Hey folks - Thanks for watching! Don't forget the full written review for even more details, including accuracy and tech deep dives: dcra.in/InstinctSolar
@Bilbo Faggins More importantly, think of all that data! My pace count! My HR! How will I know how much I exercised wandering around in the woods until the Civil Air Patrol found me or something?
@Bilbo Faggins while I just bought this watch, I'm damn near sure I'd rather have my G Shock GW9400 in a stranded type situation. Only time will tell with use of the Garmin.
Cut and Dried, best 12 minutes of research I've done on a piece of equipment, ever! Actually, you did the research, I just watched your video. You listed everything I need to know and even helped me with my decision of Regular vs Tactical and Phoenix vs Instinct! Great video and very much appreciated!
I am a convert from Fitbit, just bought the Garmin Solar Instinct. OMG if only I had known how great the Garmin is. Thank you for being interesting and right to the point.
Hats off to you, I was on the garmin site looking at these watches trying to decide what features are what...and you killed it! Hands down best description I’ve found so far, I think garmin owes ya a little kick back, you had better info than the manufacturer itself. Thank you!
These new color options like (Tidal Blue and Camo patters) are awesome.. But that price of $399 is kind of brutal. I know it has more features... but 399 is very hard for me to swallow. I am happy picked up my regular Instinct a couple months ago for $199. I am very happy with my Instinct for all of my uses.
My first experience with garmin was with the Foretrex 601 which I’ve used for a few years now in the military and when hiking. I loved it so got the original instinct. I almost upgraded to the tactical but held off and I’m glad I did because I was able to get the Solar Tactical. Fantastic. Most people don’t need the tactical so save your money. Most honestly don’t need the solar either but it is a great feature.
I like it. Battery life is my deal breaker when considering smart watches, and having the solar and options to get weeks of use is fantastic. I already see too many people not wearing their watches due to "oh...it ran it out'. I have a tri-sensor, solar Casio that has been my goto for any adventure, as I know I can rely on it...yet I think I need a bigger screen and a few more options which these offer while not bloating it with music players and all those other dumb things. Your review was great
@@okcomputer6033it also does much more than Casio solar. If you want a peer to peer comparison, compare it with a G-Shock G-Squad like the GBD-H1000/2000 and the Garmin blows them out of the water.
Lost my fenix 5X by jumping off a cliff yesterday. Never make my mistakes and do not buy cheap wrist bands - it might cost you your watch. Fenix 6 looks great, but I'd hate forking out 700-900 dollars just to find out a few months later that there is fenix 7, which could be a game changer. Considering to get solar instinct as soon as I stop mourning about my loss. Great video btw! Keep up the good work!
A year later, the original Instinct Solar is still relevant and a very good addition to your health “toolbox”. Not to mention it’s dirt cheap compared to the Instinct 2 solar.
My only reason would be to point out the false statement of a "100% efficient" solar input. Nothing in current tech exceeds about 25%, most are 21%. This is at best 18-19%.
"A manual you're never going to read??" Maybe I'm an odd man out but with something like this that's the FIRST thing I do, then go through it practicing the various functions from the manual.
FYI for anyone reading this the two little booklets it comes with are not manuals. They pretty much tell you where the buttons take you and if you want to read the real manual to go to www.garmin. etc etc etc.
Feel like they are going after some of the Gshock crowd. GShock has much deeper experience with solar and BT - in fact just released the new Glide with a really good watch display that does most of this except obviously not in the Garmin eco-system which so many of us have invested in. Thanks for the quick review! Well done as always.
Definitely going after G-Shock crowd. The Casio has better solar right now, though I think the BT integration is definitely better on the Instinct than the Casio (at least on my GBD-H1000 - some of the Wear OS ones are better of course). New review on the watch side is the GBD-H1000.
@C Pautler - you nailed the intersection of timing and product direction of this unit and the Casio GBX-100 (both have MIP). Upgrading from a Gshock square and a Garmin Vivoactive to only one these watches is tough since form-factor, display price and functionality make them both strong in different ways. If Casio had made the GBX-100 Solar (not battery) for under $200, i would get another gshock...but the solar Instinct checks a lot of boxes. I would never put Fenix over a wetsuit, and the Casio GBD-H1000 is too bulky and blocky to wear around.
But those Casio models are no fitness recording watches and they have no GPS / breadcrumb map and also no solar. Closest would be Casio GBDH1000 but bit bulky and no map display and it only supports 1 activity.
Casio gshock have very limited multisport and health monitoring system compared to garmin. Their bluetooth connection also suck. Otherwise their build quality and solar power is excellent
Brandt, a few more details.. the instinct is also physically lighter and the material is what I would describe as scratch resistant. It is not metal, where the Fenix that I used to wear was metal with a dark paint that was very susceptible to scratching.
I am pretty sure, they will. F6Pro was the test. I'd assume, that as they get more experience, data, etc, they will put that into all of their units. At least above a certain pricepoint.
