Review on Garmin Oregon 700 Handheld GPS by Keith Baker

At the moment I can't recommend the Garmin Oregon 700. I'll confess I've only tested it on a recent outing and still work with its many configuration menus, but my biggest frustration is with the waypoint markers. If future software updates fix my problems I will update this review. I bought this Oregon 700 to replace an eTrex30 that was stolen from me. I decided that I would use my bad luck to improve the GPS situation. After using the Oregon 700 on a hike last Saturday, I wish I had gone with the eTrex30 as it makes it easy to mark waypoints. I think we can all agree that the most important feature of any GPS is its ability to accurately determine and record your position. In this respect, the Garmin Oregon 700 does not meet my requirements. let me explain. I mainly use my GPS to walk around the WWII battlefields in France and register possible battle positions that my colleagues and I find. When we find a position, we stand on it and note its position. I switched to the map view on my eTrex30 while I was away. To mark the position, I pressed the joystick to open the Mark Waypoint dialog. I was presented with a default waypoint name (a three digit number) and by pressing the joystick I was able to save the position as a waypoint. With the Oregon 700 with the new (non-classic) menu system, I put the device in hike mode and show a map view during my walks. To set a waypoint, I press the Power/Multipurpose button to wake up the screen. I then tap the waypoint icon in the top left corner of the map screen (the one that shows the center dot and arrows pointing all four main directions) and then tap the icon on the map that shows my current location. A pin appears, marking the position where the waypoint will be placed. And here comes the inaccuracy. I find it ironic that I bought the Oregon 700 because I thought it was more modern than my (six or older) eTrex30 and would offer better accuracy. However, while the eTrex30 placed the waypoint exactly where I was, the Oregon 700 required me to touch the screen to indicate where I wanted the waypoint. My fingertip has never been more pointed and over the years my fingertip has gotten bigger so I had initial distance errors when placing a waypoint anywhere between 3 and 10 meters at max magnification (errors are larger when not zoomed in). Subsequent attempts to move my index finger closer to my actual location often result in the error getting worse. I tried to move the stylus with my finger to get it as close as possible, then hit the little flag icon to save the waypoint. UPDATE: When using the waypoint icon on the main screen in classic mode, it marks the waypoint at the point you are at. It will also give it a three-letter name, which you can change by tapping on the name and then typing an alternative label using the keyboard that appears. I was then prompted with several options for a name for my waypoint. On the eTrex30, I could use the standard naming convention (three digits) or use the joystick to navigate the keyboard and type in a meaningful name. On the Oregon 700, I had the Coniferous Forest and Earth options. Thinking this couldn't be, I tapped the waypoint marker. No, no chance of changing the name to something meaningful. Now I have some waypoints with such meaningless names and I have to use basecamp or something else to change them. It's extra, unnecessary processing for something that should be so easy. (If I may ask a side question, why do I have Garmin Basecamp, Garmin Express, Garmin MapInstall, Garmin MapManager, Garmin RoadTrip, and Garmin WebUpdater installed on my computer? Can't they just write a program that does all of this?) UPDATE: Me found that it is indeed possible to change the waypoint name to something useful, but you have to save the waypoint first. Once you've saved it and are on the screen that follows saving, a pencil icon will appear in the lower right corner of the screen. You can tap on it to open the editing screen. These problems are not permanent. If Garmin had simply changed the software to place the starting needle at the current location and let the user confirm that location by clicking the flag icon, much of my frustration would have been alleviated. An added bonus would be if they programmed the ability to set a descriptive default waypoint name like [yyymmdd]_nnn, where yyyy is a four-digit year, mm is a two-digit month, dd is a two-digit day, and nnn. three-digit consecutively assigned identifier. Other users may have other ideas for a meaningful default name and should be able to set those as well. There are many software applications that accept standard naming schemes, so Garmin software engineers should be able to find code examples in a number of open source applications. However, my dissatisfaction isn't just with the device itself. I considered the possibility that I simply needed to familiarize myself with my device, so I consulted the Garmin user forums. Aside from the fact that there are no user forums for the Oregon 700. In fact, Garmin doesn't have any user forums for its outdoor gear at all. Their user forums are focused on their health and fitness, running, bike, and golf apps and devices, and there are no forums dedicated to their outdoor devices like the eTrex, Dakota, or Oregon series devices. This can give the impression that outdoor devices no longer play a significant role in Garmin's market offering, further reducing the attractiveness of Garmin devices in general. Why buy a device that the company itself ignores or that could soon be orphaned? I've been mostly happy with my Garmin eTrex30 and this has led me to look exclusively to other Garmin units when looking for a replacement. Now I have realized my mistake and while working with this device I will look for workarounds to my ailments without turning a blind eye to a suitable replacement.