Garmin - Instinct 2 - Standard Edition (45mm)

If they are not solar, they don't. There are no MIP watches without solar who have a longer standard battery life than the 51mm Fenix8 (29days) & Epix 2(pro)(31days). Only the Instinct 2 45mm comes close with 28 days, but has less then half of the activity tracking time then the Fenix and Epix. The newer and bigger MIP watches with solar do beat the Epix2 and Fenix8. Enduro2 & 3, Instinct 2x & 3 mips 51mm have the better battery life. Also without using the solar.

Fenix 8 51mm oled Or Epix 2 (pro) 51mm. Fenix 8 has 29 days of battery time, Epix2 pro 31 days. The Fenix 8 can do 84 hours of gps tracking, the Epic 82 Besides that the MIP display Instinct 2 gives you also 28 days, but only 30 gps hours.

Yes. That's true. But with the intended use of the OP a Oled screen doesn't have to be always on. Besides that there are very little non-solar mip watches that have an equal or similar batterytime as the Fenix 8/epix2pro 51mm. Only the instinct 2 is close with 28 days but short GPS time. The non-solar FR955 only has 15 days for example. Watches known for their longer battertime The enduro 3, instinct 2X, instinct 3 all have solar as standard.

Garmin Instinct 2 non-solar is the exact watch I currently have, and it does everything I need. Currently It’s on sale for $169 until they go out because they released the instinct 3. Does everything triathlete could want and has a bunch of extras like (limited) GPS navigation for hiking, weird sport profiles like kayaking and rowing, 28 days of battery life (about 14 days with my 6 workouts a week), etc. About to use it for a triathlon then starting to train for an ultramarathon with it. Wonderful watch that I will use until it breaks. https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/775421/

Yes! I use it for what you've described and it's perfect. It has ABC sensors too. If you can go for the solar version do, but the regular I2 has great battery life either way.

I have a Garmin, and yes, it will track steps on the spot.

I have a Garmin 45. It's their base level fitness watch. It will track a whole lot of other things besides steps.

Non-solar should also make it 24 hours plus on a full charge, especially if you play with some settings on heart rate monitoring. As of December, they were on sale for $200

Somewhat unrelated but would a garmin instinct 2 meet this requirement? I just got one because I can load gpx routes onto it and navigate but it does not have maps. Wondering if I will have to upgrade when it comes to races like this

I got mine about 2 months ago. I've gone from a Pixel watch, to an Instinct 2 to the X1. When I got it I was looking at the Fenix, Epix range, but just came away feeling that they were simply too bulky. Then I went back to a local streo for another look and by chance saw a couple of boxed X1s in the Garmin display cabinet, they weren't on display and the staff didn't want to open one up for me to take a look. I hung around a bit and read the DC Rainmaker review in the store and just bought it on the spur of the moment. So light! I use the LED torch much more than I though I would. The battery life is fine, I plug it in when I shower and that's it. Sure, it does't look like I've got half a kg of apocalypse-proof steel strapped to my wrist - and some might think it looks like a $50 Apple knockoff from Temu - but in my opinion, it's still one the best tech purchases I've made. I love it.

Yes, this. I have an Instinct 2 approved for use in the closed areas. The caveats I have are that you have to have GPS off (no brainer to set it to off except during activities) and Bluetooth must be disabled or disconnected from any mobile devices.

I use it mostly for sports tracking, specifically indoor swimming. \- It's accurate when we talk about tracking lengths, if you're swimming "stable". Then it's counts lengths without mistakes. \- If you suddenly have to switch the style, e.g. you swim freestyle, but then you have to slow down, change to breaststroke etc, your watch will go crazy and there will be some hallucinations on the report for example extremely fast lap time gets registered... But it requires some strange situation to happen (like someone appearing on your lane, but having way slower tempo than you). Unfortunately I haven't found a way to fix this, even manually in the mobile/web app. \- HR sensor is well... unreliable? I don't know, I never compared it with some serious device like Polar HR strap. But today I was swimming 2000m with moderate pace, tempo was mostly very stable. And look what has been registered: [https://imgur.com/a/IpPNEfl](https://imgur.com/a/IpPNEfl) The only explanation for this, is that I didn't put the watch tight enough, and after some time of swimming it repositioned itself and started monitoring HR more correctly than for the first 15 mins. In general I still like it. I like the oldschool, high contrast display, it's not flashy, distracting AMOLED. Battery life is very good. It's quite comfortable because it's rather still a lightweight watch (I have 45mm version).

Garmins might do better for you then. They are great at tracking and have smart features but also get a week or more on a charge. I love my instict 2 for how simple and non intrusive it is.

I use a Garmin Instinct 2 to ski up in Anchorage and I’ve never had an issue!

The first and arguably best choice id recommend for anyone is the Garmin Instinct 2 (or the larger Instinct 2X), that’s about it, check it out and see what you think Yes it has smart notifications but you can fully turn off Bluetooth at the system level, and when you do, those notifications are completely gone just like many other models in the market, they’re not as intrusive as you think If you want something even simpler, check on the Suunto Core and if you want to go for something a bit more on the high end side, check on the Coros Vertix 2 which is a premium option but has an insane battery life, dual-band GPS and amazing performance over smart features. Funnily enough, I got both the Instinct 2 and the Coros Vertix which I alternate between but the Coros hits differ with the premium feel idk. You can try [9 Best Smartwatches Worth Investing in 2025: Hiking and Running](https://alaskanarrows.com/best-smartwatches-in-2025-for-hiking-and-running/) for others though Cheers, hope this helps!

