Well, I was set to buy the Colorado...

[zonabb]

Well, after spending the better part of June researching a GPSr for myself, a newbie I might add, I settled on the Colorado. I went on vacation for the last 10 days, get home this week and see the new Oregon model. Now, I know many CO users are ticked for this after the CO launching just months ago.

 

So now I’m in a new quandary. Get a CO like I planner or the OR. Now, I’m not a hardcore hiker or see myself as a maniacal geocacher either. Basically, I’ll use it to geocache with my 5 year old who loved being outside and some local hikes with her as well. I have skills with geographic information systems and assume, maybe incorrectly, that I could use the info gathers in the GPSr from hikes and geoaching and map it in GIS? That would be cool.

 

I’m looking for some input, from CO users and from those who this week picked up their Ors, one what would be the better choice. From what I’ve read on the other threads and G-O-$ers wiki, the OR seems to be a decent product and I can’t really discern one way or the other which is which.

 

But I want to get something within the next couple weeks and that limits the amount of info I can gather on the OR from new owners.

 

So any info, opinions, insight or otherwise that hasn’t been thrown out there is appreciated.

[+storm180]

Well, after spending the better part of June researching a GPSr for myself, a newbie I might add, I settled on the Colorado. I went on vacation for the last 10 days, get home this week and see the new Oregon model. Now, I know many CO users are ticked for this after the CO launching just months ago.

 

So now I’m in a new quandary. Get a CO like I planner or the OR. Now, I’m not a hardcore hiker or see myself as a maniacal geocacher either. Basically, I’ll use it to geocache with my 5 year old who loved being outside and some local hikes with her as well. I have skills with geographic information systems and assume, maybe incorrectly, that I could use the info gathers in the GPSr from hikes and geoaching and map it in GIS? That would be cool.

 

I’m looking for some input, from CO users and from those who this week picked up their Ors, one what would be the better choice. From what I’ve read on the other threads and G-O-$ers wiki, the OR seems to be a decent product and I can’t really discern one way or the other which is which.

 

But I want to get something within the next couple weeks and that limits the amount of info I can gather on the OR from new owners.

 

So any info, opinions, insight or otherwise that hasn’t been thrown out there is appreciated.

 

Really it comes down to input method. Do you want a touch screen or do you want the colorodo controls.

[ryleyinstl]

I went down to REI to check the Colorado/Oregon out yesterday. I was able to take them out side alongside a 60CSx. In my opinion the touch screen Oregon had the best/easiest overall feel/usability. As mentioned it particularly shines when entering text. To me this made it the better of the 2 units.

 

 

That said both the Colorado and Oregon units were very hard to see in the intense sun, especially in the map screen with DEM shading on. The 60CSx however looked very good in the sun, just as readable as when it was in the dark store with the back light on (this is the same as the experience I have had with my Legend HCx).

 

 

Not being able to see the GPS screen in the sun light is a large design flaw in my eyes. This is going to keep many users, whether they be Geochachers, hikers, pilots or marine users, from going this direction.

 

 

It’s really too bad as everything else about the Colorado/Oregon seemed top notch.

[+g-o-cashers]

One thing I'm finding is that with both the Colorado and Oregon that they are much better with the DEM shading turned off outside. I know it is a compromise but I've created two profiles: Outdoor and Outdoor Sun that have a few different settings (background image, DEM off) so I can switch easily outside if the Outdoor profile isn't cutting it. I guess it sort of like a poor man's day/night mode thing.

 

GO$Rs

[ryleyinstl]

Good idea with the profiles. I to found that turning off the DEM shading did help. It just seems a shame to turn off one of the things that makes the new units so "sexy."

 

I guess what makes it seem so bad is that nearly all previous Garmin products had no problem with the sun.

Edited July 17, 2008 by ryleyinstl

[+floydgg]

My Colorado is very easy to see in bright sunlight. The only time it is hard to see is when it is bright but there is no direct sunlight on it (like when it is overcast but still bright). It has a transreflective screen which makes it easily visible in bright sunlight.