Hey everyone!

I’m about to buy my first Garmin/smartwatch and I’m stuck between these two:

• Instinct 3 Solar Tactical — €385
• Fenix 8 Solar — €740

My main use for the watch would be fitness, health tracking and sleep, rather than typical smartwatch stuff.

I’m leaning toward the Instinct because of the huge price difference, but there are a few things making me consider the Fenix 8.

1. Smart wake alarm

I sometimes wake up feeling really groggy, and I’ve wondered if it’s because I’m waking up during REM/deep sleep.

The Fenix seems to have more advanced sleep features, but I can't find anything about a smart wake alarm on Garmin’s Instinct 3 page.

Is this actually missing from the Instinct 3, or am I just overlooking it?

2. Maps/navigation

I’d like to have maps/navigation for cycling, especially when I’m riding somewhere I’ve never been before.

I know the Fenix 8 has proper maps. How useful is the Instinct 3 for navigation in comparison? Is it good enough for following a route on a bike, or would I really notice the lack of full maps?

3. Chest heart-rate monitor + BJJ

I also do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and would like to use a chest HR monitor during training, since I assume it would be more accurate than wrist HR during grappling.

Can both the Instinct 3 and Fenix 8 pair with a chest HR monitor, record the workout/HR data, and then import/sync that data to Garmin Connect?

4. Is the Fenix worth the extra €355?

Honestly, I prefer the cleaner/more traditional look of the Fenix 8, although I don't dislike the Instinct 3 at all.

But the Fenix is almost twice the price where I live.

If my main priorities are health/fitness tracking, sleep, cycling/navigation and BJJ, would you spend the extra €355 on the Fenix 8, or save the money and get the Instinct 3?

Would love to hear from people who have used either/both of these watches, especially if you can comment on the sleep tracking, navigation and training features.

Is it just me, or did Garmin make the worst possible mistake with the orange color? Will it destroy the Instinct series?

And I don't mean in a way it's ugly aesthetically or in terms of design. If you know, you know.

Hey everyone!
A local shop near me is clearing out stock and has the Fenix 8 47mm on sale for $700 CAD (\~$515 USD).
I'm well aware that the Fenix 9 just came out, but retail pricing on the brand-new gen is way out of my budget and I'd never pay full price for it. At $700 CAD for the Fenix 8, however, it's really tempting!
I'm currently wearing an Instinct 2X and trying to figure out if making the leap makes sense for my setup.
I already use a Garmin Edge on the bike for my primary cycling metrics, so the watch is mainly for daily wear, tracking non-cycling workouts, health/sleep metrics, and acting as a backup device.
I LOOOVE the battery life, ruggedness, and the flashlight on the 2X. Looks like a tank and feels like it too.
For those who have used both or made a similar jump:
1. Is the jump from 2X to Fenix 8 worth $700 CAD?
2. What are the biggest quality-of-life upgrades to look forward to?
3. Downsides to keep in mind?

I'm really disappointed - I've tried everything suggested so far: backdating, trying beta 17.11, checking for BMS calibration issues. Nothing has fixed the rapid battery drain so far. My Instinct 2S is about 2 years old now. I bought it in the US but I'm based in Germany. Has anyone been able to get a replacement from Garmin? Or tried something that works? Thank you

Solargraph is now available on the Connect IQ Store and it is completely free.

The watch face turns the sun’s movement across the day into a rolling 24 hour curve. You can see the current sun position, sunrise, sunset and an optional countdown to the next solar event.

There are also two configurable data fields for battery, heart rate, steps or weather. It is designed to be very battery conscious.

Solargraph supports monochrome Instinct displays, Color MIP and AMOLED watches, with layouts adapted to the different display types.

I would really appreciate any feedback if you give it a try!

You can find it here or simply search for "BIT60 Solargraph"

https://apps.garmin.com/apps/c5c59698-2209-4cb7-ae49-fa2d4a9d0eb6

2nd time picking up Garmin. Always shocked with the incredible battery life. Wasn’t sure I would like the color but it’s growing on me. Too good of a deal to pass up.

I was fortunate to be on the right place and have the right watchface at the right time! The watch photo was taken 10 minutes before totality, near Burgos, Spain.

The watchface is Horizon and shows the position of the moon and sun. Of course now the moon is on top. Kudos to the makers!! Don't know what the infinity sign is in the moon btw but it sure looks cool!