Garmin Instinct Tactical: A Tacti-Cool or Functional Watch?

A watch is something everyone should have if you value your time. While money can outsource projects and buy you time, you can’t open your wallet to create more than 24 hours on any given day. So, what kind of watch do you need? Well, if you’re an outdoorsman like me, not just any watch will do, and you may find the Garmin Instinct Tactical is one that should be on your radar.

Those who enjoy the outdoors, are involved in the military, LEO, or simply love a watch with a bunch of cool features may find the Garmin Instinct Tactical a viable option for their wrist. Coming from an Apple Watch to this watch isn’t all that far off with all the features it has (many of which I turned off — more on this later in the article).

But why would you even consider this watch? If you came to this article, you probably want to get to the root of things and find out what features and benefits it presents over other watches. Therefore, in this article, we are going to dive deeper into precisely why I feel the Garmin Instinct Tactical may be the next watch you secure to your wrist.

If you want to see the exact watch I purchased, click here.

Disclosure: The thoughts and opinions of the watch are my own. I was not paid to talk about or review this watch, nor was it supplied to me by Garmin. I purchased this watch with my own money in order to provide you with this content. So, if you like what is said in this article and think others would too, please consider sharing it on your social media or linking to my article from your website. Images in this article are from Garmin.com.

What is the Garmin Instinct Tactical?

The Garmin Instinct Tactical watch is a rugged and reliable watch that is designed to withstand even the toughest outdoor conditions. Built with military-grade materials and tested to U.S. military standards 801G for thermal, shock, and water resistance (up to 100 meters), this watch is truly built to last.

One of the standout features of the watch is its excellent battery life, which Garmin claims can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, and up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. This makes it a great option for long hikes, camping trips, or other outdoor adventures where access to a power source may be limited.

Unlike the newer models, this version is not a solar watch. If you want a solar watch that can extend the battery life, then you should definitely check out the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar. That said, be prepared to pay about double the cost of the standard version being reviewed in this article.

Another great feature of this watch is its GPS functionality, allowing you to easily track your location and navigate. It also has built-in support for multiple global navigation satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo.

The watch also comes with a variety of fitness tracking features, including a heart rate monitor, step counter, stress, and activity tracker. It even includes unique features for tactical training, such as Jumpmaster mode for airborne operations and a projected waypoint feature for navigation.

Why Would You Prefer the Garmin Instinct Tactical Over a Different Watch?

As mentioned, I have been wearing an Apple Watch since they were first launched in April 2015. The technology was cool, I liked the fact that you could access your texts and emails directly from the watch without needing to grab your phone, you could track your health and fitness, and the overall innovation for the smartwatch category was intriguing. That said, I no longer wear an Apple Watch.

There are several reasons why someone might choose the Garmin Instinct Tactical over another watch. Below are some of the reasons you may find the Garmin Instinct Tactical a better solution over other watches on the market.

1. Durability

The Garmin Instinct Tactical is built to military-grade standards, making it extremely durable and able to withstand even the toughest outdoor conditions. If you’re someone who enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or rock climbing, this watch can withstand the wear and tear of these activities.

2. Battery Life

The Garmin Instinct Tactical has an excellent battery life, which can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, and up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time outdoors and doesn’t have access to a power source, this watch is a great option.

3. GPS Functionality

The Garmin Instinct Tactical has built-in support for multiple global navigation satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, making it easier to track your location and navigate with ease.

4. Fitness Tracking Features

The Garmin Instinct Tactical includes a variety of fitness tracking features, including a heart rate monitor, step counter, stress monitor, and activity tracker. This can be helpful for anyone looking to improve their overall health and wellness.

5. Tactical Training Features

The Garmin Instinct Tactical includes special features for tactical training, such as Jumpmaster mode for airborne operations and a projected waypoint feature for navigation. If you’re someone who is involved in military or law enforcement training, these features could be particularly useful.

6. Night Vision Compatible

For those of you who utilize NVGs or night vision goggles for your work or profession, you can turn on night vision mode so that you can see the watch when using your night vision without giving off any signature to potential threats.

7. Stealth Mode

If you’re someone who needs to go completely dark and not be tracked, you can turn on stealth mode which turns off your GPS position, wireless connectivity, and tracking communications on your Garmin Instinct Tactical. Obviously, this would be beneficial for the military, but other than going “off-grid” as a civilian, this feature will probably never be used by most.