Great review, thanks. I got the Instinct (non-solar) literally 2 weeks before the solar version announcement, a bit of a bummer. No trying to decide whether or not to return and upgrade. Add insult to injury, lost my receipt, which means I take a bit of a hit on the return price. Yet I'm still considering it.
I bought a Instinct Tactical after watching your video and it’s been absolutely amazing! I recently learned to surf a few months ago and definitely want these added features. Along with no longer needing to charge it.
I really wanted one of these until you told me I'd be responsible for my own death. . . . The dying isn't a huge issue but, as a millennial, the responsibility part is a deal-breaker.
Very well done, sir. To the point, information we want to know without wasting any time. Earned my subscription and this is the first video of yours I have seen. Thank you for the content.
Thanks so much. Informative and interesting video. Much appreciate you taking the time. I have the original instinct and love the rugged form factor and the light weight.
Caleb Chapman but you need really strong sun for long time to charge it, new forerunner *45 have great battery lifetime, why you think it will be a good deal ? I live in Moscow , you know bears, snow, vodka a little, cold sun and it useless for us , but even in Australia 🇦🇺 with big ozone hole under head you need 5 hours in day for week to charge it, it’s can practical only on long hiking 😅
Hi from Bulgaria. Here everybody likes DC rainmaker. So far, so good. Let's go back to Instinct Solar. I liked it and went straight away to the local Garmin dealer. But i am kind old and became clear that digits/display are designed for younger people. Ok, but we don't give up. Fenix 6pro solar is the next option. I do want a solar device. I have my Fenix3 for 5 years now and It is time to replace. The solar option trills me for sure. So i would like kindly to ask you for a review of Fenix6 pro solar and comparison with Instinct solar. All the best and keep safe
I just picked up an Instinct for 199 a few weeks ago so I don't feel too bad about the upgrade. If I were to buy one today, I would still pick the Instinct at a discount instead of the Solar at full price. It will be a while before the Solar Instinct is going on sales and I can live with charging it once a week.
Thanks great review, will probably purchase this badboy. A little correction however, there is no such thing as a photovoltaic cell capturing 100% of incoming solar energy and converting that to battery charge, especially not on a consumer gadget.
3:00 "captures 100% of the sun's energy" Haha all energy of the sun?! I know what you mean that it uses all sunlight energy absorbed it's funny to point out how you said it
I can’t wait for the new Garmin Instinct Solar. As far as I saw from the photos leaked on the Internet, the new Garmin Instinct 2 and 2S, which will be shown at CES 2022, will have a barometer moved to the very edge of the clock and also a new heart rate sensor.
Original instinct's battery is already good but underwater hr is something I'd like like to have. By the way I didn't expect the cameo to look that cool on the wrist..
I bought a Fenix 1 with a similar display and basic Open Street Maps capabilities, navigation, barometer, thermometer, accelerometer, compass... almost 7 years ago for 280€!
@@Dcrainmaker www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/maps-garmin-fenix I bought my Fenix 1 when the F2 was launched for 280€ at Amazon and it was new! Fenix 1 and 2 definitely had basic map features, which was very helpful for track navigation. Maybe this was before your time.... Don't you know the Epix????? Maybe Garmin didn't tell you, because they cheated the users by not fixing even severe bugs! The F5+ was just the 4th Garmin watch with maps!
@@alancampbell6236 I'm well aware of the Epix troubles and have alluded to it numerous times, but that was a legit watch that did have usable maps. However, the Fenix 1 didn't ship with maps, and list price for the Fenix 1 was $399. The maps hack was an option, but the amount of maps you could load was tiny, and was more of a background feature than anything you could leverage.
The surf features are cool but dang can we get some support for our river sports? I'd love some flow rate data or flood warnings for major rivers across country for those of us that live in a kayak!
Its the pity they still haven’t changed where the altimeter is located on the watch. My original one gives very inaccurate readings once my wrist gets sweaty.
Perhaps you could try changing wrists? I don't have this watch but have had a Suunto Traverse with similar problems. With the sensor facing the knuckles there is less chance of sweat blocking the sensor.
@@Kryptix ended up getting the original chargeable on sale 2 weeks ago, Awesome watch, in black, synced to iphone through Garmin app, super easy. So, price on new solar was a deal breaker but waiting for black Friday to get the solar. Did I say awesome watch?
A Garmin Fenix Light...? I like watching your videos for it lets me know quickly how to use the Garmin gadget I just purchased. Thank you for the details you always put into your smartwatch reviews. And yes, your chapter shortcuts were great 👍👍
I have been following your DC Rainmaker site for years! great review as always. I have a random question, what is the watch you are wearing on your wrist in this video? do you have a review of that also? it looks good!
