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Garmin 010-02626-10 Instinct 2 Outdoor Watch

Curated from 89 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: April 17, 2025

Garmin 010-02626-10 Instinct 2 Outdoor Watch

Brand: Garmin

Price: $198

Snoop Score:

6.6

Sentiment

7.4

Popularity

7.2

Technical

7.1

Buy on Amazon for $198 See All GPS Units Reviews

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Snoop's Take

The Garmin 010-02626-10 Instinct 2 is a rugged outdoor smartwatch designed for adventurers, featuring GPS capabilities and built to withstand the elements. Users appreciate its reliability in navigation, particularly in rugged terrains, with one saying, "the watch itself has been indestructible through some crazy adventures over the years." The watch's long battery life and robust build quality have garnered positive feedback, while some users noted limitations in urban navigation and screen size. Overall, the Garmin Instinct 2 is recommended for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a durable and dependable GPS device.

Not for you? Check out our other rated GPS Units

I got an Etrex 30 around when they were released and it has been 100% for me ever since.
Positive Feedback

I still prefer to have everything I need on my wrist for walking / running than have an additional device solely for riding.
Negative Feedback

6.6

Garmin 010-02626-10 Instinct 2 Outdoor Watch

Buy on Amazon for $198

Marathon & Road Running

4 / 10

Trail & Ultra Running

7 / 10

Triathlon & Multisport

3 / 10

Everyday Fitness & Wellness

3 / 10

See how this compares to all GPS Units

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.

Garmin devices are reliable for navigation in rugged conditions

“I got an Etrex 30 around when they were released and it has been 100% for me ever since.”➕

“No regrets.”➕

“I really want one that will do well in wooded areas.”➕

Garmin handheld GPS devices are reliable for outdoor navigation

“They're relatively inexpensive, easy to use, lightweight and accurate.”➕

Garmin devices have reliable lifetime updates

“Even if it gets downed there will be huge interest in reviving it by anyone capable of launching more.”➕

“I had two Garmin Nuvis before smartphones were popular, both came with *1 year* of updates.”➕

“I have 3 and all of them have free lifetime upgrades.”➕

Highly regarded for military use

“It makes recon life 10x easier”➕

Reliable for navigation in isolated areas

“I just check it from time to time to make sure I’m on the right path.”➕

Phone connectivity for route creation

“the phone connectivity actually is a big plus because you can create a route on your phone and directly send it to your gps via bluetooth, no signal required.”➕

Dedicated GPS units offer better battery life than smartphones.

“The handheld GPSs are quite sturdy and waterproof.”➕

Dedicated GPS units can preload maps for offline use.

“Plenty of map apps can download offline maps to use when you're in areas with bad/no reception”➕

Garmin devices offer lifetime map updates

“Now that Google maps can download maps and work without any mobile data, it pretty much killed the main reason to hold onto an old GPS.”➕

“The old GPS has the issues: Map stitching issues, recalculating delays, and accuracy about 100 to 200 feet; but it still works well enough for what I need.”➕

Older GPS devices can be more accurate

“Often older GPS devices are more accurate as they were single goal devices and didn’t have to share space and battery power with all other uses.”➕

Standalone GPS units have pre-installed maps, reducing data usage.

“Standalone GPS units have the maps already installed and those cost a lot of money for companies to create and keep updated.”➕

Garmin units have specialized hardware for better performance in various conditions.

“Some of the hardware is also kind of specialized, which adds cost, even if it seems low tech on the surface.”➕

Reliable for hiking navigation using routes

“The maps feature (you follow a line/route on the watch face) is very reliable, haven’t once had an issue.”➕

“they are very precise and if you follow the routes, you cannot go astray.”➕

Long battery life

“28 day battery life, it’s so nice.”➕

Indestructible build quality

“the watch itself has been indestructible through some crazy adventures over the years”➕

“this one is the ONE”➕

Good battery life

“And it’s a tough watch with great battery life.”➕

GPS accuracy is good enough for some users

“I use it as a running and trail running watch. The accuracy is good enough for me”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.

Navigation limitations in urban areas

“I still prefer to have everything I need on my wrist for walking / running than have an additional device solely for riding.”➕

“It’s more than ten years old.”➕

Screen size is too small for navigation

“It's a bit of a pain as the screen is too small.”➕

Smartphones are seen as adequate for recreational navigation

“Smart phones do this adequately and arguably better because they can have different apps that look at the data differently.”➕

GPS functionality on smartphones is often seen as sufficient

“The GPS functionality on phones is fairly good and will work in most locations so long as you’ve preloaded the maps for locations that have no cell phone coverage.”➕

Older Garmin models may become slow and unusable

“Even if it still technically works, it's the manufacturer that determines the end of the device's life.”➕

Desire for more compact and simpler devices

“if you have your tracking and iridium messaging turned off then it shouldn’t be transmitting your location.”➕

Desire for solid signal without phone connectivity

“I am really having a hard time to find the right device for my need, hope someone will be able to help me.”➕

Dedicated devices are preferred for mapping and location tracking over smartwatches

“I just want a handheld device for mapping and location tracking.”➕

Older GPS devices may require updates to function properly

“your GPS will be out of date and will need to be updated.”➕

Older GPS devices may be considered obsolete

“Are very old GPS still usable? I have a nuvi 750 from more than a decade ago. Are they still useful nowadays? Or are they obsolete?”➕

Standalone units are considered expensive compared to smartphone apps.