8. Smartphone Connectivity

If you’re someone who wants to receive alerts, texts, social media notifications, phone calls, and emails on your watch, the Garmin Instinct Tactical provides such features. However, these features and alerts can be turned off if you do not want your phone dinging and buzzing throughout the day.

Who is the Garmin Instinct Tactical Watch For?

The Garmin Instinct Tactical watch is designed for individuals who enjoy outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, and rock climbing, and who need a durable and reliable watch that can withstand the rigors of these activities. Additionally, the watch’s GPS functionality and fitness tracking features make it an excellent option for individuals who want to improve their health and wellness by tracking their daily activity and workouts.

The Garmin Instinct Tactical watch is also ideal for individuals involved in tactical training, such as military or law enforcement personnel, due to its specialized features, such as Jumpmaster mode and a projected waypoint feature for navigation.

Related Article: Beyond the Gym: Tactical Training for Real-World Preparedness

Overall, the Garmin Instinct Tactical watch is a great choice for anyone who leads an active lifestyle and needs a watch that can keep up with their activities and provide helpful features and data tracking.

Why Did I Purchase the Garmin Instinct Tactical?

Now let’s talk about my experiences with the Garmin Instinct Tactical.

For a few years, I loved my Apple Watch. Then I grew to absolutely hate it. I didn’t like the fact that everyone could get ahold of me because I was wearing my watch. Any time I would look at the time, I would see how many missed texts and emails I had. Eventually, I had to turn those features off because it would drive me nuts, and knowing I had unopened messages and emails would drive me crazy until I checked what I had missed.

I wanted to get away from that technology and just use features that didn’t draw attention to others’ needs of me and instead focused on my own needs. My daily goal is to be as productive as possible, and therefore I turned every alert and notification off that pulled my attention away from whatever I was doing or working on.

Being that I’m always one to be prepared, I wanted something to help navigate when in the woods, hiking, or moving across terrain where it makes sense to track my navigation and be able to easily backtrack should I find myself lost or unsure which is the way back home or to my vehicle.

Related Article: Field Watches 101 — A Guide to Durable Timekeeping Outdoors

Those who know me or follow my work, I’m deep in the fitness industry and have been for 20+ years. Health and fitness are my life, so I wanted something that could track my sleep (yes, I wear the watch to bed), stress, heart rate throughout the day, and other health-related activities to provide me with as much data as possible to keep tabs on my health.

Turning off all of these notifications has allowed me to get around 21 days of battery life from a single charge.

As much as I didn’t want a bunch of tech on the Garmin Instinct Tactical, one feature that I use regularly is the weather. I check the temperature outside without having to grab my phone, as well as what the forecast ahead looks like. I absolutely love this feature.

Should You Splurge for the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar Version?

The Garmin Instinct Tactical and the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar are both rugged GPS smartwatches designed for outdoor activities and tactical missions, but there are some key differences between the two models:

1. Design

The Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar features a slightly larger display and a more refined design compared to the original Garmin Instinct Tactical.

2. Battery Life

Thanks to its solar charging capabilities, the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar has a longer battery life than the original Instinct Tactical. The Instinct Tactical 2 Solar can last up to 38 hours in GPS mode with solar charging and up to 80 days in smartwatch mode with solar charging.

3. Health and Fitness Tracking

If you’re into tracking your fitness, the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar has a few additional health and fitness features that the original Instinct Tactical doesn’t have, including pulse oximetry, body battery energy monitoring, and improved sleep tracking.

4. Connectivity

The newer Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar has more connectivity options than the original Instinct Tactical, including Bluetooth, ANT+, and Wi-Fi.

5. Price

As you would imagine, the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar is more expensive than the original version (about double the price) due to its additional features and improved design.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations on the Garmin Instinct Tactical

I can only speak for myself, but I love the Garmin Instinct Tactical. Would I enjoy the Garmin Instinct Tactical 2 Solar more? Probably due to the added health and fitness features along with better battery life, but at double the cost, I just couldn’t justify it (unless Garmin is interested in supplying me with the newer model to do a comparison review) — especially when I found the watch on sale for $200, which in my opinion is a steal.

If you want to purchase this watch, it is currently on sale. Click here to go directly to the product page.

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