Vivomove is a collection of hybrid smartwatches manufactured by Garmin. The term “hybrid” refers to a watch with both analog hands and a digital display (actually, not quite analog hands; they are electronically controlled). The Vivomove series features a fashionable appearance but is not especially sturdy. The new model, the Garmin Instinct Crossover, should be considered by those who are more daring.
It is based on the new Instinct 2 series, making it quite durable; the watch is rated for 10 ATM water resistance and is constructed to MIL-STD-810 specifications for heat and shock resistance. Unlike its siblings, the RevoDrive technology controls the analog hands on the Crossover. It is capable of autonomously recalibrating itself if the hands become misaligned after a severe blow.
The analog hands give it a traditional style (we get G-Shock vibes from the thick bezels) and act as an always-on display – you can always know the time, even in the dark, thanks to the Super-LumiNova coating on the hands and chapter ring.
Similar to other Instinct watches, the Crossover offers a solar charging option; in battery save mode, the watch’s battery life is essentially endless (assuming it spends at least 3 hours out in the sun each day). In smartwatch mode, the battery may last up to 70 days, and GPS tracking can last up to 31 hours. The solar-powered Expedition GPS mode watches can last over a year with frequent tracking!
Even without solar charging (which costs a bit extra), the battery life is sufficient to make other smartwatches envious: up to 28 days in smartwatch mode (up to 71 hours in power saver mode) and up to 25 hours of GPS tracking.
The cross-over Garmin Instinct (solar)
The Instinct Crossover has standard smartwatch and health monitoring capabilities. It measures VO2 max, calculates “fitness age”, reports training status/load/effect, and calculates recovery time. In addition, it includes Advanced Sleep Monitoring with Sleep Score and Body Battery.
Garmin Pay and the Connect IQ app store are supported. It features multi-GNSS monitoring and TraceBack routing (which can guide you to your starting location). The watch contains so-called ABC sensors, which are an altimeter, barometer, and compass. It can also link to additional sensors and other gear through Bluetooth and ANT+.
The base model of the Garmin Instinct Crossover costs $500; adding solar adds an additional $50 (by comparison, the base model of the Instinct 2 series costs $350). Garmin.com is where you can find the new model.
Additionally, there is a Tactical edition that is compatible with night vision goggles, features a stealth mode, dual-format GPS readout, and a kill switch (Garmin sells watches to the military and is popular with hunters).
[…] With analog hands, the new Garmin Instinct Crossover is a tough hybrid smartwatch […]