Garmin - Instinct 3 Solar
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 15, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
184
24
"I am a power lineman, so I needed a rugged watch that could get banged around, be exposed to energized high voltage, and very harsh conditions. The TREX has worked flawlessly through all that."
"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. ... instinct is very durable"
"tanky ... Only thing you really lose is a touch screen but that's better for it's ruggedness and water resistance."
100
21
"It will last through 3 good days of hiking while using the GPS, if each day is like 7-8h of hiking, and it goes some sun exposure."
"really happy with the tracking and training guidance it provides. ... Apple’s insights don’t even come close to the detailed analysis and guidance I get with Garmin."
"It's tough and has never failed me on a run or any tracked activity."
300
22
"the battery lasts 2 weeks, that's with 5 days worth of tracking runs and day to day use. Incredible."
"16 days battery life on my fenix. ... The other aspect I really appreciate about my fenix is the battery life. 16 days or so. With everything I have to change these days (laptops, mice, keyboards, headphones, watches, phones), I appreciate not having to worry about it too often."
"Oh, and the battery lasts days even when exercising a lot (weeks without excercise)."
12
2
"I much prefer MIP displays, they're insanely visible in direct sunlight"
"the screen, which is not the awful LCD/LED stuff that most watches have. It's clear in all conditions, and extremely durable."
"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."
10
3
"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."
"The Garmin excels at all of that ... 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."
"it tracks sleep, workouts, altitude, and a plethora of other outdoor activities."
Disliked most:
21
128
"I had the same problem and returned them."
"The Sony headphones did not fit properly ... I lost one pair"
"The fit just doesn't feel right ... its heavy after an hour of use so who cares about battery life ... may as well get some over ears for comfort."
20
47
"I used to find that wrist HR sucked for rowing"
"the hr reading is incorrect. ... 20 dollars band from Samsung does a better job"
"The discrepancy is much higher for HR than running dynamics. ... I think it is straight up irresponsible to rely on wrist-based HR is you’re using HR as a part of training"
1
6
"the problem with the maps is that there aren't any. ... The breadcrumb think can work ok in the city, especially if you have a backup device, and not for cycling. Super hard on hiking trails that tend to have forks as opposed to really distinct, right-angle intersections."
"not having maps will not be great for hikes."
"The only thing I miss is that it doesn't have maps"
1
3
"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."
"No smart assistant"
"No LTE"
0
2
"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. ... I should have focussed more on the UI on the Garmin app - that is mostly my issue. I dont find the Watch UI too clunky but the Garmen App UI seems pretty behind the times."
"you’ll sacrifice some of the nicer interface and comfort of the 265."
"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."
All true except advanced metrics. They are also present in Fenix (it has even more features for hiking) and Instinct. Forerunner is not more advanced. The rugedness is mostly about the bezel. In fenix and instinct it has a rim which gives extra protection to the screen. But that means rugged watches are more bulky what can be a problem in the gym. The real question is lightness of forerunner vs battery life of fenix /instinct
r/GarminWatches • Too many watch models ->Had AW 6, 7, 10... Had Garmin Fenix 7 somewhere between AW... Now with Garmin instinct 3. ALl has pros and cons. none is perfect. For me it's great to switch from time to time... I would happily do the same between iphone and android, but the cost of switch in terms of software is crazy...
r/GarminWatches • AW to Garmin - and maybe back?? - be honest ->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
r/GarminWatches • Best Garmin for Military Purpose ->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.
r/GarminWatches • Best Garmin for Military Purpose ->Garmin instinct is often with me, only thing I do is turn my watch the other way bc the radiant heat from my stove cooks it and heats my arm up. The max I've seen the sensor say is 113, that's when it's 200+, average is about 104, your body temp will help moderate the watch temp. In the gym saunas is usually more of 108 max on the sensor. It goes in the hottub with me at 104 as well, garmin just makes solid products.
r/Sauna • Do you wear your smart watch / fitness trackers in the sauna? ->The main thing I was looking for with mine was battery life. I might have overcompensated after dealing with Apple Watch battery life, but still. I have the Garmin Instinct with the black and white screen and solar charging and it is probably the longest lasting model It was 28 days out of the box, and I believe that’s assuming no sun on it.
r/flying • Smartwatch ->Given that sleep is super important + you hike/backpack often, I’d go with the Garmin Instinct 3 (or equivalent) if your budget allows. It gives you the features you’d use, will hold up on trails and give better data than basic trackers. If you find a deal on the Coros APEX 2 Pro and you’re willing to stretch, it’s a premium move. More watch recommendations - https://alaskanarrows.com/best-smartwatches-in-2025-for-hiking-and-running/ For me personally is battery being a big pain point. The more features they cram in, the more I’m stuck charging every day like it’s a second phone which is one reason I always drift back toward Garmin for hiking and outdoor stuff because at least they last longer and actually track elevation and terrain in a way that makes sense. But even then, the UI can be clunky and the “insights” still feel vague unless you’re already someone who knows what HRV actually means.
r/hikinggear • Recommendations for smart watches??? ->The garmin instinct is for forest people, the longest battery life for backpackers.
r/Strava • Most energy efficient way to Strava several days of backpacking? ->Instincts are not good for strength in my experience
r/Garmininstinct • Planning to buy instinct 2 solar, need advice of workout tracking ->Instinct will do you fine. I have one I take camping and backpacking. It’s the original instinct and it works great. My everyday watch is geared for the gym, but the only thing it really does that my instinct doesn’t is hold onboard music
r/Garmin • i dont run, i mostly walk/hike and do some gym stuff. should i get Instinct or another Garmin? ->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.
r/Garmin • Apple Watch Ultra 3 after 8 years of Garmin, 24 hours review. ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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