Garmin - Instinct 3 – 50 mm, Solar

Garmin instinct crossover, 28 days battery life, 50 without constant hr measurement. Instinct 2x and instinct 3 solar 50mm have 40 days battery life, 70 without hr. And solar charging.

I downgraded to instinct 3 solar, because I want MIP and the instinct MIP screen is very bright. And because of battery life: 28 days in smartwatch mode in a 45mm case! And because it's much more comfortable to wear than a Fenix, is more resistant to scratches... I only (rarely) miss offline maps. But the breadcrumb navigation is great and much clearer to see than on the color MIP screen of the fenix I used to use.

Instinct has no maps. Enduro has maps and has a MIP screen. The Enduro maps are harder to see than the Instinct breadcrumb, because of several reasons: * the Enduro screen is dimmer, due to 1) colors, 2) sapphire * the breadcrumb trail is clearer, because it's high contrast black and white, while the Enduro trail is pink-purplish on a colored maps with lots of things going on. The picture show the difference. https://preview.redd.it/nzt2o5c9a4nf1.jpeg?width=2814&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e952c703a2cc52dd3f73f6cf0b4a88829ac0a397

The instinct had no touch screen. What actually makes the tactix 7dimmer is this: sapphire crystal, solar panel on top of the screen, colour screen, and maybe higher resolution. Maybe the touch screen too, but I don't think so.

From my quick 5 second search, tattoos will be a problem for all optical HR sensors so a Garmin watch will be just as problematic as an Apple watch if worn on a tattooed area. So a chest strap + bike computer would probably be a better idea. For me personally when I'm not tattooed yet, my Instinct 3 works perfectly for cycling.

Instinct 3 Solar. -6% in 80 hours after my first full charge so I estimate at least a month. I really need to update my software version so the watch itself can estimate it's battery life. It's just stuck at 11 days for now.

I have the 3 Solar 50 mm. It tracks HRV, It works well for overall fitness tracking like any other Garmin watch. In 15 days since last full charge it went down to 44% so if you do more activity tracking it should hold for like 3 weeks.

Garmin Instinct 3 solar, 50mm, or Instinct E if you are tight on budget. Works with Healthy365 and has impressive battery life. Expensive, but long lasting. (I got my first gen instinct lasted for 5 years before switching to the current Instinct3)

I have an instinct 3 solar, and im very happy with it, almoast a month of battery time ... with 3 to 4 times a week running and i live in belgium so not a lot of solar sharging

I have the outdoor Garmin 3 Solar so I do climb with it on. If it were any other watch I'd say no. I also wouldnt wear it crack climbing or anything lmao.

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.

I picked up an instinct 3 solar recently for an 8 day thru hike. Keep in mind that I was in New Mexico with lots of sun. It lasted the whole trip on a single charge which including 75 hours of tracking with 43 hours of movement.

I have the instinct 3 solar and the fenix 8 (mip of course) I use the instinct 3 more because I don't need so much nonsense, it's lighter and I like its aesthetics much better. The only thing I miss is that it doesn't have maps but it works perfectly for what you want!

I love my instinct 3 solar for long backpacking trips! Also has been good on my runs.

I use my Instinct 3 Solar for cycling - and along with the app Super Cycle, it’s everything I want/need. The metrics I want displayed are Watt Performance, KCAL burn, Heart Rate - and I want the map with route/location visible at all times too. My phone is mounted on the bike, and Super Cycle delivers the satellite and map data. The Garmin Instinct watch delivers heart rate, kcal burn and Watts. This works great for me, but since you haven’t elaborated on the metrics that matter to you, I can’t say if you will find this solution satisfactory. Regarding tattoos, I see Garmin people mention the same issue that Apple Watch has - it’s a pretty universal issue. But there might be differences.

I have the instinct 3 solar and it has the option of strength exercises

I have an Instinct 3 solar and it never gets above 11 days, fully charged. What am I doing wrong? Pulse ox is on demand.

This I've never heard of, I have the Garmin instinct 3 solar and it says it's rated for 10 atmospheres underwater, does it -not- have leak proof buttons? I can shower with this thing right???

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.

Instinct 2X or Instinct 3 Solar would love to be your best climb companion and they promised to be rugged and not easily scratched like the forerunner, Vivoactive or Venu. Fenix would like to concur to the above but it is worried about being a bigger hit to your wallet due to its price tag.

I would definitely go solar too, I much prefer MIP displays, they're insanely visible in direct sunlight, and I don't like having to rotate my wrist to turn the screen on and with the always on display on the battery life is horrible compared to any other instinct. My instinct 1st gen easily gets 2 weeks after years or usage and with a fresh battery the 3 AMOLED will mabey last a week

Garmin instinct 3 solar is the watch I got for this. Without even really changing much settings on the watch to preserve battery other then disconnecting it from my phone I get 4 days of gps recording when backpacking. The enduro 3 would have been my clove but it’s too big for my wrist. Use the optimity app to get a 20% coupon off for garmin watches. The watch batteries are small so charging them every few days is not much better at all. This lets me keep my iPhone in airplane mode and I get 4 or so days of battery off that.

