Manufacturer Description

BUILT FOR THE MISSION

Instinct 3 – Tactical Edition is the rugged GPS smartwatch that’s built for the toughest missions, with solar charging, a metal-reinforced bezel and dedicated tactical features.

  • SOLAR FOR UNLIMITED BATTERY LIFE IN SMARTWATCH MODE1
  • INCLUDES DEDICATED TACTICAL FEATURES
  • DETAILED HEALTH AND WELLNESS FEATURES
  • MILITARY STANDARD TOUGHNESS FOR THERMAL, SHOCK AND WATER RESISTANCE MEANS NO HOLDING BACK
  • BRIGHT BUILT-IN LED FLASHLIGHT
  • 3-AXIS COMPASS AND MULTI-BAND GPS

SOLAR CHARGING

Stay on the mission until it’s done, with unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging1.

MISSION-READY

Dedicated tactical features include a jumpmaster activity, waypoint projection, dual-position GPS format, preloaded tactical activity, stealth mode, kill switch and rucking activity.

GUIDE THE OPERATION

Navigate confidently with a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter and multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology, which delivers superior positioning while also optimizing battery life.

BUILT TO LAST

The Instinct 3 – Tactical Edition smartwatch is engineered with a supertough 50 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case and metal-reinforced bezel and is 10 ATM water-rated. It’s tested to U.S. military standards for thermal, shock and water resistance.

HEALTH MONITORING

Know your body better with health monitoring features, including wrist-based heart rate, advanced sleep monitoring2, Pulse Ox3 and more.

BUILT-IN FLASHLIGHT

A built-in LED flashlight with variable intensities and strobe modes gives you greater visibility in the outdoors and provides convenient illumination when you need it.

TACTICAL

  • NIGHT VISION CAPABILITY: Whether viewed under NODs or operating in the dark, NVG mode allows for stealthy operation with controls to further dim brightness and black out the display to reduce detectability.
  • RUCKING ACTIVITY: A dedicated rucking activity profile allows you to input your pack weight.
  • STEALTH MODE: While keeping the tactical watch operational, stealth mode stops storing and sharing your GPS position and disables wireless connectivity and communication.
  • PROJECTED WAYPOINTS: Set and save remote geo positions to be used later for navigation.
  • APPLIED BALLISTICS SOLVER: The preloaded Applied Ballistics solver gives you access to aiming solutions for long-range shooting in the field (requires one-time fee, see pricing information).
  • AB QUANTUM APP: Download the AB Quantum mobile app on your compatible Apple or Android smartphone to manage profiles and targets or use your smartphone as an additional display.
  • KILL SWITCH: If security becomes an issue, the kill switch wipes the device of all user memory.
  • JUMPMASTER MODE: Calculate high-altitude release points according to military guidelines while navigating to your objective once you’ve jumped.
  • TACTICAL ACTIVITY: See time, pace, time of day, elevation and your location in both coordinate types.

ACTIVITY TRACKING

  • BUILT-IN SPORTS APPS: Track activities, including cycling, open-water swimming, strength training and more.
  • GARMIN COACH: Prepare for your next race, train for a milestone, or simply improve your fitness with Garmin Coach adaptive or prebuilt training plans.
  • WORKOUT CREATION: Create step-by-step workouts from more than 1,600 exercises in the Garmin Connect app, and send them directly to your watch.
  • INTENSITY MINUTES: Track your moderate and vigorous activity minutes.
  • VO2 MAX: See your current fitness level, and track changes over time to set goals, evaluate progress and more.
  • ALTITUDE AND HEAT ACCLIMATION: See how you’re holding up to the current elevation or heat based on your health metrics.
  • HIIT WORKOUTS: Track your HIIT workouts, including AMRAP, EMOM, Tabata or custom workouts.
  • DAILY SUGGESTED WORKOUTS: View your entire week of daily suggested workouts, which adapt after every run or ride.
  • RECOVERY TIME: Gain insights on how long you should recover before your next high-effort workout based on your latest training.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  • DAILY MOVEMENTS: Keep tabs on your daily steps, calories burned, floors climbed and more from your wrist2.
  • HRV STATUS: Gain a deeper understanding of your overall health through heart rate variability while you sleep.
  • WRIST-BASED HEART RATE: Instinct 3 - Tactical Edition continuously samples your heart rate, so you can stay in the know all day and night2.
  • STRESS TRACKING: Find out if you’re having a calm, balanced or stressful day.
  • MORNING REPORT: Receive an overview of your sleep recovery, daily calendar, HRV status and more as soon as you wake up. You can even customize your report to show what you want to see.
  • HEALTH SNAPSHOT: Log a 2-minute session to record key health stats, then generate a report to share with your health care provider.
  • PULSE OX SENSOR: Track your blood oxygen saturation while you’re awake or asleep3.
  • MINDFUL BREATHING: Start a breathwork activity to track your stress and respiration.
  • HYDRATION: Log your daily fluid intake as a reminder to stay hydrated.
  • RESPIRATION: See how you’re breathing throughout the day and night.
  • FITNESS AGE: Estimate how fit you are compared to your actual age.
  • NAP DETECTION: Automatically track or log your naps to see how they benefit your body and the ideal time and duration they should be.

