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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Dan Bracaglia

I took the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Instinct 3 snowboarding — and there was one clear winner

Garmin Apple Apple Watch Tom Guide Dan Bracaglia
Close-up of the Garmin Instinct 3 while snowboarding.

Garmin and Apple make some of the best smartwatches money can buy in 2026, including rugged, outdoor-centric models like the Garmin Instinct 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 3.

The Garmin Instinct 3, launched in early 2025, remains one of my all-time favorite smartwatches for tracking my adventures in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The Apple Watch Ultra 3, meanwhile, is easily one of, if not the, best tough-built full-featured smartwatches for extreme sports lovers (and those who aspire to be).

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