I get 4 days of gps recording when backpacking 6-8hr days on my instinct 3 solar 45mm.

I wear my instinct 3 while bouldering. Never had an issue. I like recording my session and using the timer for rests in between try’s.

I have had the Enduro 3 and it is a great watch. Unless you are doing week-long backpacking trips or ultra >=100k… then the FR970 will be a solid option. The FR970 has a slimmer profile height (from the wrist) which is nice because it won’t hang up on (sliding on/off) gear straps, sleeves, etc. Also, the FR970 has a higher resolution screen which can provide greater map detail. But if you prefer the aesthetics of one watch over the other than that may be a deciding factor. ATM, I flip between an Apple Watch and a Garmin Instinct 3 solar. I use the Apple Watch when I want a slim lightweight watch for neighborhood runs and the instinct 3 for backpacking, hiking, kayaking, trail runs, etc. For me maps are not a critical factor and prefer breadcrumb navigation over a map on a small watch. Ever persons use case and preference will differ since there are so many watches on the market.

I agree 100%. If a person wants to be healthy either watch is fine. Most folks in this forum are garmin enthusiasts and really appreciate their watches. But at the end of the day, being fit is much more about the person wearing the watch than the watch itself. My current daily driver is a Venu 3/Fenix 7x/instinct 3 Solar/Apple Watch 10/Apple Watch Ultra 2.

I got instinct 3 solar. It seems alright for cycling and hiking. But it depends on what you are looking to get out of it. I don’t care much for live numbers staring at me all the time. So it is sufficient to look at the watch once in a while. I mostly look at post ride in strava and interval.icu

Enduro 3 is simply the king of Garmin’s line up at the moment. No question. Unless you need the dive / speaker stuff I’d be going for that. The 7X PRO Solar sapphire is a great second. Instinct 3X Solar takes the third spot. I’m a bit sceptical of Garmins future, kinda feels like they have peaked with the enduro 3. MIPS could be gone. Garmin connect plus. MICROLED 8 Pro at 2k USD with a 4 Day Battery. The buggy firmware. The terrible way they have rolled out LTE / Satellite. Their best days may be behind them.

I would go for the Instinct 3 but the solar version

Because of the battery life and the Mip screen

Better get the Instinct 3 Solar, much better solar panel

The day apple makes an actual ruggedized smart watch that can last longer than 2 weeks on a single charge is the day I’ll switch. Until then my Instinct 3S is my little pride and joy.

If i remember correctly swim 2 was very similar watch to fr245? (gen 3 sensor, outdated in 2025) instinct 3 amoled doesn't have touch and music but have flashlight and stronger built quality. i3 solar have small memory. fr265 have lover atm rating (if you go regularly to swimming poll there is good chance to cloge barometar hole after a year of swimming) and don't have flashligh. As usual with garmin: pick you poision. Both watches have 5 buttons, and swim drill log mode, that's good. Both watches have gen 4 sensor that is ok for average hr, but pretty slow to adapt to intervals. Gen 5 sensor is little better. In newer watch models i think there is swim coach but didn't track that part. 50mm i3 is probably to bulky for swim, but 45 i3 or 46/42 fr 265 should be ok size.

I'm a guy, and have the Instinct 3 Solar. It's definitely a bulk "rugged" watch, but it has the longest battery life. I hate wearing a watch that has to be charged every day. Based on your budget, the VivoActive 6 seems to fit right where you want. It gets great reviews and seems to be a "balanced" watch that monitors health and has some of the training features. It also is a very good looking watch that has a number of colors that are marketed toward women (which is entirely up to you to decide if it's important). You can still find the Vivoactive 5 and it is often on sale ($225 or so). It's a very good watch and does most of what the VivoActive 6 does. There is also the Lily 2, but it seems to be very targeted to women and seems to have a simplified interface. I did not look closely at the Lily 2, so I am only "marketing material" deep here. Definitely interested in what you learn, as I'd like to get one for my wife. Provided she's interested and likes it.

My Garmin Instinct 3 Solar has been great so far, in pool and open water. Had a 4 mile swim in a lake that looked pretty accurate, way better than I expected.

My Garmin Instinct 3 Solar (MIP display) has been doing great, tracked a 4.5 hour swim no problem. Does well in the pool too!

Garmin instinct 3 solar has been awesome for everything so far, and the solar charging is a plus. Coming from 3 Android smart watches (pixels and fossil) Garmin wins big time in battery life, I'm at like 27 days with O2 off, which I couldn't care less about anyways.

