Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Ultimate Guide to GPS, Durability, and Unlimited Battery Life

Garmin Instinct 2 Specifications

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Design and Display

The Garmin Instinct 2 continues the rugged design of its predecessor, featuring a fiber-reinforced polymer case that meets MIL-STD-810G military standards and has a water resistance rating of 10 ATM, making it suitable for extreme environments and water sports. The watch is available in two sizes: 45mm and 40mm, catering to different wrist sizes. The display is protected by durable Corning Gorilla Glass, ensuring both clarity and sturdiness.

The main difference between the Instinct 2 and models like the 945 and Garmin Fenix 7 is the monochrome MIP display, which remains highly readable even in bright sunlight. It also supports a dual-window display for viewing multiple data at once. The solar charging feature extends the battery life. The silicone strap is comfortable for long-term wear. Bandletic, a sport watch bands brand, offers compatible Garmin Instinct 2 bands, allowing users to choose according to their preferences. The watch includes the fourth-generation optical heart rate sensor for accurate health monitoring. The physical buttons are simple and textured for easy, slip-resistant operation, making it ideal for outdoor activities.

You can also check other Garmin watch straps including Garmin Fenix Watch bands, Garmin Descent Watch bands, Garmin Instinct Watch bands, Garmin Forerunner Watch bands and Garmin Approach Watch bands.

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Health Performance

The Garmin Instinct 2 excels not only in sports performance but also offers comprehensive health monitoring features to help users better understand their physical condition. It is equipped with the Gen4 optical heart rate sensor, providing 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and can track blood oxygen levels and stress changes in real time. The sleep monitoring function automatically detects different sleep stages, including awake, light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM), providing a comprehensive score based on sleep duration and quality to help users adjust their sleep habits and improve rest quality. Additionally, the watch tracks blood oxygen and breathing during sleep, offering more accurate health data.

Instinct 2 also includes several daily health monitoring features, such as respiration rate, hydration reminders, and tracking of the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Through the Health Snapshot feature, users can easily view a summary of their daily health data and stay informed of their bodily changes.

For instance, the watch will vibrate to remind the user to drink water if it detects prolonged inactivity, helping maintain a healthy water intake. In terms of fitness tracking, the Instinct 2 offers a Body Battery function that combines heart rate variability, stress levels, sleep quality, and daily activity data to generate a comprehensive fitness score, helping users understand their current fitness status and make adjustments. Furthermore, the Instinct 2 provides menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking for female users, helping track physiological changes and offering scientific exercise and nutrition advice.

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Fitness Tracking

The Garmin Instinct 2 is equipped with ABC sensors (altimeter, barometer, and compass), providing accurate environmental data for outdoor activities. Whether hiking, trekking, or skiing, users can track real-time altitude, air pressure changes, and direction, which is especially useful in unfamiliar environments. The watch also features a storm alert function, issuing a warning when there is a significant change in air pressure, helping users take precautions and stay safe.

The Instinct 2 supports over 50 sport modes, covering running, cycling, swimming, hiking, skiing, and more. Each mode provides detailed data such as cadence, ground contact time, and more. In hiking mode, the watch tracks altitude gain, as well as air pressure and oxygen consumption, allowing users to adjust their pace. For water sports enthusiasts, the Instinct 2 includes tide charts and surfing modes, recording workout data and providing tidal information to help users make the most of natural conditions.

Additionally, the Instinct 2 includes advanced training metrics like VO2 Max, recovery time, and training load, making it suitable for professional athletes and outdoor adventurers. Using Firstbeat Analytics, the watch offers personalized workout recommendations based on heart rate changes, helping users optimize their training. The more advanced Garmin Instinct 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 models also offer similar features, with even greater customization and expanded tracking options.

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - GPS and Navigation

The Garmin Instinct 2 offers powerful GPS positioning and navigation features, making it ideal for outdoor activities. It supports multiple satellite navigation systems, including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, providing precise location services in complex environments like cities, forests, or mountains.

