Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

Garmin Montana 600 GPS

$515.00

(7)

Item # 825495

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Gear and Advice You Can Trust

This item ships for free! Learn more

To view videos or use the zoom feature on REI's websites, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

NOW PLAYING

The tough and waterproof Garmin Montana 600 GPS features a large touch-screen display, multiple mapping options, a 3-axis compass and a barometric altimeter.

4 in. display is sunlight-readable and offers crystal-clear colors and high-resolution images
Touch-screen interface lets you spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information
Built to withstand the elements, the Montana 600 shrugs off bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water
MicroSD card slot lets you expand memory, add additional maps (sold separately) and view pictures from other devices (microSD card sold separately)
Garmin Montana 600 GPS is compatible with BirdsEye satellite imagery (subscription required) and free Custom Maps software that transforms paper maps into downloadable files
Add Garmin City Navigator NT® mapping software (sold separately) and the Montana 600 will give you spoken turn-by-turn driving directions
Enjoy effortless sharing of waypoints, tracks, routes and geocache locations among the Montana, Oregon and Colorado series units with ANT wireless communication function
High-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled receiver and HotFix® satellite prediction locate and maintain your position quickly and precisely—even in heavy cover or deep canyons
3-axis tilt-compensated compass shows your heading even when you’re standing still, without having to hold the unit level
Barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude and lets you plot barometric pressure over time to keep an eye on changing weather conditions
Dual battery system lets you use either the included rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack or traditional AA alkaline batteries (sold separately)
Supports OpenCaching.com GPX files for downloading detailed geocache descriptions, terrain, difficulty and hints directly into GPS unit; visit OpenCaching.com to start!
Rugged, waterproof construction protects unit from bumps, dust and moisture; meets IEC 60529 lPX7 standards (can be submerged to 1m for up to 30 min.)
The Garmin Montana 600 GPS comes with a lithium-ion battery pack, USB cable and AC charger

Imported.

Item 825495

How to Use Your 20% Off Coupon:

Online, at REI.com and REI-OUTLET.com

If you're an REI member: At steps 3 and 4 of checkout under REI Membership, enter your membership number and coupon code REIANNV. Note: Check "Use my dividend on this order" and we'll apply your dividend balance toward your purchase.
If you're not yet an REI member: Include an REI membership for a one-time $20 fee with your purchase and use coupon code REIANNV at checkout. (You won't have to enter a membership number.) Note: You will have the opportunity to buy a membership at checkout.
Coupon applies to highest-priced eligible item. Coupon good through 5/28.

AT REI STORES

If you're an REI member: At checkout, provide coupon code REIANNV (or a printout of this coupon) and your REI membership number to the cashier. Note: Ask to have your dividend balance applied toward your purchase.
If you're not yet an REI member: At checkout, include an REI membership for a one-time $20 fee with your purchase and provide coupon code REIANNV (or a printout of this coupon) to the cashier.
Coupon applies to highest-priced eligible item. Coupon good through 5/28.

BY PHONE: 1-800-426-4840

If you're an REI member: Provide coupon code REIANNV and your membership number when you call in your order. Note: Ask to have your dividend balance applied toward your purchase.
If you're not yet an REI member: Include an REI membership for a one-time $20 fee with your order and mention coupon code REIANNV .
Coupon applies to highest-priced eligible item. Coupon good through 5/28.

Exclusions:

Offer valid 5/17/12 9pm PT – 5/28/12 11:59pm PT.
Coupon (or coupon code) must be presented at time of purchase. Online and phone customers must use code "REIANNV" to receive this discount.
Offer valid at REI.com, 1-800-426-4840 and REI stores.
Offer not valid on REI-OUTLET.com items, REI Adventures or REI Outdoor School.
Offer not valid on sale items (prices ending in $ ._3 or $ ._9).
REI membership number is required at checkout. Not a member? You can join for a one-time $20 fee during checkout.
Offer not valid on special orders, package discounts, prior purchases, REI gift cards or e-gift cards, passes and tickets, gift boxes, memberships, shop services, rentals.
Offer not valid on bicycles, strollers, hard shell boats or stand up paddleboards.
Offer not valid on any item with GPS technology, personal locator beacons.
Offer is limited to stock on hand and backorderable items, is nontransferable and is not redeemable for cash.
Merchandise purchased with this offer is not eligible for the REI member refund.
Offer may not be combined with any other discount or offer.
Limit one coupon per customer.
To order by phone, call 1-800-426-4840 Mon. through Sun., 4am to 11pm PT.
Cashier Instructions: Apply 20% line discount to highest full-price item; please refer to exclusions.