STAY CONNECTED

  • GARMIN CONNECT: See your health and fitness information, connect with friends, and more — in this free, zero-subscription app.
  • GARMIN MESSENGER APP: Communicate via two-way text messaging4 on your wrist.
  • SMART NOTIFICATIONS: Receive emails, texts and alerts on your watch when paired with your compatible Apple or Android smartphone.
  • GARMIN PAY CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS: Breeze through checkout lines or transit systems with participating providers.
  • SAFETY AND TRACKING FEATURES: If you feel unsafe or if your watch senses that an incident occurred, your watch will send a message with your live location5.
  • CONNECT IQ STORE: Add watch faces, data fields and apps to your paired watch.
  • LIVETRACK FEATURE: Friends and family can follow your real-time location5 and view preplanned courses.
  • ABC SENSORS: Navigate your next trail with an altimeter, barometer and 3-axis electronic compass.
  • SATIQ TECHNOLOGY: Get superior positioning accuracy with multi-band GPS while optimizing battery life.
  • GARMIN SHARE: Use this feature to easily share saved locations, courses and workouts with friends’ compatible Garmin devices.

1. Assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions
2. Activity tracking accuracy
3. This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.
4. Requires both the sender and receiver of messages to have the Garmin Messenger app installed on their paired smartphones
5. When paired with your compatible smartphone. For safety and tracking feature requirements and limitations, see Garmin.com/safety.

What's Included In The Box?

The Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar Tactical Edition GPS Watch Black ships with the following items included:
  • Instinct 3 – 50 mm Solar Tactical Edition smartwatch
  • Charging/data cable
  • Documentation

