Montana 680t Review – Everything you need to know

Montana Series

Whether you’re going on a hike, trekking through a desert, riding through rough bush trails or even out on the water the Montana 680t from Garmin can do it all. The Montana series of GPS units are Garmin’s flagship handheld when it comes to ruggedised and reliable positioning with the units boasting a large sunlight readable screen, high sensitivity receiver and a durable waterproof body. With its 8-megapixel camera and easy to use interface you’ll be able to effortlessly navigate to your destination and take some snaps along the way. 

Montana 680t vs Montana 610

In the current Montana series there are two available versions; the premium version the Montana 680t and the basic version the Montana 610. There isn't a lot to talk about here, so I'll list the differences below:

• 8GB (Montana 680t) vs 4GB Montana 610
• Preloaded Full Topo Maps (Montana 680t) vs No maps Preloaded onto Montana 610 (You can buy the topo maps separately)
• 8MP Camera (Montana 680t) vs No camera on the Montana 610

This doesn't seem like a whole lot of difference between the units and it's not, but the price isn't also that different between the units. In fact, assuming you're going to want to buy a good Topo Maps solution which currently retails for $199 makes the Montana 680t ($899 RRP) the cheaper option. This is against the Montana 610 at $948 total ($749 RRP + $199 Topo Maps) and you get a camera on the Montana 680t. 

Battery Life

 The Montana 680t true to its line has retained its full-day battery life with the supplied rechargeable battery boasting 16 hours, however, if you do need more juice using 3 AA batteries you can squeeze another 6 hours out of it getting a 22-hour charge. This keeps it very comparable to the rest of Garmin’s handheld line only being outpaced by the eTrex range which boasts 25 hours maximum per charge which is of course due to the eTrex range being a more basic device.

Accessories

 To assist with the multi-functionality of the device Garmin have made a lot of purpose-driven mounts for the Montana range. The first one is their auto suction mount which as you can see here gives you everything you need to get your GPS in position and power in a vehicle. It is worth noting though that you won’t be able to do any on-road navigating without the applicable CityNav map package for your country. Next one in the line-up we have is for mounting to a motorcycle or any bare wires compatible power source as you can see here this mount also has a 3.5mm socket for audio connections. If you’re on two wheels but prefer a non-powered approach, Garmin makes a handlebar mount for bicycles as seen here which tightens in place on the handlebars and has a moulded rubber cushion to help to grip the handlebars. Lastly, we have the marine mount which you can see here, this mount has the bare wire power connections and 3.5mm audio socket same as the motorcycle mount but has a screw down swivel mount.

Summary

With its large screen and uncompromising battery life the Montana range has been the go-to GPS in Garmin’s line up and the 680t is no different sporting substantial upgrades to its capabilities and existing functionality. This is what sets the Montana 680t aside from the other handheld units in Garmin’s range which are often targeted at one market or one feature; this unit does it all.

The primary usage for the Montana 680t is to be a handheld GPS however they have become a prevalent device for adventure bike riding. Having the ability to take the device out for a whole day ride without needing to swap batteries or have it plugged in to charge has proved to be a big selling point for the Montana edging out the purpose-built motorcycle units the Zumo series.

The biggest criticism for the Montana 680t is the size of the unit. It is quite a chunky device due to the size of its screen and its battery which while not oversized can be cumbersome if you intend to pack light for a trip.