Garmin 'Oregon' Outdoor GPS Receivers Announced

Garmin has introduced another line of outdoor GPS receivers for hikers, boaters, and other daring adventurers. These are similar to the 'Dakota' line of receivers, also produced by Garmin.

Garmin Oregon GPS

Garmin Oregon 200

from $223.19

Garmin Oregon 300

from $345.00

Garmin Oregon 400

from $426.94

Garmin Oregon 550

from $429.00

Differences Between Oregon and Dakota

Last week, we highlighted the Garmin Dakota GPS receivers, which bear something of a resemblance to these Oregon models. Both lines are intended for outdoor use on hikes, climbs, or similar adventures. So what's the difference? The most obvious difference is the price tag. The two Garmin Dakota receivers have manufacturer's suggested retail prices of $299 and $399, respectively. That's a lot lower than the MSRPs for the Oregon line. You'll see below that the actual prices for the Oregon GPS models is a lot lower than their MSRP. It's likely that the Dakota retail prices will also be lower than their MSRP when they debut.

The Dakota models have smaller LCD displays, and weigh slightly (.05 ounces) less than the Oregons. There are also fewer Dakota models (two) than Oregon models (at least seven).

The Garmin Oregon 200, 300, and 400 models

The first batch of the Oregon line consists of the 200, 300, and 400 GPS receivers. Each has a vivid, 3.0-inch touchscreen display, run on replaceable AA batteries, and weigh 6.8 ounces. The 200 has a manufacturers suggested retail price of $479.99, whil the 300 and 400 will cost $533 and $639.99 respectively. Actual retail prices are much lower, as you can see on the right hand sidebar of this article, but they're still quite pricey.

The Oregon 400 comes in three variants. The 400t includes pre-loaded 3D topographical maps of the United States. The 400i is intended for fresh-water adventurers with detailed information about U.S. lakes and rivers. The 400c is meant for ocean travelers, and encompasses the U.S. coasts, as well as the Bahamas.

The Garmin Oregon 550: Picture-Perfect Navigation

The Garmin Oregon 550 expands upon the base features of the other models. It also has a 3.0-inch touchscreen display and runs on AA batteries. The biggest difference, however, is the inclusion of a 3.2-megapixel digital camera in the 550. This allows you to snap photos of your journey. The photos are automatically geotagged with their precise location, so you won't forget where they were taken.

The 550 also includes a compass and is encased in a waterproof body so you don't have to worry about taking it into extreme situations that would otherwise damage a more delicate device.

Like the 400, the 550 also has variants. The traditional 550 is as described above, but the 550t includes 3D topographical maps of the United States. The regular 550 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $499.99, the 550t has an MSRP of $599.99.