A Preview of the Garmin Instinct 2

Multiple sizes, unlimited battery life and bold new colours, we preview the rugged new Garmin Instinct 2 GPS smartwatch.

After trying out Garmin’s Marq Athlete watch, I’m looking forward to trying out the new Garmin Instinct 2 GPS Smartwatch. The Instinct has evolved into the Instinct 2 with a slimmer profile, two bezel sizes, improved battery life and solar recharging on some models. And that’s not all, there are loads of new colours – Neo Tropic or Waikiki are two – and there are three purpose-built editions; surf, tactical and camo.

The battery improvements mean that the Instinct 2 can now go up to four weeks on one charge in smart-watch mode; pretty impressive. And if you choose one the solar recharge capable models, then you could be looking at some seriously long gaps between charges.

The choice of two bezel sizes means that those with smaller wrists no longer have to lug a monster ticker around – the fibre-reinforced polymer body weighs in at 42g. And the scratch-resistant watch face has been chemically strengthened, adding extra protection to the new high-resolution display. The last is welcome, if like me, you wear your watch all day, at work and play.

Instinct 2 Features

The Instinct 2 Series is compatible with Garmin Connect IQ, an all-in-one platform for personalising your smartwatch. There you can download apps, widgets, watch faces, data fields, and more. Health and wellness features like Hydration Tracking, Connect Leaderboard, Menstrual Cycle and Pregnancy Tracking are also available through Connect IQ.

Lifestyle features include; Sleep Score, Advanced Sleep Monitoring and a new Health Monitoring activity. This allows users to record key health metrics such as Body Battery™, stress, and heart rate in a single view. Fitness enthusiasts will be motivated knowing their Instinct 2 now includes; VO2 Max, Fitness Age, Training Status/Load/Effect, Recovery Time, HIIT Workouts, and Daily Suggested Workout.

Among the many – and I mean many – other features are; Garmin Pay, crash detection, multiple pre-loaded sports activities, tide widgets, a compass, navigation, military tactical modes, the list is endless, better to ask what the Instinct 2 can’t do!

So while I probably won’t be needing the kite surfing or military kill-switch options, I will try it out on my bike based adventures and the odd family walk. In the meantime head over to Garmin and check out the Instinct 2 series.