Garmin Oregon 450 GPS

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

I find it confusing to have the tract always on and even when I delete the current tract, waypoints, and trip computer before beginning a hike I seem to always have added distance. My older Garmin product, 76S, was more user friendly while it lasted.The transition from the 76S to the Oregon 450 is taking longer with greater degree of frustration than it should. I like the colored touch screen interface, the strength of the antenna, the longer battery life and the easily read battery indicator. I hope my understanding of the device improves before my frustrations cause me to return the 450 to REI.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

The Garmin Oregon 450 at REI is really an excellent value and has held up well to seriously tough use. After a year I decided to get a second one to have when this one gets lost, destroyed or fails because I like the small size and the ability to load 24K topo maps onto a micro SD card. I use it with NiMH rechargeable batteries and get through a day of hiking without difficulty. Lithium batteries last even longer and work well in very cold temps. The compact size makes it easy to put this on my backpack shoulder strap so it gets a good view of the satellites and thus carried it does a good job keeping track even in most canyons. It isn't as readable as the newer, larger, more expensive Montana series units, thus four stars, but readability is usually satisfactory. I have experienced times when it would fail to boot up with several full 24K topo maps on the micro SD card when it has accumulated too many tracks, but downloading and clearing the tracks fixes that and if that isn't practical, temporarily removing the micro SD card will get around the problem and allow it to boot and record the hike, albeit with only the base map available.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

I use it for simple hiking trips, train and auto.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

Recently Took the Oregon out to the Catskills for its first "real" usage. Great display sooo clear and easy to read especially in direct sunlight. The person I was hiking with actually exclaimed "why cant my Iphone do that" great maps easy to understand accurate, I just wish it the controls were a bit more intuitive and there was a way to download the info of your tracks to the garmin site which there seems to be no way of doing

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

It was between this model and the Garmin Montana 650 GPS. The Montana is pretty darn big. I like the bigger screen, but lets be real, I'm not really gonna be carrying this on my pack strap. It was just to big. So I went with the 450. IT clipped nicely on my pack, easy access and it did very well with finding the Satellites. At first it took some time when I first started it up, but I was in the woods and didn't have any sort of clearing. Once it grabbed signal, it was pretty much spot on. I also downloaded maps from other websites that had points of interest on them for my hike. I like the touch screen. The only drawback is the little pin that drops on the map almost every time you touch the screen. maybe it's user error, but it annoyed me at times. The screen is a little dark, but no biggie. It's not like I couldn't see the screen. Bottom line, it did it's job and was accurate. What else do you need a GPS to do?

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

Excellent signal aquisition in the South San Juan and Lizard Head wildernesses in Colorado. The small screen on the unit only displays a limited area of a 24k scale map and its useful to carry a larger map (NG, Latitude 40) to see the "big picture". Anyway, you have to work hard to lose your bearings with the Oregon. Rugged unit took a bit of abuse with no problems, have spare batteries for anything longer than a 2 day excursion. Only complaint was ocassional variance with altimeter readings.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

I studied very hard 2+ weeks all GPS models and manufacturers. Looked at what was available at REI store and online. REI sales personnel definitely took much time with me about every/all models that they had available and all my questions/musing. I think they got migraine crossed-eyes from that!

Chose the Oregon 450 for my use as being the best cost, model options, and design for hiking, backpacking, camping, outdoors, and CERT Disaster Response/FEMA/Homeland Security needs.

Other Garmin website reviews of the model were seemingly negative about speed of processing and trail features.

My model has very quick responses (with reasonable) desired near-highest display features.

The GPS at 100K grid (with my additional WA/OR and CA/NV 24K SD cards) doesn't have all the desired trail features, but the 100K and 24K are about topography, not trails.

The Garmin site allows direct online updating of the 100K baseline memory and 24K SD cards.

There is another online GPS site (that can't be mentioned) that allows transparent overlay downloading of trails and other fishing/hunting/ land ownership features.

The Oregon 450 has great features that can still compete against the more advanced and newer Garmin models (and many other manufacturer models).

I took my time to study the models, and come up with my GPS that I am very pleased to have/use.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

Purchased this GPS for Orienteering/Adventure Race training. Teammate and I create navigation maps for training and practice map reading. Adding the 1:24K Topo maps were a must for us. Maps provided an excellent reference and appeared to be very accurate when compared to purchased My Topo 1:24K paper maps. I like the AA batteries or ability to use rechargeable batteries. GPS runs in background with screen locked and lasted significantly longer than expected. Track continues even when shut down and battery change required (nice unexpected feature to show/download my training tracks.) No issues with backlight, was able to read in bright sunlight, and used headlamps at night to save battery power. Interface with Geocaching has been a problem (so far I can't download directly to GPS... but I'm a techno-idiot, no surprise there...) Disappointed that I'll have to purchase different 1:24K maps when traveling outside of my area (VA to NV/MT area) but the quality of the maps may be worth it. Several features I've yet to discover, and likely never will. Not a unit for vehicle Nav, but perfect for hikers, bikers, and paddle sports. Very satisfied with purchase.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

I find it odd that this unit gets an average rating of three stars here. I bought it last fall and I've been adventuring around the northwest with little complaint ever since.

