgraded Instinct overall for a little more money.Oh yeah! With the $$ I saved by not getting the Fenix6, I found a used Gravel bike to start creating new, non-MTB routes! To me this is all a bin win.Very pleased to say the least.
I love this watch. It is simple, practicle, durable and loaded with features. I use this watch for hiking. I upload a route from all trails by downloading the gpx file and head off to the start point. The watch gives notifications if you are on track and points with a clear arrow where you need to walk. You can easily save GPS points, like where your campsite is or where you parked. I enjoy keeping an eye on the barometer for storms, the energy meter to know if I'm sick, and the customizable watch faces. The track back feature is awesome, you can just head out on a walk and it will guide you back to your start point whenever you want to turn around. All while having amazing battery life and being completely waterproof. I also use this watch as my sole alarm ... MoreI love this watch. It is simple, practicle, durable and loaded with features. I use this watch for hiking. I upload a route from all trails by downloading the gpx file and head off to the start point. The watch gives notifications if you are on track and points with a clear arrow where you need to walk. You can easily save GPS points, like where your campsite is or where you parked. I enjoy keeping an eye on the barometer for storms, the energy meter to know if I'm sick, and the customizable watch faces. The track back feature is awesome, you can just head out on a walk and it will guide you back to your start point whenever you want to turn around. All while having amazing battery life and being completely waterproof. I also use this watch as my sole alarm clock.The only drawback to this watch is that the controls and menus take a bit to get used to. I'd recommend wearing it for a week before going on an adventure.
PROS: GPS, on-screen options for compass, pace and mileage tracking, Activity Tracking, heart rate, Smartphone features (call and message notifications, weather, music controls), Excellent battery life in smart watch mode, durable, waterproof, great for outdoor use, trail backtrack feature, compatibility with garmin connect and map apps.CONS: Very large face, black and white displayI REALLY wish this had a color display, but this was the first GPS watch I was buying, and the price was unbeatable, so I decided to go for it. Aside from that, I love this watch. The controls did take a bit of getting used, as it is not a touch screen like my previous smart watch, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy to use. I love that it has the most important features ... MorePROS: GPS, on-screen options for compass, pace and mileage tracking, Activity Tracking, heart rate, Smartphone features (call and message notifications, weather, music controls), Excellent battery life in smart watch mode, durable, waterproof, great for outdoor use, trail backtrack feature, compatibility with garmin connect and map apps.CONS: Very large face, black and white displayI REALLY wish this had a color display, but this was the first GPS watch I was buying, and the price was unbeatable, so I decided to go for it. Aside from that, I love this watch. The controls did take a bit of getting used, as it is not a touch screen like my previous smart watch, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy to use. I love that it has the most important features to me in a smart watch (notifications/calls/music controls/weather/time), but also has awesome GPS and activity tracking features. I use this watch for horseback riding, mileage and pace tracking on trail rides and on competitive rides. I was able to purchase a band in my preferred color from the garmin website. While in smartwatch mode, the battery lasts forever! My previous smartwatch had to be charged every couple of days. I only have to charge once every 10 days or so, except when I'm using the GPS, and understandably, it does need charged much more frequently when GPS is on. If you're looking for a starter GPS watch that's a great price and has great features, and are willing to try a black and white display, I'd definitely recommend this watch!