I use the Instinct 2. I do a little running, but it's mostly walking and lifting. I work in a gym and do a lot of housework so I need it to be relatively sturdy, and I'm also not interested in the many and various features more complicated ones offer. In the store, ask to try one on. The Instinct 2 is fairly chunky, so you may or may not feel comfortable with it if you've a small wrist - or hey, you might feel like you're wearing a Pip Boy (there's even a free app for a Pip Boy watchface, though I do wish the little figure would slump when your training readiness is low, that'd be cool). I'd note too that it's not a touchscreen, so they make the five buttons do a lot of work, there's a bit of a learning period in futzing about with it to get the info you want displayed. Takes a couple of weeks to figure out. It requires only weekly charging, though that might come sooner if you do tracked long hikes, since the watch itself has the GPS rather than relying on the connected phone.

I wear a Garmin Instinct 2. It has a heart rate monitor and a horseback riding tracker. You have to dig in the activities to find riding, but once you set it in your favorites it stays. It's good for tracking what you do, but don't put a lot of stock in the speed tracking. I can say for certain a horse can not accelerate to 35mph in a small ring. 

If you really just want time and distance for lap swimming, I've used the previous model of this $62 watch, and it worked fine: https://a.co/d/7ChjCyh I eventually upgraded to a Garmin Instinct 2 because I wanted GPS for other activities and the ability to export more of the data. I'm very happy with my upgrade for the other features, but I don't think it's really any better for time/distance measurement.

The Instinct is amazing. I have the basic 2. Dont let the colourless display fool you: it still has all the features of a Garmin watch, including smart ones.

Here, here. Me too. Went from an AW6 to an Instinct 2 and eventually to a used Enduro. Couldn't be happier. I get weeks on a charge, health tracking is great, and it has all of the smarts I want but is an excellent timepiece and less of a distraction. (Bonus: new Instinct 2 + used Enduro 1 cost less than a new base model Apple Watch.) I also find the Garmin/Apple Health integration to be pretty solid. Rarely have I gone from something from Apple to something from another company and been this happy with the change.

I love my instinct 2. I should have gotten the solar instead lol

I'm no expert on these but I'm very happy with my instinct 2 where I wanted something basic with long battery life. It has all the basic tracking mechanisms with no fancy unneeded frills. Also is half the cost of the instinct 3. I only need to charge it like once every 10 days.

It absolutely will. Keep doing research for it there are plenty of blogs and reddit posts on this watch and how to save battery life. I use many of the features for hiking several times a week and still only need to charge it once every 10 days. There are a ton of settings that will eat battery if you have them on all the time

Second this. My GF just switched from a Versa (3 maybe?) to a Vivoactive 5. She likes it so far. Although she does kinda wish it had training status/training load etc that my Instinct 2 has. That's more of an advanced feature though. It wasn't a deal breaker for her. The biggest thing was finally having an activity tracker that would record her HR while swimming.

I use the Garmin Instinct 2 and really happy with the tracking and training guidance it provides. Being able to customize the screens I see during my swim is something that I really like. Previously, I used an Apple watch for track my swims, and that was pretty accurate too, but because it was all touch interface I would end up accidentally pausing or ending my workout without intending to. Also, I realise now that Apple’s insights don’t even come close to the detailed analysis and guidance I get with Garmin.

Ah - this is why I scrolled down. I got the same watch back in the spring. I poked around at the buttons and tried to make sense of the bouldering widget. Maybe I don’t understand it well - but it seems silly to have to log each boulder problem individually. Or if I’m climbing routes, I don’t want to have to stare at my watch for 72 seconds and start a new activity after each climb. Am I doing it wrong?

No watch has exceptionally accurate sleep sensing as you don’t have leads attached to you when sleeping with a watch. I find that the elevate 5 HR sensor is likely a bit better, but between owning Instinct 2 and Fenix 7 Pro SS, they both will track my heartrate within 1 BPM to the gym machines I use that can measure HR such as the stair stepper, treadmill, bike, etc.

I love my instinct 2’s MIP display while biking. So easy to glance at my stats while riding. It looks like gshock (a pro and a con).

No. Get the instinct 2, should be available in good prices as 3 is already available. One of my best cost benefit purchases ever 

Get the instinct 2, it will do everything you need at a good price and with 10ATM waterproof rating 

I picked up an Instinct 2 from a Versa 2. Miss the touch screen some but love the triple or more battery life. Garmin still has great battery life even with screen on all the time vs having to baby and always shut off the Versa screen - noting my Versa 2 is about 5 years old and was better when it was new. Much better activity tracking on the Garmin for activities that are not walking or running. Buttons and interface is good on the Instinct 2 and didn't take too long to figure out where everything was.

