WHY? Solar-Charging, Best Military Features, Durable Build Quality, Large 1.4" Display
Top 7 Solar GPS Watches | Garmin Instinct Solar, fenix 6 Pro Solar & tactix Delta Solar
Don't Miss Out on These Top Solar GPS Watches!
Best Affordable Solar GPS Watch
WHY? Unlimited Battery Life in Saver Mode, Premium Navigation Tools, Military Rated
Best Rugged Outdoor GPS Smartwatch
WHY? Solar-Charging, Most Activity Profiles On Watch, 3 Sizes, Music On Wrist, Advanced GPS
Fuel Your Adventure with These Garmin Solar GPS Watches
You want an adventure-ready solar GPS watch that's as tough and enduring as you. PlayBetter's got a collection of Garmin watches to fit the bill.
This GPS tech titan has three lines of solar-charging watches that will eat the sun and keep you powered up through your wildest pursuits.
The Garmin tactix Delta Solar is the top pick for servicemen and huntsmen. Long range shooters will especially appreciate the Applied Ballistics upgrade.
The Garmin Instinct series of solar GPS watches offers several venture-specific editions, including Outdoor, Tactical, Camo, and Surf versions.
And the Garmin fēnix 6 Pro Solar lineup offers a an outdoor watch loaded with profiles for everything from XC skiing to mountain trail biking to surfing to jumping out of planes.
tactix Delta Solar Military GPS Watch
Ready to reap the benefits of a tactical tool powered by the sun? Then the Garmin tactix Delta Solar military watch is the piece you need. Not only does it eat the sun, the Power Manager lets you view how various settings and sensors impact your watch’s battery life, so you can make battery-extending changes on the fly. Here's what you get.
Smartwatch: Up to 21 days/24 days with solar
Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 80 days/120 days with solar
GPS: Up to 60 hours/66 hours with solar
GPS + Music: Up to 15 hours/16 hours with solar
Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 120 hours/148 hours with solar
Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 46 days/56 days with solar
But is it durable? you ask. Oh yeah!
This military tactical watch was designed to survive with a fiber-reinforced polymer with metal rear cover and knurled buttons. The rugged yet sophisticated design features a large 1.4” display that’s 36% larger than previous tactix models. It has a black nylon or silicone band and a black Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coated steel bezel with scratch-resistant glass—made from Power Sapphire™—that houses solar-harvesting technology.
And what about military specs?
Garmin tactix watches are built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock, and a 10 ATM water rating. They also offer dual grid coordinates and are designed with subdued color with high contrast displays.
But it's the Garmin tactix Delta military smartwatch's added tactical features that take this military tool watch to the next level. Be ready for anything at a moment's notice with night vision capability, stealth mode, kill switch, dual-format GPS, projected waypoints, and jumpmaster mode.
You also get access to multiple global navigation satellite systems (Multi-GNSS) to track in the most challenging environments like deep canyons or dense forests. The tactix delta solar offers ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer for weather, and three-axis electronic compass. Plus stay on track with TracBack® Routing, Federal Public Land Maps, Expedition Mode, and more!
Stay connected with smart notifications on your wrist and pair with a satellite communicator when you're beyond cellular towers. Stay fit and aware with the best Garmin health and fitness features right on your wrist!
tactix Delta Solar with Applied Ballistics Calculator
Is long-range shooting a factor in your military watch decision? If so, you'll want to get the Garmin tactix Delta Solar with Ballistics in your crosshairs!
The tactix Delta solar gives you the option to upgrade to AB Elite Software, which you can use to calculate aiming solutions for long-range shooting in the field with a built-in ballistics calculator.
When you arm yourself with the Applied Ballistics® Synapse, you can easily create and send custom ballistic profiles to your Garmin, including full access to the Applied Ballistics Bullet Library that contains more than 1,200 custom measured bullets.
Check out the Garmin tactix Delta solar with the Applied Ballistics add-on, and get these specialized features today!
Garmin Instinct Solar Outdoor Fitness Watch
Take your adventures to a whole new level with solar charging in the Garmin Instinct Solar rugged outdoor fitness watch!
Wander without worry with durability, multi-GNSS, ABC sensors, and TracBack routing.
This solar GPS watch was designed to endure with a fiber-reinforced polymer case, chemically strengthened, scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® glass.
Get access to multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLOSNASS, and Galileo) to help you track in more challenging environments.
When you're blazing the trail or in the backcountry, put ABC sensors on you wrists. The Garmin Instinct Solar has an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather, and three-axis electronic compass.
Go ahead and roam into harsh environments. This Instinct Solar hiking watch is built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock, and water resistance (rated to 100 meters).
Now let's talk battery life. Get up to 54 days with solar charging in smartwatch mode. Use the power manager, and you can extend that to unlimited. Do more and charge less!
Push yourself with confidence with health monitoring tools such as heart rate, stress, estimated sleep, and Pulse Ox. The Garmin Instinct Solar GPS watch has you covered on your next great outdoor pursuit!
Garmin Instinct Solar — Tactical Edition
While the more expensive Garmin tactix Delta Solar has the edge on features, the Garmin Instinct Tactical Solar is hands down the best watch at harvesting the sun's energy and extending the life of your survival tool—and that's at more than half the cost.
So, if the longest lasting battery and solar power are high on your list of features in your military watch, the Instinct Tactical Solar is definitely one to consider. Here's why:
Smartwatch: Up to 24 days/54 days with solar
Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 56 days/Unlimited with solar
GPS: Up to 30 hours/38 hours with solar
Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 70 hours/145 hours with solar
Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 28 days/68 days with solar
When it's go-time, you want a watch loaded with military features and tactical tools. The Garmin Instinct Solar Tactical smartwatch has just what you need to cover you wherever the expedition takes you, and at a more reasonable price. Explore confidently with this solar GPS watch that's built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and a 10 ATM water rating. Includes dual grid coordinates tactical feature and has subdued color with high contrast displays.