I just bought a instinct 3 solar. Great for running (no maps though) and rugged enough to take some hits at the gym. If maps are big for you though I would recommend the Forerunner 265 and higher or the Fenix series watches.

Yeah man I been using mine for two month. I just charged it for the second time and its holding up great. No regrets!

On sale on Amazon right now. I would pickup the 955 solar if I could afford it right now. I have Instinct 3 solar though, and it’s about the same watch functionally.

What works for you works for you :) 26M and i really wanted a Apple Watch at first but i purchased tje instinct 3 tactical solar 2 month ago and couldn’t be happier

Instinct 3 solar tactical or Fenix 7x pro is what I use for weight lifting.

That's the watch I have (instinct 3, solar tactical), It's fantastic, wife has one of the AMOLED versions. It's no worse than the AMOLED for looking at all the stats, as long as you don't absolutley need bright colors for some odd reason. The battery life and always on screen make it a clear winner for me. I use it for sports tracking (Mainly runs, hikes, gym and cycling) and checking my recovery needed. I can't see anything more you'd ever need in a watch, just seems perfect. I'd had the instinct crossover for a few years before I bought this and it's still in utterly perfect condition, battery is still amazing. I work a physical and messy job, and I've worn it to work every day expecting it to get rather messed up. literally looks brand new, and i've accidently scraped it down brick walls and all kinds of sillyness. I only upgraded because I fancied trying out a solar one and loved the look of the tactical.

Enduro 3 ~40 days (although lately my battery has been draining about 5-10% daily or at least it seems that way despite having not worn it in a while) Instinct 3 Tactical Solar ~40 days Tactix 7 Pro ~25 days

For that budget definitely the Instinct Tactical 3 Solar. Great watch! If budget was more flexible, I’d vouch for the Tactix 8 Solar that also just came out. More of a premium (Apple Watch comparison) for the fitness + everyday aspects. I also have Tactix and love it so far.

What Garmin claims and real world texts are not the same. Real world texts are showing the 3 to have worse battery than the 2x

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/instinct-3/404601/instinct-2-45mm-solar-vs-instinct-3-45mm-battery-life It is not the only place that has done tests, and found it worse or just the same. The YouTube "reviewers" only state the Garmin spec and don't actually test it. Probably because they want to keep getting watches to review. Perhaps it has been fixed with firmware, but I find it interesting that you can't find anyone showing how much it has improved the battery life. If it really was that much more people would be talking about how it is improved. That has not happened.

My almost 10 year old Forerunner 735XT lasts longer than that, even if I keep it on during showers and record my commute to work and back every day. Newer, more powerful Garmin watches, like the Enduro 3 or Instinct 3, are even more impressive.

I looked into this myself the last few weeks. Samsung galaxy eatch(ultra) is allright but not as good as Garmin. At least that's what revieuws of the watches told me. Samsung is more good in the smart part. Not necessary the fitness/sport industry. I've chosen the Garmin instinct 3. Not only for fitness purposes but also for hiking.

The fenix can do everything you’ve listed and of course more. Mid-range alternatives like instinct would cover everything as well except for the diving part. If you have the budget go for the Fenix. I settled for Instinct 3 myself because of budget. It’s not my first smartwatch but it’s my first Garmin and it’s the best I’ve ever had especially for fitness/outdoor. Yes, it has the fishing app 😀 I would say Garmin is a great choice for a first smartwatch for active people like yourself. However, if budget would have allowed (ie If I didn’t mind a divorce) I would have gone for the Fenix 8.