“Why are gps units still expensive even though cell phone apps such as google,apple maps and waze have taken over the market?”➕

“A Lot of the stand alone units price is for replicated features.”➕

Lacks detailed maps, only provides breadcrumb navigation

“You can load waypoints or tracks to give you a line to follow, but its not like a proper streetmap.”➕

Inaccurate navigation on switchbacks

“It works pretty well besides switchbacks when running or hiking.”➕

Inconsistent GPS accuracy in open areas

“the GPS is (in my opinion) not too accurate. When I've used it so far in open areas the accuracy is all over the place.”➕

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product Name	Price	Score	See Details	Buy Now
Garmin Forerunner 265 Running Smartwatch	$449	8.4	Details	Buy
Garmin Fenix 7X Solar Multisport GPS Watch	$559	7.1	Details	Buy
COROS APEX 2 Outdoor GPS Watch	$349	6.9	Details	Buy
Garmin Forerunner 935 Running GPS Unit	$229	6.8	Details	Buy
Garmin Forerunner 55 GPS Running Watch	$178	6.7	Details	Buy
Garmin 010-02626-10 Instinct 2 Outdoor Watch	$198	6.6	Details	Buy
COROS PACE 3 GPS Sport Watch	$229	6.4	Details	Buy
Garmin Forerunner 165 Running Smartwatch	$249	6.3	Details	Buy
Garmin fenix 6 Pro GPS Watch	$479	6.0	Details	Buy
Garmin Enduro™ 2 Ultraperformance Watch	$667	6.0	Details	Buy
Garmin tactix 7 Pro Ballistics Edition GPS Watch	$1419	5.9	Details	Buy
Garmin Forerunner 955 GPS Running Smartwatch	$374	3.9	Details	Buy
Garmin 010-12520-00 Running Dynamics Pod	$59	3.2	Details	Buy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.

Discussion on the effectiveness of mapping features

“I kinda bough second hand fenix just because of the map.”➕

Dedicated GPS units are preferred for their durability and reliability in various conditions.

“I've got a motorcycle specific TOMTOM that I switch between bikes. It's also weather resistant.”➕

Extended battery life capabilities with tweaks

“60 hours in 1 sec GPS refresh mode should be enough for any ultra-marathon, and it should be possible to extend that to 100 hours by doing some tweaks in the power profile while remaining at 1 sec GPS refresh.”➕

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.

Using Garmin GPS for privacy reasons

“I'm actually thinking about buying one for privacy reasons.”➕

Preference for dedicated GPS units over smartphones in certain conditions

“I carry a physical GPS unit still.”➕

“The US Forest Service tests GPS units under forest conditions.”➕

Preference for simpler, dedicated GPS devices over smartphones

“Simpler is better for me though.”➕

“What are you looking to get out of your GPS?”➕

Garmin devices are often used as a backup to phones

“Nothing a stand-alone unit can really do better than your phone, unless you want to be able to message with it, and soon phones should be able to use satellite messaging as well.”➕

“The mapping on the Fenix is really just an emergency backup. It works but is hard to navigate well.”➕

Old smartphones can be used for navigation

“I use an old android smartphone with Locus Maps which I mount to my handle bars when touring.”➕

Discussion on alternative tools for navigation

“Uses AA batteries so easy to carry along a couple extra or pick up at a gas station if needed”➕

“A pair of AA Lithium batteries usually last me a good 32 hours of recording.”➕

“I think the 20x pans the map a tiny bit faster, but it's the same exact form factor, same UI, same everything.”➕

Discussion about preferences for rugged design vs. features in other models

“Why can't Apple or Samsung build watches with battery life like the Garmins?”➕

“I really love the rugged look of the Instinct 3.”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’

Preference for Fenix over Venu for navigation features

“As far as i know, the venu doesn’t offer the map function, so you should get the fenix or epix.”➕

Comparative discussion on Garmin models

“I was under the impression the Foretrex is nearly considered a needed piece of equipment when used in conjunction with traditional map+compass for doing land nav…”➕

Discussion on the value of standalone GPS units vs smartphone apps.

“Would you really say it is 200$ worth.”➕

Desire for transparency on GPS functionality

“I wish Garmin would tell us what it's REALLY doing.”➕

User decision process for purchasing

“I thought that Instinct will definitely be no worse than Polar and with 99% certainty better in GPS department.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.

Watch may be unnecessary for navigation compared to dedicated devices

“Google is great for driving but pretty terrible for cycling, especially if you are trying to avoid riding on roads.”➕

“Given you desire to have accuracy no worse than 5 feet, you'll want to shop for handheld units with bluetooth capability that also have SBAS.”➕

Hobby pilots and boat captains often choose Garmin for reliability.

“Garmin doesn't need cell coverage”➕

Discussion about the nature of navigation on the watch

“It's always going to be smaller than my phone and if I'm going hiking I'll have my phone.”➕

Discussion on love/hate aspects of the watch

“Garmin Instinct 2- What do you love/hate about it ? Just recently picked up a Garmin Instinct 2s (40mm), would love to hear from those who own the Garmin Instinct 2 in general, what do you love and hate about this watch ?”➕