Garmin - Instinct 2 Solar Series

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

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.

Used to have a watch series 2. That one sucked. Then went to a apple series 5. That one fell into a lake and seeing as the ground in the middle was over 10m, i doubt it survived Switched to a Garmin instinct 2 tactical solar about 3 years ago. I love not plugging it back to charge everyday (with gps its been lasting a solid 15-20 days a charge) Great with sports especially skiing (it uses about 3 different satelite technologies so i never lose connection and it detects skiing / lifts to get back up) I can control music from the watch - bit finnicky with the buttons but eh it is what it is I got 50% ish off through work so that was a bonus I do miss being able to send custom messages from it and controlling songs on spotify.... I also miss having the touchscreen, but this watch has remained on my wrist even diving hard into water from cliffs About 18 months after switching I binned my iphone 9 and got a google pixel so yeah, i never would turn back to apple products.... Depends on what you want to be honest. Just know, that most of these watches can survive in water for a few hours to a couple days, so swimming/diving in it isn't a problem but thats just my opinion Hope I helped

Yep, I just use the 'cardio' option and it tracks these workouts fine.

Just to add (I have the I2 solar), in summer, I don't need to charge - the top up from the sum nets out the drain with regular use. GPS uses more than can be gained though, depends on the amount of GPS you use though. I don't use a whole lot and am set to go chargerless.

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.

Instinct tactical. Got it while in the military in ~2019 and it’s still kicking

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!

The garmin instinct is for forest people, the longest battery life for backpackers.

I have the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. I like it and I think it checks your boxes depending on your price point. I got mine for $300, and since the 3 just came out you may find better deals. It has a few fancy metrics if you want to use them but its overall theme is to do the simple things right: no frills display, accurate GPS, long battery life.

Instincts are not good for strength in my experience

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

I have the Instinct 2, solar version. 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. The only time it goes down crazy fast if when I do laps in a pool. There’s probably a reason but I don’t know why. I charge it every 14days while working out every day, and using the gps every other day.

I think you are in a hard spot here! When someone is serious about something, it is difficult to gift them something about that something. In the same way that you cannot gift a mouse to a software engineer unless it's the Logitech Mx 3 or superior, you cannot gift apparel to a serious runner unless it's something really good. My point is, if you want to gift him a watch, it is difficult to recommend you something that is below $300 or $400. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of watches out there that cost less and may work. For example, you can buy the Garmin Vivoactive or Instinct for around $200, or the Amazfit T-Rex Pro for $150 (this is a really good watch for the price). However, if he is really serious about trail running, you may have to consider a Garmin Fenix 6 (between $350 and $400 on Amazon) or a Garmin Forerunner 945 (I just saw it at $319 on Amazon). If he is into both road and trail running, the Forerunner may be a good choice, but if he is getting more and more into trail running, the fenix is the best option. Note: You won't get navigation in budget-friendly watches, but I haven't meet a racer that needed it. Generally, the course is marked and people carry their phones (I have offline maps just in case). Note 2: You can save a lot by purchasing the previous-generation model (that's why I recommended fenix 6 and forerunner 945).

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. 

I KNOW. It’s so hard to go back. I had a Garmin instinct before buying my first Apple Watch back in 2021 I think. The Garmin seemed awesome coming from a Fitbit Ionic before that I had forever. But now, trying to go back to even a Fenix 7 feels like I’m going back in time. The only time I’ve really been able to break away is while wearing my Garmin on vacations. For some reason I like it because it can get dirty (especially at the beach) and the charging is basically nonexistent.

I love my instinct 2 solar too, I don’t need another smart device.

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 got a Garmin Instinct. It's their more rugged watch for hiking, camping. Etc. I personally like that it has buttons, instead of a touch screen, a black and white display, and looks like an old-school Casio G-shock. The solar ones have extra battery life. Take a look, see if you like the aesthetic... it can be used for all different types of activities... watch is a total beast - it has been going strong for literally years...

My seventh Fitbit died last week (from Luxe to Versa to Charge 5 and 6, this was my second in-warranty replacement), white line on the screen to no screen at all within 24 hours. So with some Target credit I decided to go with a Garmin Instinct for $200. The GPS is much, much more accurate (even when not paired with my phone), the app tracks a lot more information than the Fitbit app did and takes up a third of the space on my phone. I miss the constant step updates; the Garmin just updates every minute. That's about the only drawback.

Same Takes a beating. Receives texts and calls (can’t reply or answer) Tracks sleep , heart rate , steps etc. Best part.. I charge it once every 3 weeks

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

Good lord, what are you planning on doing, ODA level stuff? An Instinct (Solar) tactical is probably all you really need, Tactix is has some serious features - like windage and range finder. Good luck!

I have solar, but it’s not worth it on the 2 in my opinion. I don’t get a lot of charge very often, and sometimes the charging breaks altogether until I restart the watch. It works fine for running — no issues with the GPS where I run — but Garmin Coach workouts do not sync to the watch (only Daily Suggested Workouts), and it’s not compatible with PacePro or ClimbPro. I use the Runna app with a subscription, and those workouts do make it to the watch. Overall, I would say my use case is similar to yours (I do hikes and a little backpacking as well), and I would rate it as a bit limited but “fine.” I did consider splurging on an Instinct 3 Solar or possibly Forerunner 955, but I spent the money on a Runna subscription instead and don’t regret it. Edit: Another limitation of the Instinct 2 is that it does not support wrist-based running dynamics. You have to use a separate Running Dynamics Pod or HRM Pro chest strap to get those stats on an Instinct 2.

Considering they don't offer much more in terms of utility to cheaper Garmin options, the Fenix series is hardly a value proposition. Better to stick with an instinct or forerunner for the vast majority of users.

Garmin are of course great, but I wouldn't pony up for anything over the instinct. The Fenix series is pretty, but you're spending more than twice as much for features you probably won't use and a worse battery life. Less is more when it comes to GPS watches (or so I keep telling myself for not having replaced my disintegrating forerunner 235).

