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Garmin Instinct, th...
 

[Closed] Garmin Instinct, thoughts and options please.

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Orange (red) one arrived the other day. Couple of runs with it, just one niggle.. incoming calls only show the phone number, not the contact name. Same for you?


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 5:12 pm
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^ I haven't noticed as have had notifications switched off most of the time, as been at work anyway, with laptop and mobile to hand.

Anyone worked out what the 'track me' feature is all about ?


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 5:57 pm
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Nope, haven't had chance to really get to grips with much of it. The reason I bought it was for the breadcrumb trails - I've pushed a course to it and try it out tomorrow - though I suppose it'll work like any non-mapping Garmin, ie fine when there's an obvious turn coming up, but 50/50 for forks so you end up running a fair way up the wrong one until you realise you wanted the other. Still, better than stopping and digging the phone out.

IIRC, only displaying the incoming number and not the name is how my 520 does it too, though it does show the name for Whatsapps.


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 7:04 pm
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Mine shows the callers name. iPhone SE if it makes any difference.
The Bluetooth connection has been perfect compared to my Edge 25 which was 50/50 at best.
Would be nice if the ‘move’ prompt was disabled when driving, I guess that would require the phone to tell it I’m driving when it connects to the hands free kit. In all reality I’ll probably just turn it off as usually if I’m not moving around, it’s because I have no choice.


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 9:46 pm
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I found it for Android, mine was the same.

In settings go to app permissions, contacts then you see the list of apps which have permission to view the contacts. Turn Connect to on. Voila, names appear on the Instinct.


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 10:14 pm
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The strap is a bit fiddly, isn’t it, with the second band needing to locate into the strap itself - keep pulling hairs out my arm !


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 10:19 pm
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I've got a nice navy blue quickfit strap off Amazon for £12... it looks great against the orange face and seems more comfortable than the official Garmin quickfit strap.....


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 11:33 pm
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Didn’t realise the Instinct had the Quickfit connection, thanks


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 12:08 am
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Thanks Kryton, sorted 👌


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 10:59 am
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Followed a course on my lunchtime 10k today, for the first time. All the widgets are different in course mode which is annoying. COuldn't see my km pace. Back to the settings!


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 6:10 pm
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@iainc

The supplied strap isn't quickfit.. just pop out the pins, take the supplied strap off... refit the pins alone and then it's ready for the quickfit strap. I've got 2 official Garmin quickfit straps and 2 Amazon jobs; the Amazon ones are more comfortable.....


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 10:53 pm
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ah, thanks for that, will have a look, cheers


 
Posted : 21/12/2018 8:34 am
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Santa came good and I got my Instinct today. I likes it, not overly bulky and seems relativity easy to use. Although it took a while to turn the "Move" notice off.


 
Posted : 25/12/2018 5:44 pm
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A question for other Instinct owners-

I went for a run the other night and my elevation went a bit scatty. It had me drop below sea level 2 or 3 times and as a result added about 600ft to my 400ft run. Do I need to turn something on or off? Or is it just a random glitch?

TIA


 
Posted : 02/01/2019 12:29 am
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Check the altitude is being autocalibrated with the gps. Even with that on, I can get weird readings if the weather is changing (low pressure). There might be a way to correct the elevation data (to a base DTM) in the web version of Garmin connect - I don’t think that will also fix associated stats though, eg calories burned etc.


 
Posted : 02/01/2019 7:08 am
 DrJ
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I’ve pushed a course to it and try it out tomorrow

Probably a silly question, but how do you do this? The user's guide is really rubbish 🙁


 
Posted : 02/01/2019 9:29 am
 nuke
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2 Amazon jobs; the Amazon ones are more comfortable

Quite a few on Amazon...which brand did you go for mikertroid?


 
Posted : 03/01/2019 6:44 pm
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Hello instinct owners....

Quick question - if you use the GPS + galileo option during activities (as opposed to purely gps), do you find the battery life terrible?

Garmin say the battery should last 16 hours in gps mode. when I tried with GPS +galileo it only lasted something like 5 hours, just wondering if this is to be expected or a bug in the garmin firmware.

In gps mode it looks like it will go the full 16 hours. I was expecting some increase in power consumption using galileo, but not 3 times the power usage.

It is running the latest firmware (v2.80)


 
Posted : 04/02/2019 4:59 pm
 DrJ
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EDIT - stupid question


 
Posted : 04/02/2019 5:11 pm
 nuke
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if you use the GPS + galileo option during activities (as opposed to purely gps), do you find the battery life terrible?

Didnt think Galileo was fully operational yet? I use GPS + GLONASS on my Instinct and hadn't noticed any battery life issues with that


 
Posted : 04/02/2019 7:06 pm
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^ What he said.


 
Posted : 04/02/2019 7:11 pm
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Didnt think Galileo was fully operational yet?

not all the satellites are running yet, I think there's something like 25 out of a total of 30 up and running.

I wouldnt have expected a lower number of satellites to affect the battery life on the impact though, but maybe if it was spending most of its time trying to find a signal it might.

Will switch to gPS + glonass and see how it goes.


 
Posted : 04/02/2019 7:49 pm
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What software are you all using to load new courses into your instincts. Garmin connect appears to only work for roads, it doesn’t show footpaths or bridleways. Thanks


 
Posted : 05/02/2019 8:54 am
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Garmin explore app on android seems OK for creating courses to follow footpaths etc, but I havent used it extensively to see if its riddled with the usual garmin bugs.