Features

What You'll Love
  • Sleep score and insights: Yes
  • Battery life (smartwatch mode): Up to 40 days/unlimited with solar
  • Pulse Ox blood oxygen: Yes
  • LED flashlight: Yes
  • Garmin Pay™: Yes
  • Multi-band GPS: Yes
  • Training readiness: Yes
  • Training status: Yes
  • Display type: Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
  • Solar Charging: Yes
  • Water rating: 10 ATM
General
  • Strap material: silicone
  • Lens Material: Power Glass™
  • Bezel Material: fiber-reinforced polymer/aluminum
  • Case material: fiber-reinforced polymer
  • QuickFit® watch band compatible: yes (26 mm)
  • Physical size:
    • 50 x 50 x 14.4 mm
    • Fits wrists with a circumference of 141-213 mm
  • Weight: 58 g
  • Display Size: Custom, two-window design: 1.1” x 1.1” (27 x 27 mm)
  • Display resolution: 176 x 176 pixels
  • Battery type: Lithium ion
  • Battery life:
    • Smartwatch: Up to 40 days/Unlimited with solar*
    • Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 100 days/Unlimited with solar*
    • GPS Only: Up to 60 hours/260 hours with solar**
    • All Satellite Systems: Up to 40 hours/80 hours with solar**
    • All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: Up to 34 hours/60 hours with solar***
    • Max Battery GPS: Up to 150 hours/Unlimited with solar**
    • Expedition GPS: Up to 60 days/Unlimited with solar*
    • *Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions
    • **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions
    • ***Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions; assuming typical use with SatIQ technology
  • Charging method: Garmin proprietary plug charger
  • Memory/History: 128 MB
Clock Features
  • Time/date: Yes
  • GPS Time Sync: Yes
  • Automatic daylight saving time: Yes
  • Alarm clock: Yes
  • Timer: Yes
  • Stopwatch: Yes
  • Sunrise/sunset times: Yes
Health & Wellness Monitoring
  • Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second): Yes
  • Resting heart rate: Yes
  • Abnormal heart rate alerts: yes (high and low)
  • Respiration rate: Yes
  • Fitness age: Yes
  • Body Battery™ energy monitor: Yes
  • All-day stress: Yes
  • Relaxation reminders: Yes
  • Relaxation breathing timer: Yes
  • Breathwork: Yes
  • Sleep: yes (advanced)
  • Sleep coach: Yes
  • Nap detection : Yes
  • Hydration: yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
  • Women's health: yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
  • Health snapshot: Yes
Sensors
  • GPS: Yes
  • GLONASS: Yes
  • Galileo: Yes
  • SatIQ™ Technology: Yes
  • Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor: Yes
  • Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor: Yes
  • Barometric altimeter: Yes
  • Compass: Yes
  • Gyroscope: Yes
  • Accelerometer: Yes
  • Thermometer: Yes
Daily Smart Features
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth®, ANT+®
  • Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps): Yes
  • On-device Connect IQ™ Store: Yes
  • Smart Notifications: Yes
  • Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only): Yes
  • Morning report: Yes
  • Calendar: Yes
  • Weather forecasts: Yes
  • Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile: Yes
  • Battery saver (customizable low power watch): Yes
  • Controls smartphone music: Yes
  • Find My Phone: Yes
  • Find My Watch: Yes
  • Compatible with Garmin Messenger app: Yes
  • VIRB® Remote: Yes
  • Smart trainer control: Yes
  • Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile: Yes
  • Smartphone compatibility: iPhone®, Android™
  • Garmin Share: Yes
Workout and Training Plans
  • Daily Suggested Workout - Running: Yes
  • Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling: Yes
  • Garmin Running Coach Experts: Yes
  • Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans: Yes
  • Cardio workouts: Yes
  • Strength workouts: Yes
  • HIIT workouts: Yes
  • Yoga workouts: Yes
  • Pilates workouts: Yes
Activity Profiles
  • Gym: Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing
  • Multisport: Triathlon
  • Wellness: Walking, Indoor Walking, Pilates, Yoga
  • Indoor running: Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running
  • Outdoor running: Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Obstacle Racing
  • Outdoor recreation: Hiking, Rucking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery
  • Cycling: Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX
  • Swim: Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming
  • On the Water: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Water Skiing, Snorkeling, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Whitewater
  • Motor sports: Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling
  • Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball
  • Snow & winter: Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing
  • Team sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball
  • In the ring: Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts
  • Other activity profiles: Jumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating
Safety and Tracking Features
  • Incident Detection during select activities: Yes
  • Incident detection alert on phone for wearables: Yes
  • Assistance: Yes
  • LiveTrack: Yes
  • Live Event Sharing: Yes
Tactical Features
  • Stealth Mode: Yes
  • Night vision mode: Yes