This is a great video. I've been watching your reviews on many gps watches. Your video editing and commentary I enjoy the most. Well explained. I'm on the market for a gps watch and am most likely going to get this watch. However, the Garmin Foretrex 601 is also on my radar. Though I know it is a very differen watch and market, it would fit my needs, I think. Can you please do a review on the Garmin foretrex 601? That would be awesome! Thanks mate! Keep up the great work :)
bro am concerned about the colour of the watch what i see at 4:19 is the real color or not. Coz the one on website is totally different, it shows light grey to black camo. this one looks light blue to dark blue. Please help. Great video bro. Real Smooth. IS THE COLOUR SAME AS ONE ON WEBSITE?
Man, I like the upgrades but I was hoping they would replace the Instinct and keep the price the same. Or keep the old model at $199 and the new one at $299. Maybe I’ll wait for a sale around Black Friday.
Thank you much for your reviews, pulling the trigger and changing from an Apple Watch, something I haven’t been able to find though. Does it sync with Apple health, my coworkers and I like to compete and do workout challenges.
This seems like a good choice for mountaineering because of the ABC features and long battery life, especially at the price point. Would you recommend it for that, or are there better choices?
Outstanding video. I'm in Canada and here the Solar is literally double the price ($299 Vs $599). It's killing me because I reallyw ant the solar due to the extra battery life (and I've got a few solar G-shocks) but double...hard to swallow.
My 645 music GPS died at some point. Started using a vivoactive 3 I had brand new in box. Battery life feels pretty meh, can't use my running dynamics stuff anymore. The instinct solar seems like it would be great for hiking, backpacking, and probably daily use for me. Would still missing running dynamics and vo2max. Is there a buzzfeed quiz I can take to find the right garmin for me?
I just got a instinct solar on sale for $300. I love it. It's awesome. However! Doesn't anyone else think that $400 for a digital watch or worse $900 for a Fenix Pro is fucking crazy??!!! Seriously, I am not a poor person. I make a good living. The fact that the Fenix Pro Solar costs almost as much a set of carbon wheels for my bike is INSANE!!!!
@@fendermon The screen is actually great. It's so easy to read in all lighting without a backlight. It doesn't drain the battery. I charge this watch just once a month and I use the GPS around 4 hours every week.
You say it's like the Fenix Lite, but I feel the excellent battery life puts this in a category of its own. For my purposes this makes the Instict more like the Fenix Ultra 😄
@@Nazarov2411 yes, but its not necessary to have it "always on". the AMOLED gives user some immersed experience when viewing any activity details and the screen itself.
Thanks for the review! Three questions for you - 1) Does the NON solar watch have more room on the screen since it does not have the solar ring around it?? 2) another review of the solar version said the backlight was “washed out” and not real effective compared to other watches. Again, is that related to the solar screens? Does the NON solar version have a better backlight?? 3) How much connected user interface exists between the Instinct and iPhone?
No, no more screen on non solar. But the solar has solar panel under the screen so it's a bit less readable than the non-solar. Still good in most cases but not quite as class leading level of readability.
Would be nice if Garmin would do the tide software to the Fenix 5X Plus as a update. Where I live we have the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico would be extremely useful. How about it Garmin if y’all are watching???
Good review, and thank you for making my decision easier.. I would 100% pull the trigger on this because of the features, especially the power saving customization, but paying that kind of money for a basic 128 x 128 LCD display, is just not worth it.. it's literally a display technology from the 1970s.. No idea why they did this..
They prioritize readability in the sun and outdoors, where it should be used if you're the target audience. It has a backlight in the dark. Very customizable. The black and white LCD is a choice, Garmin makes watches with OLED for cheaper. But the battery life and readability are why Garmin chose it for this model. It's a health and fitness tracker, as well as GPS safety type features, built into a watch that.. tries to be a watch instead of a phone on your wrist. When you only need to spend two hours charging it a month, and can read it easily in the sun when you can't read the time on your phone, you start to appreciate that screen.
I realize they are very different devices , but does anyone have some thoughts on Garmin watches vs Apple watches , in daily use ? Currently I use my Apple Watch for day to day , and use a Casio Pathfinder for camping/hikes/beach/outdoors. In my mind a Garmin (now with solar) would be a good combination of both 🤔
The Garmin is a good in between the two. Apple is horrible as just a watch because you're lucky to get two days out of one.. Garmin, solar or not, will last you at least a week if you do GPS tracking an hour a day, or two weeks if you don't. Charging for about two hours a month is pretty good. If it's sunny where you live and get the solar, and don't do much GPS tracking yet are outdoors enough, you may not have to charge it, ever.
I wish Garmin had just put the solar battery extension function in there for what it is - a means of getting more action between charges - and left it at that. I don't care what my solar exposure rate is, but that stupid graph takes up a pretty big chunk of real estate on the face. . . All I want to know is whether I'm going to need to charge my watch before I finish my next swim. But, that's Garmin's issue and not a reflection on this review. The review is great.
I got a galaxy watch 3 for Christmas. I really like it. But I mainly use it for working out and hiking. The battery life is completely trash. Even with every feature turned off you barely get 3 days and that's not using it lol. How would this stand up with a watch like that. Does it track heartbeat, steps, sleep cycles,, weather? Can I hook it up to my earbuds? How scratch resistant is the screen? I wear my watch 24/7 and have a rough construction job, I had to get all kinds of protective gear for my galaxy watch. I'm wondering if it would be worth it to just break down and cough up the extra for the Garmin Tactix Delta? I realize sone of my questions are answered in the video, I'm just typing my thoughts lol.