A few weeks ago I mentioned I’d be racing an olympic distance triathlon with a stack of wearables strapped to me. Well, I did it, and here are the (raw) results. **TL;DR:** Raced a tri with WHOOP, Polar360, Helio strap, Garmin Instinct 3, and Oura Ring 4. Polar was the most reliable, WHOOP decent but spiky in swim, Helio finicky about placement, Garmin surprisingly messy, Oura useless for sport. For anyone not familiar, Olympic distance triathlon is: 1. 1.5km swim 2. 40km bike 3. 10km run On the right arm I had the (from top) **WHOOP MG, Polar360, and Helio strap** stacked up. On the left, the **Garmin Instinct 3** and **Oura Ring 4**. I looked ridiculous (but not more than everyday since I wear them all constantly), but I was curious to see how they’d compare across swim, bike, and run in real race conditions. [Hybrid athlete xD](https://preview.redd.it/9cm22jzi1rmf1.jpg?width=2784&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1612dd2a8e3c8635dce07ca55eebcdae111b9dc5) Here’s how it went: * **Swim:** I got both legs cramped at 1km mark. Thoughts of DNF were running through my head, but I really wanted to see the comparison (:P), so I prevailed and swam the last 500m with my arms only, dragging my uselessly cramped legs behind me. * WHOOP thought I was hitting 200 bpm most of the time (I wasn’t). * Polar, Helio, Garmin seem all decent, in similar range, although knowing my HR from many other swims, I'd say that Polar was the most accurate. * Oura basically zoned out for the full race. * **Bike:** When I finally got my legs moving again, the bike leg went smoothly. Hit a steady 34km/h avg pace. I could've pushed more, as my HR was between 150-160, but I was afraid of losing my legs again. * Helio struggled at first, underreporting HR badly (I noticed on my bike computer that it was connected to), until I moved it higher up my arm mid-ride. After that it snapped back in line. * Polar and WHOOP held strong. * Garmin was all over the place with noisy spikes. . * **Run:** This was actually the easiest leg for all wearables, and myself. By the end of the run the different devices were surprisingly aligned, except Oura that was again useless. https://preview.redd.it/ksy9407u2rmf1.png?width=1041&format=png&auto=webp&s=1166550aacc3f9fa1a3ef6103ac11df633f907f9 https://preview.redd.it/fb61lg483rmf1.png?width=1054&format=png&auto=webp&s=a5c716a5d4c68f3b38dffa08797792eac9cd2045 Overall impressions: * **Polar360** was the most reliable of the bunch. I was definitely not expecting that! * **WHOOP** is decent but not flawless, especially in water. It had the best arm placement of all the wearables, so there should be no excuses (I know some people will find many). * **Amazfit Helio** started with a disadvantage of being the lowest on the wrist, when moved up, was decent. In my opinion better than WHOOP, worse than Polar360. * **Garmin Instinct 3** really surprised me with how messy the HR data was. I am very negatively surprised with these results.  * **Oura Ring 4** confirmed what most of us already know: great for sleep and recovery, not for sport. My current band rating: 1. Polar360 2. Helio strap 3. WHOOP 4. Garmin 5. Oura Why did I do this? Mostly curiosity — and partly because I’m working on a side project (reThrive) where we’re digging into how different devices capture performance and recovery. I figured some of you here would appreciate raw, messy comparisons like this too. Next on my list is to look at how each of these devices calculates **recovery scores** over the last month and see if they align at all. If you’re interested, I’ll share those results too. I will also be racing a half-marathon later this month, also wearing them all. And will post the update here as well.

an entire month battery life.. without solar. The screen has more contrast than the fenix 7 pro. Has all the features on connect that you would on the fenix. The only "bad" thing about it is it uses elevate 4 instead of the 5. I'd trade for a instinct 3 if I didnt already have the fenix. I hike a lot as well and tracking with the fenix doesnt last as long as the instinct.

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

I’ve tried both and have to say that the Instinct 3 is probably the better deal for most people. It was heavily criticized after release, but among the more recent models, it offers excellent value for money. The advantages of the Forerunner 570 compared to the Instinct 3 are music storage, the newer heart rate sensor (with skin temperature tracking but no ECG), the brighter display, and the ability to take calls or use voice commands. On the other hand, the Instinct 3 is more rugged, has a built-in flashlight, and even in the smaller AMOLED version, offers significantly better battery life. Most people don’t make calls with their watch, the older heart rate sensor has never caused me any issues, and the Instinct 3’s display is bright enough. That leaves music storage and skin temperature tracking. The latter isn’t very well integrated and can’t even be viewed on the watch itself. The lack of music storage is definitely a drawback, but if you can live with that, the Instinct 3 offers almost the same functionality, has a more exciting look, the incredibly useful flashlight, and insane battery life.

It’s got everything I wish the Instinct3 had. So I got one too a few months ago. Love it.

Go look for a used Instinct 3, they have about 18d of battery, provide good map support and tracking. If used heavily youll get around 10days of battery. https://preview.redd.it/x7p9usmsqrlf1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=3b5f05bb3c79b1d640bc50fcd76dd1a60e4854f1 Here's a preview of after hike mapping. Fenix have a really nice map aswell but they are way out of your budget.

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

I had the 265, but because of my work, I switch to the Instinct 3. As far as I can tell, both watches offer all the same metrics. I love the fact that I don't have to baby the watch at all, and the flashlight is a big plus.

I know it has the running coach, but I'm not sure about the strength coach. (I can check if you need me to) I only use it for running, and it's been great.

https://preview.redd.it/cz6dvr2ivpjf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bee44cea3de87c7c6e6965a61eccbe1800a510a Shout out to Instinct 3 - 71% battery with 30 days to go.

Yes. For an Ultra I think you'd be looking at the Enduro or Instinct Solar. You could also consider the Fenix 7 Solar or Forerunner 955. Gotta look at the battery life. Solar per se doesn't necessarily do much, it's more that these watches are lower-power or bigger-battery too.

