I tracked my day at CES with the new Garmin Instinct 3 — and walked over 17,000 steps

Close up of Garmin Instinct 3 GPS smartwatch in Neotropic/Twilight with a grey and orange case and sea foam green strap.

I just got my hands on the new Garmin Instinct 3, launched at CES 2025, and promptly slapped it on my wrist to put the fitness tracking chops to the test: logging my entire day on the tradeshow floor, bopping from product demo to product demo while dodging meander bodies under harsh lighting.

With just over five miles and 17,000 steps logged, I’m admittedly feeling a tad worn out as I write this. Of course, Garmin’s new outdoor adventure watch reflects my current state of exhaustion in its analysis and recovery guidance (more on that below).