The instinct 2 solar has not been on the market for 4 years.... I have the instinct solar tactical 1 and its battery did also deteriorate after 2 years. A lot of money and e-waste for 2 years if you ask me...

My Garmin Instinct 2 Solar was nice to have on the PCT. Especially if you're hiking in very sunny places, the solar helped to slow down the discharge. If I turned off all the sensors, it would actually stay at ♾️ battery life.

I was able to duplicate the strength profile on my instinct and rename it “Bodypump” so it shows up as that on Garmin connect, but otherwise it’s just me setting it to strength and forgetting about it

Yes! I switched from an ultra 2 - love my instinct - simplicity with features that you want.. winning combo!

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 have a Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. When hiking with my Garmin InReach Mini, I rarely use the GPS/activity tracking features on the watch. I do use the watch to monitor my heartrate. My brother is a multi-time Ironman finisher and he taught me that the heartrate is a good indicator of fuel burn. If my heartrate is above a certain number for an extended period of time I slow down to minimize the fuel burn and the daily calorie deficit that comes with long term hikes.

Yes. Also, I no longer carry a physical compass as I can use the compass on my watch.

Honestly, I have a Garmin solar instinct 2 and it feels like a downgrade after all my previous Chinese smart watches. I'm not planning to ditch Garmin though in the near future, since they just work and I like that the battery could survive long backpacking trips. But honestly, no touch screen and interfaces on the watch and in the app feels like hello from 90ths, seems like the UX department in Garmin is not even trying..

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.

Came to say Instinct. Solar options too which are great if you’re outdoors a lot (which OP obviously is)

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

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?

A great fitness tracker for Kilimanjaro that works without cell service, tracks GPS distance, calories, and lasts 6+ days on one charge is the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar—rugged, reliable, and recharges via solar so you won't need to plug in. All the best as you Climb Kili!🗻🐘🗻

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 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.

Garmin Instinct is the go here. The solar charging is good, only something like 3 hours of sun a day for unlimited battery life and the built in torch is super useful.

Even without solar the 50mm one gets 40 days battery life, and that’s with an hour a day of gps tracking.

If you had the Fenix 7x an instinct isn't going to provide better data and a Samsung will be a better smart watch but not a better fitness tracker. So you do you but at this point an instinct would be useless to you and if you aren't happy with a Garmin might as well try the Samsung.

Garmin - They have a lot of watches at different price points. There is built-in GPS and the battery lasts for several days, unlike a smart watch that you typically need to charge every night. The Garmin app easily syncs with other fitness apps, if that's important to you. If you have a smaller wrist, go for the "S" models that will look and fit better.

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 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.

A few things. One is battery life. Some Garmin's have solar charging. But for the one's that don't you can get at least a week of charge if not more depending on the mode it is set in and how infrequently you use GPS. Two is that Garmin's are still fully functional without using the app or connecting to your phone. Sure, you won't get messages pushed to the watch or have the ability to sync metrics, but still it is more of a watch first and connected device second. You can use the Ultra without a phone, too, but this kinda defeats the purpose of the iWatch series and smart watches in general where there are meant to be connection to your phone first and then a watch second. Sleep tracking, if it matters to you, is generally better with Gamin watches. Garmin has also been doing GPS for a really long time. But probably the biggest advantage is that Garmin watches, well nearly all of them, are designed to be used while the user is wearing gloves. Meaning, you can navigate to and do everything by clicking the buttons on the sides even if the model has a touch screen. There is a slight learning curve to this, but once you figure it out it seems rather intuitive. And I dunno. Some of us want something more than a fitness tracker but also not a full-blown, app-centric, always-connected device. This might sound weird, but if you need to use timers, one right after the other, then Gramins win hands down. Some Garmin watches are actually built for the out-of-doors based on the premise that you will scrape the watch on a tree trunk, rock, side of a cliff, on sandy, rocky, bottom if surfing, etc. I have the first model of the Instinct that I still use. It was run over by a semi truck and barely got scratched on the outer casing. Still works like a charm. But probably the biggest benefit is that Garmin is pretty good so far with updating older watches every so often, even though they don't have to. There is no real need to update the watch every 2 - 3 years (I suppose you don't really need to either, with the iWatches, but you know what I mean) other than if you simply want to. If you bought a Fenix 8 today it would still be functional going into 2035 assuming the battery can still hold a decent charge.

I have a garmin - but the stats it gives aren’t that useful for bodybuilding. I’ve had fitbits but they always break after 18 months - I don’t want a smartwatch at all. It does track my heart rate on stationary bike, treadmill and treadmill. It’s relatively good at tracking how long I slept and how well I slept. It tracks steps well enough for me to be able to see when I need “to get out”. The strength app is awful, never tracks reps accurately and is horribly fiddly to use. I went for the instinct - which is a “outdoors man watch” and has other functions that are good for me - altimeter, tides, barometer, storm alerts etc. it’s also built like a tank. My wife can track my location for when I do a trail run or something - which is useful Really for bodybuilding - I am not sure if you need more that a heart rate tracker. If I did it all again I would probably just get a tracker and go back to wearing a normal watch on my left wrist.

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.

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

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

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

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

If you want the most accurate heart rate tracker, hands down - chest strap trackers are the best. Both Polar & Garmin’s chest strap trackers are really good. Wrist watch trackers don’t even come close to their accuracy. But if you are like me who cares more about convenience, go for Garmin watches based on your budget and style preferences. Just ensure whatever model you select has the latest heart rate tracker. Edit: I use Instinct 2 Solar and I am fine with the results - better than Apple watch. Though I have observed that it under reports my heart rate in MetCons (like showing 130 bpm when my heart is easily pounding at 170+).

I use Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. It has monochrome display, find my phone, same heart rate sensor as Fenix 7S, GarminPay, long battery life and basic GPS. Garmin has a lot of options, so choose based on style and budget preference.

My problem with Apple watch is its battery life. I did Enchantments thru hike a couple of years ago (32 miles) and the watch died half way even when we started with a full charge. So I switched to Garmin Instinct 2 Solar with monochrome display (so very high battery life). It supports Find my Phone, Pay and various other smart watch features. Love the heart rate results.