  • Dual grid coordinates: Yes
  • Kill switch: Yes
  • Ballistics solver: yes (unlock required)
Gaming Features
  • Gaming Activity: Yes
  • GameOn™ app compatible: Yes
Activity Tracking Features
  • Step counter: Yes
  • Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity): Yes
  • Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal): Yes
  • Calories burned: Yes
  • Floors climbed: Yes
  • Distance traveled: Yes
  • Intensity minutes: Yes
  • TrueUp™: Yes
  • Move IQ™: Yes
  • Garmin Connect™ Challenges app: yes (optional Connect IQ app)
  • Automatic rep counting: Yes
Training, Planning and Analysis Features
  • Customizable data pages: Yes
  • Downloadable training plans: Yes
  • Course guidance: Yes
  • HR zones: Yes
  • HR alerts: Yes
  • HR calories: Yes
  • % HR max: Yes
  • % HRR: Yes
  • Recovery time: Yes
  • Auto max HR: Yes
  • Race glance/widget: Yes
  • HRV status: Yes
  • HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices): Yes
  • Respiration rate (during exercise): yes (with compatible accessory)
  • GPS speed and distance: Yes
  • Customizable activity profiles: Yes
  • Auto Pause®: Yes
  • Interval training: Yes
  • Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection): Yes
  • Advanced workouts: Yes
  • Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings: Yes
  • HRM running pace and distance: Yes
  • Auto Lap®: Yes
  • Manual lap: Yes
  • Rest timer: Yes
  • Configurable lap alerts: Yes
  • Heat and altitude acclimation: Yes
  • VO2 Max (Run): Yes
  • VO2 Max (Trail Run): Yes
  • Load ratio: Yes
  • Training load: Yes
  • Training load focus: Yes
  • Training effect: Yes
  • Training effect (anaerobic): Yes
  • Primary benefit (Training Effect labels): Yes
  • Workout benefit: Yes
  • Improved recovery time: Yes
  • Custom alerts: Yes
  • Voice alerts: Yes
  • Multisport auto transition: Yes
  • Finish time: Yes
  • Virtual Partner: Yes
  • Race an Activity: Yes
  • Auto multisport activities: Yes
  • Manual multisport activities: Yes
  • Touch and/or button lock: Yes
  • Shortcuts: Yes
  • Auto scroll: Yes
  • Activity history on watch: Yes
  • Physio TrueUp: Yes
  • Unified training status: Yes
Running Features
  • GPS-based distance, time and pace: Yes
  • Running dynamics: Yes
  • Vertical oscillation and ratio: Yes
  • Ground contact time and balance: yes (GCT balance with accessory)
  • Stride length (real time): Yes
  • Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute): Yes
  • Running power: Yes
  • Grade-adjusted pace: Yes
  • Performance condition: Yes
  • Lactate threshold: yes (with compatible accessory)
  • PacePro™ Pacing Strategies: Yes
  • Run workouts: Yes
  • Trail run auto climb: Yes
  • Race predictor: Yes
  • Foot pod capable: Yes
  • Run/Walk/Stand detection: Yes
Golfing Features
  • Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green): Yes
  • Yardage to layups/doglegs: Yes
  • Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course): manual
  • Digital scorecard: Yes
  • Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit): Yes
  • Garmin AutoShot™: Yes
  • Auto CourseView updates: Yes
  • Green View with manual pin position: Yes
  • Hazards and course targets: Yes
  • Round timer/odometer: Yes
  • CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory): Yes
  • Pairs with Garmin Golf app: Yes
  • Tournament legal: Yes
Outdoor Recreation
  • Point-to-point navigation: Yes
  • Bread crumb trail in real time: Yes
  • Back to start: Yes
  • TracBack®: Yes
  • UltraTrac mode: Yes
  • Reference point: Yes
  • Elevation profile: Yes
  • Distance to destination: Yes
  • Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert: Yes
  • Vertical speed: Yes
  • Total ascent/descent: Yes
  • Future elevation plot: Yes
  • GPS coordinates: Yes
  • Sight 'N Go: Yes
  • Area calculation: Yes
  • Projected waypoint: Yes
  • Sun and moon information: Yes
  • Wind meter compatible: Yes
  • Expedition GPS Activity: Yes
  • Tides: Yes
  • Tide glance: Yes
Cycling Features
  • Courses: Yes
  • Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor): Yes
  • Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories): Yes
  • FTP (Functional Threshold Power): Yes
  • MTB Grit & Flow: Yes
  • Advanced cycling dynamics: Yes
  • Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters): Yes
  • Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display): Yes
  • Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar): Yes
  • Compatible with Varia™ lights: Yes
  • Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor): Yes
  • Power meter compatible: Yes
Swimming Features
  • Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories): Yes
  • Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories): Yes
  • Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only): Yes
  • Drill logging (pool swim only): Yes
  • Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only): Yes
  • "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only): Yes
  • Auto rest (pool swim only): Yes
  • Time and distance alerts: Yes
  • Countdown start (pool swim only): Yes
  • Pool swim workouts: Yes
  • Underwater wrist-based heart rate: Yes
  • Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim): Yes
Kid Activity Tracking Features
  • Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app: yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app)