The all new Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
Review - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS watch.
With the launch of this new watch what better time to review the all new Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch.
New features - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
This new Garmin Instinct Solar GPS watch has a number of new features, of course the solar charging, updated heart rate sensors and many more.
The original Garmin Instinct GPS watch has proved a very popular choice and with it having a very stylish design complimented by the majority of the features you find on the more expensive Garmin Fenix range of GPS watches.
Solar Charging - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
Garmin have added solar panels to the gorilla glass display to the Garmin Fenix Solar GPS watch, this extends the battery life greatly over the original Garmin Instinct GPS watch.
The Garmin Instinct Solar also has a new display on the main clock face that shows the solar intensity over the past six hours as well as a more in-depth solar intensity widget in the main menu. On this widget page there is also a sun intensity icon that shows the current intensity life.
Battery Life - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
Garmin claim that you will get 24 days of battery life when the Garmin Instinct GPS watch is in smart watch mode, not using the watch with the GPS on. This is up from 14 days that you currently get on an Instinct GPS Watch.
If you expose the watch to 3 hours of sunshine per day this increases the battery life to a staggering 54 days.
GPS battery life – In the past when you used the Garmin Instinct with the GPS on you got 16 hours of battery life, with the Garmin instinct Solar this is extended to 30 hours. If you again add some direct sunlight this can be extended to 38 hours.
Power Management - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
As well as the extended battery life and solar charging Garmin have added power management to the Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch. This has come directly from the Garmin Fenix 6 range of GPS watches.
It enables you to conserve battery life enabling or disabling features you may or may not want to use, if you switch off a number of the features (battery save mode) this extends the battery life to 56 days and if you have access to sunlight it can make the battery life indefinite.
If you want to extend the battery life with the GPS on there are a couple of modes already built in. The ultra trac mode increases the battery life up to 60 hours. It’s very easy to set up your own modes to utilise the features you are only wanting to use.
Heart Rate Sensor - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
The heart rate sensor has been updated to the latest version which also includes the pulse ox into it, this measures your blood oxygen levels.
Profiles - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
The Garmin Instinct Solar GPS watch has all the same profiles as the Garmin Instinct and a further three – hunt, fish and the key one for the outdoor enthusiast is the edition of the Expedition profile. Using this profile it records many things, but a little less frequent (i.e track points every hour), but it has a battery life of up to 28 days with no sunlight in this profile and up to 68 days in ideal solar conditions.
Build Quality - Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch
Just like the Garmin instinct the Garmin Instinct Solar is built to military grade standards, thermal shock and water resistant down to 100m, it pairs with Garmin inReach two-way satellite communication devices and it is very comfortable to wear.
And Finally
Overall, we think the Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch is a great upgrade to the Garmin Instinct GPS Watch.
Garmin Instinct Solar - available in five colours -
The Garmin Instinct Solar GPS Watch GPS Watch comes in a wide range of colours.
1. Orchid
2. Tidal Blue
3. Sun Burst
4. Flame Red
5. Graphite
Look at all the Garmin Instinct Solar GPS watches here