Instinct® 2X Solar Tactical, Rugged Outdoor Smartwatch, 50mm, Black

This is the perfect activity watch/smartwatch for me. It can’t call or text from the watch itself, but those are features I rarely used on my Apple Watch anyway. It’ll still show you if you have a text, call, or any other notification but is geared toward being more of a great activity watch than a phone on your wrist. What’s great about this is how jam-packed with features it is. They took a ton of stuff that previously was only available in the fenix and epix watches and brought it to this instinct 2x solar. It has sleep tracking, activity tracking (with customizable screens for each activity), training readiness, heart rate, vo2 max, blood oxygen level, etc. Most apps charge money for the amount of detail this watch and app give you about your day to day and activities, but there’s no subscription on this. It’s all free And it constantly checks heart rate. My old Apple Watch would check periodically but you could never glance down and see what the current hr was without tapping on the icon and waiting. With this watch it constantly is reading heart rate and keeps a graph showing the history (which you can have show on the watch face if you want). The battery is awesome, something like 40 days with how I have mine set up. And the solar charging actually works. I’ve heard that past versions it didn’t help all too much, but this one it really makes a difference. I added 2 days to my battery life from just a few hours in direct sunlight. The only places where this watch is lesser are the display and the navigation. If detailed maps and touch screen/oled screen are important to you, then go with the fenix or epix models. The navigation on this watch can be useful as it includes the trackback feature where it’ll guide you back on the path you came in on, line-of-sight tracking (keeps you on path if you have to go like down in a valley or around an obstacle where you might lose sense of direction), and you can even pre-load courses to follow later. However, it’s a pretty bare-bones navigation map. It has a pointer for your watch and a line showing the path and that’s about it. The epix and fenix watches have nicer displays, color, touchscreen, and more detailed maps which help a lot with navigation but you also sacrifice a significant amount of battery life for those features. And they’re double the price of this one. All in all, I think this is the perfect middle point for a watch. It has all the features from the top of the line ones that I need, along with crazy battery life and a decent price. If you don’t need detailed navigation but want great gps and activity tracking at half the cost of some of those other watches, this is a great option.

"I’ve been using the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar for a couple weeks now, and it has exceeded my expectations. As someone in the military, I need gear that is reliable, and this watch delivers on every front. Top Features for Duty: Built-in Flashlight: I use this feature constantly during night missions and tasks. The red light is particularly useful for areas where white light isn't allowed, making it perfect for maintaining light discipline. Solar Charging: Being stationed in the desert, the solar charging is a lifesaver. It noticeably extends the battery life and keeps the watch powered up even when I'm away from a charger for long periods. Size & Comfort: Even though I have a thinner build, the watch fits very comfortably on my wrist. It doesn't feel bulky or get in the way during daily tasks or training. Training & Performance: As a longtime fan of Garmin’s training features, the run tracking is my favorite. Whether I’m doing long-distance runs or interval training, the data is accurate and helpful for tracking my progress. Verdict: If you need a rugged, tactical smartwatch that can keep up with a demanding lifestyle, this is it. It’s the perfect blend of a dedicated fitness tracker and a reliable field tool."

This watch is one of the best purchases I have ever made!! I find myself using the flashlight feature multiple times on a daily basis. You don’t realize you need it until it’s there!! I use it all the time!! I love that it sips battery life!! I charge it once, maybe twice, every other month!! It tracks my sleep, my steps, and my heart rate and I don't even have to think about it. It’s amazing for running and hiking, and the “track back” feature is super nice if you are ever lost on the trail or in the mountains because it will tell you step-by-step where to go to get back on the original path you took to get there. I also love that it’s solar powered, although it’s more of a nice gimmick because I don’t find it adding crazy amounts of charge to the watch, but I’m also not in the sun a ton, I prefer to hike in the evenings, so maybe I’m not the best candidate to review the solar part. All the other features are amazing, from the barometer to the altimeter to the compass!! It even has built in alarms, stopwatch etc. and you can read your texts. Literally everything you need! I’ve also taken this watch to hell and back, from dirt to rocks, to grime, to mud and it’s still just as good as ever check out these photos of over a year more of use as my daily driver.

