The Garmin Montana 700i review for trail, dualsport and adventure motorcycling

[@OllieMoto]

As a Coastguard dude I can probably leave a comment here regarding the SOS function: It’ll send an alert to a Coordination Centre (CC) via GPS, then they will contact you to ask details (via text on this device) and alert appropriate assets when required, such as Mountain Rescue. Pressing this button just indicates that you’re in a potential emergency to the CC, it doesn’t automatically ‘launch the fleet’. Definitely doesn’t cost in the UK, me and my helicopter are free, but not sure about abroad (a rescue asset is normally a State requirement, and I don’t believe we charge foreigners here in the UK, but equally I’m not the Coastguard accountant). You highlighted the main point though - if I was getting a SOS device it would be on my person. This is the same reason I normally have my phone in my pocket, just in case (again, as you said) the bike sods off down a ravine and I’m stranded 👍🏻

[@GregVillalobos]

If I ever hit that button I want you to be the guy to save me Ollie ;-)

[@OllieMoto]

@@GregVillalobos Just WhatsApp me dude. Probably easier ;)

[@hibob841]

Good info! I can add that in the U.S., it is not unheard of for someone to receive a bill for their own rescue. It depends on local laws and the policies of the responding agency. My understanding is that it's not done very often, where it happens at all, and is generally reserved for people who got themselves into a bad situation by being extremely negligent or reckless; simply partaking in an activity with some inherent risk doesn't mean you're on the hook. I still think it's a questionable idea, but that's a complicated discussion.

[@OllieMoto]

@@hibob841 ha, it certainly is! We don't do that here in the UK, but maybe there are times when we should... 😉 As you said, it's a complicated discussion.

[@tedthurgate]

Three years on I find this. Well, three years for the video and two for the comment. The way it works in the US is complicated. Search and rescue is organized by county Sheriff departments. The search and rescue personnel are volunteers. If you are out in the wilderness, it will be the search and rescue team that is contacted and dispatched. There will be no charge for them. Many sheriff departments have helicopters and other assets and there will not be a charge for that. My county does not have a helicopter, but we will get help from the CHP (California Highway Patrol) or the Navy (there is a Naval Air Station not too far away). No charge for any of that. Also if it is the Coast Guard, again no charge. That is if you need to be found and extracted from the wilderness. But, if you need to be transported to a hospital, it is very likely that an air ambulance will be called. These are private and there is a very steep cost for them. It will be the agency making the decision as to who is responding. You won't have the option to ask for the free helicopter vs the $20K - $30K helicopter. As long as I am commenting I am going to make a comment on something said in the video. I am watching this because I am trying to decide between getting one of these or using my phone. When this was discussed in the video, a point was made that it was good to have your phone in your pocket and not on the bike in case you are injured and separated from your bike. This is exactly why I am leaning the other way. I am leaning towards the phone on the bike doing my mapping and an inreach mini on my person.

[@johnvogh5445]

Thanks for making this video. I had a Montana 600 that I used to navigate from San Diego to South America, back in 2015. It wasn’t the best device but it did work. It got me to where I needed to go, or fairly close, and it tracked my journey. The power button recently disintegrated on it, so I reached out to Garmin. They were offering me a discount on a newer model. This video helped me with the decision making. Cheers.

[@udob.4117]

Yeah, the power button of the old Montana reaches the sells of the 700 series. My old Montana 650 is also getting back to Garmin for changing it in a 700. I´m exited.

[@donwatkins9769]

Greg: Unless I missed it I would love to see a KZbin that has how to use not a review. Meaning "You push this button to start, you push this button to track back; ETC. Seems like everyone does a review but not actual step by step how to use. Not even Garmin has a video on that. Thanks.

[@Blueberrypie2020]

Excellent and helpful video, you answered a lot of questions I had. Thank you from Clarkston Michigan.

[@motonige]

Thanks Greg. Brilliant, very helpful video - enjoyed all 45 mins! My long-suffering and much loved 610 is no more - and after watching this, I think it's going to be a case of this is gonna hurt, but here comes the 700 era.

[@JBean_COCR]

Thank you Greg, I also use Apple for phone. I've done remote ADV moto and bike riding in the western USA and have had a few problems. Using GPS on the phone eats battery and really increases the heat (phone shut down). Also, I've had several iphone cameras ruined due to vibration ($$$!). I also carry a SPOT for emergencies. I see this as a great update. I can then use the 700i which is designed with bigger battery, vibration and water resistance. When using the iphone I had a power cable adapter break (BMW specific), I was alone in the middle of nowhere (80 miles to closest help) when my iphone died (dead battery), which is when I figured out the adapter had failed. I had no way to navigate, won't forget that anxiety. I agree you should always use both and keep the phone in your pocket as you said. It is then a backup system with battery. Also, the inreach feature means I don't need a separate device. I can turn it on when I need it. Also, this can replace my very old Garmin E-Trex for hiking and biking. I also now usually carry a spare lithium battery and compass when traveling.

[@robocombo]

As a software developer with experience in GIS / mapping I had the best chance of making phone based nav for trail riding 'work', but the hardware isn't up to it. After years of persistence I gave up, bought a Montana and never looked back. Ultimately it was a rainy day that tipped me over the edge when the phone went mental, I got lost resulting in riding through an orchard, then the courtyard and out of the ornate front gates of a stately home. Fail.

[@GregVillalobos]

I have a friend who is also in tech. He has a Montana 700i too.