I'm also a convert (Apple watch to Fossil previously) and went with the Instinct 2. While it's less frills compared to other smartwatches, it more than makes up for it with: - A 24 day battery life on regular mode/use. - Much more accurate heart rate and workout tracking. - Significantly better range of workout/fitness types tracked. I was immediately pleased and doubt I'll ever go to any other brand.

It's not a very feminine look, but the Instinct 2 has blown me away after moving from a Fitbit Sense 2. Garmin is a little harder to get used to, but is so much better once you do!

Garmin Instinct 2 with the HRM Pro Plus chest strap. Laps are counted perfectly as long as you have a clear push off the wall and extend your arm to glide for a second. If you try checking your watch mid-lap it will think you are gliding after a wall and add a lap. Afterwards you can always adjust the number of laps on an activity. Autolap works for wall touches or flip turns you just need a predictable push off the wall for it to sense the lap. I also set my watch to vibrate every 4 lengths so I can keep track of lengths without reading my watch and also I notice right away if a lap was dropped or added, since the watch will vibrate when I'm swimming away from the starting wall (it buzzes about 4 strokes into your 4th lap). I use manual rest, I don't trust auto-rest. Plus when I'm done my rest I get a 321 countdown to start the next set. The chest strap - if your swimsuit goes over it you'll be set, since as a guy I just wear jammers I can't push off the wall full force otherwise the chest strap moves. The bonus of that though is my 50m pool pace is the same as my 25m pool pace since I'm not gaining anything from the wall push. I also check that the chest strap is connected to the watch before I start the swim activity and then after the swim activity it downloads heart rate data to the watch. During the activity the water gets in the way and you only get heart rate data from the watch, but after it downloads you can check which HR zone you were swimming in at certain paces. If you care about heart rate data this is the best way in my opinion, otherwise water gets between the optical sensor and your skin and throws off the readings completely.

I haven't had any problems with my Instinct 2 in there.

Have you noticed a difference in Bluetooth range? My instinct 3 solar was terrible. Maybe 15 feet. Certainly not in another room or around a corner. My Instinct 1, Instinct 2, and especially my older Apple Watch had far better range.

garmin instinct 2 because it is durable and it has great battery life (28 days + solar charging) which is amazing for me because I am too lazy to charge.

Instinct 2 or 3 is really durable if you are fine with it not having a touchscreen

My thought is to pick up an Instinct 2 on sale right now. Very durable adventure watch they should do all the tracking you want it to do and has epic battery life. You can probably get one for $200 right now. But you also like the smartwatch features of the Apple Watch. Keep the Apple Watch too. Wear the Apple Watch day to day. Wear the Instinct for various adventures.

If you just want a watch over a computer, I’d look at a garmin watch. 100% the best fitness tracking watches out there. Apple Watch is often described as a smart watch with some fitness stuff thrown in Garmin is a fitness watch with some smart watch stuff thrown in. My instinct 2 lasts 23 days without tracking activities. With regular activities it’s more like 14 days. However the best option for cycle tracking is always going to be a cycling computer and HRM strap. What brand you go for is up to you. I use a Garmin 530 as I’m already in the ecosystem with their watches.

Depends what cycling you do. If you’re a mountain biker I’m always going to suggest the instinct 2. It will survive a crash much better than the other garmins will. Not that we plan to crash on the mtb but let’s be honest. Sometimes a tree steps out in front of you

I loved my coros pace 2. It was prettier than my garmin instinct 2, which i just got because I cracked the screen of the coros watch. I thought about replacing with the pace 3, but it was the second time in 4 years that the screen got cracked.

Same here, I love the 2 week battery life on a single charge. That being said, it never gets that low because I give it a quick charge every time I take a shower but it's nice to know it'll last that long if it needs to for whatever reason

That sounds about the same as my work "load out" lol I'm a new construction plumber. I use the Garmin instinct 2 to track steps and flights (18k and 49 yesterday), phone to play the music but control it off the headphones and it works pretty smooth. While I'm not running at work (unless something goes very wrong) I like to keep my pockets streamlined and leave most things in my work van because too much bulk is just... too much

Exact. I have the Instinct 2 Solar and I bought it new for €200. It's spectacular.

Snorkel here. I have the Instinct 2 and it is a rock…

Im using a garmin instinct 2 (£250 when I bought it) and a garmin chest strap (£35) very happy with data. Only got the strap as my HR data got a bit unreliable after about 6 months

I use a garmin instinct 2. I chose it because it has high rating for temperature and I swim in very cold waters sometimes. Also the buttons are tactile and can be pressed even when you’re wearing neoprene gloves. It’s accurate for open water and for distance in the pool. It’s not great at identifying strokes. Splits are good in long sets or if I manually push the buttons to stop between each swim of an interval. Also, if I’m doing a kick set it thinks I’m just resting on the wall.

I use a Garmin Instinct 2. I really love it, it seems to be an all-around sports watch instead of running focused (I don’t run, but a do a lot of hiking, biking, and paddling).

