This Garmin smartwatch tops up its battery with solar, and it’s $170 off
There’s a lot to be said about having a smartwatch these days, especially if you’re the type of person who wants a device to help keep track of their fitness activities, such as running, steps taken, or even heart rate. Luckily, Garmin watches do just that, being as much, if not more of, a fitness tracker than a smartwatch, and are perfect if you need something to keep up with a fitness lifestyle. In fact, you can grab a mid-range Garmin Instinct Solar right now for just $230 from Kohl’s instead of the usual $400, which is quite a substantial discount on a pretty excellent watch.
Why you should buy the Garmin Instinct Solar
The Garmin Instinct Solar is essentially the same watch as the regular Garmin Instinct, except that the front screen has a small solar panel that lets you charge the watch while using it in daylight. That added charging can make quite a difference, as when you use it in GPS mode, it extends the battery life up to nearly 30 hours, and in smartwatch mode, you could potentially go weeks or months without recharging. Of course, that is assuming it’s getting the most efficient sunlight, so there will be a bit of variation depending on where you use it, but the numbers are still impressive either way.
As for the watch features, you get the full suite of sensors, including heart rate and Pulse Ox, the latter of which is very important if you’re a runner or workout regularly and can get a good sense of where you are physically with Garmin’s Body Battery score. You’ll also be happy to know that it’s a pretty rugged watch, plus it’s rated down to 100 meters underwater, so it will easily keep up with you if you go camping or adventuring out into the wild. As for keeping track of where you are, the Instinct Solar has a 3-axis compass, a barometric altimeter, and access to all three major satellite systems: GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo.
Given all the specs, the Instinct Solar is a very well-rounded watch made for those who need something for an active lifestyle, and the deal from Kohl’s that brings it down to $230 makes it a complete steal at the price. Even so, if you’re looking for something that’s closer to a smartwatch, you may want to consider these smartwatch deals instead.