[@robocombo]

@@GregVillalobos I'm certainly tempted to upgrade from my 610... but I should probably reassemble the bike first 😀

[@beejoutbush3322]

One important piece of info about the inReach function is that it is not instant and may have a long 'lag' between the message being sent and received. I found this out when using another inReach device. As they do not work off mobile reception they take time waiting for satellites before the message can be sent and a reply received.

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks for the info

[@simon7123]

well i have bought one Montana 750i Did 55 m of the tet from mid-Cheshire up over to Buxton still learning how to use it but it's looking good John at GPS training was quite Helpful with his on line vidios my new crf300l works well too but i did upgrade the suspension 15 w oil in the fork and new stiffer spring and yss rear shock and spring just made the bike ride so well off-road

[@GregVillalobos]

Enjoy the new CRF300L!

[@thomkru6328]

Thanks a lot.Will keep my zumo 396 and get the inreach mini. With a bit patience and with help of Basecamp it’s quite customizable. You can change maps and load the open Topos. It can read all gpx files and you can transform them into routes ( navigation) if you want.

[@GregVillalobos]

Sounds great!

[@thomkru6328]

Now my 396 is broken - short fun!😂 is the 700i really made for offroad? Vibrations?

[@pablodevincenzi1986]

I paid for the city navigator-South America, it is useless to search for addresses in Colombia. Very frustrating! Also very happy with the device for motorbike + hiking use.

[@GregVillalobos]

It's frustrating for sure

[@12bosch]

Thanks for the review, this has helped me make my choice. New Montana 700 ordered, the InReach is not something I need, so some money saved there (I have SOS on my Apple Watch). I ordered my Montana from the OS site, as they bundle the OS maps at no extra charge.

[@GregVillalobos]

That's a MASSIVE saving getting the OS maps bundled at no extra charge! Well done!

[@mattssi]

The only reason I've looked at the 700i is because it comes with city nav maps. 700 doesn't and it's a bummer.

[@docwyte]

You can send messages as well as SOS with your phone, linked to the Inreach/Montana. So if you do come off the bike and can't hit the button on the Montana itself for SOS, you can hit it on your phone...

[@GregVillalobos]

Yup - handy feature

[@MrSlowheel]

Good review. Thank you for your clear and honest explanation. I enjoyed watching all your youtube channel. I hope more to come and stay safe.

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks

[@thedevhow]

Quad lock with wireless charger -> Google Pixel -> That's it. Very little point spending that much when your phone can do all that and more. It's a dying market. Your point about emergency situations is spot on though.

[@GregVillalobos]

I half agree. You are right that a mobile device has more functionality. But I believe that the Montana will be far more durable. :-)

[@thedevhow]

@@GregVillalobos You're right, certain aspects are hard to replace and phones are fragile. Modern iPhones are being warranty replaced in thousands, probably more due to vibrations killing the optical image stabilisation of the camera, it's sad really. And you always need a backup. I think having both is valuable indeed.

[@keiththompson2289]

I'm in the U.S. and have not been able to find a mount for the 700 series. I have found one that included wiring, which I do not want.

[@typhoontom]

Thank you for your video. I have a question, I downloaded an OpenStreet map of Japan onto a MicroSD card and then placed it in my Garmin Montana 750i, but it did not work. I unzipped it and just loaded all the files. Did I do something wrong? Could you please provide me with instructions on how to do this? Thank you.

[@pauloribeiro9905]

Cool review. In fact, I hold you responsible for my decision of changing the order that I had placed of a 700i to a 700. I found indeed very logical the argument inherent to the scenario of needing inreach and the bike being down a cliff. I can extrapolate to a situation of crashing and myself being away from the bike and unable to reach it. I really would prefer to have the locater with me.

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks! Good decision on the InReach Mini

[@2648125]

@@GregVillalobos And me too. I but went with the bivy blue instead of inreach mini. Just felt their plans were more flexible.

[@kennymiller8973]

I see this is old video..but here is my current experience. A year with a rugged android phone dedicated to Gaia software. One trip throughout USA was 10k miles, much of it in remote areas. As primary nav device, pretty good. Does not scroll screen unless in big view mode. Frequently I am in areas with no or spotty cell service. Unless I knew where I would be and preloaded the google maps I was flying blind or going to paper maps, more to carry, time consuming.There are swaths of area that Gaia did not show me anything. Thing goes crazy in downpours. Wanted an inreach, needed to have more consistent real time location data. Bought a 700i. Rationalized balance of 700i cost over cost of good inreach with communication feature.

[@johncockburn6517]

I really enjoyed this - I thought your presentation and manner were excellent. Good content as well. Of course I'm no closer to deciding what to do stick with phone, Zumo or Montana - but hey that's life. I had never even heard of the tablets - my head is spinning!

[@GregVillalobos]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@49Roadmaster]

Thanks for the great overview and honest opinion on the 700i. Was humming and hawing on buying one, you sir have tipped the scales towards one. In Northern Canada good luck with getting any type of mobile reception at the best of time.

[@GregVillalobos]

Great stuff.

[@hibob841]

Great review, thanks! I'm somewhat shocked to encounter someone who professes to like BaseCamp, LOL. I invested many hours into learning it, was able to get it to mostly work (though it crashes constantly), and I still think it's awful. My dad and brother feel the same way about it. I write software for a living so I don't _think_ I'm a luddite or particularly impatient with technology. I also had a Zumo XT that died after barely a year of ownership and only ~30 hours of use (and no abuse), which really put me off Garmin. Still waiting to hear back about whether they're going to do anything for me. I sure miss CarPlay on my Africa Twin...combining smartphone software (options!) with rugged hardware is really the bees knees.

