I ordered the Garmin 550 for a deployment to Iraq. This GPS does everything I want a GPS to do. It even tracks satellites indoors if you are under a thin roof, and I forsee it having NO trouble maintaining at least 20m accuracy in the woods. The compass is very accurate as well, and I have checked it against my military compass. I have seen GPS systems that have trouble with compass accuracy while standing still, but the Oregon 550 is dead on the money even sitting still inside a vehicle.
The camera is incredible. The pictures are clear and crisp, and the system allows you to take the picture (it geotags the location you were standing at), and then assign it to a waypoint if you wanted to tag something with a picture taken in the distance. The only downside is sometimes the camera is sort of slow to start up. This is only an issue if you’re on the move.
The unit itself is rubberized and very durable. I have put it through quite the beating. Its screen has also held up surprisingly well. I was expecting a number of times to look to see my GPS screen spiderwebbed, but it just absorbs punishment. I have heard people say it is hard to read in sunlight, but I’ve found that tilting the screen sideways allows the user to view it clearly even in the brightest desert sun. The touch screen is HIGHLY customizable, and very easy to use.
The onyl complaint i would have about my Oregon 550 is that i did not get the 550t with the US topo maps. I downloaded them and they were very easy to install, but I could have saved a step by getting the 550t.
All in all, the only reason i would not recommend this GPS is to someone who cannot afford it. It is absolutely rock solid and possibly the best GPS I’ve used. Well done Garmin!
Help answer the question about Garmin Oregon
I'm thinking of buying an Iphone for geocaching instead of a Garmin Oregon 550T. Opinions?
I have Verizon Wireless and don't plan on changing my provider. I don't plan on using the Iphone for a phone. Garmin Oregon I plan on using it for a GPS device, Camera, MP3 player, Video Player, Picture Viewer, games, ect....., but I have no intentions of using it for a cell phone. The Garmin 550t is the top of the line touch screen handheld GPS. It also has a 3.2 camera built into it. I can pick up one of these for about $500.00, but I think I can get an Iphone cheaper and put the geocaching app onto it and more.
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Google Videos - Garmin Oregon
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400T GPS Review
Garmin Oregon 400T Review - Brian Thomas from TopTenReviews reviews the Garmin Oregon 400T GPS Gadget.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Got my Oregon 550T approximately a month ago and have been completely reinvigorated to go geocaching. No more route planning, reviewing logs and printing out all of the potential locations to visit. All GPX files on [...]which are easily downloaded and updated (with premium membership).
Screen is still somewhat difficult to read in direct sunlight unless you have the backlight on fairly high which limits the batteries, but one observation I made the other day, it is nearly impossible to see with polarized sunglasses. I checked this out with my Vista C as well and it was still somewhat difficult with the glasses, but not as bad as the Oregon.
Took it ATV riding last weekend and it was GREAT for that as well. Topo’s really helped in the back woods and paths as well as the tagged pictures allowing for a quick Google Earch overlay of our route and pictures of the trip! Truely a unique way to record your trips!
I would highly recommend if you are new to geocaching as it makes it so much easier, as well as for hiking and biking as you can keep your camera at home for basic pictures. But I would NOT recommend this if you are looking for a vehicle GPS. I love my Nuvi and am obviously a Garmin fan, but this one would miss the mark in a car.
Having “played” with this device for few weeks now, i’m still not convinced it was worth the money.