In mid-march I went on a 1,000 mile, two week self-sustained bike tour around the northwest completely guided by the Oregon 450. While it's primarily geared for off road use, I found it surprisingly easy to search POI for restuarants and grocery stores and also map out my days in the morning. Not as easy as a car gps, but you can't mount a car gps on your handlebars and go through three days straight of rain and hail.

That brings me to my next point: an overlooked advantage of this little guy is it's durability. I'd be willing to bet if I threw it onto pavement it wouldn't crack. I've heard that the buttons on the garmin legend line will eventually wear out and stop working. With only one button, that's not likely to happen on the Oregon 450. And the touch screen isn't a wimpy Iphone touch screen. It's a durable touch screen that cares more about surviving than being smooth and overresponsive. I'm not planning on getting another gps for 20 years...

So far I've had no problems with picking up sattilites in Oregon and Washington, even in the tall growth, and I also haven't had any trouble reading the screen in diverse lighting.

One note on garmin maps: it's true, they are rather expensive. However, there are several completely legal FREEWARE map websites where you can download topo maps for gps devices. These aren't copies of copyrighted maps, but maps that someone out there was nice enough to put together and upload to give away.

The one annoying thing on the device is the altimeter, it seems I need to recalibrate it everytime I turn the thing on. But that just one problem in an otherwise excellent device.

Comments about Garmin Oregon 450 GPS:

Look, I read all of the mixed reviews for the the Oregon and then went ahead and took the plunge. I was headed out on a solo backpacking trip in a rugged part of the Linville Gorge wilderness in N.C. My wife's one requirement for taking this trip alone: you must take a GPS. Thank God I did. I hadn't been backpacking in some time and I wasn't ready for the very difficult terrain and poorly marked (if marked at all) trails this trip threw at me. I might still be out there if I didn't have this little guide with me. Now, granted, the basic GPS will get you out when you need to get out. Why am I giving this 5 stars: versatility.

I cycle (road and mountain), I backpack, I run and, of course, I drive. This device has served all of these purposes beautifully. In addition to its application on the trail, which I already mentioned, with the purchase of a $10 mount, I replaced the computer on my bike. I get elevation data, heart rate data (with the purchase of $25 strap), all kinds of other data as well as turn by turn directions while biking. Similarly, the Oregon mounts on my dash for a GPS. I also strap it to my arm to record data while I run (the weight on my arm is inconsequential..and I have skinny arms for a dude). The coolest thing about this, is with the Profile manager all i need to do is change the profile to tailor the GPS to each application. I literally use it to find a trailhead, then push two buttons and it is set from driving to hiking. And, if you are a data nut, this works beautifully with Garmin Connect.

Contrary to the other reviews on this site, I don't find the battery life issue much of an issue. I have four rechargeable batteries and roate them as they need recharging. Name a portable computer (and yes this is a computer of sorts) that has tremendous battery life. If you really want long life, research Lithium rechargeable bats and get the higher end versions.

Screen visibility. I don't get the criticisms. Maybe I have powerful eyes? I use this thing on my road bike in the middle of summer with the sun glaring down upon me and I still can see it as well as any other bike computer. I can turn it on in the dark and the visiblity is fine. In the woods on a cloudy day, it's fine.

Satellite connectivity. It may take as much as 15-20 minutes when turned on inside after being off for a while (like days), but I've never lost connection once it is fired up. My connection is always very strong.

Maps are expensive to buy through Garmin. Solution, don't buy them and get them for free through OpenSource maps online. Do you make some concessions by getting free maps. Yes, you can't type in addresses for driving purposes and the graphics aren't quite as sharp, but the free maps work great otherwise.

Useability. This thing takes some time to learn how to use, especially when it comes to downloading maps and setting it up. If you have some know how with technology and don't mind doing some research online (Oregon has a great wiki support site) then get the user friendly GPSs out there for technology noobs (most of the criticisms on this site seem to come from people who don't want to spend time learning how to use it). You've got to spend time messing with it to get comfortable with all it can do.

If you do, this little device will become an essential part of all your travels- adventure, driving fitness and otherwise.