[@BeyondtheBends]

Now, Would you recommend Zumo XT2 or Montana 700 series for a cross country motorbike rides with some amazing views of mountains :)

[@tonywarrilow1039]

So with the passing of time have the issues mentioned been fixed up with with updates etc? In the market now. Love your work.

[@GregVillalobos]

Hi - I've been very busy so not able to update this story. I moved away from the Garmin. Take a look here to find out why - www.adventurespec.com/blog/tracks-1/the-gps-is-dead-tet-trails-124

[@mermaidgaleena]

Great video Greg! Thank you. Now that some time has passed from posting this, are you still fairly pleased with your Garmin Montana 700i?

[@GregVillalobos]

Good question. I really need to do a follow up vid. In short, yes I still use it and it works for me as long as you don't try and push it beyond it's core capabilities. I have friends that have had them and sold them to buy Carpe Iter Tablets instead. Also, the charging cradle on mine has stopped working.

[@mermaidgaleena]

@@GregVillalobos Thank you very much.

[@martinsmith137]

As of software update 8.2 it takes 6 digit postcodes, but you *still* have to enter a house number

[@GregVillalobos]

I'll take a look - thanks

[@stevia13]

Problem I've always found is that Basecamp has no detail whatsoever for off-road route planning. Its great having OS mapping on the Montana, but how do you plan accurate off road routes when you're at home???

[@GregVillalobos]

OS Maps work on both the Garmin device and Basecamp. You simply plug the device into your computer and fire up Basecamp. All the OS Maps will then appear in Basecamp.

[@grayl5514]

I had a 650T and had lots of niggles with it ie cutting out, screen jumping from landscape to portrait, showing only half a map. As a motorcyclist I found it be very annoying when the screen was dusty from riders in front of you, if you tried to wipe the dust off, the touch screen goes haywire and you have to reestablish the map size. For all those reasons I went for the 276cx. It has annoying features but I really like the zoom button rather than a touch screen.

[@GregVillalobos]

Buttons def have their uses!

[@declanokeeffe2382]

Great review Greg, I can’t understand why Garmin don’t allow you to put in a full post code , I bought a new Garmin Zumo last year and it doesn’t except Irish post codes at all. I’ve only found out about the TET recently, from you and I’m gathering a few friends and all the info I can about it and that’s our next holiday, if we ever get to go on holiday again. Keep up the good work, regards from Ireland

[@GregVillalobos]

Hoping for a Garmin update at some point

[@Scotnish4U]

Cheers Greg, super helpful review and having been so close to buying one, i think ill think again (BTW the way, loving my lineman jacket)

[@greatfallskam]

Does the Garmin Montana 700 or 700i support City Navigator with turn by turn instructions via Bluetooth to you helmet intercom? I know I have to add the City Navigator to 700 model. Thanks. Kam

[@GregVillalobos]

I'm sorry I don't know the answer to this.

[@greatfallskam]

@@GregVillalobos Since posting, I found out answers. Answer is yes. The turn by turn spoken commands will only work with City Navigator NT map ( or equivalent ). You have to do the two sequence of pairing. First with your smart phone and then pairing intercom with Montana 700.

[@juliansaunders6163]

Excellent vid. Am thinking of buying one now. If following a route and you have some cross overs is it easy to see which part of the route you have already done and which is your direction of travel ?

[@uloe6013]

Thanks for the video! Very helpful! I wondered if upgrading from Montana 600 to the 700, can I use the same cable and just mount it into the new cradle? If yes... what cradle I would have to buy?

[@GregVillalobos]

Nope - you need a new 700 cradle.

[@uloe6013]

@@GregVillalobos Thanks! Yes, I defenetely need new cradle with cable. This morning I found out, that the power supply Montana 600 was 12V but Montana 700 only gets 5V from the power cable. There is a converter inkluded in the cable.

[@boboneleg]

Thanks Greg, that's a good review. I have been using a Montana 650t for the past 5 years and it has done everything I need with city navigator for roads, OS for trails and topo france, Spain etc all on one unit. Like you I don't get on with android so now it's just a case of do I want to shell out that amount of money to upgrade from the 650t , decisions, decisions :)

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks! If only Apple made a GPS unit... ;-)

[@pittExperience]

Thanks Greg, great summary! It looks to me that the Garmin 600 holder also fits the 700?

[@GregVillalobos]

Nope, the 600 will not fit the 700 cradle and vice versa.

[@aarenmyatt4509]

Very informative. Thank you for the information. The postcode gripe you have with this Garmin is something that hasn't changed in over 10 years. It was something that bothered me on a Garmin in the past and something I'm surprised hasn't been improved upon. I'm not buying it. Decision made. 👍

[@GregVillalobos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robertmerry1693]

Hi Greg, thanks for helping make my mind up to buy one. Enjoy the trails

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks. Enjoy your Montana!

[@patoreyes32]

Great info Greg , Thanks for the video !

[@GregVillalobos]

You are welcome!

[@csbalazs01]

Thanks for this great review! I personally use parallel a Garmin GPSmap66i and a Samsung TabActive2. InReach function is essential if you are out of bushes alone. But 8" tablet screen is much more usable for mapping you around...

[@GregVillalobos]

The tablet def has its place as a nav device.

[@marcdeclercq5580]

Garmin Montana 700 series: Possible to mount a mounting spine and a carabiner clip so I can attach the device on a rugsack?