Another great video thanks. I've recently purchased the watch but am finding battery life worse than my original instinct. I have checked battery capacity (from 3%) & found it to be 242mah. It also takes nearly 4 hours to charge - only taking 0.04 mah max. I was wondering what your experience has been of battery life & how long your watch takes to charge so I can assess whether I have a defective battery. Thanks.
Hey, Informative 👍 So,if i have a full battery,charged from the mains,i think that gives you 9 days use.....so once the solar is charged to capacity,from the sun,where on the watch,or garmin app,does it show the synchronisation of these 2 charging options "mains/sun" and give you a full estimate of the total battery life available? I understand the power saving modes increase the battery,but I cant really pinpoint this data of having the extended battery life available on the watch.... I hope that makes sense, Thanks James
Hey folks - Thanks for watching! Don't forget the full written review for even more details, including accuracy and tech deep dives: dcra.in/InstinctSolar
DC Rainmaker hey thanks for the review! But does it have vo2max though? Your written review didnt mentiomed it too.
@@quattro8888 No VO2Max.
Garmin pay?
@leicanoct Yup, hopefully this week!
Do these watches give speed in MPH or Knots??? I never see it in videos.
Man, I don't need this, but I want this. It's neat.
Yep! Me too. 👍
@Bilbo Faggins More importantly, think of all that data! My pace count! My HR! How will I know how much I exercised wandering around in the woods until the Civil Air Patrol found me or something?
@Bilbo Faggins use your phone
@Bilbo Faggins while I just bought this watch, I'm damn near sure I'd rather have my G Shock GW9400 in a stranded type situation. Only time will tell with use of the Garmin.
@@Team_Banchamek phone batteries die rather quickly. Best to save that power for when you have a signal.
Cut and Dried, best 12 minutes of research I've done on a piece of equipment, ever! Actually, you did the research, I just watched your video. You listed everything I need to know and even helped me with my decision of Regular vs Tactical and Phoenix vs Instinct! Great video and very much appreciated!
Which one did you get and why?
I am a convert from Fitbit, just bought the Garmin Solar Instinct. OMG if only I had known how great the Garmin is. Thank you for being interesting and right to the point.
Hats off to you, I was on the garmin site looking at these watches trying to decide what features are what...and you killed it! Hands down best description I’ve found so far, I think garmin owes ya a little kick back, you had better info than the manufacturer itself. Thank you!
These new color options like (Tidal Blue and Camo patters) are awesome.. But that price of $399 is kind of brutal. I know it has more features... but 399 is very hard for me to swallow. I am happy picked up my regular Instinct a couple months ago for $199. I am very happy with my Instinct for all of my uses.
Yeah, I agree. $199 is a killer price. Even $249 is solid for the original Instinct. But $399 is a tough pill to swallow.
I bought it for 799...
just got it for 169 in 2023
Quit being poor
My first experience with garmin was with the Foretrex 601 which I’ve used for a few years now in the military and when hiking. I loved it so got the original instinct. I almost upgraded to the tactical but held off and I’m glad I did because I was able to get the Solar Tactical. Fantastic. Most people don’t need the tactical so save your money. Most honestly don’t need the solar either but it is a great feature.
I like it. Battery life is my deal breaker when considering smart watches, and having the solar and options to get weeks of use is fantastic. I already see too many people not wearing their watches due to "oh...it ran it out'. I have a tri-sensor, solar Casio that has been my goto for any adventure, as I know I can rely on it...yet I think I need a bigger screen and a few more options which these offer while not bloating it with music players and all those other dumb things. Your review was great
But Garmin solar has much less battery life than Casio solar. If i understand correctly
@@okcomputer6033it also does much more than Casio solar. If you want a peer to peer comparison, compare it with a G-Shock G-Squad like the GBD-H1000/2000 and the Garmin blows them out of the water.
Lost my fenix 5X by jumping off a cliff yesterday. Never make my mistakes and do not buy cheap wrist bands - it might cost you your watch. Fenix 6 looks great, but I'd hate forking out 700-900 dollars just to find out a few months later that there is fenix 7, which could be a game changer. Considering to get solar instinct as soon as I stop mourning about my loss. Great video btw! Keep up the good work!
A year later, the original Instinct Solar is still relevant and a very good addition to your health “toolbox”. Not to mention it’s dirt cheap compared to the Instinct 2 solar.
Not sure why anyone would dislike..? A decent review that covered just about everything.
Well done and much appreciated. 🇬🇧👍🇬🇧
My only reason would be to point out the false statement of a "100% efficient" solar input. Nothing in current tech exceeds about 25%, most are 21%. This is at best 18-19%.
"A manual you're never going to read??" Maybe I'm an odd man out but with something like this that's the FIRST thing I do, then go through it practicing the various functions from the manual.
