Garmin has announced a solar version of the Instinct 2 rugged smartwatch launched back in early 2022, which promises "infinite battery life" and comes with a built-in flashlight. The Instinct 2X Solar is also joined by a stealthy Tactical Edition.
"Our latest addition to the Instinct 2 series is a bold, purpose-built GPS smartwatch ready to help you navigate tough conditions, but adaptable enough to help you pursue everyday health and wellness goals," said Garmin's VP of Global Consumer Sales, Dan Bartel. "Its unique style fits your life, whether that includes outdoor adventures, time at the gym, a weekend barbecue with the family, or all three. With unlimited battery life and a built-in multi-purpose flashlight, you can stay focused on the task at hand without worrying about when to find your next charge."
Garmin has consistently ranked among our choices for top smartwatches, with the Instinct family being represented by a hybrid Crossover model last year. The newest member of the family is available in two flavors – the Instinct 2X Solar and a Tactical Edition.
The main feature sets of both models are essentially the same. The smartwatches are built to MIL-STD-810 durability standards, are waterproof to 10 ATM, and feature a 50-mm fiber-reinforced polymer case and bezel paired with a chemically strengthened, scratch-resistant lens with solar-charging capabilities.
Garmin boasts that this could result in never having to recharge the battery over USB-C if exposed to three hours of direct sunlight per day for Max Battery GPS, Expedition GPS or smartwatch modes (with all satellite systems and multi-band GNSS active, users can typically expect around 36 hours of use).
Each new smartwatch comes with the same sunlight-readable 176 x 176-pixel display as smaller members of the Instinct 2 series, with a custom two-window design and monochrome transflective MIP (Memory In Pixel) screen. The larger case likely makes room for the included LED flashlight with adjustable white light, a red safety light, a strobe feature that can match running cadence and it can alternate between red and white if needed.
Naturally, the new Instinct is jam-packed with fitness and wellness tech, including heart-rate monitoring (plus abnormality alerts), blood oxygen saturation, stress and sleep tracking, a step counter, training and analysis features, sports apps covering running, biking, swimming and more. A 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter are also onboard to help navigate the outdoors.
The Instinct 2X Solar models are the first to include Obstacle Course Racing, a feature that "will allow athletes to manually record obstacle splits and once obstacles are marked for the first lap, they will be automatically tracked for the remaining laps" as well as dive into race metrics.
As its name suggests, the Tactical Edition adds extra features such as a stealth mode that disables wireless comms and prevents GPS positioning to be shared, it comes preloaded with tactical activities and projected waypoints, and boasts dual-position GPS formatting and night-vision compatibility. The red flashlight mode has been replaced with a green one that Garmin says might be useful for maintaining a user's natural night vision.
The Instinct 2X Solar model carries a suggested retail price of US$449.99, while the Tactical Edition costs 50 bucks more. The video below has more.
Product pages: Instinct 2X Solar, Instinct 2X Solar – Tactical Edition