Customer Ratings & Reviews

I bought the Instinct as an upgrade from my Garmin Forerunner 220, which I purchased over 4 years ago (and which I still have and is still in great shape). So even though I have only had the Instinct for a couple months now, I can say from years of experience that these high-level Garmin running watches are well-made, reliable, and incredibly useful. Here is my take on some of the main features of the Instinct. Appearance: This is a running watch that doesn't look like the typical goofy-looking running watch. I have seen some people criticize it for looking like a knockoff of the G-Shock, and frankly I don't see why this is a bad thing. It looks great and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb (though if the more brightly colored options are your thing, you can go that route with the Instinct as well). I have the Graphite one, which looks like a charcoal color in low light, and like more of a very dark army green in bright light. It looks sharp but also conservative, which is what I prefer. It is also a nice size. I am a 32 y/o man, but I have always had scrawny runner wrists. In spite of that, the Instinct fits fine; it is relatively lightweight and not too big or clunky. Also, I have tried pretty much every kind of watch band for running watches over the years, and this one is easily my favorite so far--lightweight, super customizable, secure, and waterproof. Customizability: You can customize the watch face both in appearance and features. For example, I chose to switch out the default altitude and sunrise/sunset on the home face for realtime heart rate and step count, which are the things I prefer to see at a glance. You can still quickly access the other data by scrolling through things like altitude, total mileage for the week, heart rate, messages, etc. Smartwatch features: This smartwatch focuses more on the "watch" part than the "smart" part. Personally I prefer this because it looks more like a traditional watch than Apple watches do, it has excellent battery life (about 5 days or so in my experience), and the watch face is always on (personally I just think the typical "off" look of Apple watches is a little odd for a wristwatch). The Instinct does have some smart features, like having calls and messages from your phone pop up on the watch face. This is handy at times, but it does not work very well. For one thing, it is unreliable. Even when it is activated and linked, it often randomly stops working for some reason. Second, it can't really be customized much. Either 1) it's off, 2) it shows phone calls only, or 3) it shows absolutely everything--including all app notifications, emails, etc.--even the ones you have set to not go through to your iPhone lock screen. Personally I kind of find this feature more annoying than useful. If you want to look at photos on your wrist, return messages without taking out your phone, have a multicolored display, listen to music through your watch, etc., then you probably should get an Apple watch instead. This watch does a lot of cool things, but don't mistake it for a real smartwatch. I don't mean that as a criticism, either; it's just a matter of personal preference, really. This a watch focused on being a durable and versatile GPS watch, not a smartwatch. Just know what to expect. Workout modes: A major improvement I found over my Forerunner 220 was that the Instinct has much easier customizability of workouts. You can set what kind of workouts are available on your watch, i.e. running, trail running, cycling, stationary bike, treadmill, etc. (all of these can be added or subtracted from the list on your watch at any time). Anyone who had earlier versions of these GPS watches knows what a pain it was to disengage the GPS for something like a treadmill run (for treadmill runs it will measure your distance using the built-in accelerometer rather than GPS). The Instinct makes that step a breeze. You can also use it for swimming workouts. Automatic uploads: As soon as you open your Garmin app, it will automatically sync with your watch and upload the latest workouts to Garmin Connect. This is really handy and pretty much takes all the effort out of keeping a training log (but you can still add comments to each workout if you want). Another really cool thing you can do with this watch (though this is not new to this model) is designing a custom workout on Garmin Connect and then downloading it to your watch (whether you have it broken up into certain distances, times, target heart rate zones, etc. is up to you). Sleep Tracking: This is one thing that really is not very reliable. I still use a Fitbit Flex 2, and the difference in the accuracy of the sleep tracking between the Fitbit and the Instinct is glaringly obvious. Unfortunately the sleep tracking on the Instinct just doesn't work very well. If that's something you really want built in to your watch, this may not be the one for you. So this was kind of a long review, but I hope you found it helpful. Overall I love this watch, because it works great and it is just right for what I want in a watch. But it is not the right watch for everyone. Look through your options carefully between what different models Garmin has to offer, as well as Fitbit watches, Apple watches, etc., and make sure you find the best watch for you!