Garmin's comparison tool is pretty good. Off the cuff, if you don't care about maps and don't have a power meter for your bike, the Instinct 3 doesn't give up much to the fancier models. The Forerunner 970 and Fenix 8 are going to have the most sports features if you're ready to go full send on price. (I'm not.)

Oh! Yeah, I'd be pretty confident in how well any of them with onboard GPS track. Including the Instinct line.

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

I am not surprised by these results at all. Garmin has been failing at HR data for a while now, you need a chest stra for activities to get good data. Garmin is falling behind and relying on their reputation, their direction has changed in the last couple of years. Whoop no surprise there, well known to have janky heart rate data.

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!!

I’d go **Forerunner 265** unless you expect to abuse your watch heavily (workshop, construction, etc.). It tracks gym, jogging, swimming, sleep, and stress beautifully and it looks sleek. The **Instinct 3** is built tough (rugged, reliable), but you’ll sacrifice some of the nicer interface and comfort of the 265. If your environment’s mostly benign (gym + pool + light outdoor), the 265 gives you more daily joy. If you’ll drop it, bang it, leave it in harsh places, the Instinct’s durability becomes appealing

The problem is the Rangeman is basically inferior in every way compared the Instinct 3. Don’t get me wrong I love a Rangeman but it’s time Casio upped their game.

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.

I've been a Garmin user for years. Tried an Apple Watch 10 when I picked up a cheap iPhone to play with. The watch lasted a little over 1 day. I just couldn't get into a good routine trying to charge it at some point every day. A top-up during a shower just wasn't enough over the course of a week. My Garmin Instinct 3, for comparison, last 39 DAYS between charges. Now, whilst that seems like a no-brainer, a lot of it comes down to use case. I wear a smart watch to gather my health stats; steps, floors, calories, heart rate etc, and also to get a good measure of my sleep. The Garmin excels at all of that and the Garmin app is great for insights into what is going on. However, if you are going to use the watch to perform some functions to save getting your phone out and use some of the apps, the Apple Watch is beyond comparison. There are so many things you can do from the watch easily that Garmin struggles with and there are more apps available for the Apple Watch compared to just about any other watch out there. If that's the kinda thing you want a smart watch for, then it's Apple Watch all the way and you just have to figure out a good routine for power management that works for you.

Realy? You compare a Ultra with your Instict 3 ? Wow …

I am an archetypal long-term Apple ecosystem devotee. I am sharing this to help anyone else who may be locked into the Apple ecosystem, but is considering a switch to Garmin. I have a MacBook, iPad, AirPods, AppleTV and until recently an Apple Watch. I have had different Apple Watches since they launched, the Series 1, 3 and lastly an 8. I didn't really ever consider switching until my Apple Watch battery started giving me battery warnings at about 7pm (from starting the day on full charge at 6:30am). I would use it all day for health tracking, notifications and workouts, but not for sleep tracking as I had to charge it overnight. I recently upgraded to the Garmin Instinct 3, which is about $850 in Australia. This is in comparison to the $1,200 I was going to spend to upgrade to the titanium Apple Watch 10 instead. I was super on the fence about switching. I was mostly worried about poor integration with the Apple ecosystem. After having the Instinct for about 6 weeks, here are my reflections. # Good bits: * **Battery life is amazing** \- even with AOD I get about 6 days on full charge. Charge time is also amazing - it seems to take no time to take it off whilst I am at my computer and charge it 100% for another 6 days * **The sleep score and body battery is a game changer** \- It is insane how much this has helped me with better habits in just 6-weeks. I can see the difference in my sleep and body battery even if I have two alcoholic drinks at an event or with dinner, or if I have too much caffeine too late in the day. It is helping me understand the effects of these actions on other parts of my life more explicitly. * **Workout tracking** \- workout tracking is epic. I would like maps on the Instinct 3 so hopefully that comes out in a future firmware release. * **Form factor** \- The Instinct 3 form factor (combined with a better strap than the default) is a lot more interesting and versatile than the Apple Watch slab of glass on your wrist. The flashlight is a nice and useful inclusion too. # The okay bits: * **Integration is mostly fine** \- for my use case, getting notifications from iPhone and integrating with HealthKit seems to do 90% of the job. I don't miss the touch screen of the Apple Watch as much as I thought I would, and I didn't even really use Siri or respond to messages via my watch so I don't miss those features. # Bad bits: * **The UI is so bad** \- I can't believe a massive company such as Garmin has mid-2010's UI on both the watch and Garmin app. The graphs, data presentation and navigation is about 1000 points lower than Apple Health. It is so unappealing it looks like it was created by an accountant. * **The watch faces are very limited** \- the stock watch faces on the Instinct 3 are pretty garish and need customization to look okay on your wrist. The level of customization they have could also be improved. Even the watch faces to purchase on Garmin Connect are mostly unappealing. * **Missing exercise rings** \- I do miss my Apple Health Rings. I think it is a novel way of ensuring you have a balanced day of activity. I think Garmin needs to introduce something similar, which complements the idea of the body battery in a helpful, easy and visual way. * **The physical size of Garmin watches** \- I liked the idea of getting a Fenix due to the upgraded sensor and added other features, however I am a relatively small guy and it looked absolutely ridiculous on my wrist. Like a go-go-gadget watch. The 45mm Instinct 3 is perfect, but I feel like Garmin needs to offer better size alternatives for other models. Overall I am super happy with the switch and expect unless Apple Watch brings out something remarkably different than the current line-up I will stay with the Garmin Instinct line for a while. If you are tossing up on switching from Apple Watch I would highly recommend it!

