The new Garmin Instinct 3 made me climb a wall, and in the best way!

During a brief break at CES 2025, I had the opportunity to test two of Garmin's latest rugged smartwatches, specifically the Solar Instinct 3, known for its exceptional battery life. Although I had never climbed a rock wall before and it wasn't part of my plans, Garmin's invitation seemed like a good occasion to give it a try.

The Garmin Instinct 3 watches boast a bold and rugged design, giving them an appearance that suggests they can withstand falls during climbing (thankfully, there were no falls). One of the models is solar-powered and features a non-touch monochrome display protected by a metal band, with a transparent solar panel that covers a large portion of the watch’s surface, helping to capture sunlight efficiently. The other model, the AMOLED 3, has a bright and colorful AMOLED display, which, while it cannot match the battery life of the solar model, offers a runtime of up to 24 days on a single charge.

Both watches feature side buttons, which can make navigation a bit complicated at first if you are used to touchscreen displays. However, the screens are clear and easy to read, even while climbing. During the experience, I climbed a V0 difficulty wall, using the Solar Instinct 3 on one wrist and the AMOLED on the other to track my activity.

Both models provide a wide range of activity tracking options, and you can add more if your preferred exercise isn’t listed. While the watches are larger (50 mm compared to a 45 mm option), I found them comfortable to wear. The impressive battery life might encourage you to wear them even at night, as sleep tracking is a core feature of their health functionalities.

While the watches allow for typical notifications from a smart wearable device, they do not feature microphones or speakers, meaning you cannot receive calls. Prices start at $399.99 for the Solar line and $449.99 for the AMOLED model, positioning them as a more affordable option in Garmin's rugged watch category. However, detailed topographic maps are sacrificed, although they still offer GPS and navigation functionalities.

Even though my time with both was brief, one of the features that impressed me the most was the built-in flashlight, which is activated with two taps on a button. The light can be adjusted for brightness and can also switch to red, a good option for those who prefer to avoid intense white light.

In summary, the Garmin Instinct 3 smartwatches offer comfort and an appealing design, excellent displays, and impressive battery life. Their pricing is reasonable for their category, representing a good alternative for those not wanting to invest in more expensive models like the Apple Ultra.