I have the Garmin Instinct 2, which has 3 climbing widgets (bouldering, climb indoor, and climb outdoor) and all the smartwatch-like features that the other Garmins have (I can read texts on it, get notifications, etc.) However, it does not have a touchscreen - instead it has a recessed LCD screen and buttons, a bit like the rugged-looking digital watches popular in the 80s. It is not very “fashion” but I don’t have to worry about damaging it by banging it into a hold. It comes with a silicone strap, which should stretch or tear rather than deglove my hand. As another poster mentioned, if you live in the US, this is not the time to start using an app to track your menstrual cycles. I do use it for that, but (1) I’m in Canada and we are not quite as far down the road to Gilead as the US is, and (2) I’m in perimenopause and my cycles are weird. I like to think I’m poisoning the aggregate data.

If your sensor should struggle because of the tattoos you can use white epoxy stickers. Before I discovered that I wore my Suunto, Garmin instinct 2, Epix Gen 2 the other way around. But after my both very dark sleeves were finished 6 months ago the heart rate sensor didn't work. Now for the first time in years I wear the new instinct 3 amoled the 'right way', even works with the old Gen 4 sensor. :)

My first foray into Garmin is the Instinct 2. Love the watch.

Garmin Instinct 2 or higher. Doesn’t need to be the surf version, wave tracking is shit anyway. The biggest selling points for me are: * 30 days battery life * allows you to connect your credit card so you can get a post surf beer without going to the car for your wallet * has usual smartwatch features for when I’m not surfing

The Garmin Instinct 2 has an operating emp of -4 to 140 degrees F. Most of the time they will work just fine in the sauna, but you are likely damaging the battery slightly each time it gets too hot, and eventually, it may not hold a charge as long. Might not matter if you are going to buy a new one every couple years.

I switched from Apple to garmin three years ago - Apple Watch 4 (iirc) to instinct 2. Basically I had an accident on my bike, smashed the edge of the Apple - didn’t notice and went swimming and scared the shit out of myself by causing a small electric spark to arc out of th swatch in front of my face! The more rugged aspect of the instinct 2 appealed as a result and I am more than happy! However I was also happy with the Apple Watch, so I’d say if you’re not unhappy with the Apple, stay with that.

Second this. I have a garmin instinct 2 that I initially got to run with. I started cycling and mtb a few years ago and it works well for GPS but the heart rate feature during activities is suspect, especially with wrist position on handlebars. I now use a garmin edge 540 with a chest strap heart rate monitor and I got a power meter for the gravel bike and I love this setup. I still wear the watch but it doesn’t turn on for a gravel or road ride. But I do use my watch with a chest strap HRM as my primary recording device for mtb.

DC Rainmaker has some pretty good reviews, including of Amazfit et al. Generally people who like smartwatches generally find Garmin just ok at being a smartwatch. I feel like they're good enough to find out I really dislike them in general without spending extra money, but my wife and daughter both wear smartwatches most of the time. As a sports watch, I think the bottom-tier Forerunner is pretty disappointing. The 200- and 500-series models give you a much broader feature set, though of course it comes at a price. I think the 255 is probably still peak value since the 265 got a nicer screen and price hike without a lot of new features and the 570 came out earlier this year and is the current model. The Instinct 2 could also be a good pick. There's a comparison tool on Garmin's website. DC Rainmaker too, I think, and he'll let you compare across brands. When I came back to running in like 2011 or so, I just wanted an interval timer. Since then I've really appreciated pace and heart rate feedback and tracking and lately training load/load focus and Daily Suggested Workouts. Also lactate threshold auto detection because that field test sucks!

just ordered an instinct 2 yesterday after apple watch died on my 40 mile bike ride. It died at mile 20

The original garmin instinct is plenty good enough for me. You may also be able to find a used instinct 2 within your budget.

2 day of battery when hiking with instinct 2. It's not a lot

Love my instinct 2. Great price, and nothing flashy. Super durable and works really well. Has a ton of customization features.

I use a Garmin instinct 2.

I bought for family members an Instinct 2, and Instinct 2S. Small, light, long battery. You don't have to babysit like the Venu 3S. It looks rugged, but it is small. The Instinct 3 is bigger.

I do miss that 30 day battery life

Any FR (forerunner) would be an overkill. Try look for an Instinct 2. Friendly on the budget and rugged enough for all guys. Would be a bonus if your guy loves the classic Casio G-Shock.

Not sure how long are your runs and hikes. If you are going for long hikes, can consider the Instinct series. Can take hard knocks like G-Shock and still function. The basic models with monochrome screen suffice for your needs and the battery is way more than enough.

Man, Garmin got the weird bad BMW naming scheme that makes no sense. This is why I went with the instinct 2 instead. Simple name

Get a Garmin instinct 1 or 2 for like, $100-150 aftermarket (fbm, eBay refurb, etc). That is literally all you need to start running, with generous features and durability

I have an instinct 2. Have had it for years. I wear it all the time. In the sauna 3-4x a week, works perfectly still.

With great expectation, I bought a Polar Loop band on the release date. The offer is indeed tempting: pay once and have access to nearly all important, trackable data. However, after 2 weeks, my first conclusion is somewhat disappointing: the auto tracking of workouts works only semi-well. Sometimes workouts are not recognized (CrossFit workout over 42 minutes) or only partially tracked. Even when starting workouts directly in the app, the recordings can be sloppy or disappear. The sleep data is also relatively inaccurate – you may have been up for a while, and the device is still tracking sleep. I also have a Garmin Instinct 2, which, while it does not offer auto tracking, never caused me any problems during use. What are your experiences?

