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).
When it comes to basic exercises, like walks, runs, bike rides, swims, and gym sessions, both models are solidly reliable performers, with similar tracking capabilities and post-workout stats, but what about when it comes to more extreme activities?
I took the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Instinct 3 snowboarding
As an avid snowboarder with more years of experience than my whacky riding style might suggest — shredding both the icy, rocky wonderland that is the Northeast U.S. and the fluffy, free-spirited mountains of the Pacific Northwest — I'm nothing short of obsessed with tracking my winter mountain efforts with the latest, greatest wearables.
For the past year, the Instinct 3 has been my go-to on the slopes. Can the Apple Watch Ultra 3 dethrone it? I decided to find out during a recent ski mission to Whistler Blackcomb Mountain in British Columbia, Canada.
Despite somewhat socked-in conditions and a lack of recent accumulation, the snow was soft, forgiving, and most importantly, ample. After nearly three straight hours of fantastic riding, I called it a day.
With my merino wool layers shed and après in full swing, I decided to check in on my stats. Ultimately, one smartwatch thoroughly proved to be the superior winter sports performer. Find out which, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or Garmin Instinct 3, below.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
Garmin Instinct 3 |
Strava |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Total vertical descent |
7,610 feet |
13,957 feet |
13,948 feet |
Max speed |
n/a |
30.0 mph |
34.3 mph |
No. of runs |
8 runs |
8 runs |
8 runs |
Total ride time |
1 hour, 54 minutes |
2 hours, 34 minutes |
2 hours, 34 minutes |
Average heart rate |
142 bpm |
134 bpm |
n/a |
Max heart rate |
179 bpm |
176 bpm |
n/a |
Total calories burned |
1,132 calories |
1,043 calories |
n/a |
Device battery usage |
24% |
1% |
n/a |
The Instinct 3 tracked my entire day riding... the Ultra 3 didn't
As is likely evident from the chart above, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 did't quite track my entire day of riding, despite clocking the same number of runs and almost the exact same amount of vertical descent as the Garmin Instinct 3 and my control, Strava.
It wasn't until taking the lift up for what would be my final run that I noticed the Apple Watch had stopped tracking my snowboard session and instead, for some reason, started tracking a walking workout instead. Had I taken a long break between runs, say, to enjoy some hot cocoa, this might make sense, but that wasn't the case.
Obviously, there are ways to lock your Apple Watch to avoid such hiccups, which I have to assume resulted from unintended button mashing while putting on and taking off my gloves.
Nevertheless, the Garmin Instinct 3 recorded my entire day of riding while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 fell short.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 didn't record a top speed
At the end of an epic day of snowboarding, there are generally three metrics I care about most: total descent, total ride time, and my top speed. Unfortunately, the snowboard tracking in the standard Apple Watch workout app neglects to make the final data point easily viewable.
Garmin and Strava, meanwhile, present your top speed front and center and even make it easy to figure out where and when on the mountain you achieved such quickness. Both options additionally provide data points for your average moving speed and total elapsed speed for those trying to maximize runs.
Garmin's battery performed better than Apple's in the cold
The Garmin Instinct 3 is an undisputed battery life king. And even though I was using the AMOLED model versus the solar-powered option, over the course of my 2.5+ hours of riding, the Instinct 3 used just 1% of its battery.
By comparison, despite clocking out early on the tracking, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 managed to burn through nearly a quarter of its total battery capacity.
I prefer the Garmin Instinct 3 to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for snowboarding
Ultimately, with a longer-lasting battery, a greater variety of post-workout metrics, and a design that's less prone to accidental button-pressing, when it comes to tracking a day of snowboarding with Apple Watch Ultra 3 versus the Garmin Instinct 3, I'll almost certainly be reaching for the Garmin the next time I hit the slopes.
What's your favorite smartwatch for tracking ski and snowboard adventures? Let me know if the comments below.
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