Garmin Solar Instinct 2 Tactical - 3 Day Review
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- So had a chance to spend the weekend with the watch and wanted to provide some feedback. Will come back after a month or so, once I get out on a bike and test out GPS. I looked into the Logging HRV and its in reference to logging HRV during workouts. Int2 does track HRV as part its its stress tracking. Screen curvature example • Garmin Instinct 2 Sola...
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Very interesting looking comparison, thank you for the video, will definitely use of the trick with the Phoenix bands! also got convinced to go with tactical rather than blue - you can never get tired of the simple black colour and change the bands as you go. for me the biggest selling point on the instinct is the battery - it is a smart watch but if you put it into battery saver it is just a watch that’ll last forever - many ‘smart watches’ tend to forget about that in my opinion
I will probably upgrade, but no time soon. My timing was off and I bought the Instinct Solar 1 just before the 2 came out. Still, I love my Instinct solar, and with the software updates, my original solar Instinct is still relevant and I believe it will be for years to come.
I wish they will upgrade the instinct 2 solar build for stainless steel buttons and back opened with small screws and stainless Basel in the front.
Like the Casio Potrek prw 3100 which has great case .
The solar is huge since as a normal watch you do not have to use external charger which is a major major major yes why to buy it instead of the solar protrek.
If Garmin will copy the Casio protrek prw 3100 case to the instinct 2 solar you will get the best army watch . People then will go with Garmin instead of Casio leaving Polar and Sunto field watches far being also in regard to casing durability .
Today the opening of the Garmin instinct 2 is not very nice since there are no screws .
Though no one will probably open a solar watch still it is nice to know it has screws for opening as a standard .
You can see your data in colour on your phone with Garmin Connect. No big deal.
The tactical looks the best! I would love to have it in the 2s size thou! Thanks for this!
Yea I love the look too which is why I went for it and paid the extra. I likely wont use any of the extra features besides the dual coordinates is kind of cool.
Solar cannot have a protector or you lose most your solar capacity. Garmin is VERY specific on stating this
Yes anything extra will interfere. I prefer clean scratch free screen though. Scratched up screen will also interfere.
But this would be a good test. Once it is sunny here I will measure the intensity with and without a protector. I'm curious to see myself.
I’ve had both Solar and non solar Instincts. The non-solar I put a protector on.
I’ve yet to put a single scratch on any of my Garmin’s, with my Fenix going through two austere combat tours. The instinct naturally shrouding the screen, I think you’d honestly be hard pressed to find someone that has damaged an Instinct screen without suffering major injury also. Fenix/Epix, different story, but Instinct I have full confidence that the possibility of scratching the screen is less than .001% over a 5 year period
@@nathancragg6202 I think its just personal preference. I'm not rough on my watches and I put small scratch into my Instinct 1. For me its also resale value since I upgrade frequently, its much easier to resell the watch that's flawless.
I just applied the plastic protector and did solar test and was surprised at how much it impacted the solar charging, my unscientific tests showed a 50% reduction. Hoping once it dries will improve so will retest in a week. Video is still uploading but here it is czcams.com/video/OSneLEYDerc/video.html
Garmin says bullshit.... I have the solar with a protective glass on and I can tell you for sure that it charges as much as it was before I out the glass... There are quality protectors that allow most of the light to pass. At the same time the solar panel os optimized for the sun light and not all the artificial lights... i think they did that on purpose too , or else they would have the perfect charge and that's something they didn't want to do so early because it would be nothing left to advertise for future models
I just purchased a coros pace 2 last month(liking coros, though needs software work)
Coming from a Garmin instinct 1. I really liked garmin for the little helpful everyday use features.
Though my activity tracking sucked on Garmin instinct 1. Way off in almost every activity. So I replaced it with coros.
Idk if I'd take another chance with instinct.
To include, now it's more money...I don't really care for solar watches. It's a con unless your outside alot in direct sun..
I have been keeping eye on the Coros Vertix 2 myself but its price puts into fenix range (with discount in mind) and turns me back to Garmin. I have always good success with Garmin products granted I dont wear 2 devices so have no comparison I can site. My activites are very limited I basically only do weights and cycling/elliptical (depending on weather). I will keep my eyes on secondary market for a vertix so i can get taste of coros. With my limited time with the Instinct 2 I have been very impressed with the heart monitor for weight training, I also use external HRM for weight training because the wrists one would have hard time with all the flexion, but my session yesterday it kept up where I would typically see using my external HRM. Either way glad to hear youre happy withe Coros and I'm glad someone is giving Garmin some competition.