Sooo I'll start in general... Garmin is a great option for you except for weight training if you use your watch for more than just basic hr recording during an activity. I use Hevy (paid subscription) while I workout but start a strength training activity on my Garmin to get hr data. Depending on your budget and the Instinct 3 is a good option, however not having maps will not be great for hikes. If you are looking to do hikes i suggest the Fenix 7 or Epix gen 2 ( there are pro versions of those watches which include newer hr sensors and an ecg sensor) Getting certified refurbished items from eBay is a great option.

Love this breakdown; this is the kind of real-world testing we all want but rarely get. Polar sneaking in as the most reliable is wild, especially since most people default to Garmin for sports. Also confirms what a lot of us suspect: WHOOP is solid but still has blind spots (especially in water), Oura is basically just a sleep tracker, and Garmin isn’t as bulletproof as its reputation. Huge respect for strapping five devices on during a tri — that’s some true hybrid-athlete-meets-mad-scientist energy. Please keep posting updates, especially the recovery score comparison. This is gold.

Go for it. It's my very usecase. Calisthenics, walking and running. I have had it on for 25d and it's still got 6% battery. That's what I'd call a watch!

It’s not wild at all, Polar HR straps are solid from experience. Even the optical ones such as the Verity Sense. And in this case, the Garmin Instinct 3 is using an older generation heart rate sensor.

Garmin Instinct 3 is good. Basic display with no touchscreen, which I find much easier to view and control when kiting. Also gets much better battery life than my Fenix did. One of those situations where less is more

Have you considered the 265s? I also have fairly tiny wrists and the 265 looked the same. The 42mm case of the 265s is perfect for me as I like to record my sleep metrics. If you are interested in ruggedness, maybe have a look at the Instinct 3. But those are a fair bit bulkier.

I got the new Instinct 3. It’s freaking incredible. I love it so much more than my Fenix 7 Pro Solar.

I’m a big fan of the AMOLED. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to see the screen as well in bright sunlight, but it turns out that’s not a problem at all. I get the same battery life as before (about 18 days), because I was never outside long enough to get any benefit from the solar functionality. The UI is pretty much the same, but prettier. I think the flashlight is better, and for me, it looks better on my wrist at 45mm vs the Fenix’s 47mm (I have small wrists). I would equate this as a sturdier version of the Epix 2.

Hey man, would recommend on of the 255 or 265 series for a good value/price. If u are more of a rougher person I would pick the instinct 3.

Yep, had a FR 255 and moved to the I3, great sports watch with almost 1 month of battery life

TBH - not shocked about the Garmin. I have found with them the wearables are nothing more than a data collector for GPS & other monitors (HR strap, cadence, speed etc) - that they excel in. In my experience the heart rate monitor on the device itself is average at best. Fantastic break down post BTW!

For mine, Whoop is best for overall metrics - strain/recovery/sleep - as well as application interface. Great for day to day and normal training. Garmin is best at actual training/event data for say a run/ride/tri etc when paired with a HR strap (cadence, speed and power sensors too). But then you don't get the most out of it until you export the data to Strava or similar as the Garmin app is not great.

If Enduro 2-3 is out of the price limit of yours, give a try for Garmin Instinct series. The Instinct 3 series just got relased, so the 2 and 2X Solar series should become cheaper just now.

You should check out the newly released Instinct 3 series too. I think they have more mapping features maybe? Not sure. But maybe you NEED to spend more, so go for the Enduro. I don't have experience with that. I have an Instinct 2X Tactical.

The Instinct 3 is perfect for you if you don’t need maps on the watch. It can load a breadcrumb trail but doesn’t have topo maps overlays. Otherwise look for the previous generation of the Fenix’s, ie. Pro or non- Pro 7’s or Epix. The other option is to check out one of the Forerunner series that has maps. Again previous versions are cheaper than the latest. The features gap between current versions of Garmins and previous versions aren’t that great in its core functionality.

The instinct 3 fitness aspect is going to be just as good. It’s a fitness tracker first.