Forerunner 165 would likely fit the bill. It can alert you to call, texts, etc, but you can't really respond. Also, you can modify settings to not notify you. If you are wanting rowing specific info, that might be tricky. If you just want to track heart rate training zones and workout times, it would work just fine. Basically stick to the lower end of the spectrum. Instinct could also work too, if you are OK w/ the G- Shock style.

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.

As a long term user of Garmin devices I my suggestion biased towards garmin vivosmart 5. Have used multiple garmin devices over last 15 years and all have been great for activity tracking. Used it so far for steps, cycling, swimming, running, strength training, open water rowing, hiking (My garmin instinct has a 24 day battery life which can do gps tracking for a long 20+ day hike without 2nd charge). Garmin connect is one hub for all my Garmin devices. Tracks activities which in my case currently is gym, steps, swimming, sleep, HR monitoring, O2, body battery (recovery from workouts). Can setup challenges for myself and friends. Have goals and track progress. I don't pay for any premium subscriptions. I would say it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes if you just want a simple health and wellness device. Garmin are built to withstand abuse and for training.

Ooo Garmin talks outside of the Garmin Sub! I've had an Instinct of some variety for a while. I couldn't stand a smartwatch that required frequent charging, I'm already sacrificing so much battery life not just wearing a regular watch. The Fenix 8 recently added a microphone, adding a few key features most Garmin watches were lacking in comparison to a more traditional smartwatch, though it doesn't sound like you would be bothered by that. My Garmin is my daily companion, vibrates for important notifications, tracks my activities well, keeps me off my phone for large stretches, and helps me find stuff in the dark (exclusive to models with the flashlight). Wouldn't trade it for anything on the market as of now.

I used an instinct 2 solar for some time. Loved the battery life but really disliked the OS. Switched back to my Pebble time steel and have a Pebble time 2 on order.

J'ai une Apple Watch Ultra, une Garmin Instinct 2 Solar, une Suunto Vertical et eu un Fenix 6 Pro Solar! L'Apple Watch Ultra avec son magnifique écran, son titane et son interface très aboutie n'arrive pas à la cheville des 3 autres montres question sport, incluant la Garmin Instinct 3 avec son écran LCD des années 80's c'est pour dire! Quand j'entends que l'AWU rivalise avec une Fenix 8 c'est soit de la mauvaise foi d'Apple Fan soit des personnes qui ne pratiquent pas de sport, bien sur en utilisation montre connectée l'AWU est géniale mais un peu chère pour cette utilisation non ? Question autonomie, je recharge mon AWU tous les deux jours et je ne fais rien avec, quelques notifications, le SPO2 la nuit, écran éteint, pas de musique. 2 jours pour juste surveiller mon rythme cardiaque, mon O2 la nuit et quelques notifications on ne peut pas dire qu'Apple s'est foulé question optimisation d'autonomie. Pour le sport environ entre une et deux heures par jour avec GPS j'utilise mes autres tocantes, je reçois aussi mes notifications, j'ai des métriques à gogo et je recharge tous les 10 ou 12 jours pour la Suunto et 15 jours la Garmin. Conclusion des mes comparaisons : L'AWU est superbe, un écran magnifique, une interconnectivité avec l'iPhone parfaite (bien sur), une qualité de construction irréprochable, des capteurs précis il faut le dire mais c'est vraiment tout! j'ai eu beau me forcer à l'utiliser en sport, randonnée, marche et musculation en ce qui me concerne c'est trop compliqué, il faut des applis tierces pour arriver à juste essayer de se rapprocher des applis natives Garmin ou Suunto et je reste sur ma fin à chaque fois. Il faut penser à recharger tous les jours (si sport) bref.... je suis désolé mais APPLE est à des années lumière de Garmin et même Suunto en utilisation sportive.

Bought Instinct in 2019 and it still feel great after 5years of rugged usage,needs charging once a week,only my coros apex 2 pro has better battery life than that but thats doesnt make me love my garmin anything less..I use apple series 8 once a month post run to look into my Ecg just to rule out any stress related changes 😅

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

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. 😂

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.

I have Epix pro gen 2 47mm ss, it is great, got it for 50% off. Don't pay 800, look for discounts, also don't go for newest models, Instinct 2 solar or 2x is great, also Foreruner 955... Find some store and go try them and seek youtube for further info- chase the summit, desi fit...

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…

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…

i just got a helio earlier this month for the same reason. I still wear my Garmin Instinct from time to time, and always use it to track workouts, hikes, etc…. The band give =s me the data i was looking for - plus it’s way more comfortable to sleep with.

I wear my garmin instinct with no issues

Welder/ millwright- Garmin instinct

Agreed. I bought mine originally for hiking and tough mudder. It’s been abused, and still works flawlessly. Battery life is still great too

Love my Instinct, though I haven't gotten to try it on a long term hike yet.

Instinct has been amazing for me.

I use Garmin Instinct Solar 2. Great for pool and outdoor swims. Tracks indoor laps well and GPS well also. Not as fancy as the higher end models but a solid performer.

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

Garmin Instinct and its successors charge themselves via solar. This was the first function in ages that persuaded me to buy a new (used) watch. The thing lasts over a week with daily use in the summer. In my opinion, all wristwatches are only suitable for the endurance portion of hybrid training. You only do kettlebell snatches once.

How about looking at the ‘Instinct’ line of watches? I switched after being a long term Fenix user and find all of the Fenix feature set (minus mapping) with the added benefit of much longer battery life (solar versions). Fantastic watch that kinda, if you squint your eyes a bit, looks like a G Shock.

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.

My garmin instinct does not do well with all breaststoke, it will literally say I went 0 yards. It does fine if I do a mix though (the tracking line will just fill in the blanks basically).

I picked up a used Garmin Instinct for $20 and it's pretty good. It's big though and not the most comfortable on my small wrists. Battery went 7 days with constant wear and 2x daily swims and kayaking when I was camping though!