 
Posted : 05/02/2019 10:20 am
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Duh...


 
Posted : 06/02/2019 6:39 pm
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Haven't created any courses yet, but I have downloaded some as GPX from Wikiloc, Strava etc. They've worked fine, forest/mountain tracks, and across open ground (no path).
I don't have Garmin Express (or whatever it's called), so upload to COnnect website, then sync to the watch using the phone app.

Talking of sync, it often doesn't. Have to turn off the watch, restart the phone, eventually it syncs, though real time HR is displayed in the app. COuld equally be a phone bug.


 
Posted : 06/02/2019 7:35 pm
 nuke
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Have to turn off the watch

Sorry, can't help re syncing but, dumb question, how do you turn off the watch?

On a side note fwiw, I'll add i prefer the cheap replacement straps...they are slightly more stretchy than the genuine straps and ive found this helps keeping the watch in place on your wrist


 
Posted : 06/02/2019 8:01 pm
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Top left button press and hold then gps button to confirm


 
Posted : 06/02/2019 8:37 pm
 nuke
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Cheers plus 👍


 
Posted : 06/02/2019 9:12 pm
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Did anyone one consider the Vivoactive 3 over the instinct? Considering both but the £45 price increase of the Instinct for similar features isn't really convincing me.


 
Posted : 07/02/2019 1:14 pm
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Vivo active 3 has more features/functionality than instinct, payment features, vo2 max estimates, colour screen etc.

But instinct has better battery life (looks like it will last twice as long as vivo active 3), is tougher and more water resistant than vivo active3

And obviously there is a styling difference.


 
Posted : 07/02/2019 1:26 pm
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vo2 max estimates

Available on the phone app from the Instinct data.

looks like it will last twice as long as vivo active 3

12-14 days for me.


 
Posted : 07/02/2019 2:16 pm
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Cant find the boring colour one for cheap at the moment though so prce difference is close to £100. Millets have the orange for £220 but want to be able to wear it for work and that is a bit bright. So it is almost full retail which is £100 more expensive than a Vivoactive 3.


 
Posted : 07/02/2019 3:10 pm
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Tried the Vivoactive 3 but it isn't great. The touchscreen isn't ideal so thinking the instinct would be better. Do the button get pressed when flexing the wrist when riding at all or are they suitably protected?


 
Posted : 11/02/2019 9:55 am
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I've caught the lap button a couple of times (winter gloves) but they are pretty well protected.

Touch screen would be far worse IMO.

I really like my Instinct, it's my daily watch and my phone is always on silent now.


 
Posted : 11/02/2019 12:48 pm
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Just need to find a deal on one now. Cant find them particularly cheap anywhere (looking for graphite). Everyone seems to have them at or near RRP or not in graphite.


 
Posted : 11/02/2019 12:51 pm
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Hs Johnson are doing the graphite one for £241, and then you can get 10% off this with the code aff10, taking it to £217

I paid £197 for a graphite one from hs Johnson a few weeks ago, but it looks like the prices have gone up slightly


 
Posted : 11/02/2019 1:03 pm
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@julians The 10% off code doesn't work but there is a 5% one which takes it to £230. Would prefer to get around the £200 mark though


 
Posted : 11/02/2019 1:15 pm
 nuke
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Do the button get pressed when flexing the wrist when riding at all or are they suitably protected?

I found they did for me and, after accidentally stopping the recording and losing part of a ride, i found & turned on 'auto-lock during activity' which has solved it


 
Posted : 11/02/2019 3:05 pm
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Right ordered one. HS Johnson dropper the price to £220 with a further 5% off taking it to £208 so happy with that. Will hopefully be here tomorrow.


 
Posted : 12/02/2019 6:10 pm
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Mine came yesterday.

Really happy with it. Like the styling (but I do wear G-Shocks). Pretty simple to use (once you get used to the menus).

Although it isn't a colour screen I actually prefer that and definitely better than the Vivoactive 3 that I tried. Don't really notice it on the wrist either as it is light and comfortable. Gave it a full charge last night so will see how it does!


 
Posted : 15/02/2019 8:03 am
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Mine has made my g-shocks redundant ! I picked up couple of new straps £3 each of eBay. Quick fit too 🙂

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/254bR3ny/39918-D79-9721-4227-BDE7-7-A03-A692-C25-A.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/254bR3ny/39918-D79-9721-4227-BDE7-7-A03-A692-C25-A.jp g"/> [/img][/url]


 
Posted : 15/02/2019 10:29 am
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plus one - a link to the straps please?


 
Posted : 15/02/2019 10:46 am
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It uses the same size straps as the Fenix 5, 22mm wide.
I got a couple of cheap straps off AliExpress. About £2 for the silicone straps, quick fit.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/12colors-Soft-Silicone-Replacement-wristband-Watch-Band-bracelet-strap-for-Garmin-Fenix-3-Smart-Watch-26mm/32824968622.html

Also got a stainless steel strap, £10. It is noticeably heavier than the standard strap, probably not as comfy for sports etc, but nice if you want a bit of bling...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Strap-Watchband-Classic-Stainless-Steel-Metal-Strap-for-Garmin-Fenix-5-GPS-Watch-Replacement-Quick-Release/32831007259.html


 
Posted : 15/02/2019 1:25 pm
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https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292907510191

Took while to come only downside


 
Posted : 15/02/2019 4:36 pm
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