Garmin Instinct 2

Slimmer design ; Better battery life ; Added training insights and suggested workouts

Still no full mapping support ; Similar tracking experience to Instinct ; No real improvement to screen

The Garmin Instinct 2 might not have the fully fledged features of Garmin’s Fenix series, but if you’re looking for an outdoor watch with navigation, plentiful tracking modes and decent battery life – wrapped up in a light, playful design – then the...

Choice of sizes ; Slimmer, but still tough ; Advanced training tools ; Excellent GPS tracking ; Extra long battery life

Doesn't display maps well

Superb battery life ; Excellent fitness tracking capabilities ; Durable build ; Garmin Pay support

Display is quite small ; No touchscreen ; Lacks some proper smartwatch features

If your main desire when looking at fitness watches is to get one you never have to think about charging, the Instinct 2 Solar is the one for you. Its battery life is ridiculously good, and it has a proper array of fitness tracking sensors.

Durable design with military grade specs

Unstoppable battery with decent solar recharging ; 10ATM and MIL-820 water/fall protection ; Bright MIP display upgraded from Instinct 1 ; Comes in two sizes with several special editions ; Works with Garmin Pay and Connect IQ

Fairly expensive for Solar version ; No music storage or calls ; Maps are too barebones

The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is a rugged fitness smartwatch that can track a full day and night of heart rate monitoring off of a few hours of time outdoors, using UV rays so it never dies on the job. It's a major improvement on the original Instinct in...

Infinite battery life a possibility ; High-end tracking features ; Great outdoor sports features ; Different sizes available ; Huge accessory ecosystem

Black and white display sans touchscreen ; Weak smartwatch features7 ; No integrated memory

The Garmin Instinct 2 looks like a watch that retails for $30 a pop, but it offers the tracking and sports functions of a $700 watch. The truth lies somewhere in between, costing you at least $349. If you are looking for a robust sports smartwatch with...

Build quality ; Solar charging ; Connectivity

No touchscreen ; Hard buttons

New smaller size option ; Killer battery life ; Has Health Snapshot ; Has Garmin Pay + Garmin Connect

Limited sport types

While the Garmin Fenix 7 obviously stands out with it’s color touchscreen display, support for more workout types and more functional maps across all kinds of sport trails, for half the price, the Instinct 2 is a worthy alternative. It gives you...