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.

Instinct works great for me in the field Edit: just to add though, you probably already know this but be sure to disable gps on either when deployed and also disable heart rate monitoring when on exercise/deployed because if someone is looking at you under nvg’s you’ll be visible from miles away

Yeah definitely think the instincts darker screen makes it more suitable. Although really a combat Casio never let me down it’s just not as cool

I use a Garmin Instinxt Tactical for EVERYTHING. This watch is a tank. Ice hockey, whitewater kayaking, golf, distance running, MTN Biking, and most recently CrossFit (I’m new to CF).

I have a Garmin Instinct Solar Taxtical, one behind the current generation. I golf (walking with push cart) 2-3X/week, play ice hockey 3X/week, and a bunch of other activities including CrossFit, whitewater paddling, hiking, trail running, etc. I also own/run a family farm; so my watch gets beat up. It does a good job keeping up with me and all my activities. It’s rugged, and I can swim with it (I’m unintentionally underwater quite a bit due to whitewater paddling). See below: https://preview.redd.it/bnayqgnuk0nf1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6ed1bf00a0b8f17ab94bc62372e7c6bf4a4edd9 Downside: I’m older, and I have trouble seeing the smaller fonts on the watch without readers (like everything else). I’m not talking about the main feature, but the smaller data surrounding it. However, I also need readers for restaurant menus.

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.

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.

+1 on Instinct! Simple, knows almost everything that a high end much pricier Garmin does with incredible battery time

I use the same watch as you and find it adequate and really only use it as a backup. Not sure I’d spend money to buy a fenix just to have as a back up nav.

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.

A Garmin is not like an Apple Watch. It's a fitness wearable first with some smart features. If your primary use of an Apple Watch is for the smart features, using a Garmin will likely disappoint you. BTW, Vivoactive 5 does not have EGG. The Venu 3 is most like an Apple Watch. It has mic/speaker to make calls and ecg. But it's currently twice as much as a vivoactive 5. You can also get a Fenix with ecg, but those are Apple Watch Ultra-territory cost. I purposely went as far from an Apple Watch as possible. I ended up with an Instinct 2 Solar. That has a black and white MIP screen, but I wanted to be more health focused and was frustrated with the "smart" features on traditional smart watches, especially the Apple Watch. I love the MIP screen, so much, that I would likely never want to go to an AMOLED screen again on a watch. I hope Garmin never drops MIP (or equivalent tech) screens ever.

My Instinct 2 Solar has been pretty reliable, but I likely only use about 20% of its capabilities.

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!

Garmin Instinct that I bought used off of Ebay

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

Plenty of other useful comments so far, so I wont echo the same sentiments. The only extra experience to add is that I have used my Garmin Instinct to compose Inreach messages when the weather is horrible and my phone’s touch screen is so wet it wont respond. In one instance I was turned around on a summit that was socked in with very limited visibility. I asked my wife for a heading back to the trail via my Inreach Messenger and received the response all through my watch. Could I have dropped my pack, dried my phone screen, pulled up GPS, and found my way alone? Sure. Did I enjoy getting her help without having to deal with all of that? Absolutely.

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

I use a garmin instinct, it has a SUP activity and keeps track of everything. I actually used it earlier today. Bonus, I don't have to carry my phone out when I'm paddling.

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.

Instinct and disable notifications.

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.

For someone who is new and cares mostly about sleep tracking and GPS activities it’s honestly all kind of the same. You can run with an Instinct and you can hike with a forerunner. Choose based off of look, price, battery life for your particular activities. A Fenix or Instinct pretty much does it all and with great battery life. Doesn’t really matter in the end unless you care about very specific advanced metrics. I personally think most of the Forerunners are ugly so I gravitate towards Instinct because I’m also not willing to overpay for a Fenix when there’s other brands that cover 90% of a Fenix for half the cost. If you want to research alternatives: If you’re looking at an Instinct, check out Coros Nomad. If you’re looking at a Fenix check out Suunto Race 2 or Vertical 2 or upcoming Coros Apex 4.

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

Instinct if you wanna use it for anything outdoors besides running

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 charge my instinct once every 2 weeks

Garmin Instinct is tough to beat. Especially a solar one. Good value for what is offered.

I'd go with the Instinct then for sure if your still going to use your phone. I would get all your setting and favorites organized on the watch and in the apps and do a couple trial runs on some local trails or even a walk around the neighborhood to get a better feel and it's functions to better enjoy your actual hiking experience

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.

Second the garmin instinct line. The watch is bulletproof and has tons of useful features and insane battery life. I go nearly a month between charges with daily use and regular gps usage.

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.

Garmin Instinct, fairly simple and not too expensive. Or any of the Forerunner models.

That’s not just their cycling computers. My Instinct can make it nearly a month on a charge, though realistically more like 2 weeks with periodic activity tracking.

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 

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.

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).

I love the squares but instinct is like next next level

Does it have to be a watch? I love my Whoop because it's low maintenance and I forget it's on until I get the notification to charge it. I love my Garmin Instinct Tactical (I'm active duty military so it's dual purpose), but I have to take it off whenever I use wrist wraps or my grips during a WOD.

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.

Agreed. I own an Apple Watch Ultra, a garmin instinct, an aura ring and a whoop. There is no perfect fitness tracker, they all have pros and cons. People who give a black and white “x is better than y” always get a raised eyebrow from me.

I have the original instinct and have worn it regularly in my 90 minute sauna sessions. Usually not quite to that temp, but i've been to 180 with no issues.

I love my Garmin Instinct 2 Solar - I’m a hiker but also in the gym a lot

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!

Another one for garmin instinct. Don't get the solar screen, harder to read. Its a manly watch. Slightly rugged. It's simple and basic. It's not touch screen which allow it many benefits. Responsive buttons. You can always see the screen. Get messages, can quick reply to text msg, water proof, charge last 2 to 3 weeks, count step and Heart rate. I keep my phone on silent and wear the watch at work. Keep my phone downstairs at home and get messages or calls from my watch. Simple smart men's watch.