My first Garmin watch, and I love it! Yes, it’s definitely a large watch and on the bulky side, but I don’t care at all, and expected that it would be! Doesn’t matter that I’m small-framed/petite - I’ve always preferred men’s watches for their more aggressive profile (I despise “dainty”). As far as appearance, the original band definitely adds to the bulky appearance, and can make longer sleeves and winter coats a little more challenging, and maybe a little less comfortable (though not a huge deal) for sleep. I ended up buying a Garmin hook-and-loop style band ($40!!) that I like better, and then a two-pack of almost identical hook-and-look bands (Abanen Hook and Loop Quick Dry 26 mm Woven Nylon Ultralight Sport Watch Bands) at 75% LESS than the Garmin brand ($21.99 for TWO!!). As far as watch function, I like it a lot. There are many options to customize the watch face with whatever data you want to see (and more you can get via Garmin ConnectIQ app), and some key settings made the difference for me! The watch comes with the brightness set at only 20%, which seemed DARK to me, and very disappointing at first! I’m sure this has to do with battery-saving, but it was just too dark, so I quickly found out how to increase it to 50%, and I’m good with that. Also, you can change the setting so that the screen only lights up when you turn your wrist, so that helps save battery, too (and why would you need it lit up at all times anyway? You can still see the screen when it’s not lit up, so that’s not a big deal at all). Although it’s not a sapphire lens, it is recessed from the bezel, and the glass is supposed to be pretty tough, so I’m good with that. (I tend to be pretty tough on things, so I like sapphire glass when I can get it.) And, perhaps most importantly (not really, but still….) I LOVE THE FREAKING FLASHLIGHT!!! I’d seen a bunch of comments that people had originally thought it was kind of “gimmicky” but then changed their minds when they found out how much they used it, and I am exactly the same!! I NEVER want to wear another watch without a flashlight - like EVER! It is CRAZY handy to have one whenever you need it, which is a lot more often than I thought! I can ever walk through a dark forest path at night and see SO much around me! AND I was able to shovel snow off the dark area of my driveway (going downhill) with ONLY the watch for light!! (And it was even at the correct angle for shoveling, so I didn’t have to hold my wrist at an odd angle or hold my arm up in the air!) LONG REVIEW for those who REALLY need details and need to be convinced to spend the money, but this watch seems like it can’t HELP but last forever, and I have ZERO complaints about it!!

In the past couple of years I've had three different expensive name brand watches die on me. Frustrating and expensive to say the least. I really like all the features you get in a smart watch. I particularly like the health metrics and work with those every day to help myself keep in shape. So just fed up with the fancy, colorful smart watches that keep dying on me. I figured I'd go down a different route. I settled on the Garmin. I've had this for about six months now and have submitted it to some pretty rough treatment. I hasn't scratched, it still looks great and when fully charged it has a 29 day battery life. No more taking my watch off every night to charge it. Garmin did this by not going with a color display on the watch. It's a sacrifice I've been happy to make. I don't have to give this watch a second thought no matter what I"m doing. My other smart watches I was worriend about the screen getting scratched mostly. But most of the time I just don't want to be worrying about the well being of my watch. With the Garmin I never have to. This comes with what to me has been a very nice phone app. So I really do get all the basic functionality of those "fancy" watches. But here's the thing. If I'm going to a function-which doesn't happen a lot in my life-where it's a dressy even. Well I've got all my nice pre-smart watch watches that I can put on for the event. I'm basically really happy with this watch. With one caveat. For me I get very frustrated with how many buttons I seem to need to push to get anything done. There are a ton of options and features on this watch. If you're somebody that does well with that sort of thing then you'll probaby be right at home with accessing all the features. For me I'm regularly going to watch Youtube tutorials to get to certain features. Which is tedious at best. After six months I'm still trying to get comfortable with accessing all the things this watch can do. You may fare better in that department. To sum up. This is a great rugged watch that I also think is great looking. I got the orange model. The battery life is bliss. I charge this (it charges quite quickly) and then I'm set for almost a month. This did cost about the same as I paid for my other "premium" watches. But from a performance and durability perspective I feel like I've more then gottn my money's worth.