This item contains hazardous or flammable materials and is restricted to surface shipping only. Online orders for shipment to Alaska must be picked up at the Anchorage REI store (follow options for Free Shipping to REI Store when ordering); shipment to any other Alaska address is not offered. Sorry, this product cannot be shipped to Hawaii, APO, FPO or international addresses.

More about FREE shipping with REI Store Pickup

View all Garmin products

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

Garmin Montana 600 GPS Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Garmin Montana 600 GPS

3.3

(based on 7 reviews)

71%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Hiking (4)
Adventure (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Power user (4), Enthusiast (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (7)

Reviewed by 7 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-7

Aug

2011

(4 of 12 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

THIS THING ROCKS

By DIGITY777

from WENATCHEE WA

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Accurate
Intuitive Menu
Large Screen
Quick Navigation
Quick Signal
Reliable Reception
Simple Controls

Cons

Best Uses

Hiking

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

AFTER HAVING THE MAGELLAN 710 AND WISHING FOR SOMETHING MORE I FOUND IT HERE. NOW I CAN FOCUS ON THE HIKE AND NOT THE GPS. THIS ONE DOESNT HAVE THE CAMERA BUT THE 710 CAMERA PICS WERE FUZZY ANYWAY.

Comment on this review

Oct

2011

(3 of 14 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Google

By tcascade

from Portland, OR

About Me Power User

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

I have been a Garmin customer since 2006. I have owned four different Garmin devices, and a variety of map products. I have seen their prices skyrocket, and their customer service plummet. I recently purchased a Garmin Montana, and although it is probably the best-of-its-kind device, Garmin's customer service is just so, so...bad.

Seriously, before you purchase a Garmin, Google the terms "Garmin, Customer Service", and any adjective with a negative connotation.

Comment on this review

Feb

2012

(1 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Error: Unsupported Battery Detected

By Joel P

from Burbank, CA

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Use
Improves Functionality

Cons

Low Quality

Best Uses

Adventure

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

I was in Baja Mexico and in the middle of nowwhere. Error message "unsupported battery detected". Unit eventually shut down, good thing I have a paper map. Garmin Support sent me a new battery. Put the new battery and 200 miles away from home, in the desert, the Montana died again. Same problem. Garmin recommended return it to the store or get a replacement. Upgraded it to the 650, that's another story.

Comment on this review

Apr

2012

5.0

Best Garmin GPS Yet IMHO

By team sidewinder

from SW Montana

About Me Power User

See all my reviews

Pros

Automobile and Hiking
Dual purpose GPS
Quick sat reception
Super bright large screen

Cons

A little bigger than some
Not cheap

Best Uses

Adventure
Geocaching
Hiking
Hunting
Shed antler hunting

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

Really like the Garmin Montana 600 and bought it because I didn't need the camera or 100K topo which IMHO is too large a scale for my purposes. I only use 24K topo software chips from Garmin and HuntingGPSmaps.com who's software shows 24topo, landowners names, BLM land, Forest Service land and much more than the Garmin software chips do. Love the large/bright screen which makes sooo much easier for my old eyes to see.I use this gps mostly for shed antler hunting, hiking and elk hunting. It gives me confidence in my old age that I can find my way back after wandering around the outdoors maybe not paying as much attention to where I am until it comes time to return home. Also with the aftermarket software chip I am using I am able to stay off private land and therefore out of trouble in my outdoor adventures. This Montana will replace my Garmin 76CSX as my primary gps unit with the 76CXS as a backup or loaner. It is a little larger and heavier but the features and large/bright screen far outweigh the size and weight you might notice over previous Garmin units. Glad I waited, which was hard for me till Garmin got some of the early production software bugs out before I purchased mine. So far I am more than happy with my purchase and REI can't be beat for quality customer service. I did have a dead pixel on the first unit and REI quickly sent me a replacement. Most folks might have not have ever noticed the dead pixel which didn't make the unit unusable but bugged me after I knew it was there so therefore the replacement. I was able to use the gps till the replacement arrived which worked out great for me because I use a gps almost on a daily basis for one purpose or another.