Instinct = the ugliest watch Garmin makes.

Garmin Instinct. 2 solar

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 use Garmin Instinct mostly just azimuth’s to waypoints. Always have a handheld in the backpack.

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.

Garmin instinct. You can customize the notifications pretty in depth and it has crazy battery life.

Instinct battery life is great, but it doesn't have maps. You can put a course on it and it will buzz when you need to turn, but the 955/965 enduro/epix/fenix lines all have built in maps where you can see roads, topolograpic lines, and other points of interest.

Not whoop anyway. That's more of an all day energy tracker based off heart rate. Garmin gives more swim options. Mine works great. It's an instinct. The battery usually lasts two weeks. There are multiple models that support swimming. They are pretty good at counting laps.

I got an instinct tactical specifically because it's kinda dumb. It just does the few things I want it to do, and it does them well enough.

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.

Agree, on the hardware side. Software side, no bueno for me. Steps are 1.5 to 2k off a day. Software not ready for prime time. I have to switch to my 7 yr old Garmin instinct when doing search and rescue because it has industry standard UTM coordinates, that you can not even get an app to do with Amazfit.

That’s insane 🔋 Solar + Instinct is basically infinite mode 😂

I have the Instinct 2 Solar and have the tide app installed on it. Works great and was $300 with tax. Set the kayak activity and let it record. Same with runs. At the end it uploads to to the cloud and shares with Strava. Battery life is 20 ish days

Most people coming from apple go vivo active or venue. Venue being closest to a smart watch. Personally, I'm a instinct guy. Although I'm wearing a Fenix today since I didn't charge my Instinct for 2 weeks and it died before bed. I've swam tens of thousands of meters (more like hundreds but..) in pool, open and salt water with my Garmins. Done free diving (only to about 40ft, I'm not very good) and press the buttons regularly sub surface. I've also done cliff jumping with every watch, and haven't lost a garmin to water intrusion. I would definitely select a 100m rated model for water sports. Any watch can fail but I've had 6 garmins and none have. I also had a bunch of Casio and Timex over the years and not one failure.

I never understood the phone issue either. I used to have an arm case for my phone and it worked well. Also there are headphones, usually bone conducting with built in memory for music (because they are designed for swimming). So you can even get around having a music watch and a phone. Basically a Garmin instinct would work great in this scenario

I use a Fenix and and instinct. 100% accurate in the pool unless I'm doing under/overs (15m under, 10 over, 15 under, 10 over) then it will miss some laps. Most people aren't doing the legal 15m pullout (I do it to circumvent no underwater swimming) so this isn't an issue. Other than that, as long as I'm stroking with my arms, it rarely misses a length. I've had an Fenix 2/3/5x in the pool and mostly use my Instinct in open water because I don't mess with a HRM (wrist is fine, I don't care that much for the OWS and if I do I use my HRM pro).

Fantastic watch and value. Easy to read screen (monochrome mips) and great battery life. Definitely worth it.

Personally, no. I use other devices for maps. Seems like a watch is best as a backup. Instinct is great. Last forever, is accurate, rugged and fairly cheap.

I swim with my Instinct and Fenix series and no issues. I also press the buttons in the water. I think the 100m watches are fine to press in the water. At some point the seals will probably fail but I think that's probably a decade of careful use, at which point you'll probably want a new watch anyway

Instinct Affordable, great for those activities. Incredible battery life, to the point I'm annoyed when I have to charge it every other or every 3rd day on longer (active trips, like backpacking and bikepacking) because I go a week normally. Readable (monochrome) in any light. Also has an oled screen if you prefer it.

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

I had one, nice watch, but a bit chunky for everyday wear for me.

I agree. Even better is the Solar version. If you go out in the sun a lot the battery will last significantly longer.

do you want more of a smartwatch that can also track fitness? or do you want a fitness watch that has some smart capabilities? that's basically the math when comparing Garmin to pixel or apple watch. I have a Garmin Fenix because I do a lot of hiking and like having the maps on my wrist. But if it weren't for that, I'd probably get the Garmin Instinct

Most Garmin watches would do those things. Depending if you want the latest bells and whistles, such as an OLED screen vs a MIP screen from an older generation, a model from an older generation will be more than fine. However, I wouldn't recommend getting a second hand one, but that's just my preference. Take a look models such as the Instinct, the Vivoactive, the Venu and Forerunner 55/165. Those would suit you. I would not recommend more expensive models as the Fenix and the more expensive Forerunners. They would be way overkill and extremely expensive.

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.

I had an instinct and had the same problem, it was just too big on my wrist and i often sleep with my hand under my pillow.

I’ve worn a Garmin Instinct at the gym for a few years doing all of the above exercises and more. My wrist doesn’t bend backwards past 90 degrees, so it doesn’t get in the way. I’ve also worn it in several races and SIMs without issue. The Instinct is pretty basic model, and I never worry about it getting damaged. Sometimes the GPS is questionable though.

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.

I haven charged my Instinct 2x the last time early August... I still have 30 procent / 13 days left. That being said, I havent been training a whole lot and have been a lot outside with direct sunlight.  Instinct is sturdy, but for the (really) long battery you have to go to MiP display with button control only.. other watches like fr, venu etc usually go 1 to 2 weeks 

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.

Same. I use a Garmin Instinct to track my runs, but a GymBoss for the intervals. I really appreciate that I can change my intervals on the fly without it affecting the workout. I also found out the hard way, that some of the apps used for intervals (e.g. RunKeeper) need an internet connection to work. The Garmin/Gymboss combo works great with or without internet.

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.

