SINCE I FIRST REVIEWED the Oregon 600 two years ago, Garmin have reduced the size and weight. This does mean a smaller screen but overall I prefer the new version. The price has come down too, making it better value for money. Battery life is reasonable and it’s no chore to carry spares.
The Oregon 600 is waterproof and feels rugged. The screen is sharp and clear and can be viewed horizontally or vertically, like a smartphone. It responds quickly to touch without any jumping or freezing. There are all the usual GPS features – altimeter, compass, track and waypoint recording – plus some less common ones such as a calculator, a calendar and a camera. All the information is clearly presented and easy to access. I could find everything without need of the manual, which is good as the manual is quite hard to follow – harder than just experimenting with the device itself in fact. The icons for each feature are large so tapping the right one is easy. There is scope for much customisation so each screen can show the information you prefer. The GPS finds satellites fast even inside a building, so you can get your position very quickly.
The Oregon 600 comes with very basic maps or, for £50 extra, with Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 mapping for the whole of Britain on a micro SD card. The OS maps make the Oregon 600 far more practical – I wouldn’t use it without them.
This is a powerful device with a plethora of features and one of the best handheld GPS units I’ve tried.
