Garmin Oregon 550

rated 5.0 of 5 stars average rating
Reviewed by 1 Trailspace user

I picked up the Garmin 550 from REI a couple of months…

Rating: rated 5 of 5 stars
Price Paid: $499.95

I picked up the Garmin 550 from REI a couple of months back now. I have been using it ever since.

I got the 550 for the fact that I could use the map software that I already had for my 76 CSx that was not locked. It has been great!! There are so many new features compared to my past unit. I recommend checking out the website http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/ the site is extremely informative and can answer many questions about the unit. I think that this is the site that Garmin is using for its technical support, it is that good.

You will see reviews about the display not being read easily. It has its problems, but rotating the unit a little and you get a clear readable display. And yes, if it is really sunny out, you can turn the backlight off completely.

Also, the issue of what can be used for a microSD card. I am currently using a 16GB card in my unit. To do this you cannot have all of your maps in one gmapsupp.img file. The limit is 4GB per file. I renamed all of my maps to tell me what maps they are, then go into setup/maps and select which maps are active in the current profile.

It is a great change being able to use different maps names and using profiles, you'll love them, I did.

In closing, if you get any touch screen GPS unit, definitely get an InvisibleShield screen protector for it. Any grime from the trail can scratch the screen, and this just protects your investment.

I would recommend this unit, but if you don't have all the cash to lay down on it, look at the Dakota 20 model. It has almost all of the features and is hundreds cheaper, drawback is a smaller screen.

Happy trails, all!!

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Where to Buy

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The Garmin Oregon 550 is not available from the stores we monitor.

You may want to check pricing and availability directly at these Garmin retailers:


CampSaver.com

Backcountry.com

Mountains Plus

Altrec Outdoors

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Garmin Oregon 550

MSRP:
$399.99

The Garmin Oregon 550 is not available from the stores we monitor.

Last seen May 16, 2013 at Mountain Gear.

where to buy:

You may want to check pricing and availability directly at these Garmin retailers:

- CampSaver.com

- Backcountry.com

- Mountains Plus

- Altrec Outdoors

- other options »

Browse similar products »

Specs

Weight 6.8 oz / 192.7 g with batteries
Dimensions 2.3 in x 4.5 in x 1.4 in / 5.8 cm x 11.4 cm x 3.5 cm
Display size 1.53 in x 2.55 in / 3.8 cm x 6.3 cm, 3 in diag / 7.6 cm
Display resolution 240 x 400 pixels
Display type transflective color TFT touchscreen
Battery 2 AA NiMH batteries (included)
Battery life 16 hours
Waterproof yes (IPX7)
Floats no
High-sensitivity receiver yes
Interface high-speed USB and NMEA 0183 compatible

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