Apple Watch user since 2017 here and Garmin “dabbler” for the past 3 years, Instinct, forerunner 255, forerunner 265. Avid runner, 20+ miles per week. It’s all really dependent on your needs. I like the metrics that Garmin provides although I do find it to be a bit harsh. Apple Watch is a bit more let’s say liberal with their metrics. I mainly use my Garmin for training blocks like when I have a race in mind to train for. If I’m not training I just run in my Apple Watch, I currently have a 1st gen Ultra. I keep coming back to Apple Watch simple because of the smart watch features and cellular connectivity. I like being able to reply to messages and leave the house without my phone. Personally I get more joy when I wear the Apple Watch, but I wouldn’t trust it with anything over marathon distance due to battery constraints. I do find gps and heart rate data to be close enough for me. All that to say it’s entirely subjective, I will say the Apple Watch has made a ton of overall improvements over the past 10 years with their health metrics, but the battery life is lacking in comparison to other brands. Hell even some of the newer garmins don’t have the battery life as some of the older ones. Like the 955 has about 28 days of battery vs 14 days on the new 970. I’m happy to answer any other questions.

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 too have the Instinct, and it's been a workhorse under all conditions. It's rugged and does all the things.

Absolutely love my instinct - use for both and searched highly and low for it. 

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.

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/

So say we all. But seriously, I was jumping from android to andriod watched for a few years, until I bought my first instinct 5 years ago.  Now, I'm never going yo get anything but garmin. 

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

Ditto.. Garmin Instinct is perfect for me. Just techy enough to get notifications but still rugged and looks good. The solar is worth the extra $. I have to charge my watch 1 time per month on average

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.

Get an older refurbished Garmin like the Instinct. Xiaomi is really crummy.

Started with an instinct 1 and then purchased the Apple Watch SE. I must say, I do enjoy certain features and capabilities of the apple, but my heart and soul (along with lifestyle) demands the constant everyday wear of a Garmin Instinct.

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.

I love the buttons in my instinct EXCEPT for when I’m lifting with press movements. It always hits the lap button which ends my set

I have a Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. Love it. Very rugged. I can go for a week trip with gps and still have charge. Actually does last over three weeks in my normal usage. Tracks well. Main issue is no maps. Not sure how much the solar does?

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

I was just going through a similar dilemma moving on from Fitbit. wound up choosing the instinct over those two. it can do everything you're asking for (if you add syncmyworkout) and I expect the other two watches can too. my only "gripe" with the notifications is that there is no granularity in what it alerts me to. with Fitbit I was able to turn off certain apps from pinging my watch. now I get everything. (or nothing)

I can go at least a week without having to charge my 5 year old Instinct.  Unless I’m using the GPS for biking, and then the battery still lasts a long time.   I buy iPhones for privacy and security reasons.  But I don’t want to have to charge a watch every night.   And while you probably don’t have to worry much about Apple abusing your data, there are plenty of 3rd party apps that will. 

I have a Garmin Solar Instinct 2. It's the fourth Garmin watch that I have owned, and by far the best. The battery lasts forever and it's rugged. The solar cell allows you to capture very long rides or activities without having to worry about running out of power, and the heartrate sensor is quite accurate. It's not cheap, but I bought mine used, and there are likely to be refurbished watches available. Plenty of video reviews out there as well.

I gave been using Garmin watches for more than 6 years now. My latest, the Solar Instinct 2, has been the best by far. My iPhone with the Quadlock mount is my head unit for mapping and radar. Works like a charm for 45,000 miles.

Solar Instinct 2 is fantastic.

I'm a bit of an outlier, but my system works quite well for me: Garmin Solar Instinct 2 for capturing ride data, including heartrate iPhone with stem cap Quad Lock mount. I use that for mapping and radar

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.

I am kind of surprised by the answers here. I think your request is not so weird, and it is possible to have a Garmin watch to count steps, HR, etc and not send out any signal: this is called Stealth mode and it's available on several tactical Garmin watches. They aim at military personnel, so your job would suit this profile as well. Look up online which watches offer this mode, there is at least the Instinct 2 Tactical edition, Instinct Crossover Tactical edition, Tactix 7 AMOLED / Pro

Garmin instinct 2 💪

Instinct all day baby. Ive had mine for YEARS. I track workouts, steps, etc. I have my alert system linked to it so I get dispatched throughout and know the address and the call before I even look at CAD. Its seen multiple fires and its still kicking. Best 300 bucks I've ever spent

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

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

DO NOT GO APPLE. No matter what. They're overpriced for the severe lack of performance you receive( that includes the 250 buck SE, not worth it). I have the galaxy Watch ultra and a Garnin instinct 2 tactical solar. Galaxy is about 600 and the Garmin I got for about 180 on sale. Honestly get the Garmin i mentioned. It's cheap price wise, tanky, not a flashy design, and really good features when it comes to outdoor activity. Only thing you really lose is a touch screen but that's better for it's ruggedness and water resistance.

