Garmin - Instinct 2 - Standard Edition (45mm)

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.

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

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. 

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'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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

Personally don't like mine. Had it for less than a year and having issues with connecting to the GPS and overall GPS accuracy. Activities are off by anywhere from .05 miles to .50 miles...I've also tried messing around with the tracking settings to no avail. I think it's a great watch with loads of functionality, but the GPS issues caused me to move on from the product and buy something else.

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.

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.

I do miss that 30 day battery life

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.

Probably something like Instinct 2 or Forerunner 255. Go for the 955 if you can find it for a good price, its a great watch too and has maps while the other two don't. Instinct 2 has Garmin Explore integration though.

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!

I love my garmin instinct 2 !

Budget: Instinct 2. No color touch screen, no solar, but long battery life. I used mine for running & swimming for months, and an occasional hike. Works like a champ!

I mostly use my HRM Pro+ when swimming. There have been a couple of times when I forgot it both with my Instinct 2 and my Enduro 2, and they both seemed to capture similar data to the HRM. If it's really important though, I'd recommend getting an HRM. They're not too expensive, and they are FSA/HSA eligible if you're in the US.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Garmin instinct 2 💪

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

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 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.

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

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.

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

Garmin ecosystem is chocked full of goodness. Since I run and cycle, it’s great for multi sport. A lot of folks who only run seem to love Coros watches and their environment. I think either of those (with Strava integration) would be an improvement over your Apple Watch.

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. 😂