harleypiker wrote:
Would love to get your review on Garmin. I don't care for Lowrance either. My Humminbird is lousy. won't show a school of walleyes I'm catching under the boat. Side scan is zero. Solid brown. won't even show a dock or deadhead when passing 10 past it. Company just said to adjust contrast, sensitivity, etc but with no results. So i would love to read if my good impression I had at Cabela's for a Garmin is accurate.
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LAST UPDATED: MAY 23, 2021:
Best Fish Finder â Lowrance vs. Humminbird vs. Garmin vs. Simrad;
The market of fish finders is truly wide, with many brands pushing their latest models.
It can be truly difficult to know which brand to choose since each of them seems so similar at first glance, but they become very different once you start digging and seeing what they offer and what they specialize in.
Best Fish Finder Main Image;
Today weâre looking at the top four brands: Garmin, Lowrance, Humminbird, and Simrad.
All four have a history of creating versatile fish finders in a variety of price ranges.
Whether you need a high-end, premium unit with half a dozen imaging types, or just something small for the occasional weekend fishing trip, these brands have something for you.
Weâll give you the specifics on each brand and what they offer.
Be mindful that weâre only picking the best fish finders in general, so each brand offers more than what weâre displaying here.
Have an open mind and weâre certain youâll find a fish finder that matches your needs and budget.
Weâre going broad today and comparing the brands and what they generally offer.
Be sure to give each brand a shot and look at everything they offer before making a final choice.
Overview;
Before getting too deep into what each brand offers, letâs introduce them to you and get you acquainted.
This will give you a better idea of what each brand is and why they offer what they offer.
Lowrance;
Lowrance opened its doors in 1957 and has been a leader in marine technology since its inception, creating many fish finders and related sonar units.
They have adapted to new trends and imaging techniques, such as side imaging (Structure-Scan) and down imaging (Down-Scan) with ease.
Perhaps their biggest innovation in the market came in 2008 when they were the first to introduce an HD multifunction screen.
They continuously seek and adapt new imaging and technology to their long list of fish finders.
From being one of the first to use CHIRP sonars to adding Structure-Scan and Down-Scan to their fish finders.
Since 2008, they have continued this trend by introducing the first HD multifunction screen along with features such as Trackback to review previous sonar readings, 4G radar connections, and enhanced, picture-like sonar readings.
Humminbird;
Humminbird started in 1971 and has been marked by homegrown roots and innovation from start to present.
Beginning in a small garage in Alabama, Humminbird started a trend of being the first to produce or use new technology.
They were the first to introduce a waterproof depth sounder, one of the first to use LCR screens (which later evolved into modern LCD screens) and they were the first to use 360-degree sonar technology.
While their product line has grown to include innovative features like Mega Side-Imaging, Mega Down-Imaging, and massive 15-inch HD displays, they havenât forgotten about their homegrown roots and still develop units for anyone interested in fishing.
Garmin;
Garmin has different roots than Lowrance and Humminbird, but their commitment to their fish finders and products, in general, is definitely top class.
Starting in 1989, Garmin started and is currently a leader in GPS technologies.
They have adapted their GPS units to work with automotive, marine, aviation and outdoor needs, plus they have created many types of wearable tech.
Garmin fish finders are among the most advanced and versatile on the market, making them a top contender for best fish finders.
They make fewer units in general, but their obsession with quality speaks for itself.
Simrad;
Founded in 1946 and known as Simrad Yachting, the company name comes from combining the founderâs last name (Simonsen) with his primary product at the time, radio communication.
While Simrad has been purchased by several companies throughout the years, they have never wavered in their mission to create luxury fish finders with sonar, autopilot features, and navigation.
Though these are often made for yachts and similar luxury crafts, they make units that everyone can enjoy.
Though each has a different story and emphasis, they all cater to anglers and fisherman by providing them with versatile fish finders that combine GPS, sonar, and other features.
They want you to catch as many fish as possible and have fun while doing it.
Letâs dive deeper into the brands and see how they match your needs.
Number of Products;
The number of products may not seem initially important, but thereâs a big reason weâre bringing it up.
Having more products means that the brand can reach more markets and hence youâll have an easier time finding a fish finder that works for your exact needs.
It also means that there will be more options and the ability to work within your budget or preferences.
Lowrance Fish-finders;
The top two here are definitely Lowrance and Humminbird.
Lowrance used to have more, but Humminbird has just slightly edged them out.
They have made a variety of fish finders for ice fishing (ICE series), standard models for all anglers (Helix), and premium models with state-of-the-art imaging and updated user interfaces (Solix).
They also come in a variety of sizes from 5-15 inches.
Lowrance offers three series with many different sizes and features, ranging from 5-16 inches depending on the model.
Hook Reveal is their entry-level series with Fish-Reveal technology and numerous imaging types.
The next step up is Elite Ti2, made for serious anglers who want to take their fishing to the next level.
Professional and tournament-level anglers should choose the HDS Live series.
This has the fastest sonar, the most imaging types, and the clearest displays.
Simrad is quite close.
They actually have four types of fish finders, but there tends to be somewhat fewer variety in each series with an overall size of 5-24 inches.
Consider them a very close third.
The entry-level Cruise series has both a GPS and CHIRP sonar with easy controls. Next is the Go series, which is their best value series.
These touchscreen fish finders have numerous imaging types and are easy to install.
Next up is NSS Evo3, these are for professionals and powerboat enthusiasts.
Lastly is the NSO Evo3, which was made for full luxury cruisers as they offer many imaging types and very large screens.
Garmin is a good brand, but they are a very distant fourth with the smallest number of offerings.
They offer the Striker and Striker Plus lines, both of which combine GPS and CHIRP sonar readings into a versatile and handy unit for anglers.
