Hummingbird or Garmin

[176champion]

I'm needing something i can see as i have a little Lowrance mark 4 at the console and needing something more bigger. Im looking at the Helix 7 si/gps G2 and the Garmin Echomap chirp 94sv as they are both about the same money.

I know this has come up before, just looking for opinions before i buy....Thanks.

[MrGiggles]

I can't speak for the bigger units, only the little 4"ers that I have on my boat.

I've got a Humminbird Pirahnamax 4 DI on the bow (transducer on the trolling motor), and a Garmin Stryker 4 on the back. 

The Garmin is a far nicer, clearer, and easier to use unit. 

I do not know if the Humminbird transducer does not like to be mounted on the TM (I've had the Garmin transducer on a TM before and it worked fine), but it has never worked that well. Lots of noise in sonar mode, and the down imaging is next to useless. 

[Old plug]

Thats all I have on my boat. I sometines faintly wish I had something bigger for fishing for the white bass group ( whites, hybrids and stripers) but at the same time I think they might still present a distraction. I also got my doubts if they reveal all that much unless your trolling. I do not care to spend the money for gas and a expensive unit myself. I have all the action I want without it.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Garmin will be on my next rig.  The Panoptix looks so sweet

[Smalls21]

i have a helix unit on my boat, it is easy to use, and the screen is clear and precise. however my shop has installed ALOT of Garmin's the past 2 years, and have heard nothing but good things about them.

[rps]

I had a Garmin 7". I loved it until it died after 12 months. The warranty/repair process was a nightmare. Rather than argue and have a stroke, I bought another  graph. Look at the Simrad 7 inch. Owned by the same corp as Lowrance and uses the same transducer as the Helix (really good, not structure scan). https://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=2666259&type=product&WT.z_btnclk=YMAL-2666259&WT.z_pg_ref=prd2413529

 

[rps]

BTW, try the GPSStore

 

[Basfis]

I’m electronic ignorant and run helixes. Recently added 360 on the bow. The image is good, the waypoint overlay on 360 scan is sweet. 

Whatever way you go, go big. 7 is kinda minimum for si and nav. 9 is exponentially better than 7 for usable pictures. I’ve not heard anyone complain their graph screen  is too big. 

[176champion]

I have a helix 7 di on the bow and was going to get get the helix 7 si G2 for the console till i found the Garmin 9 inch for the same price and i know lowrance customer service is well i guess non existent from what i have heard. The Mark 4 lowrance i have on the console now i can't see real well without my reading glasses and when i have my reading glasses on i can't see distance real well...lol

[176champion]

27 minutes ago, rps said:

BTW, try the GPSStore

 

That's where i found the garmin..

https://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-echoMAP-CHIRP-94sv-with-ClearVuSideVu-Transducer-P5098.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAjwhcjVBRBHEiwAoDe5x9WXrSbQkc2H9Bf6jyyLryzROMDOYw5TrXwVj0P0WpSF4tjvBsmJeRoCRp4QAvD_BwE