62s or a touchscreen unit?

[+jlw82]

Its between GPSMAP 62s, Oregon 450/550.

 

This is what I do in my life, which unit will fit me best?

 

- Berrie and mushroom

I pick a lot of berries and mushroom under the fall. Parks the car and walk 3-4 hours into a deep forest with tight vegetation. I mark my mushrooms spots with a waypoint, I need to change the icon so I know what kind of mushroom that was growing on that particular spot. My fingers will be dirty (that might sound weird in some ears. lol) from mud and "blueberry juice". Because I'm very deep into the forest, where there are only animal-trails I would be lost for some time if the unit breaks or crashes, so an unbreakable and uncrashable unit would be great. I want it to be easy as possible to add a waypoint to the map. Is any of the screens un-scratchable, like the iPhone screens? And I don't want to clean my hand for just adding a waypoint! I need to plan the route with the map, to find the best way home.

 

- Geocaching

I do some Geocaching. The caches can be in very tight vegetation, and in spots where they can be hard to get to. So I need to plan my route via the screen. I really need to pan a lot, and zoom in and out. I don't want to find shade just to read the screen, or place my hand over it. I just want to grab the unit and look at it!

 

- Hiking with my camera

I do a lot of nature photography and often walk in places no one else want to walk in, not even animals. Finding dead animals in those places is not that uncommon. lol!

 

- Biking low prior

Thinking of start to use my bike more to get better cardio, and it might be more fun with a gps! I want to be able to track my movements in the forest, see my speed, and then bring the track into the computer. Is it possible somehow to get heartrate with any mentioned units?

 

if anyone could tell me how to add a waypoints, and change icon for both units i would be very happy.

 

 

Any ideas?

Edited September 14, 2010 by jlw82

[+dfx]

iphone screens are unscratchable? i beg to differ.

 

you will probably find a touchscreen unit to be easier to use, or rather easier to learn and easier to get into. it's quite intuitive, while with a button unit there's a bit of a learning curve.

 

the oregon screens scratch quite easily. i got quite a few scratches already from using my fingernail for scrolling around, the nastiest ones when i caught a grain of sand or something like that under my nail. then it goes screeeech and you got a nice deep scratch. however, the scratches don't hinder screen readability at all. a fresh scratch will be annoying, but after a while you don't see it any more.

 

of course you can always put a screen protector on. the same applies to button units too. other than what i've mentioned, the oregon screen seems to be quite solid. i've banged it around in the dirt and on rocks (face down) and it perfectly survived it.

 

as for readabilty, you don't need to move anywhere to be able to read the oregon's screen, but you may need to turn around and hold it at a certain angle. in the worst case (mostly when ambient light is really low, like at dusk) you can always turn the backlight on. in that aspect the 62 will probably have an advantage, but for me the readability is totally sufficient.

 

personally i definitely wouldn't wanna miss the ease of use of the touchscreen for map viewing purposes. i'd hate to have to use buttons to scroll around and pick caches/points off the map like that.

[yogazoo]

One thing the 62 has that the Oregon's don't is a quad helix antenna. In the kind of cover you're talking about you may benefit greatly from a more sensitive, WAAS loving, quad helix that keeps it's lock even in dense cover and canyons. Compared with the ceramic antenna on the Oregon the quad helix is a big plus in my book. Under normal conditions however the two antennas are, for all intents and purposes, the same.

 

My .02

[Ben_Nevis]

Do you wear gloves? If you do check that you can do what you need to do with them on. I'm a mountaineer and a touch screen won't work for me in winter.

[+TheRedArmy]

i cache and use the gps in the winter (canada, winnipeg) so touchscreen was ruled out after carefull consideration. plus a 5y old that likes to use it, i have to buy the case for it, and can still use it, unlike the oregon.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

It is much easier to create waypoint names with the Oregon series. I'd get a screen protector before first use though.

[MtnHermit]

Do you wear gloves? If you do check that you can do what you need to do with them on. I'm a mountaineer and a touch screen won't work for me in winter.

i cache and use the gps in the winter (canada, winnipeg) so touchscreen was ruled out after carefull consideration. plus a 5y old that likes to use it, i have to buy the case for it, and can still use it, unlike the oregon.

The Oregon uses a resistive touchscreen, two films which require a physical touch. Resistive touchscreens work well with gloves, although not as precise. Capacitive touchscreens, like an iPhone, do not work with gloves.

[+g-o-cashers]

Both will work fine for what you want.

 

The 62 has slightly better accuracy (probably because of the antenna design) and outdoor screen visibility. The Oregon makes a much better car nav because of the larger higher resolution touchscreen. The touchscreen is also a time saver if you want to do a lot of text entry (naming waypoints, descriptions, etc). If you do go with the Oregon get a screen protector because it will scratch with dirty fingers.

 

The 62 has a few features which haven't made it over to the Oregon such as proximity alarms, a more full featured calendar and night/day mode if those are important to you.

[+musthavemuzk]

Both will work fine for what you want.

 

The 62 has slightly better accuracy (probably because of the antenna design) and outdoor screen visibility. The Oregon makes a much better car nav because of the larger higher resolution touchscreen. The touchscreen is also a time saver if you want to do a lot of text entry (naming waypoints, descriptions, etc). If you do go with the Oregon get a screen protector because it will scratch with dirty fingers.

 

The 62 has a few features which haven't made it over to the Oregon such as proximity alarms, a more full featured calendar and night/day mode if those are important to you.

 

nice information here. simple and easy to grasp.

 

i had debated between the 450 550 and the 62s. i ended up with the 62s. in the end i felt i would have a good unit either way. 399 at bass pro store for the 62s. i briefly considered the delorme pn-60 but the display model didnt work so i couldnt play with it at all. i felt good with the menu to menu in the above mentioned garmin's. granted it was in demo mode, but still felt good about it.

 

after reading things on the above models i think i made a good choice. hopefully in time somethings will be improved with firmware on the 62s.

 

Monty

[+jlw82]

i think i will get the oregon after all.

 

is there any difference between the 450 and 550 screens?

[+g-o-cashers]

i think i will get the oregon after all.

 

is there any difference between the 450 and 550 screens?

 

At one point there was, but if you get a 550 from a big retailer like REI or Amazon which has enough turn over you should get one with the brighter screen.

[+DanPan]

After 3 months my Oregon 450 touchscreen (with screenprotector) was cracked and i did not know how it happens!! I'm NOT the only one with a broken touchscreen... On top in Belgium and The Netherlands Garmin could NOT repaired it. Garmin proposed to replace my Oregon with a 62s BUT i had to buy a new one, i only received a reduction of €100. I'm very disappointed in my Oregon 450 AND Garmin repair services !!

 

The Oregon x50 is NOT ruggedized enough for doing geocaching!

(due to the weak touchscreen)

Edited September 15, 2010 by DanPan

[+OldA'sFan]

After 3 months my Oregon 450 touchscreen (with screenprotector) was cracked and i did not know how it happens!! I'm NOT the only one with a broken touchscreen... On top in Belgium and The Netherlands Garmin could NOT repaired it. Garmin proposed to replace my Oregon with a 62s BUT i had to buy a new one, i only received a reduction of €100. I'm very disappointed in my Oregon 450 AND Garmin repair services !!

 

The Oregon x50 is NOT ruggedized enough for doing geocaching!

(due to the weak touchscreen)

I have had an Oregon 450 for 6 months and have found over 200 caches with it. Most all of them "hiking" caches, and I have not had any problem with the screen. I've talked with several people with 450 and 550 and none of them have had problems with the screen. I have not seen "cracked" screens as a problem on this forum.