Oregon 550 or Montana 650

[pratzert]

Which one would most of you buy today ?

 

The Oregon 550 or the Montana 650?

 

I know the Montana has more features/capabilities then the Oregon, but the Montana is pretty large to stuff into your pocket whereas the Oregon is more compact.

 

I lean toward the Montana 650 but would like some opinions.

 

Thanks !

[yogazoo]

Had both. I currently use the Montana. Yes, it's big.

[+MaliBooBoo]

The Montana is sweet. I have both the Montana and an Oregon. The Oregon is definately feeling a little antiquated compared to the Montana.

[+Walts Hunting]

My Oregon is currently on eBay since I got the Montana. Your are right about size and it is a couple of ounces heavier. But if you use one of the methods already discussed here to tie the d-ring on the back to a carabiner it hooks on the belt real nice.

[team tisri]

Which one would most of you buy today ?

 

The Oregon 550 or the Montana 650?

 

I know the Montana has more features/capabilities then the Oregon, but the Montana is pretty large to stuff into your pocket whereas the Oregon is more compact.

 

I lean toward the Montana 650 but would like some opinions.

 

Thanks !

 

Montana.

 

I looked at an Oregon a while back and even under the shop's fluorescent light I couldn't read it. I can read the Montana in any conditions I've thrown at it so far.

 

Yes it's big, but you get used to it.

[+Unobtainium]

I've got a 550 and an addiction to tech. I'll wait for Russian Bird support on the 650 and then make the move.

[+taeke]

I'll wait for Russian Bird support on the 650 and then make the move.

 

I'm afraid you'll be among the satellites yourself then The Montana chipset doesn't support Glonass. You could wait for Garmin's next device which could support GPS, WAAS, EGNOS, Glonass, Galileo and Beidou

[yogazoo]

I've got a 550 and an addiction to tech. I'll wait for Russian Bird support on the 650 and then make the move.

 

Unless you live in Russia, or an urban area with tall buildings (urban jungle), your wait will be for naut. If you get 6 or more satellites consistantly then GLONASS will add very little to your experience unless your addicted to tech for tech's sake. I almost always have 6 or more sats (often a full set) on my Montana.

 

http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/receiver-design/consumer-gpsglonass-12359

 

"It is expected that in benign conditions the additional satellites will give little benefit, as availability approaches 100 percent, and accuracy is excellent, with GPS alone. Though dominated by the ionosphere, using seven, eight, or nine satellites in the fix minimises the amount of error that feeds through to the final position.

 

In marginal conditions, where GPS can give a position, but is using 3/4/5 satellites and those are clustered in the narrow visible part of the sky resulting in poor DOP values, the increased number of satellites benefits the accuracy greatly, due to both improved DOP and multipath-error averaging. Limited satellites mean the full multipath errors map into position and are magnified by the DOP. Adding the second constellation (GLONASS) means more clear-view satellites for accuracy, more total satellites to minimise the errors, and the errors are less magnified by the geometry due to better DOP."

Edited December 10, 2011 by yogazoo