Garmin GPSMAP 62S -or- the Oregon 450?

[+Sconnie Cache]

I've narrowed down my choices for a new GPS. Does anyone have any opinions or advice on these?

 

Thank you!

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Are you only going to use it for caching? Driving? Biking? Will you be entering field notes or waypoints names with it? Those would all impact my recommendation.

[eaparks]

Both are great units.

 

It really comes down to personal preference whether you prefer a touch screen or buttons. Personally I enter a whole lot of field notes (not from caching) so I much prefer the 450's touchscreen having come from a 60CSx, but you do have to live with not being able to view the touchscreen in 1 specific lighting condition as well as the 62... still viewable just not as well. (There are numerous threads discussing this)

[seldom_sn]

Both are great units.

 

It really comes down to personal preference whether you prefer a touch screen or buttons. Personally I enter a whole lot of field notes (not from caching) so I much prefer the 450's touchscreen having come from a 60CSx, but you do have to live with not being able to view the touchscreen in 1 specific lighting condition as well as the 62... still viewable just not as well. (There are numerous threads discussing this)

 

62s will be much easier to read when mounted on a bike handle or other fixed location. No big difference if handheld.

[+Sconnie Cache]

Thanks for the replies. I have been sifting through the posts in the geocaching.com forums as well as multiple other sites. I am on GPS overload right now! I will mostly be using this for caching and hiking. I am leaning towards the Oregon 450. Does the antenna on the GPSMAP 62 make it any better than the Oregon? I think that was my only concern with the Oregon.

 

Thanks again for your replies!

[seldom_sn]

Does the antenna on the GPSMAP 62 make it any better than the Oregon? I think that was my only concern with the Oregon.

 

Some folks make a big deal about the antenna, but I've never found a significant difference doing side by side comparisons with my 62s and OR300. Of course, with the 62s you can add an external antenna that you can wear in your hat. I've tried this too, but when I didn't have a clear view of the sky it didn't help.

Edited September 27, 2012 by seldom_sn

[+Sconnie Cache]

Great feedback seldom_sn. It helps to hear first hand info from someone who has used both. (or at least similar models) I really appreciate it.

I'm going to go ahead with the Oregon 400.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Sconnie Cache

[eaparks]

Great feedback seldom_sn. It helps to hear first hand info from someone who has used both. (or at least similar models) I really appreciate it.

I'm going to go ahead with the Oregon 400.

 

Sconnie Cache, I hope your mention of the Oregon 400 was a type-o since your thread pertains to the Oregon 450, just in case be sure to go with the Oregon 450 and not the Oregon 400 that is discontinued. There is quite a bit of difference in the 450 vs 400.

 

And to 2nd what seldon_sn said, in my own comparisons of using the Oregon 450 side by side with my 60Csx with the Sirf III chip (once considered the gold standard for accuracy for GPSs); when the Oregon 450 first came out I would get significant variations between track comparisons of the 60CSx and the 450. My track with the 450, making several turns around a 2 acre area and coming back to the starting point, would vary as much as 30-40 ft. from the 60CSx track when both units were held side by side. As time went on a Garmin updated the 450 software many many times. Comparing the tracks of the 60CSx and the 450 now are practically the same. My test tracking area was mostly open sky excepf for (1) 350 ft. leg that had heavy tree cover and included (2) 90 degree turns, (1) 30 ft. radius in another turn and (1) 450 ft. leg was a continuous arc; so I had a pretty good comparison in all aspects, excluding multi-pathing/bounced signals.

Edited September 27, 2012 by eaparks

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I own both and my recommendation would have been the 62S. Side by side hunting over 2000 caches has shown the 62 to be a bit faster and more accurate ( I am one that always preferred the quad helix ant)

The 62 screen is brighter and the multiple poke touch screen doesn't work well for me esp. panning......we don't type in much data.

[+Sconnie Cache]

Definitely a typo! I meant the Oregon 450. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[+Lieblweb]

I have both units.

 

The 62 screen is crisper and clearer than the 450.

 

With the touch screen, its easy to have accidental touches (thus putting you on different screens by accident)

 

Between the two .... Haven't seen any differences with accuracy. Some days they're both the same and other days they're worlds apart. Accuracy comes and goes with both units.

 

If I had to make a choice between the two (and have worked with both units), I'd probably go with the 62 for the crisper screen. The buttons aren't as annoying as you'd think.

[seldom_sn]

With the touch screen, its easy to have accidental touches (thus putting you on different screens by accident)

 

The main reason I prefer my 62s. It's especially hard because the alpha screen keys on the ORs are smaller than the numerical keys. Tagging waypoints for some film camera shots 1R1,2R1...36R5 was really tedious switching screens. Difficulty could be minimized by re-arranging the the name to R1-1, or 1-1, but the alpha part is still a problem.

[+luvvinbird]

62s. Love it. Have any of you above my post checked out the eTrex 20? I've been goofing around with it the last month or so and I've gotta say it's pretty cool. It's not quite as sophisticated as the "s" but I've been having some fun with it. Anyone else?

[+Sconnie Cache]

Well, yesterday I went out and looked at both handhelds and decided I like the 62s better. I like the buttons better than the touch screen. For any potential GPS buyers reading this, remember, touch screen on the GPS is not as intuitive as the touch screen on your smart phone. There is no swiping page turns or zooming in with two fingers. (It's been awhile since I used a touch screen GPS and I had forgotten that!) I was able to find a Garmin GPSMAP 62s on ebay for $325 (brand new, unopened box from a top seller). So next week I will have my handheld!

 

Thank you to everyone who shared their experience. I will do the same once I start using the 62s.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Sconnie Cache

[+Lieblweb]

Yes... I forgot to mention that!

It's funny how the touch screen works - like Murphy's law.

 

Seems like you have to press pretty firmly to get it to respond - but I can gaurentee, it'll change screens by a mythical creature who touches the screen when your not looking!!

[vagabond]

I've owned the 300 and the 450 and the 62s out of the three my personal preference is the 62s, although I really love my Montana 650t