@@RandoRaf yes, I like coros. I'd buy another again. I swim, run, cycle, weight train, walk, hike. So all the activities have been tracked well and Accurately. There are extra tracking activities I can grow into like multisport and triathlon.
Though coming from Garmin, there will be some nitpicky things your going to be looking for that coros doesn't have (yet). "Find my phone" was a big one I used all the time, coros doesn't have a "find phone" feature.
sofar coros seems to be more focused on running/working out.
I just got the Instinct 2 and I recently sent back the Coros. in my opinion the Garmin is much much better , better display by far, I found coros very dim and I had software problems right out of the box.
Great video bro 😍👍👌
Thanks ✌
I wish they made a lil bit bigger
Do you prefer the fenix 6 or instinct 2 solar. I have the original instinct solar. Was thinking of upgrading to the new instinct 2 solar, or the fenix 6 solar
That is good question I have asked myself. For me personally the biggest advantage of I2 compared to my F6 is comfort. The amazing battery life is awesome perk but reality is I dont see myself every "needing" it, If I was someone who goes out for on long hikes and disconnects from world then absolutely. I'm still early in my review but I have been really impressed with the new the HRM for weight lighting so far its performed better then Garmins last Gen HRM. So while its hard choice, honestly almost a coin flip. If I had to chose again I would take the Instinct 2 over the F6. Mainly because of comfort and better HRM for weightlifting. If you are able to wear larger/heavier watch and do not really weight train, I would take F6, the larger color display much nicer and informative. I am awaiting the Fenix 7 which is probably the one I will end sticking with, we shall see.
Also after I ordered the I2 I cancelled my back order for the F7, but 2 days in I placed F7 order again as I do miss the color display. I'm hoping that the F7 being lighter (titanium) and slightly thinner will be noticeable change over the F6. When I reference weight its mainly for sleeping, day wear the size doesn't bother me but I just wasn't able wear the F6 to sleep and I often will wear my garmin on ankle too and I forget the Instinct is there, sometimes need to double check if fell off and fenix def noticeable. Sorry for long winded answer haha.
nice video. is the display of the solar versions as readable as the non solar versions? it kind of looks a little more reflective
I only have the solar but I'm pretty it's same display between the 2.
Display is the same color , what happened ? No tinkering yet ? Lol
Haha not yet.
Can you show all the different default watch faces and the data options that you can display on your nezt videos?
Yep - my bad I should have shown that. I'll make another one covering that in next day or so.
czcams.com/video/54qmuMGKLro/video.html
On the Instinct Solar, you can adjust the vibration in the service menu. I can't remember how to access it though, But there are youtube videos about it. I'd look into it if they kept the same service menu access buttons.
I looked again and all I can find is option to turn off
@@RandoRaf
czcams.com/video/70No78Zufuw/video.html
This was the video I saw awhile back, its under test mode. If you scroll forward to 2:37, you'll see the vibration setting. Ofcourse the instinct 2 may have changed this technique a little bit. I have no idea. I know I can access it on my instinct solar.
@@grantdeisig1360 oh I see.. I a secret menu. I just tried it not sure if just test or actually changing. Will test
@@grantdeisig1360 I think it's just for testing changing doesn't stay once exit out but still cool to see that menu
@@RandoRaf Oh darn! I thought it would have worked. Oh well, would have been a nice feature.
I ordered the Instinct 2 Tactical but it states 5-8 weeks processing time.
How did you get the watch sooner than this?
Great vid!
Ya thats how my fenix7 is too. I ordered the instinct the morning it was released so I must have gotten while still in stock.
Maybe they will fix the issue with gap between the glass and...that...upper round part (sry, dont know the name) meanwhile.
I had to sent them back. Support told me it's not okay. And with responses from garmin forum, maaany many ppl has the problem too).
@@MrKalthar you mean that's its defect and screen should be flat?