But it's the Garmin Instinct Tactical smartwatch's added military features that take this tactical watch to the next level. These include night vision capability, stealth mode, dual-format GPS, projected waypoints, and jumpmaster mode. Plus access Multi-GNSS for when you are in deep and covered terrain and offers ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer for weather, and three-axis electronic compass. And find your way back with TracBack® Routing.
Stay connected with smart notifications on your wrist and pair with a satellite communicator when you're beyond cellular towers. Plus, stay fit and aware with the best Garmin health and fitness features right on your wrist!
Garmin Instinct Solar — Camo Edition
Blend in boldly in the great outdoors with military standard features, solar charging, multi-GNSS for superior tracking, and compatibility with your Garmin hunting devices with the Garmin Instinct Solar Camo!
Choose one of these distinct Camo designs—Lichen Camo or Graphite Camo—to outfit your wrist with solar-charging extended battery life, for weeks even, and proven durability. The Instinct Solar Camo is built to the U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock, and water resistance (rated to 100 meters).
The Garmin Instinct Solar Camo tactical watch is supported by multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments. Enhance navigation on your trip with ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather, and a three-axis electronic compass. Also included with the Instinct Solar Camo is TracBack Routing, a feature that navigates the same route back to your starting point.
In addition to many other sports and outdoor recreational profiles, the Instinct Solar Camo edition includes dedicated fishing and hunting profiles.
And finally, the Instinct Solar Camo GPS smartwatch is compatible with your Garmin Xero, Astro/Alpha and inReach products to further customize tracking, navigating, and communicating in the wild.
Garmin Instinct Solar — Surf Edition
Get all the benefits of the Instinct Solar and Instinct Tactical Solar with these surf-specific features in the Instinct Solar Surf Edition GPS watch:
- With a simple glance at your wrist, get Tide Data on ocean conditions to help you know the right time to catch the perfect wave and shred it.
- Record the number of waves surfed, maximum speed reached, and distance traveled by using the surf activity profile.
- Works with Surfline Sessions, which creates a video of every wave you ride in front a Surfline camera, so you can watch and review how you ripped!
- Use preloaded activity profiles for surfing, swimming, running, biking, hiking, rowing, strength, and more.
Garmin fēnix 6 Pro Solar Outdoor Adventure Watch
Want ultimate battery power from the fiercest fitness watch in Garmin's lineup?
The fēnix 6 Pro Solar offers everything the standard fēnix 6 provides, plus upgrades in mapping, connectivity, training features, activity profiles, and on-watch music storage. Additionally, beyond the Pro and Sapphire models, this rugged yet sophisticated solar GPS watch extends your adventures with solid sun-harvesting technology!
These sun-eating batteries gives you more power the more time you spend in the sun.
The fēnix 6 Pro Solar battery life looks like this:
- Smartwatch: Up to 14 days/16 days with solar
- Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 48 days/80 days with solar
- GPS: Up to 36 hours/40 hours with solar
- GPS + Music: Up to 10 hours
- Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 72 hours/93 hours with solar
- Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 28 days/36 days with solar
The fēnix 6S Pro Solar battery life looks like this:
- Smartwatch: Up to 9 days/10.5 days with solar
- Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 34 days/59 days with solar
- GPS: Up to 25 hours/28 hours with solar
- GPS + Music: Up to 6 hours
- Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 50 hours/64 hours with solar
- Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 20 days/26 days with solar
The fēnix 6X Pro Solar battery life looks like this:
- Smartwatch: Up to 21 days/24 days with solar
- Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 80 days/120 days with solar
- GPS: Up to 60 hours/66 hours with solar
- GPS + Music: Up to 15 hours/16hours with solar
- Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 120 hours/148 hours with solar
- Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 46 days/56 days with solar
Get more robust navigation with added topo maps, road and trail maps, and preloaded ski resort maps. Use the ultra helpful round-trip course creator for running and cycling. Take advantage of Trendline™ popularity routing to find and follow the best path for your activity. Use PacePro™ pacing strategies and keep on pace with grade-adjusted guidance as you run a course.
Add Wi-Fi connectivity to the fēnix 6's Bluetooth® Smart, ANT+® connectivity, to stay even more connected.
Experience cool on-screen workout animations.
Get premium golfing features and feel like you're wearing an advanced golf GPS watch.
Enjoy music compatibility that allows you to store up to 2,000 songs on your smartwatch and leave your phone at home.
Size options: 1.2" display on fēnix 6S, 1.3" on the fēnix 6, and 1.4" on the fēnix 6X; see the 6 series comparison chart in this article comparing fēnix 6 sizes.
The PlayBetter Bottom Line on the Best GPS Solar Watches
If you want the best solar military watch ...
We recommend the Garmin tactix Delta Solar, perfect for servicemen and huntsmen. Long range shooters will especially appreciate the Applied Ballistics option.
If you want the best affordable solar GPS watch ...
We suggest the Garmin Instinct series of solar GPS watches, which offers several editions for specific pursuits, including Outdoor, Tactical, Camo, and Surf versions.
If the best outdoor fitness watch with solar-charging is your thing ...
Go for a Garmin fēnix 6 Pro Solar solar GPS watch, offering profiles for everything from XC skiing to mountain trail biking to surfing to jumping out of planes—and is available in 3 sizes!