It’s the best bang for your buck in my opinion. I can’t speak on the tactix cause I’ve never had one. I’m sure it’s just as amazing as everyone else is saying.

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!

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!

pretty much everything outside of wear os will give you that - but if you want to stay within wear os then your best option is a oneplus (up to 4-5 days or you can switch over to their own operating system and get up to 16 - though no access to google services including any installed apps/watch faces). There is also amazfit, fitbit, xiaomi, garmin, coros, polar, suunto, and huawei where you will get +7 days and in most cases somewhere between 10-16 days. Of course there is also the garmin instinct 2 or 3 solar - assuming you don't mind a b&w mip screen, and get up to 3hrs of 50k lux light per day - based on your usage you may not have to charge the battery for years....

garmin instinct 2/3 solar - very very long battery, good health metrics and very good tracking capabilities. Con - looks a bit like a casio g-shock.

I took a Garmin Instinct Solar in 2022 and loved having it. I used a small USB-C adapter-dongle to charge the watch and carried either one or two 10,000mAh power banks, along with an iPhone and InReach Mini 2, so similar power demands. While watch settings were heavily changed to optimize battery life, I was able to keep GPS and heart rate tracking active. I don't recall a single day where I ran out of battery after pausing during big breaks like lunch, and didn't find it annoying to do so. The stats were useful for managing my heart rate when things were tough, knowing roughly where I was (mileage or elevation-wise) without needing to check FarOut, and helped me understand and develop my pacing and pacing prediction accuracy (short legs). I've also found the data to be great post-trail. Sometimes, I'll look at my trail journal and have a question about the day (weather, distance, difficulty, start/stop location, detours or side-quests, etc.) - days can blur together, or specifics can become vague over a couple of thousand miles and 100+ days. The tracking provides answers if not strong hints. As a stupid but personally worthwhile example, I used this info to drive hours east to an access road north of Truckee and visit a camp spot I couldn't remember, despite speaking to multiple people in the group, even after looking at their photos and videos 😂

This! I have a Garmin instinct Solar and I can’t wear it all the time because it starts rubbing my skin off. lol

While I agree having come from a Garmin instinct solar with incredible battery life. The pixel watch 4 needs to be charged every ~2 days and has fast charging. So take it off, pop it on the charger, have a shower and it's back to 100%. It's seriously impressive.

Same. I still rock an original instinct solar. Love having all the basic stuff and the solar is super helpful. If I needed maps I have a forerunner 955 as well.

I use Garmin Instinct Solar and pretty happy about it :)

man fuck Garmin on the ass. my very first fitness watch instinct solar was a pita since the first year. worked great a few months and then charging issues and after a few weeks, randomly dying while tracking workouts. oh also it bloody changed hr depending on the workout chosen??? I asked customer support about these issues and they're like meh . this single watch haa completely put me off from fitness watches so ty Garmin:)

garmin forerunner (255 or 265 are good choice )or instinct series both have solar models if you want even more battery, or garmin fenix 7 or 8 but they are bit more expensive. also coros pace 3 its a great price to performance sport watch with great battery life

Garmin. I started with the original instinct solar, but now have a Fenix 7, edge bike computer, garmin scale, garmin heart rate strap... garmin has always just worked for me without a ton of work or research to figure out how it works. It's all very intuitive for me. I also love using garmin connect to have all my data from cycling, running, and working out in one place without having to import and export stuff from different apps or devices.

Can accept / decline calls for the phone on the phone Can reply to text and calls with prewritten / selectable texts (up to 10 I believe?) No LTE Yes, via Garmin IQ App (although most don't work on the instinct solar watches specifically) No smart assistant It has SOS functionality that (as far as I know) doesn't react to falls, but to a rapidly declining heart rate

I like the instinct solar, I’m on my 2nd. It’s does what you you need for the events you mentioned.

I have a solar instinct and between May and September I never have to charge it.  November to February is once every 2 weeks though. If I lived in Denver with those sunny winters, I don't think I'd ever have to charge it.

I only use my Instinct Solar for exercise (running, mtn biking, weight training) and activities such as hiking, skiing, and kayaking. I don't care about data for sleep or steps. My actual digital watches for daily wear/style are G-Shocks.

My IS is a black & white MIP screen, non-touch. Altimeter and barometer and compass (ABC). More butch design and more shock, cold, heat dust and dirt resistant. Feature set more for stuff INCLUDING running. More suited backpacking and hiking which I've used it for a fair bit. Great tool watch despite the side-eye from my G-Shocks... FR55 has a bright AMOLED screen, touch, designed with running features (I guess cadence, stride length, recovery etc.). ALSO, I guess more smartwatch-y. My take is that if you're primarily interested in getting to be a better runner then FR is absolutely the way to go. No sane person would call me a "runner"; hence the IS. Mothers' cover their children's eyes when I plod by...

