Garmin has unveiled its latest GPS multisports watch, the long-awaited Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. Not only does this new addition to the Instinct series have an extra large 50mm case and display, it's also the first Instinct to have a built-in flashlight, with variable intensities and strobe modes.
The watch is available in two versions: standard and Tactical Edition, the latter of which has extra features specially designed for members of the armed forces. These include Jumpmaster for experienced skydivers, a stealth mode that stops all wireless signals and GPS tracking. Its LED flashlight can also be switched between white and green, the latter of which is better for maintaining your natural vision at night.
The Instinct 2X Solar is also the first watch in the series with a dedicated obstacle course activity. This is a feature that's been added to several other Garmin watches through recent software upgrades, including the Fenix 7 and Epix (Gen 2), and lets you record obstacle splits (which will be tracked automatically after the first lap). It will also track the number of runs on a specific course, run time, number of obstacles, time spent on each obstacle.
The new watch will provide you with Garmin's daily Morning Report, which helps prepare you for the coming day with details such as your sleep score, a weather report, and upcoming diary entries. You'll also get a training readiness score, which factors in your recent activity and stress levels, recovery, and sleep so you know what to expect from your day's training.
There's no non-solar version of the Instinct 2X, which in my opinion is no bad thing as it gives the watch potentially unlimited battery life with the right power-saving modes enabled and three hours of sunlight exposure per day. Garmin has improved the efficiency of its solar charging, and the Instinct 2X Solar can produce 50% more energy than the standard Instinct 2 Solar.
The Instinct 2X Solar is available to order now direct from Garmin. The standard watch costs $449.99, while the Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition is $499.99. I'll be putting the Instinct 2X Solar to the test, and will bring you a full review very soon.
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