Montana 650

[+Frank Broughton]

I have read a ton the last two days on the Montana 650. My 60csx did not survive a water bath and I am looking to purchase a new GPS. I have bad eyes so the bigger the better for me. Seeing this is the biggest unit I am looking to purchase it.

 

I have seen it has had issues in its firmware development. The biking gang hate that it auto routes routes they create in base camp - I can live with that. Some complain of power up issues in the Garmin car cradle.

 

My questions are:

 

1. If you own one how do you like it for geocaching.

2. Does it power off randomly for you.

3. Is the picture taking decent like?

4. Are you satisfied with it?

5. Should I get one if I want to biggest and best?

6. I have TOP 2008 maps, should I get the City Navigate maps with this and use my TOPO maps I have?

 

Any comments on this unit would be appreciated.

[+taeke]

1) yes

2) yes

3) it's quite disappointing to be honest. Any decent smartphone, or even cheap digital pocketcamera's, are heaps better. One of the things which bugs me most is the purple blooming and fringing, and the horrible automatic colour temperature correction. I use my smartphone's camera nowadays.

If this makes you cry, get a 600 model.

4) yes, very much actually.

5) I think so. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the device, despite it's shortcomings.

6) dunno.

[team tisri]

I have read a ton the last two days on the Montana 650. My 60csx did not survive a water bath and I am looking to purchase a new GPS. I have bad eyes so the bigger the better for me. Seeing this is the biggest unit I am looking to purchase it.

 

I have seen it has had issues in its firmware development. The biking gang hate that it auto routes routes they create in base camp - I can live with that. Some complain of power up issues in the Garmin car cradle.

 

My questions are:

 

1. If you own one how do you like it for geocaching.

2. Does it power off randomly for you.

3. Is the picture taking decent like?

4. Are you satisfied with it?

5. Should I get one if I want to biggest and best?

6. I have TOP 2008 maps, should I get the City Navigate maps with this and use my TOPO maps I have?

 

Any comments on this unit would be appreciated.

 

1. Love it

 

2. No. It did when I mounted it to my handlebars but a piece of folded paper to stop the battery vibrating fixed it. Using AA batteries also fixed it.

 

3. Not really. It has a 5mp camera but it's pretty lame. Useful for record type snapshots but not if you want a decent picture of anything.

 

4. Yes

 

5. If you want the biggest, go for it. As for best, it depends how you define "best". If being compact is in your definition, probably not.

 

6. Depends what you want to do with it.

[+toil&trouble]

1. love it

2. never

3. not bad, I will try to attach a photo we took yesterday

4. very

5. also have an OR and love them both, if we're caching in urban areas, the OR looks a little less odd

6. we have city nav and love it, great for navigating close to the cache, and walking the rest of the way.

[+Agent45]

1. I love my Montana 650t for geocaching. I've owned several Garmin GPS units and the Montana is by far the top of the line for geocaching. The large touch screen and highly customizable profiles are killer. The screen is bright and vibrant in the sunlight. I have large fingers and I can easilt select menu items.

 

2. No more power issues since 3.97 firmware.

3. I'm a professional photographer so my assesment of the Montana camera is very harsh. It sucks. It works for a quick geo-tagged image, but nothing to look at and say "wow".

4. I am very satisfied with the Montana. If I lost it I would buy another one immediately.

5. The Montana is the biggest handheld touch screen Garmin. It is the best for Geocaching, and works great with CN maps in Nuvi mode.

6. I too have the 2008 V2 topo maps and they look great on the Montana. The routable trails are fantastic. I have the current CN maps and in "nuvi" mode on the powered vehicle mount my Montana works just like a modern Nuvi GPSr. The Montana is my all in one GPSr. It goes from my car, to the trail, to the atv and to my boat. Highly recommend the Montana.

Edited April 21, 2012 by Agent45

[+Gushoneybun]

1. Yes

2. Never had an issue but only had one for a month or so

3. Not as good as a proper camera but at least I have this with me as the camera is normally still at home. All photos on my profile dated 27 march and on were taken with my 650

4. Yes nice big screen which is easy to see with custom menus and views. Shame there is no Wherigo support but I guess the answer to me is if I lost this one would I buy another to which the answer would be YES.

5. it is to me paperless and holds loads of caches (12000)

6. No idea I use open street which in the UK are pretty good but no 3D views.

Edited April 21, 2012 by Gushoneybun

[WrongwayUK]

1. Yes, best I have used for geocaching. Though can look a bit obtrusive in an urban caching environment.

2. Not with the latest updates. Seems to be ok now.

3. Not quite up to par with my Canon 5D2. A better description is poor. Useful to geotag something.

4. Very satisfied with it. Definitely an all rounder but also excels in many areas.

5. Its the size that attracted me to it.

6. No idea. I use UK maps and free stuff.

 

One of the best features in my mind is the customisability. Screens just how you like them. I was initially worried I wouldn't like the touch screen but I find it very good. In general Garmin have responded very well to bugs and suggestions.

You mention the biking gang hating the way it autoroutes when importing a route from basemap. I believe this has been cured in the latest beta update. I upgraded from a 60Csx and in fact still have the 60. I will probably pass it on to my son. More recently I got a 62S as well. A lot more compact than the Montana but not as versatile. It's more like the 60Csx.

[+Cheminer Will]

I have read a couple of reviews that say because it is a touch screen, you need to lock the screen each time before putting it in you pocket or carrier or the brushing of material against the screen changes things. Is this true and if true, what does locking and unlocking entail? My Android phone does not do that, it only responds to the touch of my fingers, not the inside of my pants pocket. Plus I can set my phone to lock the screen automatically and then only have to swipe the screen with a finger to unlock. Does the Montana work like that?

[+Agent45]

You tap the power button on the side of the unit, then select the screen lock feature. The screen is pressure sensitive, not a electro-touch sensitive. Perhaps Garmin will add the swipe to unlock feature.