Mostly there’s the trust issue, I’m not entirely sure I can trust it. I’ve repeatedly lost waypoints. I feel REALLY naked without a fix point of where I parked my truck and I’d like to be able to get a fix to the last waypoint, which works fine as long as you have the waypoint. If you loose the waypoint, you are well, kind of lost. Seems like the only reliable waypoint you can have (at least I haven’t lost one yet) is to take a picture. Problem is that taking pictures burns batteries even quicker and batterylife is a real issue with this device. real issue. waas off, compass off, back light low and time out set to a few seconds, you still burn batteries FAST. and what is worse is that it is more like catastrophic failure than a slow decline, one moment you have 5 bars of battery and the next, its panic time. Not sure I understand this, what I do understand is that lithium batteries are kind of pricey. Forget the nihm batteries that comes with the device,I’ve no good experiences with those. If you are going anywhere without paved roads and cell coverage be sure to bring an 8 pack of lithium batteries, may just save theday. Also, bring a back up device, if I haven’t been there before I save the truck’s location on the Nuvi and bring that too, then I pull out the nuvi and save a waypoint occasionally. That has saved me before and seems 100% reliable. The oregon ? not so much.
Back to the waypoints,I’ve had TWO issues with waypoints, one of which I opened a ticket for (with Garmin) and another one I’m just going to wonder about,I can’t reproduce it at will. Occasionally when you save the current track the waypoints dissapear. Garmin suggested I do a device reset. Has happened twice after that. The other issue is probably even worse, save a waypoint, just tag it with the default name (an incrementing number#, 1 for the first, 2 for the second and so on.. then find out that while the counter incremented you have NO waypoints saved. Thank goodness I found that out in a place I’ve been before. And today it failed to connect to my lap top. Had to do another device reset. YAY!
Its a pretty device though, and it feels good in the hand, has real potential if they fix the issues. I really DO like the waypoint function, it is by far the easest, fastest waypoint save around, just fix the reliability issues. That has got to be a software issue.
ONE feature I REALLY like: the trip timer, very addictive.
The description is very misleading, making it sound like that this unit just works with geocaching which is simply not true!
The inaccurate description reads: “Oregon 550t supports [...] GPX files for downloading geocaches and details straight to your unit. By going paperless, you’re not only helping the environment but also improving efficiency. Oregon stores and displays key information, including location, terrain, difficulty, hints and descriptions, which means no more manually entering coordinates and paper print outs!”
The key missing disclosure is that the above only works for *a paid premium [...] account*. For the, at a guess, 95% of geocachers who do not have a premium account the device works nothing like the above description.
Obviously the Garmin people know they are omitting a key fact from the description, but I guess they thought it was better to try to slip one by people. Imagine how that works for a Christmas present. Grandma reads the above, buys it as an extravagant present for a geocacher… and then only after it’s opened is there this slow realization that it doesn’t work at all as advertised … turning a joyful time into a real awkward scene for both parties. Way to go Garmin — your inaccurate description really put one over on that old fool! On the plus side, doing the return through Amazon was very easy, but the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.
I just recently got my 550t as a replacement for a Colorado 400t. The topo maps are the same, the user interface is similar, but that is where it stops. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the Colorado, but REI doesn’t carry it anymore. On to the Oregon. I love it. It is the simplest piece of electronic equipment I own (and I own an electric razor). I have not had the problems that other users seem to have had. It works great in all conditions, and mine works well under trees (light-medium). I think the geotagging feature with pictures is awesome. I have already used it to ensure I could get back to the exact same mud puddle in my Jeep. Speaking of vehicles, I also installed City Navigator for North America. The Oregon works seamlessly with the map-set, and directions are almost perfect. I guess my only suggestion would be to allow me to have a picture of a Jeep instead of an arrow when I am driving like you can do in the dedicated auto GPSr’s. Anywhoo, a great little unit, kinda pricey, but well worth the money, in my opinion.
I have spent more time in the woods then my wife wanted me to and its because i have been lost! A ranger from “DEC” said you wernt lost you were just turned around a little. Anyway I have been trying to buy one of these GPS units as they seem to be the Best out there, howevere a two hour drive to cabelas and they said they cant get theme yhey had two originaly and that was it. Two hours back home turn on the computer and yep i bought one in 20 minutes but the next day i found a e-mail its on back order for 2 to 3 weeks. Ok so i am patiently waiting but i think people / you should know they probably dont have a reliable product for sale and hence the back order and availability issue. just the same i have a nuvi in the car and they did get that thing spot on acurate so i will just keep waiting.