The forerunner's will be fine. It comes down to preference, do you want LED or MIP screen? Do you need maps? Something like the 165 or the 255/265 will be more than fine. 955 if you want maps. 965 if you want maps+LED screen. Instinct 2 and 3 will work too, its just more rugged basically. All of them are solid, road and trail runner friendly.

Forerunners are great even if you don't run. None of the watches are great for the gym btw. For hiking you basically want an altimeter (which all new watches have) and maybe maps (which only the most premium watches do). I think the main advantage the Instinct has over the Forerunner is that it comes with Garmin Explore integration (for offline realtime mapping with the companion app on the phone). Only the Forerunner 9xx series support this. I think an Instinct 2 or 3 will be a great choice for your use

Second that. A bit fiddly to set up but works well and you may now be able to find a good deal on it, esp if you buy used.  It does navigation too including setting it to navigate to the start of your hike 

If you are using a watch that is older than 3 years its very likely (outside of apple watch, garmin, coros, polar and suunto) that it doesn't come close to matching current models accuracy levels - especially as most brands (wear os / apple / garmin / coros / polar / suunto / fitbit / huawei / amazfit) update the sensor and gps chipset every 2-3 years (if not more frequently) and there have been significant improvements all around. For example current garmins are either using the elevate 4 or elevate 5 HR sensor (from health 24/7 perspecive virtually immaterial difference in results, but from an activity perspective especially around strength and cycling their is a more marked improvement - plus the elevate 5 sensors include ECG and baseline temp monitoring) however the elevate 4 was a significant jump from the elevate 3 sensor (4 veritcal led lights) which was an even bigger jump from the sensor prior to that (3 leds in a triangular shape). Huge jumps and leaps have been made in sleep tracking too, and for most its way more accurate than it used to be - though don't get me wrong it still can be fooled (i.e. sitting/lying and being super inactive (i.e. reading / watching tv) and its possible the watch can potentially record that as sleep. Garmin Forerunner 165 - its on special on Garmin sales at just under $200. (or could look to see what deals you can find for the instinct 2 or vivoactive 5). These are all running pretty much garmin's latest version of sleep tracking which is way better at determining sleep duration (I find start time is rock solid and seldom gets fooled - if it does at the worst it records it as light sleep so doesn't really impaact recovery at all -as would be giving you that as recovery anyway and the recharge rate from light compared to resting is so simliar I haven't noticed a difference in recharge rate; and wake time is rock solid as long as using morning report - cause as soon as you access morning report it switches off sleep - so if you wake up and want to go back to sleep don't access morning report - the morning report front screen includes time so no need to access it until you want to be up and about). The sleep tracking algorithms are from firstbeat and includes the use of accelerometer, HR and HRV compared to the older garmin sleep tracking which per my understanding was accerlerometer based. You could also look at anything from amazift (stick to bip 6, active 2, t-rex3 or balance - as all running most current version of their software and alogorithms); Huawei including Fit 3 is worth a look; and could consider anything from coros, suunto (just released the run which should be around the $200 mark) and polar. And you could also look at fitbit charge 6, sense 2 or vera. There is also xiaomi but their HR isn't as good as the others... But worth noting the accuracy of optical HR is still impacted by skin tone, body comp, hair, tats, weight & size of watch, how you wear it and if doing an activity the activity type - and until you use it there is no way to know if it will be accurate for you or not. However for most people most of the sensors of the brands I have mentioned tend to do a good job re accuracy for 24/7 health metrics and steady state activities (walking, steady running etc).

The instinct series is, in my opinion, by far the best. I believe this mainly due to the screen, which is not the awful LCD/LED stuff that most watches have. It's clear in all conditions, and extremely durable. I think the UI is also quite well done. Any of the instincts will fit the bill, but probably instinct 2 is the best balance of features.

The instinct series is, in my opinion, by far the best. I believe this mainly due to the screen, which is not the awful LCD/LED stuff that most watches have. It's clear in all conditions, and extremely durable. I think the UI is also quite well done. Any of the instincts will fit the bill, but probably instinct 2 is the best balance of features.

I use the Garmin Instinct 2 for running and cycling. It's far better than my "cheap" Garmin head unit for tracking. I'd only go for the Edge head unit if you want mapping for routes!

basically what made me buy instinct 2.

By far. None of the metrics on the GBD-200 is worth the price. Just go for a new instinct 2 on ebay for literally less than the GBD-200 and call it a day.

I love my garmin instinct 2 !

My exact experience with a swim 2 and instinct 2

I have an instinct 2 and disabled it. My watch is basically like a g shock that tracks metrics. No phone notifications. Nothing! I typically don't even look at the data on my phone, usually through garmin app. Highly recommend!

I use an Instinct 2 for running and although it can do weightlifting stuff, it's very tedious. I simply use a notebook for weightlifting. I love the watch, though. It's tough and has never failed me on a run or any tracked activity. You can always manually enter your lifting activity, weight, and reps for more a guesstimate of calories expended. I charge the Instinct 2 once every 2 weeks based on activity usage.

Solar also has Garmin Pay, which the non-Solar does not. But those are the only differences.