FYI for anyone reading this the two little booklets it comes with are not manuals. They pretty much tell you where the buttons take you and if you want to read the real manual to go to www.garmin. etc etc etc.
Feel like they are going after some of the Gshock crowd. GShock has much deeper experience with solar and BT - in fact just released the new Glide with a really good watch display that does most of this except obviously not in the Garmin eco-system which so many of us have invested in. Thanks for the quick review! Well done as always.
Definitely going after G-Shock crowd. The Casio has better solar right now, though I think the BT integration is definitely better on the Instinct than the Casio (at least on my GBD-H1000 - some of the Wear OS ones are better of course). New review on the watch side is the GBD-H1000.
@C Pautler - you nailed the intersection of timing and product direction of this unit and the Casio GBX-100 (both have MIP). Upgrading from a Gshock square and a Garmin Vivoactive to only one these watches is tough since form-factor, display price and functionality make them both strong in different ways. If Casio had made the GBX-100 Solar (not battery) for under $200, i would get another gshock...but the solar Instinct checks a lot of boxes. I would never put Fenix over a wetsuit, and the Casio GBD-H1000 is too bulky and blocky to wear around.
But those Casio models are no fitness recording watches and they have no GPS / breadcrumb map and also no solar. Closest would be Casio GBDH1000 but bit bulky and no map display and it only supports 1 activity.
Casio gshock have very limited multisport and health monitoring system compared to garmin. Their bluetooth connection also suck. Otherwise their build quality and solar power is excellent
After owning Instinct the only Casio I want is their Vintage line.
Answered my questions regarding the differences between the Fenix line and Instinct line. Thank you.
Thanks!
Brandt, a few more details.. the instinct is also physically lighter and the material is what I would describe as scratch resistant. It is not metal, where the Fenix that I used to wear was metal with a dark paint that was very susceptible to scratching.
Wish they would bring that display and solar charging to their bike computers.
8638marc man, don’t give them free great ideas, they get enough money on overprice toys 🙄😅😬
Makes so much sense for those long days in the saddle. My edge doesn't last long enough for some of my rides.
I am pretty sure, they will. F6Pro was the test. I'd assume, that as they get more experience, data, etc, they will put that into all of their units. At least above a certain pricepoint.
Mate Hegyhati I think they will just because they have not more new great ideas, but need updates. edge 1030 plus and 130 plus was very minor update
Indeed! Though, in doing the math I suspect the mAh requirements would be pretty tough to make work in any meaningful way.
Great review, thanks. I got the Instinct (non-solar) literally 2 weeks before the solar version announcement, a bit of a bummer. No trying to decide whether or not to return and upgrade. Add insult to injury, lost my receipt, which means I take a bit of a hit on the return price. Yet I'm still considering it.
My wife bought me the solar surf edition of this watch. I used the snowboard app last week and loved it.
Thanks!
Hey LeeLoo! Huge thanks! Sorry, I was out of cell-phone range on a hike for a bit! Very much appreciated!
Great, concise, informative video. Healthy sense of humor adds to the appeal. Thanks.
Great review. Tossing up between this and the basic Instinct and you’ve sold me on this one!!!
I bought a Instinct Tactical after watching your video and it’s been absolutely amazing!
I recently learned to surf a few months ago and definitely want these added features. Along with no longer needing to charge it.
How do you like it? I ended up getting the surf version.
Whats the difference between the solar and the tactical?
I really wanted one of these until you told me I'd be responsible for my own death. . . . The dying isn't a huge issue but, as a millennial, the responsibility part is a deal-breaker.
:) Epic!!
LMAO!!
😂😂😂
This was brilliant! Made me LOL for real 😂😂😂
I’d like ur comment but it’s at 69 likes and I don’t want to mess up a work of art
Finally a watch with the battery life I want. I been using an amazfit bip for what seems like forever.
Dude, every video you do is just so good. Thanks man.
Thanks!!!
It's a detailed and crisp review. It covered all my queries and perceptions. Thank you for your work.
This is the first review of yours I've watched and I'm glad I did. Very informative! I really appreciate the detail you put into this!
Very well done, sir. To the point, information we want to know without wasting any time. Earned my subscription and this is the first video of yours I have seen.
Thank you for the content.
Great video as usual. All the key info i needed. Thanks from London, England
Thanks!!!
Thanks so much. Informative and interesting video. Much appreciate you taking the time. I have the original instinct and love the rugged form factor and the light weight.
Thanks!!!
What a great video. Answered many questions quickly with chapters in the video. Thank you
the man just answered all my questions about this watch, Good Job!
Excited for the Forerunner solar!
Caleb Chapman but you need really strong sun for long time to charge it, new forerunner *45 have great battery lifetime, why you think it will be a good deal ? I live in Moscow , you know bears, snow, vodka a little, cold sun and it useless for us , but even in Australia 🇦🇺 with big ozone hole under head you need 5 hours in day for week to charge it, it’s can practical only on long hiking 😅
Crossing ones fingers!