Comment on this review

Apr

2012

2.0

Garmin Montana 600

By URBAN GENIUS

from Dallas, TX

About Me Power User

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Use
Improves Functionality
Well Made

Cons

Inaccurate GPS location
Must be a lemon
Poor battery performance

Best Uses

Adventure

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

I bought this to take on a Boy Scout backpacking trip. I have four other Garmin products and I Have never had any difficulty with any of them - Nuvi 500t, Nuvi 3790LMT, Nuvi 3490LMT and the Oregon 400t.However, this unit must have been a lemon. The unit only lasted 2.5 hr with 2450mAh NiMh rechargeable batteries. Also the GPS positioning was inaccurate, at some points it was almost 1/8 mile off!This was very disappointing considering the cost of this unit - [$]. I have to admit that this unit has the best display of all other GPS and the customizable screen is definitely a plus too. I am sure the one I purchased must of been a lemon. I am considering the Montana 650t as a replacement. I will write another review after purchasing and using the 650t.As always REI's customer service is second to none, they took back the unit and gave me a full refund -no hassle.

Comment on this review

Mar

2012

4.0

Montana 600

By drt99

from Minneapolis, MN

About Me Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Can use custom maps
Fast reception
Large screen
Works Well With GPS

Cons

Minimal documentation
Steep learning curve

Best Uses

Hiking

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

I've had the Montana for about a year. It replaced a Garmin 76 csx which I liked but I wanted a touch screen. It is much easier to enter information using the touch screen rather than the scroll buttons. The touch screen works well but isn't as sensitive as an iPhone nor is it as sharp.

The unit locks onto satellites much more quickly than the 76 csx and keeps a fix in heavy woods and even pretty narrow canyons. The large, bright screen is easy to read. The interface is menu driven and has the ability to do a lot of customization.

A big plus for me is the ability to download and install custom maps. Google "Garmin Maps" and you'll come up with places to find free maps that can be installed on the Montana. I've also signed up the Garmin's $25/year Bird's Eye subscription program that allows me to easily download and install USGS topo maps. It's great to have the same USGS map on paper and on the unit.

This isn't the smallest gps unit you can buy but for me, the large screen makes up for the bulk and weight. It also has the ability to use either Garmin's proprietary rechargeable lithium batter (included) or standard AA batteries.

Maybe it's just me, but it took me a long time to learn how to make the best use of the Montana. There are loads of features that are not even mentioned in the skimpy documentation that comes with the unit. You really need to spend a lot of time in the field figuring out how this thing works before you will be comfortable using it. If you are new to gps, I'd suggest finding a book that will teach you the basics and then do some online research on setting up and using the Montana.

All in all, I've found the Montana to be rugged, useful and fun to use. It's certainly not cheap but for the price it packs a lot of features.

Comment on this review

Mar

2012

5.0

Great GPS why is getting bad reviews

By team sidewinder

from SW Montana

About Me Power User

See all my reviews

Pros

Able to see in daylight
A great all around GPS
Love the large screen
Not all that large

Cons

A little heavybulky
It is not THAT big

Best Uses

Geocaching
Hiking
Hunting
Lots of uses outdoors
Riding ATVs
Travel

Comments about Garmin Montana 600 GPS:

I am no nubie to GPS as I have owned 9 Garmin handheld gps units over the last 20 years and have never had any reasons not to buy other Garmin products. Found Garmin customer service to be OK and better than most these days plus I have only had a couple of times I used Garmin CS and they resolved the issues to my satisfaction. Still have 5 working Garmin gps units that I still use today.

I am entering this review because I am really suprise there are only a few reviews and that the rating isn't higher which is giving the Montana a bad rap as far as I am concerned. I love my Garmin Montana 600 and can't find any deal breaker faults with it other than weight wise it is heavier than my 76CSX but not really any bigger because the Montana fits in the same Garmin holster my 76CSX did. The larger screen makes it so much better seeing more map area. Had no problems getting the Montana up and running with all my changed personal preferences added. But then I am very famliar with Garmin GPS units so that helped a lot. You do know you are carring the Montana with the size/weight but my Garmin 76CSX wasn't all that small either. Got the Montana 600 as I don't need a camera as I carry a better quality camera anyway and I didn't need the camera and topo software either because I already have the Garmin TOPO U.S. 24K I will using in my 600.

The Montana is a very rugged unit for most outdoor folks. As far as dropping the gps on the screen goes any gps unit dropped on the screen just right will damage the screen one way or the other. Have not tried using it as an automobile gps unit as I have two Nuvi's for the car/trucks.

Really hope to see more reviews on the Montana series so other buyers can make objective choices on this unit.