Instinct 2 if you want to keep it cheap. Has pretty much all of the tracking features you will need and is on sale everywhere for around 200 bucks.

Garmin Instinct 2 or 3. There is a regular and solar version. Incredible battery life.

That is with full GPS use over 30-48 hours. I am sure the watch can be switched to battery saver mode when sleeping or not actively using the GPS so it can stretch out a few more days.

Man, I don't know if 265 can be considered durable or not. I swim & unless the glass is made out of sapphire, it's gonna get scratched (whenever it makes contact with pool lane lines). I applied hydrogel screen protector to mitigate the damage. I would probably get Instinct 2, if I were you, because of its similarity with G-Shock in term of durability. Older models of higher end lines, such as Fenix, should also be considered as well.

If you want to get healthy and get phone notifications and *maybe* do music or something, get a Garmin. Instinct 2 (gives music controls but requires a phone for the music itself) or a used Forerunner (I believe they're done of the cheapest models that do on-board music, Spotify, etc.) or what have you. If you want to do smartphone stuff on your wrist and *maybe* get healthy, go Samsung.

I would recommend a Garmin Instinct 2 or 2S (the S is just the smaller version but it's the one I prefer). It's simple but powerful. It doesn't have all the high-end features, but it has more than I ever use. But the reason I got it is because it's *not* touch-screen. I had a FitBit Charge 5 before switching to Garmin, and that watch went nuts if any water touched the screen. Whether it was run or sweat, it became almost unusable. Also, I run in sub-freezing temps in the winter, and the last thing I want to do is take my glove off so I can interact with my watch. But since I brought up the Fitbit...my first fitness tracker was a FitBit Charge 4, and that thing was pretty awesome as a beginner piece. I gave it to a trailrunner friend and she still uses it years later. I'd recommend the Charge 4 over the Charge 5 because the Charge 5 lost the altimeter in favor of being super waterproof, and I never really forgave FitBit for that, as a trail runner.

Garmin Instinct 2 is $300 right now at Walmart.com. Green is $289. Battery life on Instincts is incredible, and they tough fitness watches with just enough smart watch features to not be annoying. Used options are even cheaper.

I use a Garmin Instinct 2. I use it for many other things, but it provides what I need for golf just fine. Super long battery life too.

Instinct 2 100%. I bought mine with a similar price point in mind for Iron Man training and it's actually perfect. Only downside IMO is that it looks a bit too tactical making it less attractive for everyday wear, but if you're only planning to wear it for training that's perfectly fine

Garmin Instinct 2 is well under $300 at many stores. Works fine. You aren't paying for looks.

Instinct 2 Cheap, hardy and long lasting (4weeks) battery. And has that Casio G-Shock feel too. Fits perfectly for lumberjacks too.

I use the Garmin Instinct 2 because it is the less smartphone like watch. I don’t want to spend my time outdoor looking at a color screen that reminds me of my phone. The Instinct 2 is basic but effective.

Had an Apple Watch for general life and fitness tracking, loved it, especially being able to go out running with just the watch and headphones. But, having to charge it every night was tiresome, the constant ping of notifications were annoying and I couldn't swim or shower with it. So I got an Instinct 2, which I've been wearing exclusively for 2 years. Just brilliant. It's basically a G-Shock with GPS. Simple screen, waterproof, bombproof, and the battery lasts 2 weeks, that's with 5 days worth of tracking runs and day to day use. Incredible. Plus it just looks like a watch.

mine instinct 2 lasts 19 days

What is your use case? I switched from Apple Watch to Garmin because I run, hike, cycle, and train in combat sports, and I want to get away from my phone while doing these activities. Additionally, I appreciate how long the battery lasts on my Instinct 2. I treat it as a fitness tracker not a smart watch. If you go a few times a week to a gym and want to have your phone features then get an Apple Watch. It's hard to advise properly without knowing your goals.  

I got a Garmin Instinct 2 around Black Friday 2024 for less than $200, I think $180. Works well and seems rugged and durable.

Swim 2 is good, but the Instinct 2 has so much more while still having the swim features.

I like my Instinct 2 for weightlifting. The bezel does a great job protecting the screen.

I've been wondering the same thing before buying my first Garmin. I think I'm going instinct 2 over 255 for the ruggedness (I do a few different adventure sports) and can't see a downside in the activity tracking abilities.

Ya. I have the same watch. Has never overheated. For sure weakens the battery, though. I normally place it on lower bench where it isn’t that hot and just check in every ten minutes or so

Been using a Garmin Instinct 2 for a couple years. Never had any issues and has a good price compared to other watches while still having more features than I will ever use.

Garmin instinct 2 💪

I use a Garmin Instinct 2 with [Gadgetbridge](https://gadgetbridge.org/).

I climb with my Garmin Instinct 2, which is pretty bulletproof so it doesn’t get scratched up. The data is nice.

I have the Instinct 2 and it's great. I think less is more in these watches.

My instinct 2 has been the best watch for me since it came out...(Had the original solar tactical then too) Had never let me down ever and I'm a mechanic.

If you just need GPS, use your phone. Any number of apps should be able to log distance travelled in the background. Aside from that, GPS has no practical application on fitness trackers without a screen - it's kind of a "who asked?" scenario. You could use a Garmin Instinct 2; they're pretty inexpensive now that the 3 series has come out, and you can set the screen to turn off after a short delay in the power saving settings.