Thereâs also the Echo-MAP series with enhanced GPS features and other imaging types.
While they donât have as many units, they are a quality brand with a dedicated following.
Overall Features;
At the highest level, all of these brands offer nearly the same features.
You can get CHIRP, traditional sonar, down scan, side imaging, multi-panel displays, dedicated GPS units with maps and so on.
But, letâs break down what the general offerings are so that you get a better idea of what each brand offers.
Lowrance Down-scan;
Garmin offers traditional sonar with all their units.
The smaller units (4 and 5 inches) have both CHIRP and Clear-Vu, which is a type of down imaging.
The larger 7- and 9-inch models also feature Side-Vu.
The GPS is highly accurate and allows you to draw your own maps.
While it relies mostly on waypoints and custom maps, it does a wonderful job of getting you from point A to point B.
Lowrance offers many features and it depends on the series and size of the model.
Their smaller units, like the 5-inch ones, offer CHIRP and Down-View, while the larger ones also offer Side-View.
All the Lowrance fish finders offer physical buttons, and the larger ones (around 7-inches or bigger) offer touchscreen capability as well.
The more advanced models tend to offer brighter screens, faster GPSs, and stronger imaging for viewing deeper under the water.
Humminbird doesnât have many products smaller than 5 inches, and the truth is that the majority of their products start at 7 inches and go up from there.
While there are a few units only with down imaging, most have side imaging and other advanced features.
Their largest model is 15 inches, and you can get Wi-Fi, Ethernet connections and much more.
Their maximum depths are amazing, and you can easily make out vegetation, objects and everything else around your boat.
Humminbird offers crystal clear imaging with all their models along with easy controls.
Unlike Lowrance, where larger models offered touchscreen, Humminbird makes this more about the series.
Helix models only offer physical buttons while Solix has both touch and physical buttons.
Many of the models offer both side and down imaging.
They have actually been working on the stronger âMaxâ versions of these, which increases clarity and distance.
Regardless of which you get, Humminbird is known for clarity and many imaging types.
Simrad has many features and they tend to separate them based on the series.
The Cruise line offers CHIRP imaging, Go offers that along with GPS, down imaging, and structure scan, NSS Evo3 has HD and 3D sonar imaging, and NSO Evo3 has even stronger imaging than the NSS. Some models are touch-only while others only offer physical buttons.
Cruise only offers buttons, Go and NSO are touch-only, and NSS offers both.
In general, these are high-end fish finders and many imaging types, bright screens, and many features.
Budget-Friendly Options; *****
If money is of no concern to you and you just want the best fish finder possible, then feel free to skip this section.
Much like with the overall features section, here we are going to talk about which brand is most budget-friendly so that you get the biggest bang for your buck.
Once again, this all depends on which exact model you get.
Lowrance is probably the most evenly priced brand here.
While Humminbird now has more models in general, Lowrance offers the most budget-friendly options along with a comparable number of mid-tier and premium models.
While you may lose out on some features (like Side-Scan and a touchscreen), you can find a powerful unit at a good price.
Garmin is also reasonably priced across the board.
While they do have some premium offerings, many of their units are easy on the wallet.
These are mostly with their smaller units, like the 4- and 5-inch ones, but you can get a great CHIRP sonar for a good price.
They tend to offer some of the smallest units, which might be good if portability is an essential feature for you.
Simrad is OK with budget-friendly options.
These are really meant for yachts and sports-boats, so their cheapest models arenât quite as affordable as the other ones.
Even their smallest units tend to be more expensive than the mid-sized offerings from other brands.
Youâre getting great imaging of course, but Simrad isnât quite as affordable as Lowrance or Garmin.
Humminbird is similar to Simrad.
These models are expensive and tend to be the highest here.
Depending on the model, it can be a duel between Humminbird and Simrad for the most expensive brand.
However, since Humminbird prizes technological innovation and packing in as many features as possible, you can expect their budget-friendly options to have many great features.
Ease Of Use;
Lastly, letâs talk about ease of use. How quickly can you pick up and learn these fish finders so that you can easily switch between tools and options and start finding fish?
Honestly, all three are tied here. They are all built to have low learning curves so that you can immediately get out there and start fishing.
Fish Finder Installation Width=,
No one wants to spend hours of time reading manuals, figuring out buttons, coordinating options and so on.
Each brand knows that fishermen just want to attach the finder to their boat, turn it on and get that sonar running.
Donât worry, youâll have an easy time regardless of what you choose.
Unless you are getting a huge, premium unit, all of the fish finders from these four brands should take very little time to learn and properly use.
Best Models;
Here weâll discuss three of the best models from each brand based on price and functionality.
We will separate them into affordable, best value and high-end premium units.
Garmin Line;
Affordable: Garmin Striker Plus 4cv
Garmin Striker 4cv with Transducer
Garmin Striker 4cv with Transducer
Check Price Now;
Good things come in small (and affordable) packages.
This budget-friendly fish finder has a small 3.5-inch screen with surprisingly good clarity and numerous features.
You get CHIRP sonar capabilities for highly detailed images along with Clear-Vu imaging for down-scanning.
The depth reaches 830 feet in saltwater and 1,750 feet in freshwater.
Fish Symbol technology helps you identify fish when theyâre nearby.
There are multiple frequencies to choose from for custom imaging.
It has GPS capabilities as well to track where youâre going and how to reach your destination.
You can store up to 5,000 waypoints.
Quickdraw Contours creates maps of your trails so you can see where youâve been before.
Despite the small display, you can split it into two screens for viewing sonar and GPS simultaneously.
Plus, a backlight LED ensures you can see the readings no matter the lighting conditions.
Please Read Full Review;*****
Please click on link for additional information, Thank You. *****
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