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Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Instinct 2 Solar

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Garmin Forerunner 165 is the lighter option — 13 g lighter than the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar (25% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec Garmin Forerunner 165 Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
Weight 39 g · 0.039 kg · 0.09 lb 52 g · 0.052 kg · 0.11 lb
Brand Garmin Garmin
Category Navigation Navigation
Garmin Forerunner 165
39 g

Sleek GPS sports watch at 1.4oz. Lightweight design with multi-GNSS support.

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Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
52 g

Rugged GPS watch with solar charging. Military spec.

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Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Instinct 2 Solar: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Garmin Forerunner 165 wins — at 39 g it is 13 g (25%) lighter than the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar (52 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest navigation page, or browse the full gear weight database.

More navigation comparisons