[@GregVillalobos]

Yes but I wouldn't want it swinging around

[@clivebarber]

You say that Drive Mode is a navigation app. Correct me if I am wrong, but its a dashboard for apps, including navigation apps, rather than a navigation?

[@GregVillalobos]

Nope. Drive Mode has navigation built in. You download maps and navigate directly from the app itself. It also has a roadbook feature.

[@MotoMissionADV]

Hi Greg, how well does it work when the screen gets wet? I.e. does the water on the screen get registered as touch inputs? An issue I have with using my phone to navigate is that when water gets on the screen it starts switching things around. Also I can't use it without drying the screen first as it just puts random inputs in with a wet screen. I am looking for a GPS that doesn't have that issue. I have seen a review of this Garmin where the guy splashes the screen and it goes haywire...

[@GregVillalobos]

Hi Charlie. I've not had any problems at all with the unit when it's been wet / raining. Unlike the Samsung tablet the Montana 700 has not reacted at all to the rain on the screen. I do believe you can also turn down the screen touch sensitivity very easily too via the power button.

[@PetterIvarsson]

This is interesting. I have seen other reviews about this device where the guys complained about that the Montana 700 went bananas when it rained on it. For me it must work flawless in rain, else I want buy it.

[@AkDeluxeRider]

@@PetterIvarsson I’ve been looking at this unit as well. It says it has a rain setting to negate a lot of these haywire issues but I don’t know to the full extent.

[@compprufus]

Man, finally a thorough believable review of this device and moreover a review focused on motorcycling. Thanks for that and making it so in-depth. I am currently in the market for a replacement for my aging 62s unit and apart from this Montana 7xx series I also am looking at CIpad and X720 tablet. I don't consider myself a Garmin fanboy, though I like my current device, that has worked flawlessly for 9 years. Could those tablets meet my longevity expectations? Can't say. If nothing else, certainly hardware degrade and as any android device they get slower overtime. Or something else breaks. On the other hand, I am not a fan of that cradle you talk about. It might be sturdy and bombproof and all, but it still is plastic and can't be locked. Plus it doesn't look to have antivibration silentblocks (just a piece of rubber) and as we all know, vibrations are killer to any electronic device. I use my 62s with Touratech holder that is lockable and also has these rubbers. And that may be the reason why it lasted for so long. I've read of users their units failed long before mine will do. Sadly, as I talked to Touratech, they don't plan to make such holder for Montana 7xx series, so that's a bummer. One can probably hack his own holder, but boy, that would take long. As for the speed. Anything can be better in regard to speed than my 62s. It was feking slow coming from the box and didn't get better over time. However didn't incrementaly worsened after all those years either. I will say what I said in the other video, I have recent experience with Garmin DEZL and I feel it's a piece of crap. 2020 satnav with subpar 2015 hardware, or who knows, maybe even older, for a premium price (in the car/truck market). I could have gotten a satnav for third of the price (Garmin) and have the same experience. All that based on some "reviews" praising its capabilities. Thie experience undermined my recent belief I'd get another Garmin for my bike. Inreach is an interesting feature, I must admit. Build quality is top, I guess, never had problem with my 62s, guess this would be the same with Montana. I sure hope, OSM maps I used a lot can be put onto an SD card, however TOPO maps are best, for me. I don't think OSM maps are any worse, but TOPO graphical representation is more appealing for me. All in all I think I'll pass and get either tablet, probably CI. Faster, customizable, rugged, remote control (not that bulky X720 has). I admit I have to check I have a space for it on my handlebars however and don't think their (thorkracing) holder has antivibration dampers (it has such rubber pads but will they work enough?). Positives of Montana is its size and weight and obviously transflective display, which neither of the tablet has. On the other hand CIpad comes with 1000 nit display.

[@GregVillalobos]

The Garmin Mount uses small rubber inserts where in the AMPS holes (if that makes sense) so I suspect these offer some anti-vibe functionality. The Remote control for the CI is fantastic - I have one and used it on the stock Samsung tablet on my PR7 before it died. You won't need an anti-vibe for the remote.

[@compprufus]

@@GregVillalobos Interesting, thanks for the info. Btw, didn't mean anti-vibe for the remote, but for the tablet.

[@richardharris5819]

Have you had any corrosion with the powered Garmin mount?

[@perrycrosser9429]

Thanks for this interesting review Greg! I use a Montana 700 on my Yamaha T7, but miss this big white arrow as shown in your video on 14:02 - 14:05. I only have a tiny white arrow on my screen. Can you please let me know your settings for this? Thanks in advance!

[@GregVillalobos]

I don't really know. I guess make sure it's in Driving Mode and maybe zoom in?

[@bryanmoeller6024]

Great review. I am looking for dedicated GPS units after trying Google Android with GAIA GPS App because my experience with GAIA was mostly negative. I want even touch on the toughness of this vs phone and even the concern of killing your phone battery. For me, using my phone for hiking just didn't work well as it seemed the maps I wanted to use would lock it up (I downloaded a lot of high-quality detailed maps that also took forever to download). That last point is another problem. I had almost to many choices of maps to chose from thru GAIA, which you would think is a good thing but in the end, it was a negative as I spent more time trying to pick which map to look at than actually hiking or off-roading and overlapping them in GAIA was also buggy. I had one of the newer Samsung phones as well (9s). Sometimes less is more. But at times I feel I am a minority on these concerns.