My instinct 2 lasts for 27 days!

My Garmin Instinct 2 works wonderfully for swimming, even the wrist heart rate seems bang on which is surprising in the water.

Well the instinct 2 seems be on sale often at Amazon for under €200 and I love mine. I use it for tracking sleep, overall health, steps, weight training and running mostly.

I get around 30 hours with tracking active and indefinite without

I would consider getting a bike computer or just using strava for gps unless you really value heart rate monitoring. Watches aren’t very good for much outside of structuring and timing for gym workouts. I do similar activities to you and I would probably sell my watch if I didn’t run. Have an Instinct 2, battery has been really nice. I tend to passively remember to charge once a week or so and it works for me. Use GPS 7-10 hours a week and gym. Have 6” wrists with the standard, would not go any bigger.

FWIW I've had three Garmin over 6+ years (Fenix 6, Instinct 2 and now Epic Gen 2 Pro Sapphire) and have never had an issue with the OS or it crashing during activities or losing any of my data. I've been in a number of Garmin subreddits and have rarely seen problems with the OS. The only ones I can think of were immediately after the Fenix 8 release, but it seems those have been resolved as I don't see any posts on that anymore.

I had the Instinct 2 for a few years and with the 165 having a price drop "upgraded" to the 165. I like the color screen and it is lighter than the Instinct. I used my Instinct for tracking my walking and steps through out the day so I did not anything fancy. https://preview.redd.it/61zti7c6s52f1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa5df6410f5c1029e145aedfad12e5eca31aa012

I have used the watches apple watch ultra 1 and 2, Garmin instinct 1 and 2, Samsung Galaxy watch 5 pro, Galaxy watch 7, Galaxy watch ultra, and Garmin Fenix 6x, and Garmin Fenix 8. They all have their pros and cons. I can answer questions if you'd like just ask. But I would say either get a Garmin or polar fitness watch or if you want something with more of a smart watch features get the watch that matches your phones OS. The standard apple watches can be prone to scratching and cracking unless you get one with a sapphire face. The curved screen is hard to put a screen protector on but they do make them.

I agree with this take. It's also less flashy. I'm basically using it for heart rate monitoring and if at high altitudes I'll check my OX. I love the sunset and sunrise tracking. I also like the moon sunrise and phase tracker. The temp is pretty good too.

I’m not much of a runner - I cross country ski, I also commute by bike, and I like to track all the other random things I do (like kayaking, shoveling snow, walking or whatever). I’ve also started weight lifting recently (nothing major). The Instinct 2 has been pretty awesome for all that. I don’t need maps or music or anything other than data tracking, so Instinct is enough. It’s also pretty tough, so when I smack the face against a door frame walking into a room, it’s no big deal.

I had an Instinct 2 and I sold it because it was too bulky. Instead I got a Vivoactive 5 and have been quite happy with it. I wear it basically all the time.

maybe instinct series 2 or 3... with solar option if hiking multi days... lighter options like 45mm i2 solar for HR (lighter watches tend to give more precise HR results overall, especially recommended ones like i2)... good luck

If you're already in the Apple ecosystem then an Apple Watch will be good choice that's pretty straightforward to use. A Garmin Instinct2 is also a good, relatively low cost option, but you'll need to use the free Garmin Connect app on your iPhone to view your exercise data. The Garmin is more complicated to set up.

PS, battery life is 1-2 days on the Apple Watch and up to 28 days on the Garmin

People have to stop comparing these. These are for two different people. I would never wear an Apple Watch based on battery life alone. I specifically got the Garmin for a wrist based gps and mapping tool to track and orient myself. You buy an Apple Watch to use smart features and be connected to your phone. Garmin has never been in that market. It’s a whole company based on gps systems for outdoor activities . You buy an Apple Watch to have Apple ecosystem. you can’t use half the feature of the fenix on an iPhone bc they only want you to use their watch… Garmin are all specifically made for their audience even down the the model . Apple watches are just to keep you plugged into your phone and have no bearing on actual outdoor activities despite calling it ultra. The Millitary has been orienteering with Garmin wrist based gps systems forever. You’d never catch an Apple Watch on patrol in Afghanistan. 😂

If you want max battery life and don’t care about smartwatch features other than fitness tracking get the instinct series. There’s several options based off of your preferred display and it gets up to 28 days of battery with notifications turned off

You can’t go wrong with a Garmin. The Instinct series is very rugged and reasonably priced. The fenix series is also super rugged but is at a premium cost

If you don't want to charge your watch everyday, check out the Garmin Instinct series. Amazing battery life, even with activity tracking. It'll track your laps, distance, drill logging, the works.

Check out instinct series if you concerned with durability

The I3 circle has lots of quality and software issues. The square does not…..I have both, I know…. But hey, great battery life on the Instinct series.

those missing stuffs are available for the Instinct series. Altho gotta compromise with the black and white MIP display which is not everyone's favorite food.

