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The Garmin Instinct Crossover is a Garmin Instinct 2 with a better chipset and analogue hands, and we love it. It’s one of my favorite activity watches of 2022 just because it’s different, but the fact that it’s based on the great Garmin Instinct 2 makes it a very capable adventure watch and not just a one-time thing. It’s one of the best Garmin watches on the market and the best outdoor hybrid watch we have tried, but it’s not perfect because it’s too expensive for what you get.
The hands use what Garmin calls “RevoDrive technology” to move. Revodrive uses satellite technology to make sure that the watch will always show the correct time, even if it gets hit hard, moves to a different time zone, or goes through any other event that would cause a regular analogue watch to show the wrong time.
Garmin Instinct Crossover specifications
| Price | $499.99 / £479.99 / AU$999.99 |
| Dimensions | 45 x 45 x 16.2 mm |
| Weight | 65g |
| Water rating | 100m |
Garmin Instinct Crossover review: Design
The Instinct 2 was already one of the best-looking rugged watches in its price range when it came out. It’s cheap enough to feel like you can throw it around without worrying about breaking a $1,000 watch, but it’s also expensive enough to have many of Garmin’s best features and be made of high-quality materials.
The non-solar version has chemically strengthened glass, and the solar version has Garmin’s Power Glass. The case and bezel are made of the same fiber-reinforced polymer and stainless steel as the Instinct 2. Garmin has also changed the chipset from Sony to Airoha, giving the watch more GPS options. You can get this watch from its official website.
Garmin Instinct Crossover review: Display
The display is a little different, though. The Instinct 2 had a small circular section, but this one has a full screen, even if your hands are in the way.
But don’t worry. Those hands are smart and can move out of the way when you want to see different data fields. If you choose one of the workouts, for example, your hands will form a horizontal line so that you can see the screen clearly.
Garmin Instinct Crossover review: Performance
The Garmin Instinct Crossover does take a little while to get used to. It doesn’t make as much sense as the Instinct 2, which is basically a watered-down version of the colourful Fenix 7, Epic, and Marq models. It has many of the same advanced tracking features, but lacks the colour touchscreen and fancy mapping that drain the battery on the other models.
The Crossover is a small market inside a small market. Adding hands to it is just a matter of style, but it does look pretty cool. When you put it next to an Instinct 2, it feels like a much better product.
Garmin Instinct Crossover review: Battery Life
In smartwatch mode, the Instinct 2 gives you the same 28 days. In the most basic battery saver mode, it can work for up to 71 days. Depending on the sampling rate of the GPS watches, it can work for anywhere from 25 to 111 hours.
In general, the Instinct Crossover lasted about a week with regular use of GPS tracking, notifications, and features like continuous heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking. It could go longer if it wasn’t used as much. We saw a daily drop of about 5%, and using the GPS for an hour caused the battery to drop by about 7-8%.
Garmin Instinct Crossover review: Price and availability
The Garmin Instinct Crossover was announced and put on sale in early November 2022. You could buy it in three different versions. The Standard Edition costs $499 and comes in Black or Blue Granite. Garmin also has a Solar version of the Crossover, which comes in the same two colours but costs $549 more. The last choice is the Instinct Crossover Solar – Tactical Edition, which sells for $599 and has even more features. The Instinct Crossover is now for sale in all three of its models.
Final Words
The latest Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar is without a doubt the best hybrid smartwatch on the market, as it is made to last in any situation. It feels like both a traditional watch and a digital watch. Still, it’s not as good as the competition because it has a small screen, needs more storage, and doesn’t have features like the ability to make phone calls.
Garmin Instinct Crossover Ratings
Pros
- Unique styling
- All the tracking you need
- Superb battery life
Cons
- No maps is a miss at price point
- Hands break up the screen
FAQs
Can I answer calls on my Garmin Instinct?
When your connected phone gets a call, the Instinct watch shows you the caller’s name or phone number. Select Accept to take the call. NOTE: You must use your connected phone to talk to the caller.
Is Garmin Instinct military grade?
The Instinct – Tactical Edition is constructed to meet the requirements of the United States military standard 810 for water resistance (rated to 100 metres), heat resistance, and shock resistance.
What is Garmin Instinct designed for?
You’ve never been one to do what everyone else does. This is where Instinct comes in. This tough GPS watch was made to stand up to the worst conditions. Be as tough as a soldier and able to withstand the elements. Don’t let battery life stop you.