Comments on: Garmin Monterra and the future of Garmin

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 08:06:50 +0000

I realise I’m a bit late to this conversation but I would have thought an up to date version of the JCB Toughphone ProSmart Android phone would be just the ticket and what Garmin should have done to begin with.
Better still if JCB built it for a brand associated with the outdoors world it would gain better visibility in the Market.

By: Pete

Pete — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 09:20:10 +0000

What a great outcome!
It’s a case of “whatever works for you”, as we all have different requirements. The boundaries are blurring too, especially with the Monterra.

By: Graham Jackson

Graham Jackson — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 08:36:42 +0000

Interesting to read about this. I had a Garmin Oregon which I absolutely loved but felt that at times it was really difficult to see the map in bright light conditions. Also the resolution of the map wasn’t so hot.

I decided to purchase a smartphone (iPhone 4S) and I am SO glad I tried it. Used together with an app called Viewranger I am now never at a loss as to what I see on the screen – the resolution is quite incredible and having walked for nearly a year with the iphone I’d not go back to the Garmin. OK so the phone is not waterproof but if I am walking in pouring rain (not very oftern) I ensure it’s in waterproof protection, but I’m not a great lover of walking in the rain.

Now my other story. I was so chuffed with the iPhone I decided to sell the Oregon on ebay. I listed it and the bidding was up around £150 when I thought it would be a kind gesture to update the firmware etc. In so doing the Oregon crashed and would not reboot properly. I phone Garmin in Southampton and explained the problem with this 4 year old unit. After a bit of discussion the guy came back and said they would replace the Oregon with a refurbished item – brilliant, but I had to cancel the ebay auction in view of the timescale to get the replacement.

4 weeks later and still waiting the replacement I phone Garmin quoting the RMA number (I had returned the Oregon). To cut a long story short, the delay was due to no stocks of the Oregon and after a bit of tooing and froing the guy at Garmin said they’d send me a brand new Montana as a replacement!!!!!

What a big beast the Montana is to be sure. I tried it alongside the iPhone and still the iPhone outshone the Montana. I sold the Montana on ebay for £420.

By: Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 03:28:36 +0000

You nailed some of reasons I have a Monterra. (1) Rugged – it rains here a lot (2) battery (3) GPS actually useful on the trail. You missed a few others. When I go hiking here, my smartphone has no data connection so the phone chip does nothing for me. The GPS in my smartphone sucks when it is out in the woods (away from A-GPS), and if I leave it switched on, the battery goes dead very quickly.
I was worried about the resolution of the screen, but it turns out to be no problem at all. I don’t watch movies on the Monterra, I look at maps. I would not MIND if there were more pixels but you missed the big one — it is actually visible outdoors! No need to shade the screen and step under a tree, in fact, it’s MORE readable in full sun.
I thought I’d be using the Android mapping apps but so far the opposite is true – I have been using the Garmin apps and almost ignoring the apps that I had installed. I need the other apps on my other Android gadgets but on the Monterra I just don’t need them so far. I am having fun with the Monterra but to be completely honest I still find the GPSmap 62 does just about everything as well as the Monterra, and at 1/3 the price.

My solution to carrying a phone is to carry a dumb phone (1/3 the size of a smart phone) powered off and buried in a waterproof case in my pack, so I have it available for emergencies (should there be signal available). I slipped on a steep slope yesterday, and the screen of the GPS came up covered with mud. I poured a little water on it and washed it off.

If anyone actually comes up with a smartphone that works in the outdoors as a GPS, I happily will try one. Until then I will continue using what works best for me – GPS in the woods, phone in the city.

Cheers from Corvallis Oregon