I try to give you few options , -swim 2 : have everything for swimming but is really focus only on swimming, heart rate is really good , but if you want to do others sports than is lacking a lot. Have drills mode and don’t miss a lap normally. -Suunto run/run s , if you change the strap get an amazing hr underwater (outside of water is way worse ) 🤷🏻‍♂️, is perfect on lap counting , have integrations with Suunto aqua headphone who give you some extra metrics on head rotations ( is still a new come , so something isn’t perfect yet) , can use for any other sports , but doesn’t have any drills mode -instinct series , actually similar to swim 2 but less accurate on hr reading and sometimes miss laps , can do so many things outside water , huge battery , but as a swimmer I felt not worth for only swimming so I send it back - forerunner series , it come in 2 versions , the small 200 series (the last one is called 500) , and the 900 series , go for the smallest , is lighter have everything you need and more stuff you won’t ever use , for the fact is smaller it is more comfy to use in water and hr just little bit more accurate , never miss a lap , and got all function of swim 2 for swimming plus tons of functions for many sports - in conclusion I use many times the Suunto but because is missing the drills mode I go back to forerunner when I need it , than I still using swim 2 bought so many years ago , I use for css , but honestly just because I feel nostalgic on it , after swim with him for many years

The instinct series might interest you as well, as they are more rugged with very long lasting battery. I have owned one in the past, then jumped to Forerunner 955 for the maps, then to Epix - for the flashlight and AMOLED screen, and now to Fenix 8 for the voice commands, taking phone calls from the watch. The new instinct 3 series have the flashlight too, and the 2X might have it as well (don't quote me on that) Best of luck, they're all great watches!

I only wear my Garmin Instinct when actually out for a run, or working out. If I wanted something to track my stats throughout the day, I would look into a Whoop. They don't have a traditional display, so it probably wouldn't feel as much like you're wearing two watches.

I'm a big fan of the Garmin Instinct watches, but I do like and use more of the smart features like notifications and whatnot. Features I love: * completely and utterly water proof (almost everyone I know using an apple watch has killed at least one in the water) * The rubber band is different material from the fitbits, I find it a lot more comfortable and doesn't smell when I wear it while sweating a lot like some other watches I have * 30 day battery life, and they have a solar option I'd like to upgrade to which will net essentially unlimited battery life if you're outside or in bright light often enough * Music controls! I haven't used a fitbit in years now but I always missed that back then. * Timers and alarms, I find myself being a lot more organized with my timers when they're on my wrist and visible at all times * Actually good step tracking * Sleep tracking * Heart rate monitoring and resting heart rate * Exercise tracking and actually decent approx calorie burn estimates (I did the math with my CI and weight loss and found it lined up within a pretty good margin) * I use the compass a surprising amount * GPS tracking for hikes including good ascent tracking * Buttons instead of touch so it can be used while sweating buckets * A battery saving mode that boosts the already great battery life into the stratosphere * Automatic data import into the LoseIt app, which I use for calorie tracking Most of these are specifically things that I like a lot better than similar products I've used like fitbits and the google pixel watch lineup. I've never used an apple watch myself but my sister and previous partners have used them and I really don't jive with the interface, although they have all said the idea of having a streak of "closing their rings" sufficiently gamified the process such that they actually did more exercise.

Hi guys. What fitness trackers/wearables do you guys use when daily wearing your Omega’s? I’m quite big into the gym and tracking my health, fitness and lifestyle and for this I currently use a Garmin Instinct smart watch. I only really use it for HR, steps and sleep tracking. It does also tell me about my recovery and training readiness which I quite like. But, in December I treated myself to a SMP300 in Seaweed Green to celebrate a really great year I’d had in 2024…Married, had my first child and landed my dream job. So to me it was worth celebrating by purchasing my first luxury watch. My issue is that I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I’ve worn it. I didn’t buy it to collect dust in a box and be an expensive ornament, I bought it to wear! So with that, I’m wanting to ditch the Garmin and daily my SMP but still be able to track my fitness and lifestyle. So what wearables are you guys using or what do you recommend? So far I can only really find Whoop that ticks the boxes for me, the biggest thing is it being screenless. I don’t want to be that guy who wears 2 watches 😅. Any recommendations and personal experience are great appreciated! Cheers guys.

My garmin instinct does a good job. Garmin also makes chest straps that sync with your phone just like their watches do

The MIP display watches have the best battery life.

For running, the **Forerunners** win because they’re lighter, have better training tools (readiness, load, recovery, VO₂, etc.), and give you more run-specific metrics. The **Instinct/Fenix** are better for hiking/backpacking since they’re tougher, with longer battery and more rugged features. Animated workouts are more of a nice to have, useful if you like guided bodyweight or gym sessions, but most people don’t rely on them. Daily suggested workouts are hit or miss: they’re good for structure but not something to blindly follow. Maps are genuinely handy if you do trails or long hikes; on runs they’re mostly good for keeping you on a planned route. The 970 only records ECG if you start it manually, it doesn’t passively check like an Apple Watch. Smart features: you’ll see texts and calls, but RCS isn’t supported (just standard SMS/notifications). The mic/speaker are fine for quick replies or answering a call in a pinch, but not something you’d want to use all the time. Why Garmin? Mostly the depth of training metrics, reliability, and ecosystem, Coros and Suunto are good but Garmin still has the most polished data!!