Garmin’s Instinct 2X Solar series lights up the lineup (in more ways than one)

Garmin is no stranger to rugged watches and frankly, we’re consistently big fans of the brand’s offerings. Today Garmin announced two new additions to its popular Instinct family: a Garmin Instinct 2X Solar and 2X Solar Tactical Edition. Direct successors to last year’s Garmin Instinct 2 lineup, the new devices feature the same US MIL-STD-810 standard durability specs plus familiar health and fitness tracking tools, now on a 50mm polymer watch case with a solar-powered display. 5mm larger than last year’s model, the oversized wearables might not be suitable for petite wrists and, unfortunately, aren’t available in a secondary size offering like the Instinct 2S. However, they do pack a ton of features for any adventurers open to the bulk.

The new Garmin watches shine (literally) in two major ways. One is the series’ infinite battery life in smartwatch mode thanks to solar charging. According to Garmin, 2X Solar series devices produce 50% more energy than the standard Instinct 2 Solar model. Secondly, the new watches also supply a built-in light source for when the sun goes down. For the first time, the Instinct 2X Solar series boasts an LED flashlight with adjustable brightness settings and strobing. Whether you’re lighting up the trail or alerting traffic to your running cadence, the flashlight puts a powerful safety tool on users’ wrists. The Instinct 2X Tactical Edition even features a green illumination setting.

Other features that distinguish the pricier model include preloaded tactical activities, Garmin Jumpmaster, projected waypoints, GPS formatting, and Night-Vision and Stealth Mode capabilities. Meanwhile, both watches add an Obstacle Course Racing activity for users training in such environments. This activity mode records the number of runs and obstacles on a course as well as the user’s run times, run metrics, distance, heart rate, elevation, and time spent on each obstacle. Regardless of which model you buy, you’ll also find access to some of Garmin’s most popular training tools. The entire series features the company’s Training Readiness and Morning Report. Both options also feature contactless payment support, multiband GNSS, and built-in Garmin apps.

The Instinct 2X Solar is available in Flame Red, Graphite, Moss, and Whitestone. The Tactical Edition can be found in Camo and Black. You can purchase a Garmin Instinct 2X series device now from Garmin.com. Pricing starts at $449.99 with a $50 upcharge for the Instinct 2X Solar-Tactical Edition.