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I know this question must make everyone crazy but how do you make up your mine on the one to buy. Not knowing much about SI units, never saw one and do not know anyone that has one. I looked at them about Bass pro, this did not help much. Any advice would be appreciated. I have saved up my money and want to get the best I can for the money.
I have both. The jury is still out as far as I am concerned. Both have their pros and cons and either will do the job. I try to remain unbiased as I am not on the highly satisfied list of either Humminbird or Lowrance. Besides, both cater heavily to bass chasers, not us low life perch lifters.
I dont mind recemonding Lowrance, I love mine all three of them 5/7/and 8
low hds 8 right out of the box will blow away the bird that has been tweeked on
You are right about the out of box settings. Lowrance is plug and play, not plug and struggle. But I like the challenge.Quote:
Originally Posted by billbob
I understand about the Bass Chasers and us lowly lifters and jerkers. Exactly the point of my question, I don't want to Plug and Struggle I want to plug, find and catch. The older I get the less I like the challenge part of it.
If you need customer service forget Lowrance. Humminbird takes care of there customers.
I sure get tired of this debate. I've got a Humminbird. But Canepole's got it right--either will do the job well, both have pros and cons. Read past posts, decide what's most important to you, and make your call. I don't think you can go too far wrong either way.
Fished-out, if you read my post I said I figure y'all would be tired of this question. If this was not a SI unit I was talking about I know exactly the one I would buy, but it is not and most guys do not have an SI unit, more over know anything about them. I have read past post, looked at the pictures and read all of what the Hummingbird man posted. I have talked to the Lowrance guys at Bass Pro and I still do not know what I feel I need to know to make a choice. If I could buy both I would, but that is out of my reach. Fish-out, you know the old saying, experience is a dear schooling and a fool will learn no other. Experience comes from mistakes.
I have never had a problem with customer service with lowrance.Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter7711
Me neither.
I know buddy, it's a tuff decision. It's just that nothing new ever comes out of the debates. If you've read the old posts (they're really not that old :) ), you've heard all there is. If you can, I'd find people who have them, go out on the water and look at them in use yourself. And you'll still wonder. Heck, I've got an HB, love it, and still wonder what I'm missing :)Quote:
Originally Posted by WhitePerchJerker
I'm in the same boat, no pun intended, I'm getting ready to put a new one on the console and I can't decide which way to go either. I have a humminbird on the trolling motor and I really like it and that's probably what I will go with on the new one but when you're spending that kind of money there's always that nagging question in your mind if you're getting the best you can get for what you're paying. It's definitely not an easy decision.
Your very right Fish-out and Pvasst1, it is a tuff decision. I even tried to get Bass Pro to install both brands on a boat and demonstrate them on the water, no luck. That is good advice and that is what I intended to do, view both first hand. I have had good luck with Lowrance service. I called them to get one repaired and they told me they no longer worked on that perticular unit so they send me 250.00 to put on a new one, this was about three years ago.
I have a HDS 10 and I could not be happier, took my time , read the books before installing it and took time to install it properly, works great and couldn't be happier, but there are probly guys that installed Hummin birds that are just as happy.
Love my lowrance units. If you think you want to be able to see side imaging, at two spots, console, and up front, the lowrance set up seemed to me to be a lesser expensive choice with buying two hds units and one side scan and linking.If you go humminbird side imaging, you buy two depth finders that have side imaging capability within each unit, and that was more expensive than the other way was for me. I was only comparing total cost of the better units in the two brands though against each other as a package price.Buy what you feel fits you better, and the brand you feel comfortable with.
They are both great units but the only way on which one to buy is to see both units side beside. Compare what you see on both screens, and see what features both units have to what you need, also for ease of use. If you go with a low dont get the insight built in because there is no updates for it. If you are more of an auto person the 7 might be ok for you. I am always changing something so the 8 made things faster and easier to change with the buttons on the bottom. Almost any setting you would like to change is on the bottom buttons. None of the pushing menu down down over down down now crap how did that go?? Also the screen is larger with 2 card slots. 4 separate screens if your eyes are up to it.
I have lowrance and love my units. I like the networking ability that Lowrance has. I had to use the CS before and never had a problem with them helping me out. But like others have said, both have pros and cons. It's gonna depend on what your pocket book will allow you to get and what you want cause in the end you will be the one using it.
If you are looking for a hands on demo on the water, you could try calling the Humminbird Customer Resource folks and get the name and contact information for a Rep in your area. I have heard where some of these guys will take someone out for an on the water demo. Can’t hurt to call and check. 1-800-633-1468
Thanks for the info gregQuote:
Originally Posted by Humminbird_Greg
If you get a chance, go look. Don't expect much "behind the counter" help. However, If you are near Memphis, there is a sweet young girl that works the counter at BPS Memphis.. She is worth scanning, maybe a snapshot too.
There are only 2 things I don't like about my HB 1197...
No dedicated crystals for the DI.....
The "Donut"....
Both can be remedied by HB....1 by a hardware upgrade...1 by a software upgrade......
And I'm still waiting.....impatiently....