@@RandoRaf No no, I'm not writting about shape of glass. But whats between glass and the round thing..."lune"? You can put paper between those two parts. Many ppl on garmin forum wrote about this problem but nobody from Garmin officialy responded yet. (Except from support in my country in email) That's not very good for outdoor watch (cuz of sand, mud, little rocks can get there and scratch the glass...or maybe it losts the waterproof ability, dunno).
Try it, maybe you are lucky and have OK piece. But me and many others have this problem.
@@RandoRaf Also another thing I noticed. When checking the screen more from below angle, its terribly visible. But from upper angle, its okay. Instincts 1 have it right opposite! (You can clearly see time from "below" angle but not from above).
Eeergh, sorry...I can't explain it in english very well 😁. Better check the garmin forum for Instinct 2 yourself.
You should put a drop of water on the watch lens, then press on the protector. It makes it “stick” flat on the watch.
Yep tried that with rubbing alcohol won't stay down.
@@RandoRaf
I think water works and alcohol doesn’t because of surface tension of the water. Alcohol does a nice job prepping the surface though.
@@robertland2616 I can make vid w/ it. It looks better then what I showed in video since the screen protector was no longer new but you half off it wouldn't stick the center would stick about the size of dime but outside would not.
@@robertland2616 Ill snap a pic with water and add to description later tonight.
Hey Robert take a look. I did water and alcohol test. czcams.com/video/lQlAWA4L7fI/video.html
Is that the stock band? The watch is black but the band is grey. I have the instinct 1 (tactical) and it's all black.
Stock is black, it's after market one from Fenix watch.
Hey I seen map on your instinct?
What part of the vid? Instinct does have nav, it just doesn't have a map with like streets and labels.
@@RandoRaf 9:05 in your settings
@@robsilv148 Thats just for the nav but its not like topo maps like in fenix. You just get a line to trackback. I just put a video out on the settings you can see in there you only have few options.
Does it have projected way point like the previous instinct solar tactical?
yes it does
So is the screen like a hill or like a crate? (I always confuse concave and convex...)
Small hill.. Just enough to prevent glass protector
You can remember them by thinking "concave" has "cave" in it, so it means indented, like a cave :)
I don't see log hrv on my Fenix?
Is it fenix 6 solar? I dont have mine anymore but going off memory it was in settings, think under health performance.
How is the heart rate monitor and sleep tracking on the instinct 2?
I found HRM better, noticeable during strength training. Sleep is same really haven't noticed any difference between old versions
@@RandoRaf I had the instinct 1 and the hrm was awful on strength training. Went to the forerunner 245 and it was much better. But love the look of the instinct so I want to go back if it’s comparable to the 245 or the Apple Watch which both seem consistent
@@brettbrunsell5769 I had the instinct v1 and Fenix 6. Having used the I2 and now F7 when it comes to strength training the new gen HRM performed better.
@@RandoRaf good to know. Thanks for the info
Are you In the US? Do you want to sell the original instinct 2 straps?
Hey Junior - No Id want to keep them together as eventually will likely sell the whole watch.
@@RandoRaf cool thank you
@@RandoRaf ill buy it off you
@@yesdavidyes3777 Thanks but not ready to sell yet. Still waiting on my Fenix7 then want to do some testing.
Te z USA to ręce im rosna wiado skąd..
Biggest problem with instinct 2 is it doesn't look good. Its not only about functionality. Style is as important. 9 out of 10 people will say its just a boring cheap plastic watch by it looks. I owned instinct-1 now i own casio gbd h-1000. Yes casio is not practical as garmin but it looks 100 times better than garmin.
I do agree.. Instinct is def all function not a looker but not sure about the ghock either. I love gshock but I def dont buy them for their looks
I disagree the forerunners or fenixes look “nicer” but have the same features. I and apparently a lot of other people like the gshock style look.
Can you get notifications from Instagram dm's and Facebook messenger ?
Yes - it basically alerts to all phone notifications. So you cant pick and chose which apps you want. Whatever notifies your phone will get it on watch too.
@@RandoRaf thanks for the quick reply. So you get the message on the watch screen as soon as your phone gets it right ? So you can read it on the watch without having to go to the notification widget ? Great video btw, I'm thinking of buying this watch for my birthday next week :)
@@calistoscp you get it pretty quickly few sec. You can read what is shown on phone i can't confirm IG I don't use. But text and emails you can read whole thing. Notifications for like ring doorbell or dooedash can only see what is seen on phone notification