Garmin's Oregon 400t is one of the easiest to use outdoor handheld GPS units I've tested. The interface has been completely redesigned from earlier Garmin handheld GPS units, and is now optimized for the 3-inch color touchscreen display. Using your finger to flick left or right to scroll between menu pages has an almost iPhone-like feel to it.

The Oregon has dedicated icons for each function, and a total of 24 square-shaped icons are divided between 4 menu pages. All operations are performed via the touchscreen. Icons can also be re-arranged to suit your own preferences via the settings menu. The touchscreen is responsive, and works well even when wearing light to medium thickness gloves.

The Oregon feels rugged and well made. A newly designed battery cover is easier to remove and replace than previous models, and the waterproof case doesn't scratch or pickup fingerprints easily. The Oregon is waterproof rated to IPX7, which means the device can be fully submerged in up to 3-feet of water for 30 minutes. The GPS fits nicely in the palm of your hand, and an included carabiner clip can be attached to the back of the Oregon.

Battery life was acceptable but not outstanding. When using high quality batteries, the Oregon's gets between 10 and 16 hours of use, depending on backlight settings and usage.

The Oregon 400t comes pre-configured with profiles for general outdoor use, Geocaching, automotive, marine, and fitness. You can also create your own custom profiles. Profiles are a quick way to change various settings to suit the task at hand.

Garmin's software feels reliable and well though-out. The menus are intuitive, and map screens are easy to read. The Oregon 400t's Topo maps make it possible to view 3D DEM (Digital Elevation Model) maps. Additional maps can also be purchased for boating and/or automotive routing.

The Oregon 400t also features an electronic compass, altimeter, and a wireless function that lets you share data with other Garmin Oregon and Colorado owners.

The Oregon 400t's biggest drawback is the dim screen. I found it difficult to read in daylight, even when set to maximum brightness. Another nuisance is that the GPS must be held level for the compass to work properly, and GPS signal strength was weaker than the older GPSMAP 60CSx (though about equal with the Garmin Colorado).

I also wished there were shortcuts for quickly switching between the map and compass screens without having to exit to the main menu each time. Also missing is the ability to toggle between various screen brightness levels (i.e. off, low, medium, high) by briefly pressing the power button -- a handy feature found on the 60CSx.

If you're a seasoned GPS enthusiast who still loves Garmin's older GPSMAP 60CSx and is comfortable with terms like .gpx files and track logs, the Oregon may not be the best fit for you( not that the Oregon isn't a full featured device capable of advanced GPS activities). However, if you're new to GPS (or find older handhelds difficult to use) and are looking for a good, easy to use, outdoor handheld, the Oregon is a great option for you. The Oregon's ease of use and rich feature set makes outdoor GPS adventures easier than ever. The Oregon isn't perfect, but overall performance was quite good, and it's peerless in terms of ease of use.