February
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GARMIN INSTINCT 2: SOLID GPS WACTH FOR 350€
GARMIN INSTINCT 2: SOLID GPS WACTH FOR 350€. Our GPS WATCH section reviews today the arrival of the new Garmin Instinct 2. Within the Gamin GPS range, this model prioritizes functionalities over color, image or connectivity.
The Garmin Instinct 2 comes in four different versions: Surf, Camo, Tactical and Dezl. The basic price is € 350 and we can have it with / without solar charge, as well as in 45mm and smaller version, in 40mm (Instinct 2s) thought for the female users.
GARMIN INSTINCT 2:
SOLID GPS WACTH FOR 350€
Analysis by Mayayo
The original Garmin Instinct released in 2919 has always seemed to me a watch with great value for money. Especially for those who wanted to focus on the basic functionalities of gps and outdoor disdainful of modernity and colors.
The long-awaited Garmin Instinct 2 and Garmin Instinct 2S from 2022 are also new gps watches, but we hope they maintain the same philosophy: They are more compact GPS smartwatches, equipped with an electronic ink display. They are watches for tactical use, so they focus on professional users of security forces, firefighters or rescue bodies.
They may be somewhat less comfortable to use for the popular mountain runner or look somewhat limited in connectivity, but they are certainly more durable in terms of runtime.
GARMIN INSTINCT 2 VS. GARMIN INSTINCT. WHAT’S NEW?
There are quite a few new things, three years goes a long way. But thinking about the niche to which this gps watch is directed, perhaps the great leap of the Garnin Instinct 2 of 2022 with respect to the original Garmin Instinct of 2019 would be the battery and memory, plus the price.
For my taste, pass the battery from 16h to 30h with basic gps mode, as well as the jump from 16 to 32MB in memory. In return, they ask us for € 50 more in the standard basic version. For me, a reasonable increasement… but now, it has important rivals.
GARMIN INSTINCT 2: A WIDE RANGE.
FOUR VERSIONS WITH TWO OPTIONS (40/45MM – WITH/WITHOUT SOLAR)
As happened with the very wide range GARMIN FENIX 7 that covers no less than 22 gps watches brother, this new FAMILY INSTINCT arrives as a large family.
The GARMIN INSTINCT 2 range we are dealing with today offers two hard options and four declinations: with/without Solar Charge, size 40745mm. The varieties are four in turn: Surf edition, camo edition, tactical edition and dezl.
- Solar charging: Slightly extends the battery life in gps mode thanks to solar charging. In smartwatch mode that recharge allows you to have an unlimited battery. Be careful, because continuous recharging decreases battery life cycle in the long term. In addition, add € 100 to the final price
- Instinct 2 vs. Instinct 2s: They are the names of the 45mm version and the 40mm version. The second has 4h less battery in gps mode, with the same price on the other hand for both. I do not find the change attractive to me, but it will have its audience, I do not doubt it.
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Surf Edition: Focused on water sports, with functions such as tides and others for specific surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing activities, among others.
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Camo Edition: A specific image for the user. The brand sells it as “Your personal style needs a matching watch. Nothing like these unique camouflage watches to get it” Well… image 🙂
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Tactical Edition: The “Military” version Adapted to tactical use with specific tactical functions.suitable for it.
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Dezl: A special version for truckers, which we will not deal with today.
GARMIN INSTINCT, SOLIDO GPS MULTISPORT WATCH
The Garmin Instinct is a GPS watch designed to resist. In that sense, it is logical that it has a prominent weight in the wide range of tactical watches (for military use and the like) developed by the American brand.
Thus, the brand boasts that with this device the professionals of the most demanding activities and mountain athletes have the necessary functions to squeeze the most out of the harshest environments.
The autonomy of the Base version of the range that we present below (Garmin Instinct 2 standard (45mm / without solar) varies from 30 hours with full gps to 70 hours in ultratac mode, with an autonomy of up to 28 days with basic functions, without more. Let’s now go with the details of the latest model presented, taking as a reference the “central” version of the range.
| LENS MATERIAL | Chemically-strengthened glass |
|---|---|
| BEZEL MATERIAL | Fibre-reinforced polymer |
| CASE MATERIAL | Fibre-reinforced polymer |
| QUICKFIT™ WATCH BAND COMPATIBLE | Yes (20 mm) |
| STRAP MATERIAL | Silicone |
| PHYSICAL SIZE | 40 x 40 x 13.3 mm Fits wrists with a circumference of 112-180 mm |
| DISPLAY SIZE | Custom, two-window design; 0.79″ x 0.79″ (20 x 20 mm) |
| DISPLAY RESOLUTION | 156 x 156 pixels (active area) |
| DISPLAY TYPE | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| WEIGHT | 42 g |
| BATTERY LIFE | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 50 days GPS: Up to 22 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 54 hours Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 25 days |
| WATER RATING | 10 ATM |
| MEMORY/HISTORY | 32 MB |
MULTIPURPOSE USE, FROM HIKING TO ULTRA TRAIL
The versatility of the Garmin Instinct range make it a watch that we can count on in activities that, in the 2022 version jump from a maximum of 16h to no less than 30h.
For use in the mountains it is compatible with GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO systems, so that we can always make a reliable navigation in any environment by tracking routes, tracks and waypoints or through the TrackBack function, which allows you to return safely to the starting point.
In addition, it has ABC sensors (altimeter, barometer, compass) that give us greater precision about position and environment.
Activity control: The device features Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor, step control, sleep, calories, stress, intensity minutes and much more. Garmin Instinct also includes more than 15 pre-installed activity profiles.
Connectivity: It allows you to receive notifications from your smartphone directly on the screen of the device and includes advanced Garmin Connect features such as weather, calendar…
Also, thanks to the ANT+ sensor it is compatible with devices such as Garmin Virb, inReach mini, Alpha dog tracking systems, as well as a wide range of sensors.
GARMIN INSTINCT 2: CONLCUSION
That average price (€ 350 basic) together with the battery extended to 30h, more solidity and night visibility make the Instinct range an alternative of interest for any ultrero.
If mountain racing is your thing as your main use, with functionality above all else, it may be your perfect choice. You give up details of image, connectivity and others that do look its brothers Venus 2, Epix 2 or Fenix 7, but the value-price ratio is here more than interesting.
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