Reply With QuoteAs an Instinct owner myself - just curious to know what the symptoms were, before it died? Does it completely fail to power on now?
Well, it looks like my Garmin Instinct has finally given in.
I have had it about three and a half years and thought I couldn't kill it! By comparison and as a reference I broke three FitBits in three months before going over to the Garmin......
The Instinct has been used and abused daily; been battered and kicked in Muay Thai boxing gloves; hit with kettlebells; banged off everything in the gym and the house (!); worn whilst DIYing; played with by the kids and has been in the sauna 3 -4 times a week and never missed a beat............ until today.
It barely even wears a scar and the glass is unmarked still.
Is there anything out there as tough? That still counts steps/heart rate/sleep etc
To be honest I could certainly do with a better readability now anyway, so had been looking at the Garmin Fenix models but wonder how those large screens will fare with my frequent (mis)use.
Thoughts appreciated!
Jim
As an Instinct owner myself - just curious to know what the symptoms were, before it died? Does it completely fail to power on now?
It stopped counting steps this morning; I restated it and it got to 1185 and then stopped counting again.
Since then the Green lights on the back have stopped working and so it no longer measures HR, either.
It still powers up and all other functions work including notifications from my phone.
As mentioned, I'm impressed its lasted this long!
PS - the green light/HR bit seems intermittent - a moment ago it gave a reading - now its disappeared again.
- - - Updated - - -
PS - the green light/HR bit seems intermittent - a moment ago it gave a reading - now its disappeared again.
Sounds like it's time to treat yourself to an Instinct 2...
(thankfully my instinct solar is still going)
The newly announced G-SHOCK DWH5600?
It has a heart rate monitor, step counter, MIP display etc in a cool G-SHOCK square case.
JDM only for now but I’m hovering over the G-SHOCK uk website with intent!
If you’ve had one of the g shock MIP models in the past, you’ll know how godawful the software is. I’d really avoid it until you’ve read some in depth reviews. The new model just might be improved, my (gbx100?) read about 500 steps as I made a cup of tea, utterly useless sadly
Short answer: no. Garmin is still king of the pile.Originally Posted by JimTheBob
The Apple Watch Ultra has yet to prove itself over time, but its a moot point if you have an Android phone.
Apple Watch ultra
They also don't have GPS do they?
Nope. I’d say the Apple Watch ultra is the clear winner - a colleague has one and it seems really solid and the screen - and battery life - are impressive
Garmin 6 (or 7) Fenix X Pro Sapphire. I've had my 6X Pro for a couple of years now, used for Mountain Biking, fell walking, lake swimming, in the gym 3 times a week and general knocking about. Still looks like new and works perfectly.
As a diver, I'm very interested in the new Huawei Ultimate watch.
Looks like a proper watch and seems to have much better dive computer features than the Apple Utlra without needing to pay a subscription.
Seems to do loads of other stuff, too.
M
Last edited by snowman; 20th April 2023 at 19:07.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Aye - you might be right!
Thanks all for the input - probably (predictably!) leaning towards a Instinct 2 Solar - although I fancied a change and better legibility so the Fenix 6/7 may also be the way to go depending on price.
G-Shock would be great if they dial in the accuracy and have a decent App too......
I do have an iphone - but have never fancied an Apple watch - although the Ultra does look reasonably tough - but not to the point that you don't even bother to look at your wrist to check its okay after you bounce it off a door handle for the umptieth time that day (unlike the Instinct that until yesterday seemed unbreakable!).
What's the legibility issue with the instinct?
I’ve had both an Apple Watch (not the ultra) and Garmin (235 forerunner XT and Fenix 6s) and the Garmin is miles ahead in terms of toughness in my opinion. The battery life is also way better, 9 days for the Fenix.
I’m still using a Fenix 5S Sapphire (the 40mm one). Bought it new when they first launched, so it’s pretty ancient by todays standards. It’s been battered numerous times, with big falls while mountain biking, scrambling in the mountains, swimming, all sorts of abuse really. It refuses to die! Thought I’d finally killed it off with a big stack at Bike Park Wales recently but nothing more than cosmetic damage.
I’d actually like a new one, maybe with Garmin Pay and solar but I can’t bring myself to upgrade as I’m a tight Yorkshireman. :-)
DBAD
None really - and certainly none that are a critique of the watch - only that I have turned 50 and so far have resisted wearing glasses, so the smaller aspects of the display are getting just a little tricky at a standstill - and more so if moving!What's the legibility issue with the instinct?
I hoped maybe a bit of colour, and perhaps a slightly larger screen (Fenix 6/7?) might have helped is all....?
LOL - tight Midlander here!
I thought I would be happy when I got to buy something new - but having done my research - here I am about to buy the same (virtually) again!
At least, I guess, that validates my original decision, maybe?!
Hmmmm...... I have never had an issue with the battery life of the Instinct either, so maybe the Solar is not an extra £100 I need to spend, thinking about it.
Re: your ability to read the screen, have you tried going on the Garmin IQ app and downloading different watch faces? You can customise them to show exactly what you want and pick one with a larger font size for example.
I'm not sure that my recently departed Instinct 1 was supported by the IQ app (?)- but I think that the later ones are; so that's something I shall check out, thanks.
I have had a gen1 instinct for last 4 years and it's had a pretty hard life too (gets worn to work and as a builder it gets covered in whatever I get covered in :)
I've been looking at possible replacements for when it eventually dies (like you I'm a little surprised it's still working as well as it is). I'm struggling a bit with aging eyes too.
I see that the Instinct 2 is now also available in 50mm. Not sure how much larger the display is (if at all) but maybe it's a possibility? A pretty chunky price increase from the original too unfortunately.
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/884585/pn/010-02805-00
Thanks - probably a little large and a bit rich too, unfortunately.
Quite liking the blue solar - and price seems ok-ish too.
https://www.millets.co.uk/16571868/g...watch-16571868
Some deals on the Instinct 2 (and others) at Very
Thanks - actually the best price I have found for the non-solar Instinct 2 - appreciated.
Out of interest, how long did the non-solar last? I get 4 or 5 weeks out of my solar.
casio gbd 200 - it tells the time and does other irrelevant stuff too.
its a g shock and the battery lasts for years and it talks to your over used smart phone too!
it has a nice reverse display and its dull as ditch water , make me an offer !
Bluetooth too .. hurray apparently!
Last edited by bigbaddes; 24th April 2023 at 15:50. Reason: too much apparently, apparently.
Have never kept a close eye on it - but a 30 min charge about once a week I reckon?
4 - 5 weeks is impressive; though they all depend how much GPS you use, I guess.
You should work in sales!
I haven't looked at the GShocks after the pasting they got in a reply above - I'll have looksie.
Agree with this, the MOVE phone app in particular is awful. Despite that I still love my GBD-H1000 but I rarely use it to track activities, because it's usually a pain to get the track off the watch.
Went out of stock for a while - but just ordered - £200 seems a good price for the 2. Think I only paid £180 for the 1, almost 4 years ago.
Didn't really want to spend the extra £115 - £120 or so for the solar as battery life has never been an issue - and once spending that I might as well have gone further as had found a Fenix 6X Pro Sapphire at 450.....
Thanks all.
Mine arrived last week. Perfect for what I needed it for.
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