[@mathewscott7755]

Thanks Greg. I totally destroyed the mount on my tomtom rider over the weekend and my riding is just getting more aggressive (as it always does) so hearing your thoughts about how rugged it is it is a fantastic replacement/upgrade. I will be keeping my spot tracker however as you say, best for it to be on the body. Thanks

[@GregVillalobos]

Glad it helped!

[@richtucker857]

Great Video Greg!! Could you confirm which os map level you need to buy to view the rights of way?? Is it the cheaper of the two of you need the explorer 1:25000. Thanks

[@gjohnint]

Re your 1.50 land ranger card. I had a land ranger 1.50 mico S.D on a Etrex 25, a small hand held garmin. It fitted and worked O.K on my Montana 700. I suggest you card became corrupted at some point. Regards

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks for the info

[@epmrealtyericmccormack6534]

Thanks for the info depth review. I am looking to upgrade my Montana 680t and InReach Explorer+ Wonder if some of your grips have been fixed since you purchased yours? I think I am going to purchase the 700.

[@luikeiko]

Top review. Thanks Greg :) But why bother with expensive garmin maps? Are they really that good? Whole of Europe is covered with super detailed os maps, for free. They are more than enough detailed for hiking/trail riding etc. Why do you prefer the garmin maps? Cheers and greetings from Austria.

[@GregVillalobos]

In the UK there is a company called Ordnance Survey who have been mapping the country for decades. The maps they produce are widely used and recognised. Access to trails in the UK is not a clearly defined method, the OS maps contain the info you need (mostly) to determine if a route is legally accessible by vehicles. These maps are certainly not the only option, but they are what many people use.

[@trxmpg70]

Thanks for sharing this information.

[@GregVillalobos]

My pleasure

[@chrishutchison4007]

Great review I have 680T and GPSMAP 66i as long as I can check my current Garmin maps work in 700 (I have many)I will buy the none inreach version. That also has ability to take AA cells as back up. Thanks for doing the review 👍

[@GregVillalobos]

You are welcome!

[@luisa-r7303]

Great review Greg, thanks for clarifying, I am heavy montana 600 user,... and I was doubting about an evolution towards the 700... seems that my concern regarding an improvement of the screen resolution and the 600 slow speed was answered here out your experience: good many thanks. Now next issue to address is finding budget to go for the upgrade😰!!! (hello from Spain central enduro heaven !!!, happy to host or share routes here around, BTW all new ones I am producing are tailored using G Earth and finally cooked in basecamp). Best regards 👍

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks!

[@simon7123]

Great review i am just trying to make my mind up ,the Zumo xt looks good but is it thanks greg

[@GregVillalobos]

No worries :-)

[@recombi123]

Can you mount and use it sideways? I Plan on using it for dual sporting riding.

[@GregVillalobos]

Yes. You can rotate the mount round no probs.

[@mavs8888]

I enjoyed this very much... your wife has a very nice, smart and friendly hubby :) I am planning to buy the 750i with a car mount... but at this moment it's unavailable in the Netherlands... Thank you and take care (both of the unit and of yourself), Max :)

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks! Just check to make sure the turn by turn nav is what you are looking for if you using it in the car

[@Charliano700]

Can’t adjust brightness and pretty much need garmin college to figure this thing out. Great video sir. Edit: watching further, I just opened the box. Haven’t apparently found the brightness slider just yet you stated to hit the power switch. Advice taken. Looks in settings, display. Wasn’t there.? Sooo, I’m about to read the bleeping manual lol.

[@rimasmeleshyus9486]

I am the most interesting sailing around the world ⛵️ 🌎 only .Garmin very high-quality 700i . Thanks for sharing

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks for watching!

[@6803Mark]

Hi Greg, congratulations for the review. I also bought the Garmin Montana 750i. I like it very much and I am quite happy. I saw in your video "how do profiles work" at minute 14 '01 ", the automatic zoom before turning, I can't get it to work. can you help me? I set “driving” “auto zoom” but it doesn't work. Thanks PS I apologize for my very bad English.

[@GregVillalobos]

Sorry Mark, I'm not sure I can help on the auto zoom feature. Maybe someone else can?

[@OllieMoto]

I’m looking to get one of these, didn’t realise you’d done a review so I was pleasantly surprised to find it on here. “Jumping on to the android interface just did my nut.” Nothing to do with the 700 I know, but never has a truer word been spoken.

[@KIM_AdventureExplorer]

Hi Greg...today opion about Garmin? I have the "old 64" and is not the best for motorcycle trip. I want to upload tracks by the Smartphone but i think montana 700 is still expensive...there are some other choice on the market?

[@Jollyswagman7]

I just got the mount for 700i. Is everyone just running the cables direct to battery or is there a better way with a switch or something? Thanks in advance.

[@GregVillalobos]

I run directly to the battery. On my bikes the device only charges when the engine is running.

[@Jollyswagman7]

@@GregVillalobos Ok thanks. I’ve hooked mine up to the battery but I’m not very comfortable with it drawing power when the bike is off. I’ll see how it goes but pulling the unit off the mount every time I turn the bike off will probably get annoying fast.

[@jean-mariefrancois4884]

Hi Grey, Greetings from sub zero Canada. Looking forward to spring and another adventure riding season. Excellent review and subsequently will be purchasing the Montana shortly. Wish you could get a commission from Garmin. Let me know if you do and will enter a code. My take on using an iPhone to do the job of the Montana devise. After one summer of riding with the cell phone mounted as the GPS....it killed the internal iPhone camera stabilizer. Much too delicate hardware to take the beating of trail riding. Also having the weather map and road map function on the Montana is super useful. One day would love to explore the Euro trails. Cheers and thanks again.

