Whoops! Garmin Instinct 3 Tactical Edition leaked in full

Garmin Instinct 3 tactical leak
(Image credit: Kristian Hansen / @Goodshunter_)

  • The Garmin Instinct 3 is one of Garmin's newest outdoor watches
  • A new Tactical Edition may have just been leaked
  • A now deleted Instagram post from an influencer revealed a new colorway and Tactical branding

Hot off the heels of the new Garmin Instinct 3, and following the unveiling of a brand new Descent G2 and Garmin tactix 8, a new Tactical Version of the Garmin Instinct 3 has just been leaked in full online.

We love the Garmin Instinct 3, and it has immediately taken its place in our best Garmin watch guide as our top outdoor pick. Currently, there are AMOLED and solar options, as well as the Garmin Instinct E. However, keen Redditors have spotted new variant leaked by an Instagram influencer.

The post from Kristian Hansen details an experience with the new Garmin Instinct 3 solar, however, as users on the Garmin Reddit noticed, there's something strange about this one. "Hi guys, I just stumbled this post by someone on Instagram that promoting instinct 3 product on his page," the original poster said. "But surprisingly the color is not the same with the one that already launch. And if you zoom in on the watch there is the tactical logo on the bottom of the dial. Is this the instinct 3?"

The watch in the post clearly features Garmin's Tactical branding. So what could it mean?

Garmin Instinct 3 going Tactical? Here's what we know

Instinct 3 Tactical seen in the wild? from r/Garmininstinct

The surest sign that this indeed a leak of an unreleased Tactical variant of the Garmin Instinct 3 is that Hansen's Instagram post has since been deleted, a sure-fire suggestion this watch was posted ahead of its time.

As to what a Garmin Instinct 3 Tactical could bring, we've got a pretty good idea based on Garmin's previous form. Garmin's Instinct 2 had a Tactical edition that brought all the features of the solar model (like the watch pictured in this leak) in an identical design package. However, it also came with a green flashlight mode, a stealth mode that switches off GPS and communication, dual-position format for syncing your location with others, a ballistics calculator from Applied Ballistics for long-range shooting, a kill switch to wipe the device, a jumpmaster mode for parachute jumps, and a tactical activity profile.

It's a very similar lineup to that of the brand new Garmin tactix 8 unveiled this week, and would be another excellent addition to the Instinct 3 lineup.

There's no confirmation as yet, but we've reached out to Garmin and will report back accordingly.

You may also like

TOPICS
Stephen Warwick
Fitness & Wearables writer

Stephen Warwick is TechRadar's Fitness & Wearables writer with nearly a decade of experience covering technology, including five years as the News Editor of iMore. He's a keen fitness enthusiast and is never far from the local gym, Apple Watch at the ready, to record his latest workout. Stephen has experience writing about every facet of technology including products, services, hardware, and software. He's covered breaking news and developing stories regarding supply chains, patents and litigation, competition, politics and lobbying, the environment, and more. He's conducted interviews with industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. Outside of work, he's a massive tech and history buff with a passion for Rome Total War, reading, and music. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
garmin Instinct 3
Garmin unveils brand new Instinct 3 with AMOLED display and massive solar charging upgrade
Garmin Tactix 8
Garmin Tactix 8 just launched, and it might be the most formidable Garmin ever
Garmin instinct 2 vs 3
Garmin Instinct 2 vs Garmin Instinct 3: What’s changed?
Garmin Instinct 2 on a green background with the text lowest-ever price
Can't afford the Garmin Instinct 3? Get a Garmin Instinct 2S at a better-than-Black-Friday price today
Garmin Instinct 3 Hands On
The new Garmin Instinct 3 had me climbing a wall – in the best way possible
Garmin Instinct 3 hands-on
Garmin Instinct 3 review: Instinctively a winning fitness watch
Latest in Smartwatches
Garmin Instinct 3 in Neotropic Green
"I'm an idiot": Garmin user reveals how fixing one setting completely changed their training after months of making no progress
A garmin forerrunner 55 on an orange background with the phrase lowest price
Sprint! The best cheap Garmin for runners is back down to its lowest-ever price
Half-Life running on a smartwatch
This Redditor installed a game engine on their smartwatch, and now it runs Doom, Quake, and Half-Life
Apple Watch Series 10 experience
How can we make wearables more sustainable, and is it even possible?
Apple watch pair with iphone
I've been wearing an Apple Watch for 10 years – these are the 5 settings I change right out of the box
Garmin Instinct 3 next to the Apple Watch Ultra 2
New figures claim the smartwatch market just shrunk for the first time ever, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is to blame
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over