I have done an extensive evaluation of the Oregon 300. Here are my comments.
The Good:
-Touch screen makes entering and managing waypoints much easier.
-The car navigation screen is much larger and easier to read.
-The topo maps have the ability to be shaded in 3D for better situational awareness.
-The geocaching feature is superb. You have all the notes, logs, and hints right on the GPS while searching for caches. You can even record notes in the field (easy on touch keyboard) and then auto upload [...].
-heart rate monitor and cadence options are available.
-Profiles -finally. You can customize the multitude of displays and options and then effortlessly switch between them depending on your operating environment.
-Screen Capture – cool feature, but not sure I would use it much.
-Image Viewer. Resolution is okay, not great. This could be a useful thing to have though because you could scan a route description or detailed map, and then load it into the GPS for reference.
-Time Zones update automatically, or can be set manually.
-Backgrounds (desktops) can be changed to whatever you want.
-Wireless sharing of waypoints and tracks.
-WhereIGo Player for interactive game cartridges.
-Touch screen user interface is very easy to use and quite intuitive although some frequently used features are buried deep on some pages.
The Bad:
-First and foremost is the poor screen quality in medium light. The screen has almost no reflectivity and therefore under all but the brightest conditions, it is difficult to see without using the backlight at about 75% brightness.
-Because of the screen readability problem described above, and the need to use the backlight in most situations means the battery draw is significant and you can expect to only get about 8-10 hours battery life with normal use. Garmin says 16 but that is likely with backlight at 50% and timing out after 15 sec and using “battery save” which completely powers off the screen until you touch it. The HCx will usually go 25-30 hours by comparison because it almost never needs a backlight.
-There is no welcome screen. You lose it, you better have your name etched onto the back.
-The GPS cannot be used at all when connected to the computer. Also it powers off everytime you disconnect. (The HCx offers the option of staying on.)
-Basemap is not as distinct as on HCx. Water is shown in white and is difficult to discern from the cream colored land. However when in Automobile mode, water shows up blue?? (HCx shows all water in BLUE! Duh)
-No capability to measure distances or project waypoints using the map. (I use this feature frequently on the HCx to determine distance between 2 points, or to set a course.)
-Trip Reset is all or nothing. HCx allowed you to choose what you wanted to reset. On the Oregon everything gets reset (Except the odometer. There is no reset for that unless you restore to factory default.
-Track is only shown in Black. The HCx allowed you to change the color of the track.
-The alarm tone is very quiet and is virtually useless for me. No way to change it. (Also they eliminated the choices for what tone you wanted to hear for upcoming turns. Tones are either on or off.)
-Can’t change the speed at which the compass turns off. The default speed is too fast. That means when you are walking at 2-3mph, the map jumps all around because the compass isn’t stabilized. (The HCx allows you to change what speed at which the GPS references the satellites for directional info vs. Compass. I have mine set for 0.5 mph. That way it works when I am stopped and the compass is stable.)
-When viewing the Elevation profile, there are only 2 data fields. I usually set them to elev gained and lost. But then ironically, I can’t see what altitude I am currently at. (The HCx has 2 fields at the top and always shows either altitude or baro pressure at the bottom.)
-Another major downgrade on the elevation profile feature is that when reviewing a profile there is no way to jump to that point on the map page. (On the HCx as you review a profile, it shows altitude, distance along the track. If you press enter, it takes you to the map page at precisely the point that you were looking at. E.g. When I am looking at the track from Mt. Baker hike, I can see precisely where I stopped to rest. When reviewing the profile, I could go to that spot on the profile hit enter and mark a waypoint at the exact spot we stopped. (Could save your life in a white out.) The Oregon has no such capability. That really sucks.)
-Heart rate displays only your heart rate. No max, no zone timers etc. Furthermore this GPS is NOT compatible with Garmin connect. WTF? Stupid.
-The unit retains the features for Area Calculation and best times for hunting and fishing. Why? I don’t know. I have never used either one of those features.