The watch's navigation function allows users to plan their routes in advance and track their position and direction in real-time during activities, especially useful for hiking and trekking to avoid the risk of getting lost. Additionally, the Instinct 2 features dual coordinate display, showing two different coordinate systems simultaneously, making it suitable for specific outdoor tasks such as tactical operations or professional expeditions.

The Instinct 2 is equipped with ABC sensors (altimeter, barometer, and 3-axis electronic compass), which monitor elevation, barometric pressure, and direction, making it perfect for outdoor exploration. The TracBack feature helps users navigate back to their starting point safely. The watch can also track the relative orientation between known locations and the current position, and when paired with a compatible smartphone, it can receive emails, text messages, and app notifications, offering convenient smart information management.

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Battery life

The Garmin Instinct 2 excels in battery life, especially the solar-charged version. The standard model offers up to 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode, while the solar version can provide unlimited battery life in smart mode when exposed to sufficient sunlight. Real-world tests show that the Instinct 2 solar version can last over 30 hours with GPS and heart rate monitoring enabled, making it perfect for extended outdoor activities. The Instinct 2X Solar version provides even longer battery life, suitable for ultra-long outdoor adventures or extreme sports.

The battery life of the Instinct 2 is one of its major selling points, far surpassing many competitors, including the Apple Watch. Thanks to the low-power black-and-white display and Garmin's power management technology, the Instinct 2 can last for weeks on regular use. Even with extended GPS tracking and activity monitoring, the battery can last for several days, making the Instinct 2 an ideal choice for outdoor enthusiasts and those engaging in long-duration outdoor activities.

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Smartwatch Features

The Garmin Instinct 2 offers a range of practical features that enhance everyday convenience. It supports smart notifications for calls, text messages, and social media, allowing users to easily check information with a wrist raise, reducing the need to frequently check their phone. Additionally, the Instinct 2 includes a weather forecast feature, helping users stay informed about the local weather, which is particularly useful when planning outdoor activities. The watch also comes with NFC functionality, supporting metro and bus card payments in over 300 cities, making it convenient for users during daily commutes or while using public transportation during exercise.

Although the Instinct 2's smart features are somewhat more streamlined compared to Garmin's Fenix series (such as the Fenix 7 or Fenix 6) or the Apple Watch (such as the Series 8 or Ultra), it still offers smart notifications, Garmin Pay (on select models), and safety tracking. The Instinct 2 lacks a microphone, meaning you cannot answer calls or use a voice assistant like with the Garmin Venu 2 Plus or Apple Watch. However, for Android users, the Instinct 2 provides an auto-reject call feature via text messages, which can be easily customized through the Garmin Connect app. Overall, the Instinct 2 is a great choice for users seeking a simple yet efficient smartwatch with essential smart functionalities.

Garmin Instinct 2 Review - Conclusion

The Garmin Instinct 2 is an all-around smartwatch designed for outdoor adventurers, extreme sports enthusiasts, military, police, and special operations personnel. Its main highlights include extended battery life, military-grade durability, and precise GPS tracking, making it ideal for users in extreme environments. However, if you prioritize smart features or high-end display quality, you might want to consider other models.

Recommended for:

• People who frequently engage in outdoor adventures or extreme sports
• Users who require high durability and precise GPS tracking
• Users seeking long battery life and less frequent charging

Not recommended for:

• Users who mainly use their smartwatch for daily smart functions, such as app ecosystems and information interaction
• Users who prioritize AMOLED displays and high-end visual experiences

How to Choose:

• For those prioritizing durability and shock resistance: Instinct 2 is an excellent choice with exceptional shock resistance.
• For users looking to reduce charging frequency: Instinct 2 offers long battery life, especially the solar-powered version, which can run indefinitely under ample sunlight.
• For users needing detailed map navigation: Instinct 2's monochrome MIP display may not be ideal as its screen lacks detailed visibility, which could affect route tracking.

In summary, the Instinct 2 is a high-performance smartwatch designed for outdoor sports, with its rugged design, accurate GPS tracking, and powerful sensors, making it perfect for users seeking durability and efficient performance.