[@GregVillalobos]

A commission would be nice!

[@aakoksal]

GEOS offers insurance to cover your air-lift and transportation costs... Any rider thinking Inreach is a good idea and carries one should get that two insurance packages; they cost about $150 per year...

[@GregVillalobos]

Good idea

[@gillesgenete9598]

Thank you Greg, great informative vid. I do appreciate your honesty in reviewing your EXPENSIVE GPS. As I'm considering buying an AJP PR7, I may start with the Samsung tablet, then replace it with the Carpe tablet when the Samsung may fail. I have a Garmin Edge on my mountain bike, good enough for what I do, only critic is the small screen as our eyes lose accuracy after 40 years old, haha .

[@GregVillalobos]

The new 2021 PR7 comes with an upgraded Samsung tablet.

[@gillesgenete9598]

@@GregVillalobos hi Greg, thanks for info. In the mean time, after a short ride test of the PR7, considering the price with the 60hp kit, and uncertain delivery delay ( covid effect), I finally ordered a Huqvarna 701 enduro available early February. About the new tablet, Chinese 8" instead of Samsung 7", not sure if it is more rugged. I'll probably fit my 701 with the Carpe Iter, and a Britannia Composites fairing and dashboard.

[@theestate12]

That Adam Riemann chooses the Montana on his global rides shows Montana value. Upgrading from 650T and 680T to 750i. The 750 screen is flush with the housing so it is easier to wipe the dust off. (I know you don't have dust in England - just rain.) My 24K maps of the Utah region used on the 650/680 also work on the 750. Awful you need to purchase new maps. The 750 flashes when turned on and defaults to the second icon along the quick menu. Tried to move the home icon to the second position - home icon does not move. Annoying. Another annoyance is that an application cannot be use unless it is loaded to the home screen. One could access all applications using 650/680 by tapping an icon for that purpose. For example, if I want to check sunset time, and that icon is not on the 750 home screen, then I need to load it to the home screen, then delete, rather than being able to access a menu of all icons. Hard to believe I watched your whole video. Ride on.

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks for watching. :-)

[@antonyjames6820]

Great review Greg. I have the 600 and wondered it the upgrade was worth it. Can you turn off the feature that allows your wife to track you ........

[@GregVillalobos]

Ha! It's off by default...

[@feetdownbarrows4434]

Hi, off road can you plan and follow a route as you would on road? Not sure I understand how it navigates off road?

[@GregVillalobos]

This is quite a complex question. In short, for off road you must manually plan your route as a series of waypoints that join together with a line. You then follow the line as you ride. It's not turn by turn directions.

[@tvj099]

Hi Greg, Thanks for this review. You are referring to a second option, that you did consider before buying your Garmin. Please could you specify the name of this device again ? Many thanks :)

[@GregVillalobos]

It's the Carper Iter tablet - www.thorkracing.com/en/carpe-navigation/carpe-iter-pad/

[@tvj099]

Thanks Greg, very appreciated. Indeed, It at a first glance is an interesting device I will happily consider.

[@robsonenduro3316]

looks like new zumo XT is much faster and cheaper and has brighter screen....good review.

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks. I'd be keen to know how the Zumo XT compares.

[@mattssi]

The off road navigation of the 700 series is an awesome feature though. Plus the billion other activities features you don't have with CT. Different beasts with some overlap.

[@mattssi]

XT

[@bikenavbm1229]

good stuff as always thanks for going to the trouble/expence, are you able to show multiple tracks on the screen at any one time? probably not if there is no file/folder options, which is a real pain if your riding in place's with unfamiliar names- which is what it is all about yeh! I am also a montana 600/BC user. Another question hypothetically turn back the clock a few months would you buy a new 600 for lets say £350 or still buy the 700 after owning a 700 for a while.

[@GregVillalobos]

I think I would still buy the 700i. Simply for the fact that it's a larger, brighter and faster unit. If I were going to try something different it would probably be the Carpe Tablet.

[@owenwilliams9582]

Cheers Greg, really good review. I have a Garmin 64 and a 340 tried base Camp last year , failed, but over Christmans spent hours on Base camp and cracked it, used free OSM maps on both units fantastic for route planning etc. I have Android as well, Viewranger & OSM good stuff, use these as back up 1:25000 etc. As you say £steep but quality stuff. In-reach sounds really good feature to be fair. I like the 64 with turn by turn and compass headings, as one of the pages this feature would be fantastic on the 700 or xt, nt sure if this can be done though ?. Many thanks for the review, take care.

[@GregVillalobos]

Well done for cracking Basecamp!

[@adamlivelife2608]

I have a 60 CSX Garmin gps I bought 2006 and still us it for atving and boating looking to up great and this Montana is looking like it’s the one for me. Great video thanks for the inside info.

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks!

[@phillangford4059]

Thanks Greg for a great and honest review. It's good to hear from someone who has put their hand in their pocket and spent their own hard earned cash on such a product. Like you, I was disappointed to hear that your existing OS map card wouldn't load into the 700 but a little encouraged to read in one of the comments from someone who believes your card may have corrupted. Here's hoping! I am looking at buying either the Montana 700 or the Carpe Iter and was wondering if, now that you've used your Montana for a while, you would still choose the Montana or whether you believe the Carpe Iter might be a better choice?

[@GregVillalobos]

Hi Phil. The Montana is not perfect but it suits me. I've not used the Carpe Iter so I can't really comment.

