Garmin's rugged smartwatch with "unlimited" battery life just dropped to its cheapest-ever UK price in an exclusive colourway

Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Alpine Rush Yellow colourway — (Image credit: Garmin)

We had a taste of summer already, which whetted my appetite at least and suggested there might be more where that came from in the coming months. And if you're looking for a new outdoor watch for your upcoming outdoor adventures, whether it's hiking, kayaking, or bouldering, I have a smartwatch recommendation for you.

Shop all Garmin deals at Go Outdoors

The Instinct series has always been the friendlier (and more affordable) Fenix alternative in Garmin's stable, and the third-generation is no different. This Alpine Rush Yellow colourway is said to be limited edition, too, making it all the more appealing for the price.

To access the deal, you'll need a Go Outdoors membership, which costs only £5 and lasts for 12 months. Similar to REI's system in the US, during this period, you get access to all Go Outdoors members-only deals, which there are many of at any given time.

As for the Instinct 3 Solar, it's housed in a rugged fibre-reinforced polymer case with a metal-reinforced bezel and engineered to MIL-STD-810 standards for thermal and shock resistance, carrying a 10 ATM water-resistance rating.

In smartwatch mode, the 45mm model can deliver up to 28 days of battery life, with Garmin claiming unlimited runtime under sufficient solar conditions. GPS performance is equally impressive, offering up to 40 hours in multi-band mode with solar assistance and significantly longer in battery-saving GPS modes.

Navigation is handled by multi-band GPS with support for multiple satellite systems and Garmin's SatIQ technology, which automatically balances accuracy and battery life. A built-in LED flashlight with adjustable brightness and red-light mode adds genuine utility on early-morning runs and late-night campsite visits.

Beyond the outdoor credentials, the Instinct 3 Solar packs Garmin's usual suite of health and training tools, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, Body Battery energy monitoring, recovery metrics and smart notifications when paired with a compatible smartphone.

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Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator for T3.com and T3 Magazine, where he works as Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, action cameras, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019.

His work has also appeared on TechRadar and Fit&Well, and he has collaborated with creators such as Garage Gym Reviews. Matt has served as a judge for multiple industry awards, including the ESSNAwards. When he isn’t running, cycling or testing new kit, he’s usually roaming the countryside with a camera or experimenting with new audio and video gear.