Users who look for the Best GPS Tracker options available in the market, mostly used to flock towards handheld GPS units with a touchscreen display. And the Garmin Montana 680 is precisely that, a fantastic GPS GLONASS device that runs on AA/lithium-ion batteries. And that easily makes it one of the Best GPS Tracker For Hiking options available in the market. For more great tracking devices, read our best GPS tracker reviews.
Why We Like It – Garmin Montana 680
Handheld GPS units with dual orientation displays are extremely rare to see nowadays. But that didn’t affect the availability of the Garmin Montana 680 still to this date. It’s a fantastic GPS tracker that comes packed to the brim with different features (e.g., Barometric altimeter, electronic compass, a touchscreen).
- 250,000 preloaded worldwide geocaches and topographical maps
- One year subscription for the Birdseye Satellite Imagery subscription included
- GPS GLONASS support
- Modern phones have made handheld GPS devices like these pretty outdated
Performance
This thing was released more than five years ago. So, it’s not really the fastest electronic compass in the world. The newer Garmin Inreach Tracking handily beats it in terms of performance while being cheaper. You’re going to experience hitches & stutters, which you can fix temporarily with a factory reset. For another great hiking device, read our Garmin inReach tracking review.
Battery
Garmin includes a lithium ion battery pack inside the box that is rechargeable. However, in case those die over time, you can also pretty much replace them with AA batteries. Just like the Bad Elf 2200 GPS Pro, this tracker also sports an incredible 16 hours of overall battery life.
Ease Of Use
The dual orientation 480p glove friendly touchscreen display of this GPS unit is pretty good for projecting topographical maps in harsh conditions. And you can also use the Garmin Connect app from your Android/iOS device to see the satellite imagery on the high fidelity screen of your phone. Find out how to keep an eye on things at home by reading our Geozilla GPS tracker review.
Durability
This electronic compass is built like a tank from top to bottom. And it’s an IPX7 rated GPS GLONASS device, which means it’s pretty much waterproof. The touchscreen display is pretty much the most fragile part of this barometric altimeter.
Value
At the asking price of $470, we can’t really say that the Garmin Montana 680 is worth it. But if you need a rugged barometric altimeter that comes with a glove friendly dual orientation touchscreen display and a three-axis compass that can provide satellite imagery, this is a fantastic GPS tracking device to go for.
Garmin Montana 680 Wrap Up
So, all in all, the Garmin Montana 680 is pretty great, if anything, slightly outdated. If you need a handheld GPS unit that sports a dual orientation glove friendly touchscreen, this is pretty much one of the very few options you still have left.