[@phillangford4059]

@@GregVillalobos OK. Thanks anyway. Probably going to go down the Montana route myself so any chance of an update when you've used it a bit more? Cheers, Phil.

[@dbavidb]

WAU - Great video. Please can Montana navigate from the loaded GPX, for example TET, or do you just have to follow the line on the map? Thanks and 👍 and subscription :-)

[@GregVillalobos]

You follow the line. Generally speaking you don't do 'turn by turn' instructions when riding off road

[@Bike_on_Tour]

Thanks for this interesting review. Just got my device (700i) two days ago and will start to test it on my CCM GP450 soon and compare it afterwards to the Zumo XT after a few months (in german language) - your thoughts an experience was a good kind of "first preparation" 👍 By the way: I like your bike 😉 So long, da Wolf 🐺

[@GregVillalobos]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@Snarge22]

Ordnance Survey - An absolutely fantastic name for a government department. 🙂

[@kai-uweoch1159]

To know the legal status of a trail in the UK seems to be quite complicated and you really rely on proper mapping. We have quite a bit easier up here: as long as it's purpose build for a two track vehicle and the land owner has not set up a not entry sign, you may ride there on a motorcycle. So horse riding trails, hiking trails and single trails in the woods are excluded from public traffic with motorized vehicles. However we have Allmansrätten in Sweden, which allows us to roam freely EVERYWHERE with exception of the private grounds around houses, some protected nature areas, military installations and similar, both by foot, bicycle, horseback and skis in winter. I haven't really looked at UK maps in detail, which seems also to include the legal status of a road / trails, but seems you really need to understand some background knowledge to be legal!

[@GregVillalobos]

Sweden has great land access rules, and it seems to be that people generally respect the trails. It's complicated here in the UK.

[@maverick205205]

Really great review Greg - thanks for putting all the effort to make it! On the postcode search: I had that problem on my Montana 600 but only when using the OS maps. Could that be the issue, that it’s happening in trail riding mode? Also, not much help for you, but if you buy the Topo/OS maps with the device, they’re £50 cheaper.

[@GregVillalobos]

Cheers mate. I've tried turning off the OS maps but can't get the postcode search to work. Grrrr.

[@maverick205205]

@@GregVillalobos - have found a clunky workaround! Use the explore app, make it a waypoint and sync it. The sync is pretty fast... I think it could be a pretty reasonable way ahead

[@davidforeman2734]

Why not just bye the Mini and use your iPhone. If you read up on the Mini it can do a lot and you can put it all through your iPhone. As far as I can see reading up on it.

[@thomasbinder5288]

Thx 4 this video 👍

[@RideRedRacer]

i have heard soooo many people say their iphone mounted on their handlebars rattled to death. iphones cant handle the vibrations

[@GregVillalobos]

Yup

[@pinkiewerewolf]

New Subscriber here. I think I'm going to get one, you talked me into it. I want one for the SOS function and to find legal places for me to trail ride. My phone can't do those things, the internet hasn't been able to provide the trail information I'm after. So, I'll give the Montana 700i a try. I thought about the 750i but vibration is the enemy of cameras. Thanks for your thoughts!

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks for the sub! BUT... the unit alone won't tell you where the trails are. You need to find them, plot them and the transfer this data onto the unit. If you are looking for trails in Europe then transeurotrail.org/ is a good place to start. :-)

[@pinkiewerewolf]

@@GregVillalobos Hi Greg! I’m in the States. I can get the Federal land boundaries and then scope out the trails that won’t land me in an illegal grow... or a ticked off farmer/rancher’s property. I watch people in Australia ride and I’m a bit jealous of the roads and trails they have access to. I could be dreaming but I’m hoping to find some tasty rides. Thanks for the reply!

[@guyon2wheels808]

Good review. Told me everything I would want to know from a non-sponsored user. Big Thumbs Up! Only wish this was available before I invested in a Zumo XT/inReach Mini kit to achieve what the 700i does in a single devise. Unfortunately, Garmin was silent on the 700i release and I was in the market two months before the 700 Series release, so I was beyond the 30 day return period (ouch).

[@Braapncamp]

Thanks for this detailed review Greg! I got curious of this device but it got damped when I saw the rather big chunk it makes. 😂 But who knows the day it's time to upgrade. It definitely looks what I like a navigation device to do. I'm still a Garmin/Basecamp guy today and will be for a while.

[@GregVillalobos]

Glad I could help

[@craigmorfitt7990]

Thanks Greg, for your interesting review. I was thinking of getting an InReach device for emergencies whilst trail-riding and hiking. Then I thought that getting the 700i. might be a better choice, combining the InReach function with a navigation device that would work for both hiking and riding. You make an interesting point about keeping an SOS device on your body, rather than being attached to the bike, albeit that it could be activated via a linked smartphone. Certainly something to think about and I'm still undecided. That Carpe Iter tablet also looks like a great piece of kit (and seems to be developed here in Portugal), but currently priced at €956 including the mount. But it's too big for hiking, so would only be of use on the bike. And I'd still have to buy a separate SOS device. Much to think about. :-)

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks!

[@ryanmalone2681]

I hate my Montana. They’ve replaced it twice under warranty, it reboots randomly as it sees fit, it’s so laggy and slow, and is completely inflexible when changing routes. I’m getting a Zumo XT2. I also feel safer with my a Spot on my person.

