Garmin Oregon or Montana feedback/reviews?

[magicstix]

Garmin Oregon or Montana users, pros or cons of units? What you like or dislike? If it broke or got lost today would you get another or what would you replace it with? Mostly going to use it for icefishing and some geocaching with kids. Recommended mapping chip? TIA

[gutshot_again]

I've got the Oregon 450. I'd replace it, but I think it's been discontinued. If not, I would get another. If it is, I'd go with the Montana. I have a number of lake chips for it, but the one I usually use is Garmin's Upper Midwest Fishing guide.

Only downside to it is that I'm not a fan of touch screen. Touch screen works OK, just not my thing.

If you do go with either (or other handheld), plan on using rechargable batteries. Shop around and get at 2400 Mha(milliamps whatever the abbreviation is) as things chew up batteries fast.

Hope this is of some use to you.

[Jmnhunter]

i also have the 450 and really like it. I used garmin's birdseye for aerial photos and those are awesome to have. i also have a lakemaster chip for it before they got rid of them; but the upper midwest is the samething with more lakes.

A tip for the touch screen, use a guitar pick. I punched a hole in the pick, tied a 3-4" piece of braided line to it and to the garmin and tuck it behind the belt clip when not in use; works awesome.

[sunniewally]

good idea.. have to try that.

[outkast7222]

I have a love hate relationship with my 550 Oregon. During the winter I cuss swear and yell about how hard it is to use with gloves and the [PoorWordUsage] poor screen brightness on the lake with the sun out. During the summer I love it for geocaching and hunting. I would buy something with real buttons to replace it. Probably a 62sc.

[MN Mike]

For those of you that have the first generation Oregons, 400, 450, 550 and so on, the new 600's are a whole different animal. They are a droid based GPS handheld and the screen is just like a 62s and other buttoned Garmin Handhelds, very easy to see in direct sunlight.

I bought a Oregon 600 last summer and it works very well. Its my first touch screen Garmin and operating it with gloves usually doesn't work very well, you need to use your fingers unless you have some of those gloves that are suppose to help operate touchscreen devices.

The 450, 550 and such are non current models, I would seriously look at the Oregon 600 or 650.

The Montana has a screen similar to a 450 or 550 when it comes to viewing in direct sunlight, the Oregon 600, although smaller will be easier to read.

If your curious, the Garmin Monterra is the updated Montana ( the new top dog ) with the Oregon 600 screen characteristics, just bigger like the Montana is.

Mike

[givetoget]

I have the Oregon 450t, I do like it but do agree with outkast saying its hard to see on the lake in the sun. Eats batteries fairly fast. I just broke the screen on it, I orderd a new one from china and going to try to fix myself. If it don't work yes I would by another but would have to upgrade.