Some general usability issues:
-The device has a rouded back and a metal clip for a carabiner. Problem is if you set it down on this rounded metal back, it will quickly slide off of whatever surface it is on. You could never set this thing down on a rock in the mountains. Your only other option is to set it on its face, but then you risk damaging the touch screen. That raised another issue. If a rock or stick or other sharp pokey thing was to impact or nick the screen, would you end up with a brick when you need it the most? (My HCx was in the lid of my pack when it went tumbling 35 feet down a rocky hillside end over end. I thought the GPS would be toast, but it barely was scratched. How would the Oregon fare in similar circumstances?)
-While the cursor on the HCx isn’t as user friendly as a touch screen, it is MUCH more precise. Much easier than the Oregon to select and highlight waypoints on the map.
-Finally, while the user interface is easy to use, the organization of features is poor. All of the set up menus are located in one place which means you have to scroll through 4 pages to reach some of them. E.g the Altimeter set up is the 11th choice on the menu and on page 3.
So if I am viewing the Altitude plot on the Elevation Profile page, and I choose to view Barometric Pressure instead, I have to touch the screen a total of 10 times! (On the HCx, it takes exactly two key presses to do the same thing.) Garmin should have designed the software with CONTEXT sensitive menus that would give you all the options with one key press on the page you are viewing. Furthermore, to change pages you have to return EVERYTIME to the main menu where there are 5 pages of options. For the most part, this means 2 key presses to get you where you want to go. 1 to escape to the main menu, then one to select the next page. However if you select e.g. The Calendar on menu page 5 and then want to go to the map which is on page 1 of the menu, you have to press:
1. Escape
2. Left arrow 4 times
3. Map
That is 6 key presses.
On the HCx, pressing the page key twice will do the same thing.
Sensitivity and Speed
No contest. The HCx has the Oregon receiver beat hands down. Powering both units up simultaneously after they have been moved long distances and have to re-acquire satellites, the HCx beat the Oregon by more than a minute. I have tested both under the canopy of trees, and found the HCx is able to track your course more accurately with that highly sensitive antenna.
Overall, not a bad unit, but it could be so much better. If you mostly use it for driving and Geocaching, this is one of the best GPSs I have used. If you want to use it for more adventurous outdoor adventures, I would stick by the trusty HCx for a little longer and hope Garmin creates a unit with a brighter more energy efficient screen (OLED) and puts back in some of the features left out.
I bought the Oregon 300 after a year of fighting a Magellan Triton 500. The last straw was the Triton becoming a paperweight during a firmware upgrade. Anyway, after getting a replacement Triton I tested the two side-by-side, both loaded with topos of an area with which I am familiar. The Garmin’s screen image was much easier to relate to the actual topography, the touch screen was easier to navigate than the Triton’s menus, and the Garmin’s compass was more accurate (using a high quality Brunton for comparison). I then took the Oregon on a rugged three day elk hunt, including packing a spike camp into a wilderness area none of us had seen before. No trails were marked on our maps, so I relied on the Oregon to record the track, plus the location of our camp and other landmarks. It did that and more, giving me the confidence to range far from camp and know I could find my way back. I particularly liked how well the screen image matched our paper map, making it easy to cross-check locations. This unit is pricey, particularly when you add the price of Garmin topo maps, but it is well worth the price to know where I am in the wild country.
Bought this for my Garmin 300 to attach to my KLR650. I’ve put it through a few rough offroad rides and have have zero problems with the mount slipping and my GPS was held securely the entire time.
I’ve had the Oregon 300 for a few months and am very happy with it. I mainly use my GPS to record track logs on hikes and then use the data to geotag my photos. Signal quality is fine and battery life is about 16 hours. The backlight is weak, and you will have trouble seeing the screen if the sun is overhead. This is annoying but doesn’t affect the usefulness of the device too much. If you’re upgrading from a GPS more than a few years old you’ll probably be quite happy with this GPS.
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