This smart watch fully fills a particular niche for outdoor activity. Excellent GPS and heart rate functionality for all outdoor activities. Rugged, waterproof, and 2 week battery life. It still does everything smart watches are advertised to do. I think the BW screen and push button functionality are more a plus than minus. Every screen is customizable. Think of this as a 4X4 SUV as opposed to an apple watch high end luxury car. Price is hard to beat for the features you get.

Bought this for my boyfriend recently and he loves it. It has all the bells and whistles he was looking for lol. It has all the “programs” that are required for his line of work, and is extremely useful in his day to day life. Beautiful, slick design, super light weight and great battery life. Really durable as well, it holds up great when he’s out and about. Would highly recommend!

Ive had an apple watch for a long time and hate that i have to constantly cherge it each night. The Garmin only has to be charged about every 2-3 weeks depending on how much Gps you use. Perfect for tracking my sleep, heart rate, and other health needs.

Purchased this watch to replace my old Garmin 410. Though the display is not in color it is the perfect running and outdoor watch. It has all the features of the more expensive Garmins, but at half the costs. It also has some really great features for hiking or trail running. Warns you of pending storms, has built in navigation features and much more. Also last a long time compared to both the Galaxy and Apple watches.

I love this watch!!! Finally just what I want. Unfortunately its not that fancy where you can use Google pay like that but I don't mind. I'm a bit rough and anything I wear on my wrist gets beaten alot and so far a few months of hard labor and this watch still looks brand new. Has plenty of ways to track many activities. I paired it with the garmin app and also strava works excellent. Pretty close to accurate but tracks my walk, run, stress, sleep and more. Great GPS and compass in many locations mountain, dessert, ocean and other countries. I love it so much I waited for it to go on sale and grab em for my husband too so we can track our activities together. Oh and the battery life is great!!! Depending on how intensive your activities are I only like charge it like once a week. I love it and recommend this to anyone one I know who wants a strong sturdy watch not fancy but does most of the job and does it well.

This is the ideal smartwatch for someone who is active and doesn't care to make calls or play games on their watch. Activity tracking works great for hiking, mountain biking, running, etc. and battery life is fantastic. If I am not using GPS functions I can go around 2 weeks without charging, if I'm doing several 1+ hour activities using GPS (mountain biking, etc.) then I charge it once a week. I was expecting to have to replace the band due to durability or comfort issues, but it is in great shape after over a year of daily wear and is super comfortable.

Bought this watch because of the different reviews I have read . This watch has not disappointed. The heart rate monitor was of great interest to me and it is working just fine when at ccx test I have a low heart rate and this watch does a great job of tracking it . The GPS function works great , has a bread crumb screen and when paired we with your phone using Garmins connect app you cant see what area you covered on a full color map . The step counter , I'm not sure how accurate it is but the watch will track flights of stairs going up and coming down , which is quite accurate . You can choose different activities to track , and with all the settings , I printed out the manual which helped alot , GREAT battery time on the watch only have to recharge it every 10 days or so , that mostly depends on how much hiking I do and what gps mode I use . I gave the watch 5 STARS as it does way more than I ever expected. I also use Garmin Express and Garmin Base Camp with all my Garmin products . I recommend it , based on the fact it works for me , I have had no problems with it.

