I have been loyal to the Garmin Instinct Solar – my big, yellow beast – for a few years so was reluctant to swap it out for the updated Instinct 3. However, straight out of the box, I could see and feel the benefits of this Garmin GPS smartwatch, the latest addition to the Instinct family.
The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED smartwatch does come at a price – but you can now save £61 on it in pre-Black Friday sales at Blacks.
Francesca Donovan recommends
As a cheaper option in the Garmin family, the Instinct 3 feels like a worthwhile investment for hikers, backpackers, swimmers and trail runners wanting to simplify their time outdoors at a glance.- wearable comfort
- customisation
- bright display
- torch
- steep learning curve
- no topo mapping
| Quick specs |
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| Price: £289 Weight (with strap): 53g Case size (mm): 45 x 45 x 14.9 Screen: AMOLED Battery life (with GPS on): up to 32 hours extending up to 68 hours with Max Battery GPS (not recommended for GPS accuracy) OS grid ref: Yes Mapping: Yes Operation: 5 buttons www.garmin.com |
It’s lightweight enough to give a barely-there feeling on the wrist. Despite this, mine has taken some big knocks and scrapes on unforgiving gritstone and remains unscathed. The silicone strap flexes less than previous models but isn’t so tacky against the skin, slipping less when I get sweaty. With better purchase on the tang buckle, this watch feels a more secure fit.
Basic set up with the Garmin Connect app – including adding my Assistance Contact in the safety features – took under 60 seconds thanks to a QR code prompt when first plugged in. Used to the basic functionality of the Instinct Solar, I was initially put off by the push towards using Health & Wellness Monitoring features. Curious, however, I persevered. Now, I admit to finding the body battery, training readiness and sleep indicators gratifying – if not entirely necessary – quirks. I switched off the motivational morning messaging, however!
Thankfully, the watch is highly customisable. While it did take me, a self-confessed technophobe, a few indoor hours and outings on the hill to find the balance of what I needed from the watch – and the plentiful features I didn’t such as text, email, calendar notifications, contactless payments, stress tracking or nap detection! – customisation is brilliant.
You can connect some mapping apps (such as Komoot) quickly, making it easy to add planned routes to your watch. It’s a little more complicated for OS – you need to manually upload the GPX. Once outdoors, however, the Instinct 3 is easy to use and simplified my time in the hills. What the basic mapping lacks in topo detail, it makes up for in responsiveness. The new multi-band frequency gives incredibly accurate GPS positioning even in heavily wooded areas. While I still prefer a map or smartphone for a ‘zoomed out’ approach to navigation, the auto re-router was a nifty tool to stay on target on simple routes and the turn prompts not too intrusive. The Instinct 3 has quickly become a reassuring outdoor companion. If it’s in-depth mapping you’re after rather than a backup to traditional mapping methods, you might want to look at other models.
I was impressed with the screen and brightness. With a quick glance, the colour display is more legible and information is simple to absorb. I’ve turned mine to ‘always on’ which will drain the battery quicker but does mean I don’t have to wiggle my wrist to see the time or follow my route. Saying that, the buttons to switch on the Instinct 3’s light display – and use the rest of the controls – are responsive even with gloves on or numb fingers post-swim.
The battery life is an improvement. This is a watch of bells and whistles, some surprising. I thought the torch would be a gimmick – and yet I use it every day. It won’t replace a headtorch on the hill but it is powerful enough to negate the need to strap on a lamp to walk out into the garden in the evenings to pick up after our dog!
As one of the cheaper options in the Garmin family, the Instinct 3 AMOLED feels like a worthwhile investment for hikers, backpackers, swimmers and trail runners wanting to make their time outdoors that bit more fluid – you just have to spend a few hours indoors to make the watch work for you first.
Read more: Francesca’s full review of the Garmin Instinct 3
Testing conditions
Francesca tested this watch over the spring, summer and autumn of 2025 hillwalking and camping in the Peak District, Eryri, Pennines and Yorkshire Dales. She also used it for outdoor swimming, some (gentle!) trail runs and gravel biking. She has a small wrist and runs hot.
