Fishfinder for Kayak

[yardsy]

Tossing up between the Lowrance Hook reveal 5x, the Lowrance Hook2 7x and the Garmin Striker Plus 5cv. Any tips or recommendations would be appreciated!

[4liters]

I've had no end of dramas with Lowrance, got a couple of Garmins since then and haven't looked back.

[happyfriggincamper]

I got a Lowrance HOOK2-7X w/ tripleshot transducer - only used it once so far but it's been good altho don't have comparative experience with other sounders, most online reviews are good as well. I bought it on a good deal in a bit of a rush - if I could have done it again I would have paid extra for the maps feature (mine just has way point tracking).

[happyfriggincamper]

I've had no end of dramas with Lowrance, got a couple of Garmins since then and haven't looked back.

What sort of issues and what models?

[mazman]

I would go the Garmin, the lowrance units with the split shot transducer don't have the best readings. The tripleshot is fine though

[4liters]

I've had no end of dramas with Lowrance, got a couple of Garmins since then and haven't looked back.

What sort of issues and what models?

Hook 5 and the older Elite 5.

The customer service compounded factors, and a 12 month warranty for a $500 sounder is **** poor imo. I regret not just getting consumer affairs involved.

[Sebb]

Been thinking to upgrade my sounder too.
What's the diff between garmin striker and garmin echomap?
Googled a bit, can't really distinguish much between the two.

[IFISHALOT]

I have the Lowrance Hook 2 7" Triple Shot with Gold Card in my Yak and prefer it to my Old Sounder which was the Lowrance Elite 5.
Häving the Down Scan and Side Scan has been great out on the Snapper as well as finding Bream out on the flats and looking under pontoons for Bream.
The Gold Card gives me full GPS capabilities across all of Australia and is very detailed.

[cobby]

Been thinking to upgrade my sounder too.
What's the diff between garmin striker and garmin echomap?
Googled a bit, can't really distinguish much between the two.

Striker series is no map, it's merely a plotter to mark your location coordinates and create waypoints (although the quickdraw feature allows you to create your own very detailed maps using the sounders sonar. Useful in areas you regularly fish but is limited in size of area you can map out and save to the unit). Echomap series comes with fairly basic but serviceable inbuilt maps, capability to add a more detailed map card including the top notch ones with 3d capability and the quickdraw feature should you want more detail. Sonar wise, there's no difference between a Striker 7sv and an Echomap plus 7sv, same screen (no touchscreen on the striker though), transducer and all. The newer echomap UHD models are different from the Striker series though and not all models can use their panoptix live sonar.

[Sebb]

Striker series is no map, it's merely a plotter to mark your location coordinates and create waypoints (although the quickdraw feature allows you to create your own very detailed maps using the sounders sonar. Useful in areas you regularly fish but is limited in size of area you can map out and save to the unit). Echomap series comes with fairly basic but serviceable inbuilt maps, capability to add a more detailed map card including the top notch ones with 3d capability and the quickdraw feature should you want more detail. Sonar wise, there's no difference between a Striker 7sv and an Echomap plus 7sv, same screen (no touchscreen on the striker though), transducer and all. The newer echomap UHD models are different from the Striker series though and not all models can use their panoptix live sonar.

So echomap has built it map and striker we draw our own map. Got it!
Thanks cobby.