Overall I like the watch. My biggest issue is that no charger is included...only a cord. IMO, that would be fine if they explained what you need to get for a wall charger. When I look at Best Buy, most USB wall chargers seem like they would be pushing more watts/amps/volts than a small device like this could take. When I look for low watt chargers (ex. 5 watts), the only ones I can find are cheap non-UL listed models--which Garmin says will void the warranty (non UL listed). I chatted with Garmin for help but the only advice was to get a UL listed charger--no watts/amps/volts advice or cautions and apparently they don't sell one appropriate for this watch. How does it make sense not to provide this info to the customer? Other thoughts: I like the general G-Shock like appearance but would prefer more options to change the face. It is comfortable to wear. The compass seems responsive. The light is adequate and the battery life seems good so far. I like the heart rate monitor but I have yet to learn how one could record a track record by day, week or month. That would be cool if it is available. Some of the controls are a bit hidden in menus and sub menus but I guess that comes from packing a lot into one watch with only buttons. There are several little videos on the internet showing how to do various things--that is helpful but it would be cool if one could set a lot of this stuff up through a PC with a keyboard and mouse while it was hooked up. Really hoping I can get advice for a proper wall/travel charger so I'm not stuck having to charge it only through a PC USB port from fear of burning it up.

I have had several fitness smart watches, and found they wore out easily through normal use (strength training, running, hiking, gardening) I was suggested that maybe my fitbit ionic had a failed screen after 1.3 years because I got particles in it gardening!? anyway this hits all the marks for me. Fitness tracking, custom data outputs if I want (I don't want to see this, only show me that ect) 15 day battery life is a great perk. Gave up a color display for that and 100% fine with that trade. I wasn't interested in texting or calling. I do use the text notification. I did a bench mark run that I had done on other devices, and the gps was better. Previous devices showed my speed being very up and down (with machine like consistency?) much more accurate from what I can tell, because I don't keep pace perfect, but I don't run in a constant speed up and slow down. Yeah I like this product. It's tough feeling durability wise, and no performance issues. Software takes some focus to follow instructions for customization, but if you want features that's how they happen.

This is my first Garmin watch and I love it. Hands down, this has the longest battery life of any other watch brands. It does exactly what you need: time, notifications, bio sensory tracking, GPS, and workout tracking. Does it have a million apps, NO, and you don't need it because the functions it comes with is TOP notch. I really like the simplicity of the black/white screen and really tough. I work out at the gym, do yard work with lots of dirt, swim in the beach, shower, and just generally not having worry about any scratches which after almost TWO years, it still looks great.

I bought this watch to replace three current watches, my Garmin 225, which is still perfectly good, my Seiko chronograph, which was my everyday wear and a Casio, that I used for traveling. I charged and got this watch going rather quickly and the charge does last for 2 weeks. I received an email explaining how to do this, but there was also a link to a Youtube tutorial which is about 24 minutes long that explains almost anything one needs to know about using this watch. I took it out for its first run a couple of days ago and the GPS is accurate. It works with the Garmin Connect app and records so much more information than my 225. Later that night, I got into a fight with a methhead (I'm in LE) and the watch made it through without a scratch. I have been looking at smart watches for over a year now and looked at more expensive watches, but I don't think one can beat the price and features of this one.

I was looking for a smartwatch that was rugged and water-resistant. I had a Fitbit Charge 2 that I liked, however, it finally quit so I wanted to find something else to replace it. I reviewed just about every smartwatch that I could, and this one fit what I was looking for. The display is constant, I receive notifications, very long battery life, lightweight, and has many different features. I have only had two issues so far. The first was being able to receive texts, as I have an iPhone and I had to adjust the text notifications to preview when unlocked. This was not a Garmin issue, this was an Apple issue. The only other issue is that there are times where the watch will disconnect from my phone, even when I have the phone in my pocket or closeby. It is not constant, just enough to be annoying. I would certainly recommend this watch to a friend and have done so with the friend now purchasing the watch.

Bought this primarily for hiking. I’ve also used it at the gym. Coming from an Apple Watch this is an amazing tool for the outdoors. The battery life is incredible. Comfy. Accurate GPS and HR monitor!