Hi from Bulgaria. Here everybody likes DC rainmaker. So far, so good. Let's go back to Instinct Solar. I liked it and went straight away to the local Garmin dealer. But i am kind old and became clear that digits/display are designed for younger people. Ok, but we don't give up. Fenix 6pro solar is the next option. I do want a solar device. I have my Fenix3 for 5 years now and It is time to replace. The solar option trills me for sure. So i would like kindly to ask you for a review of Fenix6 pro solar and comparison with Instinct solar. All the best and keep safe
I just picked up an Instinct for 199 a few weeks ago so I don't feel too bad about the upgrade. If I were to buy one today, I would still pick the Instinct at a discount instead of the Solar at full price. It will be a while before the Solar Instinct is going on sales and I can live with charging it once a week.
Brilliant watch the moss green I reviewed is the best colour in my opinion. Garmin have done a brilliant job with the solar instinct.
Thanks great review, will probably purchase this badboy. A little correction however, there is no such thing as a photovoltaic cell capturing 100% of incoming solar energy and converting that to battery charge, especially not on a consumer gadget.
3:00 "captures 100% of the sun's energy"
Haha all energy of the sun?!
I know what you mean that it uses all sunlight energy absorbed it's funny to point out how you said it
I can’t wait for the new Garmin Instinct Solar. As far as I saw from the photos leaked on the Internet, the new Garmin Instinct 2 and 2S, which will be shown at CES 2022, will have a barometer moved to the very edge of the clock and also a new heart rate sensor.
Very nice review. There is a bunch of info that I did not know I was looking for.
I just ordered this watch I think that will be my replacement for the Samsung Frontier hopefully I'm impressed with it
Thanks for going in depth about the updated features, i just couldn't make sense as to why such a big price hike
I would love this watch if it had all the features of the forerunner 945. Common Garmin. You can dooooo it!!
That's the Fenix 6 pro solar.
Original instinct's battery is already good but underwater hr is something I'd like like to have. By the way I didn't expect the cameo to look that cool on the wrist..
Thanks for starting with the price.
I bought a Fenix 1 with a similar display and basic Open Street Maps capabilities, navigation, barometer, thermometer, accelerometer, compass... almost 7 years ago for 280€!
No you didn’t. The Fenix series didn’t get mapping till the Fenix 5 lineup. And even then, at launch it wasn’t 270EUR either.
@@Dcrainmaker www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/maps-garmin-fenix
I bought my Fenix 1 when the F2 was launched for 280€ at Amazon and it was new! Fenix 1 and 2 definitely had basic map features, which was very helpful for track navigation. Maybe this was before your time....
Don't you know the Epix????? Maybe Garmin didn't tell you, because they cheated the users by not fixing even severe bugs!
The F5+ was just the 4th Garmin watch with maps!
@@alancampbell6236 I'm well aware of the Epix troubles and have alluded to it numerous times, but that was a legit watch that did have usable maps. However, the Fenix 1 didn't ship with maps, and list price for the Fenix 1 was $399. The maps hack was an option, but the amount of maps you could load was tiny, and was more of a background feature than anything you could leverage.
Thank you for making this video, it was very informative.
C'mon Ray, you know we always read the manual 😬
I don’t know what you’re talking about. 🤣😂🤣
The surf features are cool but dang can we get some support for our river sports? I'd love some flow rate data or flood warnings for major rivers across country for those of us that live in a kayak!
Its the pity they still haven’t changed where the altimeter is located on the watch. My original one gives very inaccurate readings once my wrist gets sweaty.
Perhaps you could try changing wrists? I don't have this watch but have had a Suunto Traverse with similar problems. With the sensor facing the knuckles there is less chance of sweat blocking the sensor.
Thank you! This was a great review. Very helpful. I appreciate your efficiency, shirt and sweet. Searchable / Skipable...
I am a Garmin fan, but at $449, that Made in Taiwan tag just kills everything.
You had me at solar....great review, going for the tactical!
Btw, my current is a silver metal casio solar gshock I've had for 10 yrs, hope this tac lasts as long. Thanks for the review.
S E mate let me know how you like the watch
@@Kryptix ended up getting the original chargeable on sale 2 weeks ago, Awesome watch, in black, synced to iphone through Garmin app, super easy. So, price on new solar was a deal breaker but waiting for black Friday to get the solar. Did I say awesome watch?
As usual excellent video from the Best.
The red light, cool man. Heh, great and informative. Thank you.
Any time!
I picked up the Instinct tactical (non solar) a few weeks. Great watch I wish it had high low tide feature.
Kudos 👍 Straight to the point and no bullshit. Good job!
Ray, thanks for another great video. You are the #realdeal
Thanks men , it helped me with my doubt's
might want to use a plastic stylus to point things on the watch... removes the possibilty of maring the item. (even a wooden toothpic)
A Garmin Fenix Light...?
