Any thoughts Lowrance Elite-7 HDI Color Fishfinder/GPS Chart

[mike_honcho]

I am planning on getting a new finder this spring and I was really looking at getting the Humminbird 788 or 798ci but then I saw the lowrance. The lowrance is cheaper but I dont know if this is one of those times where you get what you pay for or if its just the advancement of technology. Also, I know I have read quite a few bad reviews of lowrance units and there customer service. Right now my gut is telling me stay away from lowrance but my pocket book is saying give them a try. Last note I like the idea of side imaging as it seems it would cover a larger area and not just below the boat. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[KlingerNOK]

The Lowrance unit is brand new and has conventional sonar and down imaging, not side imaging/structure scan.
The Humminbird 798ci has side imaging, the 788 has either conventional sonar or DI(the best I can tell looking at descriptions online).
Side imaging(Humminbird)/Structure Scan(Lowrance) is incredible! You can idle along and see a large swath of bottom along with fish, baitfish schools, brush, rocks, roads, etc. BUT if I was getting a side imaging unit, 7" would be the bare minimum size I would think about. There is so much info in a side imaging screen shot, it's hard to discern things on a smaller screen.
If you are just wanting really good conventional sonar and down imaging, any of those units look good although I would lean towards Lowrance for conventional sonar- to me they just get that done better.
The down imaging and side imaging only work well while idling, usually 3-5mph, whereas the convention sonar will work while you are running down the lake if the transducer is set up properly. My conventional sonar on my boat works up to 50-55mph with the 'ducer epoxied in my hull right in front of my drain plug.
As far as customer service, I have heard nothing but praise from Humminbird owners and Lowrance has a mixed review in that regard. My personal experience: received a new HDS8/LSS2 bundle from TW, installed it(not fun), and the structure scan, DI, sonar worked great but the GPS wouldn't work. Lowrance helped trouble shoot over the phone but it wouldn't work. I had to send the unit back to Lowrance. $43 to ship and insure a brand new unit back to them. They would not give me a prepaid label. Then it took a MONTH!!!! to receive a replacement. I was very unhappy about that whole process but the units performance is now amazing.
The whole Humminbird/Lowrance arguement is a Chevy/Ford type of comparison. They both have their positives and negatives.
Sorry, I got a little long winded.

[mike_honcho]

Thanks for the reply
I fish out of a small boat with a troll motor only but Im trying to decide between settling on the DI or should I pay the extra $$ for the side imaging.

[KlingerNOK]

If you only have a TM, I'd probably just go with the down imaging. The side imaging is awesome, but you have to be moving 3-5mph, preferably in a straight line to get a good, easily readable sonar return. That is just my opinion.

[Scott F]

One important thing to consider between the Humminbird and the Lowrance units is the cost of the maps. Lowrance comes with many lake maps already installed and to purchase a Fishing Hot Spots chips that has lakes from the entire US is $99. The Humminbird has no lake maps and the regional sets of maps are $150 each. There are a total of 4 that covers the entire US. There are only 3 states that I fish but they are in 2 different regions so I'd have to spend an extra $300 just on the maps.