Instinct 2 solar abt 25 days on regular basis 😂 fun fact: I switched from AWs 😂

## Why is the Forerunner better for running than the Instinct or Fenix? The Forerunner series is specifically designed for runners. It offers precise running metrics, a wealth of training features, and specialized performance analytics like Running Tolerance, Running Economy, and even biomechanical values such as pace decrease on ground contact (Forerunner 970). Forerunner models often have better screens (touch, higher resolution) and detailed training suggestions for runners. The Forerunner 265, for example, has a bright AMOLED display that is easy to read while running. Instinct models typically use older sensors and are more geared toward outdoor adventure than pure running performance. The Fenix is also excellent for running but is positioned more as a hybrid multisport watch with a focus on outdoor activities and rugged design [9][10][11][12]. ## In what way is the Forerunner less suitable for hiking/backpacking? Forerunner models are less rugged and lack some of the outdoor-specific sensors and navigation aids of the Fenix or Instinct lines. Battery life is generally shorter, which is a disadvantage for long trekking tours. Features like a barometric altimeter, special navigation functions, and inReach compatibility—which are crucial for hiking—are limited to higher-end Forerunners or are better represented in Fenix and Instinct models. For hikers, map quality on Forerunner watches is also limited or only available on premium models like the 970 [10][13][14]. ## How useful are animated workouts and training suggestions? Animated workouts (yoga, strength training, etc.) are easy to follow on Garmin and motivating, especially for learning technique and form. For runners, the suggested training programs on newer Forerunners are highly useful. They provide daily personalized plans that factor in your fitness level and recovery status. Users report that these features simplify planning and improve training consistency, as the watch dynamically adapts the training [15][16][17][18]. ## Are maps on the watch actually useful for running or hiking? For anything else? Full watch-based navigation and mapping features—found particularly on the Forerunner 970 and Fenix series—include offline maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and visual guidance. For everyday runs on familiar routes, they matter less, but for trail running or hiking where orientation is crucial, they’re invaluable. Maps offer extra value for safety, route planning, and are also popular among cyclists and those exploring new routes [19][12][20][14]. ## Does the Forerunner 970 passively monitor heart rhythm to trigger an ECG? Yes, the Forerunner 970 is the first in its series with an integrated ECG feature, which uses case sensors to record an ECG for issues like atrial fibrillation in about 30 seconds. While the function is always present, the ECG is only triggered manually and does not replace a doctor’s visit. Heart rate is constantly measured, but for a full ECG you must actively launch the function [13]. ## Smartwatch features: Can you read texts or see who’s calling? Does Garmin support RCS messages? Garmin supports push notifications for calls and text messages, and (on Forerunner 570/970) you can answer calls directly from the wrist using the speaker and microphone. However, full support for Rich Communication Services (RCS, e.g. Google Messages) is not yet widespread; Garmin generally handles SMS/MMS, and you can reply with pre-set responses. RCS compatibility is under development and not guaranteed [21][22]. ## Is the speaker/microphone on the 570/970 useful for anything besides answering? How playful is it? The Forerunner 970 has improved audio hardware to make phone calls and use voice assistants (Google Assistant, Siri, Bixby) directly from your watch. The speaker is for calls and notifications but not for music playback. No particularly playful functions are supported; it's aimed at practical uses like telephony and voice commands. The 570 offers more limited audio features but still allows basic call management [23][24][25]. ## What makes a Garmin better than competitors Coros, Suunto, Amazfit? Garmin is regarded as a market leader due to its extensive ecosystem, powerful sensors, wide variety of sport profiles, and detailed analytics. Garmin watches generally provide robust navigation features with maps, access to third-party apps (Connect IQ), precise GPS/heart sensors, and strong accessory support. Coros impresses with battery life and durability, Suunto with simplicity and outdoor focus, and Amazfit mainly with budget-friendly offerings. Garmin is overall more versatile, especially for ambitious athletes and users seeking a deep combination of fitness analytics and smart features [10][23][25]. *** [9] Forerunner 265/745/965, Instinct 2 or fenix 7S https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1bl6twt/help_me_choose_forerunner_265745965_instinct_2_or/ [10] Garmin Instinct 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8: Every Difference ... https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/01/garmin-instinct3-vs-garmin-fenix8-very-detailed-review.html [11] Garmin Forerunner 265 vs Garmin Instinct https://versus.com/en/garmin-forerunner-265-vs-garmin-instinct [12] Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970: Advanced Tech for Those ... https://runlovers.it/en/2025/garmin-forerunner-570-and-970-advanced-tech-for-those-who-want-to-run-better/ [13] Garmin Forerunner 970 im Test: Die beste Sportuhr 2025 ... https://www.heise.de/bestenlisten/testbericht/garmin-forerunner-970-im-test-die-beste-sportuhr-2025-hat-jetzt-ekg/xx73c4h?wt_mc=rss.red.ho.beitrag.atom.beitrag.beitrag [14] Garmin Forerunner 570 vs. 970: An Easy Choice! All ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jLMnfnER8c [15] Support: Animated Workouts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0noz60nliY [16] How the Garmin Tracker Reignited My Love of Running https://www.wellandgood.com/fitness/garmin-watch-daily-suggested-workouts-review [17] How to Use Animated Workouts on Garmin Enduro 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p6LzkJw9Hw [18] Garmin Coach Review https://stephaniehnatiuk.com/garmin-coach-review/ [19] Garmin Watches + OS Maps: The Ultimate duo for easy ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19HBRpmPhFw [20] New to Garmin Watch Maps - Need Your Advice for Hiking ... https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/16eznyf/new_to_garmin_watch_maps_need_your_advice_for/ [21] Google Messages may work with Garmin for satellite ... https://9to5google.com/2023/08/28/google-messages-satellite-connectivity-garmin-evidence/ [22] Garmin fenix 8 RCS Text Messages? https://www.reddit.com/r/Garmin/comments/1inrdo6/garmin_fenix_8_rcs_text_messages/ [23] Garmin Forerunner 970 In-Depth Review: Brillance at a ... https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/06/garmin-forerunner-970-in-depth-review-brillance.html [24] Garmin Forerunner 970 speaker and microphone quality? https://www.reddit.com/r/GarminWatches/comments/1ktyxq2/garmin_forerunner_970_speaker_and_microphone/ [25] Garmin forerunner 970 Review ❌ all the cr*p bits ❌ a ... https://the5krunner.com/2025/07/28/garmin-forerunner-970-review/

My Instinct 2 Solar gets me a month of battery life - I don't have every feature switched on (specifically, SpO2 is switched off and auto-backlight only after sunlight) but it's just so incredibly convenient to not need to think about it. It is missing some of the features of other watches like a colour screen but I don't even care. Charging once every few weeks is amazing. I can pay with my watch, send preset replies, control my music playback, and track exercise; that's about all I need. I also just like the buttons rather than a touchscreen (coming from a Versa 3 with terrible touch input...) but that's personal preference.

Garmin Instincts are damn near bulletproof. I wouldn't be worried, it'd take much more extreme temp then that

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.

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.

I just played 18 holes last weekend with my Garmin instinct 2 solar. When I started my battery was good for 28 days. When I ended the round and shut off GPS I still had 24 days of battery left.

I have a Garmin instinct 2 solar. You can use the golf feature on it and its awesome. The GPS drains the battery when golfing but when the GPS isnt on i regularly get 25 days of battery. If you just want a watch for golf then whatever get a dedicated golf watch. But garmins GPS is on point and so are their watches. I fucking love this thing.