I like watching your videos for it lets me know quickly how to use the Garmin gadget I just purchased. Thank you for the details you always put into your smartwatch reviews. And yes, your chapter shortcuts were great 👍👍
Solid review my dude!
Thanks!!!
Useful as always sir, thank you! Just bought this one on sale as version 2 is now out...let's see how i get on?
I have been following your DC Rainmaker site for years! great review as always. I have a random question, what is the watch you are wearing on your wrist in this video? do you have a review of that also? it looks good!
My fr645 battery life is terrible as soon as I turn on GPS 😅 patiently waiting for fr655 to come out.
That's one good looking watch!
As always great review !!! Thanks 🙏
No problem 👍
This is a great video. I've been watching your reviews on many gps watches. Your video editing and commentary I enjoy the most. Well explained. I'm on the market for a gps watch and am most likely going to get this watch. However, the Garmin Foretrex 601 is also on my radar. Though I know it is a very differen watch and market, it would fit my needs, I think. Can you please do a review on the Garmin foretrex 601? That would be awesome! Thanks mate! Keep up the great work :)
bro am concerned about the colour of the watch what i see at 4:19 is the real color or not. Coz the one on website is totally different, it shows light grey to black camo. this one looks light blue to dark blue. Please help. Great video bro. Real Smooth. IS THE COLOUR SAME AS ONE ON WEBSITE?
Man, I like the upgrades but I was hoping they would replace the Instinct and keep the price the same. Or keep the old model at $199 and the new one at $299. Maybe I’ll wait for a sale around Black Friday.
Yeah, the $199 was/is a sweet price. Hopefully we'll see the new one drop by Black Friday to $299 (which, would be my bet).
I just picked up the Tactical version in the moss green for $399 from Miyar Adventure Outfitters having a 24 hour online sale...
*SWEEEEEET!*
every time i watch your videos, im baffled on why you dont have more subscribers.
Thanks for the detailed in-depth review. How does this Garmin Instinct Solar integrate with Apple Health and Fitness apps please?
Thank you much for your reviews, pulling the trigger and changing from an Apple Watch, something I haven’t been able to find though. Does it sync with Apple health, my coworkers and I like to compete and do workout challenges.
This seems like a good choice for mountaineering because of the ABC features and long battery life, especially at the price point. Would you recommend it for that, or are there better choices?
Outstanding video. I'm in Canada and here the Solar is literally double the price ($299 Vs $599). It's killing me because I reallyw ant the solar due to the extra battery life (and I've got a few solar G-shocks) but double...hard to swallow.
My 645 music GPS died at some point. Started using a vivoactive 3 I had brand new in box. Battery life feels pretty meh, can't use my running dynamics stuff anymore. The instinct solar seems like it would be great for hiking, backpacking, and probably daily use for me. Would still missing running dynamics and vo2max. Is there a buzzfeed quiz I can take to find the right garmin for me?
I just wish the colours matched the pictures on the site. My tidal blue is nothing like the images on the Garmin website. Complete different blue.
Hi, great review.
I wanted to ask you if the VMAX function for running is present in the solar device.
Garmin is finally catching up with coros battery wise.
I have a G-Shock Mudmaster, I've been waiting for a good Solar/Atomic(GPS) watch to come along for me to play with. Just trying to find one in stock!
I just got a instinct solar on sale for $300. I love it. It's awesome. However! Doesn't anyone else think that $400 for a digital watch or worse $900 for a Fenix Pro is fucking crazy??!!! Seriously, I am not a poor person. I make a good living. The fact that the Fenix Pro Solar costs almost as much a set of carbon wheels for my bike is INSANE!!!!
$400 for a watch with basically an old calculator screen on it ...gives me pause.
@@fendermon The screen is actually great. It's so easy to read in all lighting without a backlight. It doesn't drain the battery. I charge this watch just once a month and I use the GPS around 4 hours every week.
@@sevenrats Okay, thanks. That's helpful. Do you find the little circle screen at the top to be a pro or a con? Thanks a lot.
@@fendermon I like it. For my watch face I have my heart rate in the circle. It's customizable so you can put whatever you want in there.
@@sevenrats Cool, thanks. That's a great watch.
You say it's like the Fenix Lite, but I feel the excellent battery life puts this in a category of its own. For my purposes this makes the Instict more like the Fenix Ultra 😄
Great review! I'm looking for a watch for road biking, mountain biking and backpacking. Is this what you would recommend for these activities?
Ray, the update to the Fenix 6 solar series will have the Fenix 7 coming out soon - with an AMOLED screen (fingers crossed)
TestAcc Solutions but why ? Amoled same for watching numbers of your train, but eating battery *10 time faster
@@Nazarov2411 yes, but its not necessary to have it "always on". the AMOLED gives user some immersed experience when viewing any activity details and the screen itself.
Each to his own but I'm not keen on an AMOLED Fenix, it's nice to look at but kills battery and has poor viewing in daylight.
I'd be interested to know if a screen protector can be used on the instinct solar. I have one on my Instinct as damaged my previous insticts screen.
did the screen protector still allow for easy visibility in the sun?
