Up until now, the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar has been my favorite out of all of Garmin’s many devices. With a display that doubles as a miniature solar panel, this neato gadget is especially designed for folks who spend time outdoors and could use the extra charging capability.
Today, however, Garmin has improved this experience with the release of its new Instinct 2X Solar ($450), which boasts a whopping 50% increase in energy production over the Instinct 2 Solar. According to Garmin, this translates to nearly infinite battery life when the watch has direct sunlight exposure for three hours daily.
A solid upgrade to Garmin’s original Instinct 2 Solar, this new smartwatch comes with a 50% increase in solar energy production as well as the company’s first built-in LED flashlight. A helpful addition to the Garmin line, it will also manually record all types of obstacle course races for the warrior in all of us. The Instinct 2X Solar — Tactical Edition costs $50 more and is aimed squarely at military and law enforcement professionals.
In addition to the improved solar performance, Garmin also added a handy LED flashlight to the Instinct 2X Solar, a first for any of its smartwatches. The flashlight, which you can find on the top of the watch, allows for adjustable brightness levels and different strobe modes — also a plus for those spending extra time outside.
Another first? A new Obstacle Course Racing activity. Whether you’re doing a Spartan or local mud race, this feature allows the Instinct 2X Solar to manually record obstacle splits for the first lap, after which the watch will automatically track the course.
As an added upgrade for this launch, Garmin is also releasing a slightly pricier Instinct 2X Solar — Tactical Edition ($500) that’s sure to be a hit for military and law enforcement users. The Tactical Edition model includes everything in the standard Instinct 2X Solar but includes what the company calls “tactical preloaded activities” and Jumpmaster tracking as well as an optional dedicated green light for the LED flashlight. A dedicated Stealth Mode built into the Tactical Edition disables GPS position sharing and all wireless communication.
And, with all these hearty features, it should be no surprise that both the Instinct 2X Solar and Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition are rugged enough to earn the MIL-STD-810 military specification based on performance in various extreme conditions. This includes extreme high and low temperatures, shock, rain and sand.
Both watches are available to order right now, directly from Garmin. The Instinct 2X Solar is $450, while the Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition is $500.
