1. Introduction to the Garmin Instinct

The Garmin Instinct is a watch unlike anything Garmin has offered before. Starting with its aesthetics (clearly inspired by Casio G-Shock) and continuing with the fact that it’s a completely new model. It’s neither a Forerunner nor a Fenix. And of course, it has nothing to do with the Vivoactive.

So what exactly is the Garmin Instinct?

• It comes from Garmin’s Outdoor division, the same one behind the successful Fenix product line, as well as devices like the Oregon, Xero, and InReach.
• Therefore, the Instinct is clearly geared towards outdoor and mountain use.
• This also means that there’s a lot of Garmin Fenix in the Instinct, although this model offers shock, water, and temperature resistance that meets the MIL-STD-810G military standard.
• In short, the Garmin Instinct is a rugged, ABC watch designed primarily for mountaineering and hiking.

2. Pros and Cons

The Best:

• Comfortable and lightweight
• A different aesthetic for a Garmin. You either love it or hate it
• Route navigation with a multitude of options
• Altimeter, barometer, and compass (ABC watch)
• Compatible with Garmin InReach, Garmin Xero, and Garmin Explore
• MIL-STD-810G resistance to shocks, water, and temperature.

Needs Improvement:

• Inconsistent altimeter data
• There’s hardly any price difference with the Fenix 5, and ignoring its use in hiking and mountaineering, there are a few differences
• No Connect IQ or Garmin Pay
• Very limited support for external sensors (no power meters, running power, lights, or radar)

3. Things to Consider about the Garmin Instinct

As I mentioned at the beginning, when we see the Garmin Instinct and think about its concept and what it’s geared towards, it’s impossible not to immediately think of the Fenix 5. Both are designed for mountain use, and both come from the Garmin Outdoor division.

We might think it’s a cheaper Garmin Fenix 5, but considering the Fenix 5 Plus’s arrival has lowered the Fenix 5’s price, that doesn’t quite fit the bill. So, what sets them apart, and what makes the Garmin Instinct special? Here are their main differences compared:

• Military-grade MIL-STD-810G durability certification
• The Garmin Instinct’s screen is monochrome, while the Fenix 5’s is in color.
• It’s significantly lighter. The Instinct weighs 52 grams, while the Fenix 5 weighs 85 grams in the standard size.
• It doesn’t support Connect IQ of any kind. Therefore, it’s not possible to install apps, widgets, data fields, or different watch faces.
• The Instinct supports fewer external sensors. It doesn’t allow power meters, lights, or cycling radar.
• Battery life is slightly shorter for the Instinct. The Garmin Instinct lacks VO2 max estimation, training effect, training load, and other advanced metrics. It also doesn’t calculate lactate threshold. All of these features are present in the Fenix 5.
• The Instinct doesn’t offer a golf mode.
• There are also no multisport modes. No triathlon, duathlon, or similar. The Fenix 5 does offer these.
• Both the Fenix 5 and the Instinct use the same Garmin Elevate wrist-based heart rate monitor.
• Garmin hasn’t taken the opportunity to equip the Instinct with the Pulse Ox sensor found in the Fenix 5X Plus.
• There’s no Wi-Fi, which is present in some Fenix 5 models.

4. Configuration Options and Differences with the Rest of the Garmin Range

That second screen is precisely what sets the Garmin Instinct apart from the rest of the range, both in terms of its presence and its customization options.

• Starting with the time display, it’s worth noting that since the Instinct isn’t compatible with Connect IQ, you can’t download different options from the app, but it does allow you to display a multitude of information in different ways.
• There are many customizable features, and you can choose from various options. There are six different watch faces, which can be doubled since you can select them with a black background and white text, or vice versa.
• Then you can select what to see on each “secondary” screen: seconds, heart rate, altitude, barometer data, and more. And on the watch faces with graphs, you can also choose which data you want to see displayed.

Regarding the sport profile settings, thanks to that small circle, we can display up to 5 data fields per screen, whereas Garmin has traditionally offered 4. This might not be the best option for those with poor eyesight, but it’s a nice addition.

5. Mountain-Specific Functions

Since it’s a watch designed for mountain use, the Instinct receives all the specific functions for that use that you can find in the Fenix 5:

• Slope Display: The watch switches to a specific display that we can configure when we climb a slope. We can specify the vertical speed at which the display will change.
• 3D Speed & Distance: It allows you to calculate speed and distance more accurately when there are significant changes in elevation.
• UltraTrac: This feature significantly reduces the number of times GPS data is recorded. According to Garmin, the Instinct achieves up to 40 hours of battery life when configured in this mode.
• Area Calculation: A feature where you can trace a path in a specific way, and the watch will calculate the area.
• Storm warning: When atmospheric pressure drops drastically (at a rate we can specify), the watch will warn us of the possibility of a major storm developing.
• Dawn, dusk, and twilight: Based on GPS location data, the watch will show you the sunrise, sunset, and twilight times each day.

6. Button Usage and Navigation

As is typical with any Garmin, you can change the screen by pressing the up/down buttons.

• Lap Tracking: You can do it automatically or manually. Unlike other models, on the Instinct the Lap button is assigned by default to return to the main screen, but you can also enable its use in the traditional way.
• Button Functions: If you look at the watch bezel, each button has letters marked on it. These indicate which part of the menu you access if you press and hold that button.
  • ABC button: You’ll find all the information related to the compass, barometer, and altitude.
  • GPS button: You’ll get your coordinates and can save them as a point of interest.

7. Navigation Functions

Garmin has provided the Instinct with all of the brand’s navigation functions (except integrated maps).

• Route navigation
• Navigation to a saved point (waypoints) via compass
• Recording a point for certain coordinates
• Back to start
• Sight N’Go Mode
• Elevation profile on the routes
• Compatible with Garmin Explore app
• Distance and pace 3D
• Storm warning
• Sunrise/sunset and twilight times
• Area calculation

8. How to Load a Route

Of course, the function that we will get the most out of is route navigation, and this is where we have a multitude of options:

• Design a route manually on the Garmin Connect website: It is the fastest way to create a route since by simply marking a start point and an end point, the website itself will design the route. It also shows heat maps.
• Loading a downloaded route from the Garmin Connect website: Simply drag and drop the .tcx or .gpx file of the route provided by a race organizer, a friend, or one you created using another app.
• Designing an Automatic Route in the Garmin Connect App: It lets you create a “smart” route by entering predefined data: distance, direction of travel, and a starting point on the map.
• Using Garmin Explore for Waypoints or Routes: Garmin Explore offers topographic maps that you can download to your phone (and consult even in the most remote areas) and that will help you plan routes in inhospitable areas that you can’t access with Garmin Connect.