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.

Turning off the Bluetooth will solve this; your watch will not be connected to your phone. And Garmin does not have LTE. Garmin pro plus HRM will track your metrics without the watch. Worst case - How is your supervisor going to know every Garmin model? Just get an inconspicuous one; maybe an instinct that looks like a G shock. And be like "it's just a watch"; just make sure it's on DND and/or turn off bluetooth for the day.

Garmin instinct. Battery lasts for weeks. Super rugged so can take a hammering

Fenix if you can afford otherwise any instinct imo.

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

Same! Love this watch.

Vivoactive and Venu (non X1, that thing should have had a name of its own) don't have the advanced running metrics. So it's Forerunner , then check whether the features you want are in Instinct, Fenix, Enduro or Epix if you like one of those better.

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

My instinct 2 lasts for 27 days!

I used both yesterday. A garmin instinct and my android phone running geotracker in my buoy.

I've got an instinct 2 solar and am very happy with it. Obviously it lacks topo maps but you can still preload GPS routes onto it to follow.

I've had my Instinct for 5 years, absolute tank of a watch. Not a scratch on it and it's taken some nasty hits.

Oh wow, the solar is that good? I have the standard Instinct I bought about 5 years ago and was going to upgrade because I heard the GPS on the newer ones is more accurate. Was going to just buy another normal Instinct but if you get that kind of battery out of the Solar I may have to get that instead.

Yeah it's probably time for an upgrade then for me. I still get about 2-3 weeks out of a charge, but if I use GPS everyday it's much shorter.

Garmin Instinct or Instinct Solar. These are made for military standards and can take an absolute beating and go in the water just fine. Had mine for 5 years now. The number of times I've slammed it off a wall or something, or just banged it up in general doing yard work, etc. there isn't a single scratch on it. It tracks my skiing runs in the winter, I take it in the pool/swim laps with it, it does everything and is built like a tank. The fitbits and Vivoactive are pretty cheaply made/mass produced. If you want durability you have to spend a bit on a higher end watch.

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

Instinct 3 solar. Instinct 2 solar is cheaper and does everything as well. I charge the thing 1 a month

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.

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.

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.

Now more than ever I am glad to have just saved my money and plucked an instinct 2 solar, my brother recommended the 8, he is a plumber and his Fenix despite being very robust looks awful after really being wrung through the works - absolutely beaten to shit. For that reason I just couldn’t trust it with the type of mountain biking I do. Definitely a top sports watch, though. Hope you get better performance OP.

I wear a garmin instinct for daily wear And a garmin epic for running ect

I bought a Garmin instinct for around 200usd and it's been great. Improved my swim a lot using it.

i got the instinct.. the base one

I get around 30 hours with tracking active and indefinite without

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

If you turn on the NV mode that will turn off the heart rate sensor on the Instinct 2 Tactical!

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.

I had the Garmin Instinct but the heart rate sensor was dog shit. It would routinely read much lower during an intense workout where I knew my heart rate was near the max. No problems like that with Apple Watch. Plus the Garmin Connect app is shit too. It looks like something thrown together by summer interns.

I've a Garmin Instinct2 Solar, which is my backup to a GPSMap handheld. It's a great watch, can run forever if it gets enough solar charging, but it only has basic mapping and limited storage for bread-crumbing trails. I find it's slow to acquire satellites when looking for coordinate verification (mine is set for dual GPS/Galileo - think the new Instinct3 does tri-band), but then most of the time I'm not using it that way. It's not "Smart" smart: no touchscreen, button driven, but it's a rugged monochrome tool with ABC and GPS, heart rate, steps etc and some useful apps for mountains. Any reason why you want a watch over a handheld? Sounds like your use-case is navigation tool over smartwatch.

I have an OG Garmin Instinct & I have been feeling the need to upgrade my watch.. This Euduro3 looks very tempting to me, but I sometimes find those MIP displays very hard to read in darker environments. If they gave this thing an OLED screen I would buy it, but I think I am going to have to settle on for a Forerunner 265 whenever they go on sale again.

I have a Garmin Instinct I really like. Great for stat tracking but it's not a touch or color display. Text notifications can be seen but not replied to, if that's an issue. I'd look carefully at the features and see if it actually aligns with what you need, but it is as rugged as I imagine a smartwatch could ever be. For me, the non-smartphone like qualities it has are a benefit, not a drawback, but my main focus with it is fitness tracking and route finding. Got mine used for $150, you won't find a new one under $200 but a used one could probably be found.

the fenix/epix (mainly pros) options are go-to options as all rounders. I also had Instinct if you want a casio/military like watch with 25+ battery autonomy Currently I've been wearing fenix 7 pro and I am very happy about it

Garmin, at first I got a cheap Edge 130 and I stuck with the same brand, I also got a watch (Instinct) and later the Edge 530, so now I'm all invested already with years worth of data in Garmin app. Activities sync to Strava though, so I guess I could switch to something else, but there are things that don't sync like daily steps, calories, sleep, body battery... so I think I'll stick with it. I don't have an iphone so Apple watch is out of the question entirely, and I don't really care all that much about the smart portion of the watch to try something like Samsung. But I do have a Wahoo trainer, not a Garmin one. Still works just fine with Garmin.

My sister has to charge her Apple watch every evening, then there's me with my Instinct charging it once a month 🤣

Garmin instinct is twice the cost of GBD-200/GBX-100. Sure it is probably better but that comes at a cost.

Hard to beat the Garmin Fenix / Epix / Enduro line in terms of battery life. Note: leaving a watch on the map screen drains a lot of power regardless of watch brand. The Instinct is a good second choice if you only need a breadcrumb track to follow; no maps. Maps , on the watch, gives you more information on terrain but shouldn’t be a deal breaker. You could always refer to your phone. Look at previous versions of the watch to fit your budget.

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

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 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.

Garmin Instinct. Rugged and not a glass/touchscreen. Tracks fitness and is more affordable than most smartwatches.

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.