Garmin - Instinct 3 Solar
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Jan 5, 2026 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."
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 ->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 😂
r/PacificCrestTrail • Do you record your PCT thru-hike on a fitness tracker / smartwatch? ->I've took the Instinct 3 Solar to replace my Forerunner that replaced my Apple Watch. 15+ days battery battery life with Solar. Would I turn off some sensor readings through the day, I would get 30 at least.
r/garminforerunner • Goodbye Apple Watch! ->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??? ->This! I have a Garmin instinct Solar and I can’t wear it all the time because it starts rubbing my skin off. lol
r/whoop • Fitness Tracker: Pros and Cons ->Instinct 2x solar or 3 solar would be the best choice, ruggedness & functionality all in one
r/GarminWatches • Buying for my boyfriend! ->Honestly, this takes me back to my Casio G-Shock days. I love this so much. It's like I have a real watch again! But it also vibrates and gives me text message previews and tracks my sleep and heart rate and all the other junk! I love it!
r/Garmin • Just got the Instinct 3 Solar after having an Apple Watch for years. I'm LOVING the "old-school" feel of this thing! ->So, I really thought the screen would be easier to read with the high contrast black/white, but it's really not all that easy. I have 45 year old eyes, and I guess I need to get my prescription adjusted because I'm still having trouble reading the tiny print and icons. If I REALLY take my time to look, it's not bad and I can get it. But the condensed font they use, and the blocky lettering, though cool in an "old school" kind of way, is much harder to read than anything I had on my apple watch. With that said, I do like that it feels like I have an actual watch again. I missed my casio g-shock, and this is like that watch on steroids because it gets all the notifications and buzzes and tracks my sleep and everything else. I love that aspect of it. But I haven't found the perfect watch face yet for me. As a graphic designer, I would love to just design my own face. I'll have to look into how to do that. But long story short, the readability is far lower than an apple watch in every respect except in bright sunlight, when it's way better than apple watch aside from the size of the icons and text. Also, navigating the menus via buttons instead of the roller crown is kind of a pain in the ass. I find myself taking the watch off entirely and making my modifications in front of me with both hands, instead of keeping the watch on and using my right hand only to push the buttons with the watch on my left wrist. I'm not as enamored with it as I was when I first contemplated it. but that said, I'm going to stick it out and try to make the adjustments I need to to make it "mine". It kind of feels like getting a new linux installation setup just how you want it. Once you figure everything out, it's great. But getting there takes a lot of trial and error.
r/Garmin • Just got the Instinct 3 Solar after having an Apple Watch for years. I'm LOVING the "old-school" feel of this thing! ->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. ->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.
r/smartwatch • Good fitness trackers? ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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