Garmin Montana 700 quality

[fpiette]

I own a Oregon 450T which is getting old. Screen has a few blank pixel. I need to replace it.
I'm also getting old so I think a bigger screen would help

I'm considering buying the Montana 700 and load OSM topomaps

freizeitkarte-osm.de/garmin/en/

which I already use with the Oregon 450. My main use is hiking and all kind of outdoor activity.

I have a few questions:
1) Is the Montana 700 screen as readable as the Oregon 450 under heavy sun?
2) Will OSM based maps work correctly? (The maps I use with my Oregon and Nüvi 2789)
3) Can it handle GPX tracks (Made with BaseCamp or downloaded from Wikiloc.com or AllTrails.com) ?
4) Can I record GPX tracks while hiking?
5) Is the Montana very reliable?

Another way asking for the same quastions is: "Does Montana 700 support all the feature of Oregon 450 with bigger screen, bigger memory?"

Any advice is welcome.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

Does Montana 700 support all the feature of Oregon 450 with bigger screen, bigger memory?"

I would say the answer is yes

 

[fpiette]

Thanks for your answer, but - as I understand - you don't own a Montana 700.
Reading the specs, it is not clear that the screen is really readable under heavy sun (Oregon 450 screen is really readable under any light condition). It neither clear that Freizeitkarte-osm maps are usable. Garmin may have prohibed the use of 3rd party maps.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

as I understand - you don't own a Montana 700.

You are correct, until Garmin start supplying me with free units to review (which they have never done), I just have to buy them like everyone else - as you can imagine very few users are going to own every unit that Garmin make, so you will have to wait for a Montana owner to reply to your post

While you are waiting you could always look at a comparison website such as this :-
https://productz.com/en/garmin-montana-680t-vs-garmin-oregon-450/v/m24Q0-J4eKY

it is not clear that the screen is really readable under heavy sun (Oregon 450 screen is really readable under any light condition)

I think it is very unlikely that Garmin would make the 700 screen any different to the 450 screen in this respect as they are both designed for the same use, but YES this is only my guess

neither clear that Freizeitkarte-osm maps are usable. Garmin may have prohibed the use of 3rd party maps.

Again Garmin allow 3rd party maps on the 450 so why would they prohibit this on the 700, I can say that I have no knowledge of Garmin ever blocking 3rd party maps from any if it's products so it would be a first

Also in the link you posted it does say this under 2 map images : -

Map representation on a Garmin Montana

so maybe it's a bit clearer than you thought

 

[fpiette]

Unfortunately, the link you give compare two Oregon model while I'm trying to compare Oregon 450 with Montana 700. I've searched productz.com for Montana 700 and they lack it.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

I've changed the link in post #4 to the closest pair eg. Oregon 450 vs Montana 680, the compared units can be changed on the right hand side of the web page