I’ve always been more of a g-shock style watch girly - I think a ‘masculine’ watch looks really cute on women! Plus, for practicality purposes it really just can’t be beat… a little solar charging boost for those longer outdoor activities, smart watch features, and the garmin data for all the metrics my mind desires. I prefer a MIPS display vs OLED, and didn’t want something touchscreen, so this one really checked all the boxes for me. I’ve had a Fitbit, and a Whoop band, back in 2018-2021, and I had a harder time wearing them consistently because it just didn’t have everything I needed. If you want to add a little color to yours, you can always change your watch bands! Green, blue, purple, grey; all would look good with a black watch face. Might help it feel a little jazzier for you. If you like it, wear it, girl! https://preview.redd.it/wao8xc2p75sf1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=10abd41934e14875a61af55f4122cafdcd51da10

My guess would be Instinct 1 or any of the solar variants, and that's purely because it has the most efficient screen (MIP) of the entire lineup, and screen is the biggest power hog. Solar variant offers solar charging on top of that. Enduro is probably up there, but if you try to maximize both battery life on both, I think Instinct will come up on top. Instinct 1 is very bare bones, so keep that in mind.

My Garmin instinct solar has been going 8months with no charge yet. Although prob not a smart watch?

A Garmin solar can last an infinite time I guess. I’m going 8 months now on one charge.

Garmin instinct solar. It’s like a Casio gshock. Had a nice mbip display

Garmin instinct solar. Hard to beat

Very very few people on this earth do 15hr workouts for 45 days straight. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t even bother with any of the regular garmins and would opt for something like an instinct solar. But your experience is such an edge case that 95% of sports watches wouldn’t really work lol

This all the way. I have the instinct solar, had it years, been on many adventures, plus it’s a normal size and looks like a g-shock what’s not to like

Late to the conversation but I love my Garmin instinct solar. Battery is easily 14+ days and it tracks sleep, workouts, altitude, and a plethora of other outdoor activities. Their app with it is pretty good too 

Solar isn't really worth it honestly, at least for me. I'm outdoors quite a bit but when the battery lasts 2-3 weeks already solar really isn't necessary.

I hated smartsatches, especially those AW or Samsung, because battery life was useless. Then I got an Instinct Solar, 23 days of charge and all the health and sport capabilities were as good or better than AW but I missed the colour screen so I got a Epix Pro and it have it all, 6 to 7 days of battery life with always on display, 15 days without it. Oled screen, sapphire cristal, and everything I need. Never come back to other regular brand.

Garmin Instinct Solar has good battery life and is a nice addition - not essential by any means but useful.

Garmin instinct solar any version. Long batt life including solar charging, heart rate and calories. It has a digital watch face instead of a colour screen but the navigation works great when you make courses. Best watch I've ever owned.

I only own the first version, the instinct solar. For me, and it's my personal opinion. Oled screen not worth it. I think instinct watches must bee entry point no maps devices. The price is very close to other better models...

I have a Garmin instinct solar and I really like it. Before this I had a vivoactive and also liked it, but never climbed with it. I also run and do indoor bouldering. I’m not as concerned about tracking when I boulder, there is an activity for it where I’ll do one warm up route and just leave it on a break for the rest of my time climbing. The instinct is not a touch screen (which I actually really love) and it’s super durable. The watch clasp has gotten scratched up but the face is still fine after nearly a year of climbing inside with it. I’ve cooled off on my lifting with climbing, and was never that into it, but the strength activity isn’t horrible at keeping track of exercises. You can edit the activity afterwards to get the exact rep/weight/exercise, but some of the smartIQ exercise guesses are pretty accurate (ie a recent workout guessed pushups correctly, but also classified tricep dips as pushups). The solar add on is pricey and I don’t know if I’d recommend it, but the base option is pretty reasonable Cons for garmin: sleep isn’t super accurate, some data breach issues, a lot of grumbling that the Garmin+ subscription may be pushed on people in the future for things like updates and access to features Pros: easy to use, good tracking for running/hiking, instinct is very durable, lots of activities to chose from (cardio, indoor climbing/bouldering, runs, strength, swimming), fun metrics like HRV, training load, and vo2 max, decent battery life

I've got a Garmin Instinct Solar and it works well for basic xc - time distance elevation heartrate (from wrist) good enough for me - easy to wear and fits under my sleeves. It's more that I wear it everyday and it happens to be good at skiing..

I love my Garmin instinct solar. Battery life of a month

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.

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.

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

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.

Plastic? Okay you’ve never used a good Garmin. They’re all saphire glass with titanium lol. Apple Watches lose roughly 6-8% from tracking sleep (lol). My Garmin solar doesn’t even use 2% daily.

solar garmin. everything i need, nothing i don't. paired with a polar HRM.