I've been using the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar in Graphite for a while now, and it's been an outstanding experience. This rugged GPS smartwatch has not only met but exceeded my expectations with its solar charging capability, built-in flashlight, and multi-band GNSS support. The solar charging feature is a game-changer. It significantly extends the battery life, ensuring that I rarely have to worry about charging the watch manually. This is incredibly convenient, especially during long hiking trips or outdoor activities where access to power sources is limited. The watch face is designed to maximize exposure to sunlight, efficiently converting it to energy and keeping the watch powered for days on end. Durability is a hallmark of the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. Its rugged build can withstand all kinds of rough treatment, from bumps and drops to extreme weather conditions. I've used it in heavy rain, on dusty trails, and under the scorching sun, and it has performed flawlessly in every scenario. The graphite color not only looks sleek but also masks dirt and wear, keeping the watch looking new. The built-in flashlight has proven to be more useful than I initially thought. It's powerful enough to guide me through dark paths during night treks and convenient when I need to find something in my backpack after dusk. This feature adds an extra layer of utility, making the watch an indispensable tool for any adventure. As for navigation, the multi-band GNSS support ensures accurate location tracking in even the most challenging environments. Whether I'm in a deep valley, near tall buildings, or under thick canopy, the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar maintains a precise signal, giving me confidence in my location and route. The user interface is intuitive, and syncing with my smartphone is seamless, providing me with notifications, weather updates, and other essential information. The range of activity tracking features is impressive, from standard fitness metrics to specialized outdoor activities, all accurately monitored and recorded. The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar is a top-tier smartwatch that stands out for its solar charging, durability, and precise navigation. It's the perfect companion for anyone who loves the outdoors or needs a reliable timepiece that can handle the rigors of adventure. I highly recommend it to those seeking a rugged, feature-rich smartwatch that won’t let you down.

I've had a bunch of different start watches, starting with the original Apple Watch in 2015, FitBits, other Garmins, etc., but I've never found something perfect for me. This one comes close. Things it has that tick boxes for me: - super long battery life - I'm getting well over two weeks, and some people are reporting up to a month. - tough/rugged - a lot of smartwatches aren't designed for activity, this one is - iPhone sync support - iPhone notifications support - although this could be better - move reminders - activity tracking - GPS - apps - there are a ton of apps included, and even more on the Garmin ConnectIQ store. Some things that make this watch different from other smart watches. It has a monochrome screen, not color. I'm sure this saves on cost and battery life, and to me doesn't really impact the usability. It uses buttons for all the navigation, no touch screen. This helps with the rugged nature of the watch. Its has an actual flashlight. Many smartwatches can turn the screen on white and bright, which is helpful, but this has a LED flashlight that you can set the brightness on, or even turn green for saving your night vision. The face is solar, but I haven't really been able to test this capability yet. Indoor lighting doesn't seem to have any impact on the solar charging. There are a few apps that speak to the Tactical in the name. - Applied Ballistics - this is a $100 or $300 upgrade for calculating bullet trajectory. Its not something I need, but super useful for military, first responders, and big game hunters. - Tactical - this one is a special activity tracker with some military location features - Jumpmaster - this one is for jumping out of airplanes - stealth mode - turns off all radios and disables location tracking - kill switch - restores to factory settings All in all, I love this watch. No its not "elegant" for that you'll need something different, but for an every day, outdoorsy, smartwatch, this fits the bill.

Best watch I’ve had. Good blend of modern features while still being rugged. Battery life is great and I love the flashlight.

I like the long battery life and the water resistance rating of this watch. i have neve owned any smart watches that I can actually wear to shower and swim. the battery lasts 40 days, which means I don't even have to bring chargers when I travel. If you don't mind the screen not being color (and touch) and the look of a traditional Casio G-Shock, this is perfect

Vengo de un Polar Vantage M y ha sido un gran salto. Muchas funciones y gran opción de personalización. Es resistente y fácil de usar una vez te aprendes los botones, los cuales también son configurables.

Underbar klocka!

Nach wie vor eine gute Uhr. Die Akkulaufzeit ist der Hammer! Und die Lichtfubktion war für mich ein Gamechanger.

Vengo de un Apple Watch 8, no lo extraño para nada. Si eres de los que contestan llamadas desde el reloj o si no puedes presindir de la pantalla touch en definitiva este no es para ti; de lo contrario quedarás más que satisfecho. La duración de la batería excelente, desde que me llegó van 15 días y aún no he tenido que cargarlo. Notificaciónes excelentes, datos de deporte (utilizo pesas, ciclo indoor, ciclo outdoor, caminar, carrera cinta, carrera exterior) excelente. Los materiales se sienten 100% de calidad y robustos. La linterna led con intensidad ajustable está perfecta. La opción de luz estroboscopica al correr está excelente. Me compré el color Grafito (que es grisaseo); como se ve en las imagenes. Mucho que decir, totalmente satisfecho.