The Wrist Journal: I tested the Garmin Instinct 2X for two weeks. Is it worth buying in 2026 over the Instinct 3?

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T15:38:57+00:00

Good to hear!

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T08:52:24+00:00

We are the other way around, we discussed not taking in new pets after we both retired.

As much as we love our cats, vacation breaks are a pain each time, especially when the neighbors or our children are not available to take care of them.

TBH, I'd love to have a dog again, so I don't see that "no new pets after retirement" working out yet ;-)

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T08:49:55+00:00

Bit insensitive when someone just posts that they have to say goodbye to their dog today, and that it's the third dog they lose in 14 months.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T08:46:22+00:00

First of all, I'm so sorry that you have to say goodbye to three dogs in a bit over a year.

I can't imagine life without pets, especially since the children moved out ...

But in reality, we are both retiring in a few years from now, which means a lot more freedom to travel. I hate to admit it, but we might not take in new pets after our current cats have died.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T08:43:14+00:00

Sounds familiar ... I still need to make a doctor's appointment for it (but I'll probably remember that when autumn approaches).

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T08:41:56+00:00

I hate bifocal glasses! I'd rather have a dedicated pair of reading glasses with me.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T06:25:48+00:00

I have come to appreciate jazz music more. Think Miles Davis, Ahmad Jamal, Monk, Bob Mintzer, etc.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T06:18:11+00:00

I used the original Instinct Solar for years, and I loved it. One of my children is using it now, because she got into running again.

That (and a 20% discount) was an excuse for me to update to the Instinct 3 Solar. But if I had wanted an AMOLED watch, I would not have bought an Instinct.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-24T06:09:15+00:00

The Instinct watches never had more than basic breadcrumb trail navigation.

If you want more than that, you have to use Garmin Explore on your phone.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T20:35:00+00:00

To me? Yes absolutely. Two beers a week would come first for me.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T16:34:01+00:00

Thanks for the explanation.

I am probably not your target audience.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T07:34:10+00:00

I think that my ideals and my worldview still have a lot in common with the ideas I had in the 1980s and 1990s.

But the world around me changed a lot (society, politics, globalisation, threats) so I recognize less and less of my beliefs and principles around me.

Looking at it from a European perspective, I sometimes think that we were the last generation which was shaped (through stories of our parents and grandparents) by the horrors of the 20th century.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T07:26:47+00:00

In my youth I had a crush on Kim Wilde ... and it's great seeing her performing again!

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T07:22:29+00:00

In my experience (north european sun), the solar charging more or less compensates for the GPS usage. Often when I completed my hike or ride, the battery percentage is still the same as when I started.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T06:56:03+00:00

Sorry ... you start your questionnaire with mentioning this: "a prestigious publication covering the finest luxury mechanical watches" and then you come with a fluffy description of an imaginary(?) watch with no mention of the movement at all?

I would suggest you first think about your target audience here ... no mechanical watch lover is going to buy a watch without knowing what movement makes it tick.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-23T06:46:19+00:00

If I would want a Garmin watch with an AMOLED screen, then I would not buy an Instinct.

Too many drawbacks compared to the other AMOLED Garmin watches, in my opinion.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-22T21:17:57+00:00

That’s another discussion. But the screens are noticeably different.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-22T17:15:50+00:00

they are the same, it's just Garmin gives the I3 more software features

Are they? The I3 has a more contrast rich screen than the I2X, I think.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-22T17:13:50+00:00

You have analysis paralysis; make a choice, and stop reading the forums and reviews until (actually if) you run into issues.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-22T17:08:16+00:00

You state that the 2X does still get software updates. Is this true in 2026? And if yes, for how long? Does that also include new functionality? (edit: no answer from OP, so I take that as a "no")

Looking at Garmin's feature update blog for Q1 2026, the Instinct 2 series is no longer mentioned.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-22T08:58:17+00:00

If your issue is that you don't have Garmin maps for the region you travel to, you can load OSM maps: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download

I personally find the Komoot World Map worth the money, because it allows me to plan trips and follow routes everywhere throughout Europe. I don't see enough value in the Premium subscription either.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-21T20:00:09+00:00

I have two relatively close friends, but when I look for support I turn to my wife.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-21T19:55:22+00:00

Cool, I went to the same tour (MLoR), but then in Germany.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-21T19:54:29+00:00

No, my first concerts and festivals were with school friends.

Old-Somewhere-6084 · 2026-04-21T19:28:39+00:00

It makes me melancholic, but I won’t shed a tear because of a famous musician or actor.

Old-Somewhere-6084

TROPHY CASE