I shopped around until I was sure of what I wanted and was sure I was getting the best deal. The watch arrived a day early and is exactly as described and I'm delighted with it but not the band. Ordered a nylon velcro band and what a huge improvement. But that's a personal preference. The only thing I don't like is the lack of an instructional manual. All I got was a quick start guide but that seems to be the norm nowadays. They expect you to go online and find the app and all that happy horsesh#t. Don't know what you do if you don't have internet or a smart phone but I suppose that's unlikely if you're buying a watch like this. I bought a screen protector that comes with silicone covers for the charging port. Mine did not come with a cover for the port and I guess ... MoreI shopped around until I was sure of what I wanted and was sure I was getting the best deal. The watch arrived a day early and is exactly as described and I'm delighted with it but not the band. Ordered a nylon velcro band and what a huge improvement. But that's a personal preference. The only thing I don't like is the lack of an instructional manual. All I got was a quick start guide but that seems to be the norm nowadays. They expect you to go online and find the app and all that happy horsesh#t. Don't know what you do if you don't have internet or a smart phone but I suppose that's unlikely if you're buying a watch like this. I bought a screen protector that comes with silicone covers for the charging port. Mine did not come with a cover for the port and I guess that's normal but I would think moisture and dirt would not be a good thing in there. One last thing - I've had the watch for just over a week and I'm still showing half charge on the battery which is better than I was expecting!
Great no-frills watch for tracking fitness and basic navigation.I purchased mainly for mountaineering, looking for the breadcrumb navigation, altimeter, etc to allow navigation if the weather rolls in. Haven't had a chance to need it yet, but have climbed with it and it works well.I like running with it too, it tracks my workouts and sync's with the Garmin Connect app on the phone.Features I wasn't expecting but pleasantly surprised by are the sleep trackers. Not sure how it is tracking my different sleep cycles but it is a cool feature.Battery life is great also. I can easily go a week with normal usage and workouts - it gets drastically cut if you are using GPS tracking but that is the same with all watches like this.Overall, I haven't explored all the ... MoreGreat no-frills watch for tracking fitness and basic navigation.I purchased mainly for mountaineering, looking for the breadcrumb navigation, altimeter, etc to allow navigation if the weather rolls in. Haven't had a chance to need it yet, but have climbed with it and it works well.I like running with it too, it tracks my workouts and sync's with the Garmin Connect app on the phone.Features I wasn't expecting but pleasantly surprised by are the sleep trackers. Not sure how it is tracking my different sleep cycles but it is a cool feature.Battery life is great also. I can easily go a week with normal usage and workouts - it gets drastically cut if you are using GPS tracking but that is the same with all watches like this.Overall, I haven't explored all the features yet but I'm very happy with the features I got for the price. I was also considering a Fenix, but those are nearly 5 times the price of this on sale at Best Buy.Andy
Fancy smartwatches these days have bright screens and a lot of things to drain the battery away. Not this watch, since there is no touchscreen and everything is in b/w, the battery lasts an amazing long time (days). There is even a backlight button which reminds me of all the Casio watches I used to have. I am willing to call these watches "detox" just like the basic phones people buy nowadays for the same reason.Yet, while it is basic looking, it does have a hefty amount of features. It can read any sort of notification on my iPhone, even discord messages. With a WearOS (the google smartwatches), you can't do that. It can display any notification coming in, albeit you have to press the buttons to view them which I think might be annoying for those used to ... MoreFancy smartwatches these days have bright screens and a lot of things to drain the battery away. Not this watch, since there is no touchscreen and everything is in b/w, the battery lasts an amazing long time (days). There is even a backlight button which reminds me of all the Casio watches I used to have. I am willing to call these watches "detox" just like the basic phones people buy nowadays for the same reason.Yet, while it is basic looking, it does have a hefty amount of features. It can read any sort of notification on my iPhone, even discord messages. With a WearOS (the google smartwatches), you can't do that. It can display any notification coming in, albeit you have to press the buttons to view them which I think might be annoying for those used to touchscreen (but I love it).I don't really have anything to say about the sport and activities feature, they are decent at least and not off by a lot. I tried the esport feature which I don't see a lot of people here mentioned, even downloaded and streamed with their STR3AMUP software to show my heartbeat on stream. I don't think it's very accurate, but its a cool feature to have and see.
| Hardware Sensors | GPS |
| GPS | Yes |
| Heart Rate Monitoring | Yes |
| Sleep Monitoring | Yes |
| Step Counting | Yes |