[@ferjeouichaker]

After my second Garmin Edge 520 died unexpectedly I decided to try something different - the Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt instead of the Garmin 530. Boy! I'm glad I did. kzbin.infoUgkxXZCtB-wGdHVTBSz8RswePK5vllHNi06N The display on the Wahoo Bolt is much easier to read. I like the configuration of the display more (up to 7 items visible on page 1 without scrolling and the first item chosen is larger characters than the next 3 rows that have pairs of items (still very readable). I also like the configurable item selections. The Bolt synced with my Garmin ANT+ Speed sensors on both bikes easily so no additional investment was required there. While the rated battery life is a couple hours less than the Garmin 520/530, I easily get a weeks worth of 1+ hour rides before recharging (and it's never really low on charge). At the end of a ride syncing to the Wahoo app, Strava, and Apple Health app is painless.

[@alwinbenjamin]

Thank you sir 😁

[@GregVillalobos]

You're welcome!

[@jamesholmes4256]

Great review 👍

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks!

[@boryswisniewski3486]

Please note that with Inreach version you have access only to GPS and Galileo systems. You're losing Glonass!

[@GregVillalobos]

Good heads up

[@steveh545]

One point to consider (and a google search might answer this question) but do Android/Apple devices work in remote locations? Garmin uses Sat signals i think? Vs Cell signal. I'm an Adv traveler only vicariously through others (that might be redundant, lol). Can you navigate through Mongolia with a cell based device? Great vid. Your a natural at this stuff, meaning good, and natural/relaxed. Thinking about a PR7 in the near future. Do you find the seat/peg distance a bit short? For those occasions you chose to sit? thanks

[@GregVillalobos]

IMO the Garmin device is designed for people who need location and essential communication services in areas not covered by cell/mobile phones. Thanks for the compliment! I'm a shortie so the seat peg position is no problem for me on the PR7 :-)

Yes phones also have a gps chip / receptor so you can navigate without mobile service and totally offline. Just install a nav app with offline maps and that’s it.

[@tshansen]

You have to check out this map, not sure if it is better than the maps you are using, but holy hell what a difference it has made for me here in Norway. www.freizeitkarte-osm.de/garmin/de/regionen.html This was a fantastic review Greg 👏🏻I contacted Garmin to hear if i could get my hands on this device to make a proper comparison between the Montana and the new XT i already own, but had no luck with that 🤣Wonder why haha. Great work as always mate... stay safe 🔥

[@endurist5196]

👍👍👍 use these maps on my Garmin 700 - a very good choice!

[@GregVillalobos]

Thanks Thomas. Those maps look similar to Talky Toaster. I'll take a proper look. I'd be interested to know how the Montana 700i compares to your Zumo XT. :-)

[@markoliver5530]

Hi Greg, I have a 750i and like you bought it when they were released. Garmin are useless when it comes to taking on board user comments but they do have a very good phone helpline if you have technical issues. I use the Toasty maps for 2 reasons, they are clearer to read at a glance and they do not pixelate when you zoom in. I have got used to the unit now but there was a getting to know period. A few things that I find frustrating are : not being able to vary the width of the track on screen, varying the opacity of the loaded map both really related to seeing the route quickly, and I have had issues with the Explorer app syncing tracks successfully. A friend bought one with me and sold his straight away, they are definitely marmite. I love the bigger brighter screen and hope to have the In Reach facility fired up when we can eventually get back out to distant remote places.

[@GregVillalobos]

Marmite for sure. Not perfect by any stretch, but the hardware is great.

[@berndtnording4856]

Thanks for the review and for convincing me NOT to buy another Garmin piece of junk. I have a 600 and while the hardware is OK, the software is horrible. Garmin always uses at least 10 year old tech, probably because its cheap and they can get even more profit out of their expensive stuff. Hence the slow processors. The only good thing about the 600 is that you can download compatible OSM maps and copy as many as you can fit on am SD card, but it sounds like the 700 doesn't even allow you to do that. Your comment on paying 7 pounds for each paper OS map is misguided: You have already paid for that cartography through your taxes, the 7 pounds is only for the printing and handling of paper. The cartography is FREE, you can download it! The exorbitant price you are paying is only for the conversion to Garmin's PROPRIETARY format. That is the case for most of the mapping - it already exists somewhere, but is useless in a Garmin.

[@claretbuck1882]

Awesome bud cheers 👍🏻

[@GregVillalobos]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@johnbauby6612]

Garmin sucks balls when it comes to customer service and repairs. I have better then three or four different Garmins and use them daily for aviation, marine and land use. You can't get away from Garmin as they either own or make almost everything. They know damn well they cornered the market and their F you attitude is reflected at every opportunity like when a touch screen stops working and they refuse to repair it and instead tell you to get one off of Ebay as they did to me. Most of their stuff is clunky but functional and they tend to take a beating. I just upgraded my old Montana to the new 700i. No need for a camera so saved the $50.

[@GregVillalobos]

I think Garmin put most of their resources into wearable tech these days

[@johnbauby6612]

@@GregVillalobos I think Garmin has their head up their ass. They're a monopoly I will take pleasure in watching crumble once ANY other company who produces at least equal quality comes on line. They are the fat giants and they couldn't care less about the consumer - but they're the only game in town for now.

[@Frillar]

I don't really understand what this unit does that something like GPSMAPs 66 or even garmin zumo doesn't? yet it costs 3 x as much. It's complete overkill for motorcycling. More money than sense.

[@mapsnavigation]

Nice unit but I always use outdoor and even in car Magic Earth Navigation. All this for free