I have had this watch a few months now and have been extremely pleased with it! The sheer number of features that I actually use would comprise a list too long to actually read. Trust me though, it has everything and then some you want from a smart watch; with 3x the battery life and 10x the durability. I have no complaints or regrets. I can't recommend it enough. Not being touch screen/having a fully developed OS a lot of features are "hiding" behind awkward button combinations and menus. It does take a while to get used to and figure out - I admit that I am still learning about and finding features I hadn't known about even months later. But once you get used to navigating the watch, every feature is useful and worth the effort to learn. Just a great watch.

The Garmin instinct smartwatch is by no means a super smartwatch. It doesn't have as many features as other watches. What it lacks in features, it makes up in functionality. I was really not too sure what to expect from this watch. It hasn't disappointed me yet. It does have a battery that lasts for two weeks in normal mode. The display is monochrome and easy to read. The built in heat rate monitor meshes in easily with my Samsung phone. It does have an illumination button which works well in low light situations. I wish it could have the mobile pay feature and a colorful screen, but then I'd probably have to recharge it every other day. I think this is a great wristwatch for the price and ir is waterproof too. If your looking for a great buy and functionality, then this wish is for you.

I bought this watch with sole intentions of tracking my mile time during long runs. Running with my phone in my pocket became tiresome and I was worried it might fall out, so I looked into buying a watch. The Garmin Instinct is, in my opinion, the best option for someone who wants a versatile and durable watch but doesn’t want to spend over $300. I use this for everything now. I get my text notifications, alarms, weather updates, heart bpm, time, and daily steps from this watch now. Best of all, it’s waterproof so I never have to take it off other than to charge it, which thankfully I only have to do about every three days. This watch is incredibly useful for anyone who wants to accurately assess their daily fitness routines.

I've used a lot of GPS watches over the last 15 or so years, including 3 Timex watches, a Motorola, and most recently 2 TomToms. I loved them all, but each company moved away from the GPS watch line leaving me to find a different brand when it came time to get a replacement. Yet somehow I never had a Garmin until now. The biggest problem I think I've had with Garmin in recent years is that their line is too big. It was just too hard for me to figure out which watch was the right watch for me. Frankly, I was just about to bite the bullet and buy the expensive Fenix when this Instinct went on sale and I thought "Okay, I'll try it." I've had it almost 6 weeks now, and I like it! Durable, seems accurate enough, rugged. I've worn it along with my TomTom (opposite wrists) to check accuracy. Sometimes they're very, very close, but for my longer rides and runs they do vary a bit. Not enough that I'm concerned, though. I usually don't care too much if I've ridden 28.32 or 28.37 miles, and I don't know which one is off (or both!?). Close enough for me. The watch is comfortable. It's a little bigger than my TomTom, and it took me a few days to get used to the size, but otherwise no issues. I wear it when I ride, run, rest, sleep, shower. So far, so good! And the battery lasts a long time! I haven't run out of juice yet. I try to remember to top off by charging at least twice a week, but I've gone at least 5 days without charging a couple of times and haven't run it dry. I don't know how long it'll go, and I'm not looking to find out. Again, so far, so good! I may still check out the cool Fenix line for the maps, but for day-to-day activities I'm very happy with the Instinct, especially having gotten it on sale.

Great durable, comfortable, long lasting watch for tracking your activates. I picked up the instinct mostly for tracking my MTB rides and Hikes. it's been great for both, it's somewhat bulky but really light and after wearing it a few hours I hardly notice it. while it does have sleep tracking I find it's not the most comfortable for sleeping with.

I ranked it a 4 star because the first one I had just decided to not hold a battery charge after 11 months of use. I did get the extended warranty and it was very easy from best buy to swap the watch out for free. I absolutely love this watch other than that one issue. The battery life last at least 5 days on heavy use. I walk or hike 4 to 6 days a week and always track my hikes. It uses GPS and gives me a map of the area I traveled, the time i started and finished, keeps me notified on my heart rate every 15 minutes, and distance I have traveled. I went from a fitbit to the Garmin and I am completely satisfied with this watch. I just hope the battery does crap out on me in 10 months again.