@@heavyd9154 yeah it's like a phone screen protector but it's like putting a solar panel behind a window it's less effective.
Wait aren't these supposed to be us army rugged? Why the need of a screen protector?
Thanks for the video
Thanks for the review! Three questions for you - 1) Does the NON solar watch have more room on the screen since it does not have the solar ring around it?? 2) another review of the solar version said the backlight was “washed out” and not real effective compared to other watches. Again, is that related to the solar screens? Does the NON solar version have a better backlight?? 3) How much connected user interface exists between the Instinct and iPhone?
No, no more screen on non solar. But the solar has solar panel under the screen so it's a bit less readable than the non-solar. Still good in most cases but not quite as class leading level of readability.
great. best. informative. loved it.
Was hoping for a bit more storage space, the 16MB (8MB in reality) is causing some issue with mine currently.
Yeah, I hear ya. What issues are you seeing space wise?
Great video, mate! Quick question: is the Fenix 6S Solar worth the extra 450$ over the Instinct Solar?
Would be nice if Garmin would do the tide software to the Fenix 5X Plus as a update. Where I live we have the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico would be extremely useful. How about it Garmin if y’all are watching???
Good review, and thank you for making my decision easier.. I would 100% pull the trigger on this because of the features, especially the power saving customization, but paying that kind of money for a basic 128 x 128 LCD display, is just not worth it.. it's literally a display technology from the 1970s.. No idea why they did this..
It’s all about simplicity and batter life I guess
Why do you need a fancier screen? That's going to be more prone to breaking, faster battery drain, worse to look at at night.
They prioritize readability in the sun and outdoors, where it should be used if you're the target audience. It has a backlight in the dark. Very customizable. The black and white LCD is a choice, Garmin makes watches with OLED for cheaper. But the battery life and readability are why Garmin chose it for this model. It's a health and fitness tracker, as well as GPS safety type features, built into a watch that.. tries to be a watch instead of a phone on your wrist. When you only need to spend two hours charging it a month, and can read it easily in the sun when you can't read the time on your phone, you start to appreciate that screen.
I realize they are very different devices , but does anyone have some thoughts on Garmin watches vs Apple watches , in daily use ? Currently I use my Apple Watch for day to day , and use a Casio Pathfinder for camping/hikes/beach/outdoors. In my mind a Garmin (now with solar) would be a good combination of both 🤔
The Garmin is a good in between the two. Apple is horrible as just a watch because you're lucky to get two days out of one.. Garmin, solar or not, will last you at least a week if you do GPS tracking an hour a day, or two weeks if you don't. Charging for about two hours a month is pretty good. If it's sunny where you live and get the solar, and don't do much GPS tracking yet are outdoors enough, you may not have to charge it, ever.
I wish Garmin had just put the solar battery extension function in there for what it is - a means of getting more action between charges - and left it at that. I don't care what my solar exposure rate is, but that stupid graph takes up a pretty big chunk of real estate on the face. . . All I want to know is whether I'm going to need to charge my watch before I finish my next swim. But, that's Garmin's issue and not a reflection on this review. The review is great.
That graph is optional though, you can change it to any data field/metric you want.
EXCELLENT review, but good golly my friend you talk FAST!!!!
Wow, amazing. I wish I had one
I got a galaxy watch 3 for Christmas. I really like it. But I mainly use it for working out and hiking. The battery life is completely trash. Even with every feature turned off you barely get 3 days and that's not using it lol. How would this stand up with a watch like that. Does it track heartbeat, steps, sleep cycles,, weather? Can I hook it up to my earbuds? How scratch resistant is the screen? I wear my watch 24/7 and have a rough construction job, I had to get all kinds of protective gear for my galaxy watch. I'm wondering if it would be worth it to just break down and cough up the extra for the Garmin Tactix Delta? I realize sone of my questions are answered in the video, I'm just typing my thoughts lol.
Another great video thanks. I've recently purchased the watch but am finding battery life worse than my original instinct. I have checked battery capacity (from 3%) & found it to be 242mah. It also takes nearly 4 hours to charge - only taking 0.04 mah max. I was wondering what your experience has been of battery life & how long your watch takes to charge so I can assess whether I have a defective battery. Thanks.
Definitely shouldn’t be taking 4 hours to charge. Last time I tried and paid attention it was about 50 mins from 10-15% till full.
I've had a Garmin instinct and was curious about the newer one
Does this watch have a basemap? I can't figure out if it has a basemap and that's the #1 feature I want in a smartwatch
Hey,
Informative 👍
So,if i have a full battery,charged from the mains,i think that gives you 9 days use.....so once the solar is charged to capacity,from the sun,where on the watch,or garmin app,does it show the synchronisation of these 2 charging options "mains/sun" and give you a full estimate of the total battery life available?
I understand the power saving modes increase the battery,but I cant really pinpoint this data of having the extended battery life available on the watch....
I hope that makes sense,
Thanks
James