I had to re-record this Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar review because I forgot to connect my mic to the camera. Anyhow, here it is, enjoy!
\\details
Price - $550/£530 (Instinct 2 Solar costs $450/£390)
Availability - It was announced in Nov 2022 and is available both in the US and the UK now
Weight - 2.3 oz/ 65 g (straps are non-removable as far as I’m concerned)
0.9 x 0.9-inch MIP display with a 176 x 176 pixels resolution
64 MB memory - no music, maps, or anything
Thermal and shock resistant, built to MIL-STD-810, and water-rated to 10 ATM
70 days of battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging (28 days without), GPS battery life is up to 25 hours (31 hours with solar), No SatIQ
\
ew features
“We created Instinct Crossover for active lifestyle individuals who prefer the look of a traditional watch but who are ready to tap into the functionality of a modern smartwatch,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice-president of global consumer sales. “By eliminating the need to compromise between tradition and technology, the Instinct Crossover reimagines and redefines the modern adventure smartwatch.”
Luminescent analogue hands and chapter ring: Super-Luminova coated physical elements help read the analogue watch bits of the Instinct Crossover without turning the backlight on (which saves battery power). The analogue hands are overlayed on Instinct Crossover’s digital display and automatically move out of the way when you interact with the watch via the navigation buttons.
Revodrive analogue hands: RevoDrive technology is an interesting addition. Garmin says, “The technology helps the Instinct Crossover deliver accurate analogue timekeeping even in the harshest activities and environments.” If the watch gets hit hard enough to knock the hands out of position, RevoDrive will stabilise them and auto-calibrate them to maintain accuracy.
\\ 2 things I like
It’s super weird: I mean, come on. It’s a rugged multisport watch with analogue hands!? The Instinct franchise has always been a sandbox for Garmin (Dezl, eSport Edition, etc.), but the Crossover is pushing the boat out. Even with so many Garmin watches out there, it won’t be hard to remember this watch, so if it’s uniqueness you’re after, the Instinct Crossover is your watch.
It’s feature-rich: So many! Sleep Score and Advanced Sleep Monitoring, Body Battery, VO2 Max, Pulse Ox, Fitness Age, Training Status/Load/Effect, HRV Status, and Recovery Time. Multi-GNSS support (single band), ABC sensors, TracBack routing (helps users navigate the same route back to their starting point), and Reference Point (helps users keep track of a known place relative to their location).
\\ 4 things I don’t
Garmin has too many samey-samey watches, it’s hard to get super excited over small things like illuminated analogue hands. Don’t get me wrong; the Instinct Crossover is more than capable, but it has the same sensors and features as most modern Garmin watches.
Bulky for 24/7 fitness tracking: I tried wearing the watch to bed, but it’s simply too big to be worn all day round. I was afraid it was going to knock me out! Also, it would be amazing if Garmin could provide a shortcut to a theatre mode or something similar in the menu, so I can quickly turn the wrist flick screen mode on and off.
Battery saver mode doesn’t clear once the watch is charged: I managed to discharge the battery almost completely once and noticed that once activated, the battery saver mode stays on until you turn it off in the menu. This is kind of the opposite problem of the watch face not turning off in bed; this way, the backlight stays dim, making it harder to read the watch.
Price: Most things I could forgive the Instinct Crossover, but not the price. Garmin watches aren’t cheap, but the Instinct has always been one of the more affordable watches. That’s not the case here. You’ll need to shell out serious monies for the analogue hands and Revodrive tech - is it worth it? You can get pretty decent multisport watches for this price.
\\Should you buy the Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar?
Watch the video to find out!
\\Rating
Same as above!
\\links
US - www.garmin.com/en-US/p/819727
UK - www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/819727/
Thanks for watching!
#garmin #review #smartwatch