Humminbird vs Lowrance

[LEIGH MIDDLETON]

I have heard just go with Humminbird because of the customer service. Question is.....What is your best opinion of electronice in the 500 dollar range??? I can`t see spending a grand on electronics for a small club angler. What would you suggest for the 500 range? I`m talking myself into the 500 series from Humminbird but IDK.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

sounds like ur on the right track.

 

[Marty Klein]

I have never owned a Lowrance product, so I would be negligent in making a comparison. However, I have had Birds from day 1 [11 years relationship] and I have never been disppointed with their products. Currently using a 500 series finders ... one B&W and one color w/GPS. Bird Greg has been on this site longer than me and has always been available to answer questions. Decision would be clear to me -- pick the Bird. I have been on boats with Lowrance and they seem comparable; almost as good as the Bird ... .

 

[Justin Lavely2]

Just bought a Lowrance HDS 5 and I feel like I've been fishing blind up to this point. I have never had Humminbirds so I can't speak to them.

 

[greg plunkett]

I also just bought a HDS 5 and i agree Justin . i like night and day . I love it. Never owned a hummingbird but which ever unit you go with, get an HD color unit. you will thank yourself later

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

you guys that bought the Lowrance.... did you have to by the "structure scan" unit separate?

 

[Tim Greifer]

I own 2 Lowrance HDS units and teamed them up with Structure Scan. Its the best investment that I have made in equiptment other than my I-Pilot trolling motor. You get to see things you had NO IDEA were there on lakes that you "know like the back of your hand" and we all know the big boys hide in the deeper ofshore structure!! . Cant go wrong with either, as they are fairly comparabile, but Lowrance has never let ME down.

 

[Justin Lavely2]

Jskid,

You can buy them with or without structure scan. The reason I went with Lowrance HDS was so I could upgrade slowly, rather than have to shell out the big bugs for structure scan or down scan right off the bat. I wanted to see how much of a difference the HDS made first. There are other add ons like sonic hub and sirius radio too. I've had it on the console for a couple of weeks and now I'm looking for deals on an HDS 7. They are that good.

 

[Jeffry Skidmore]

Justin

so you're saying that you didn't buy the structure scan?? I was told that you had to have it for the side imaging. The sirius radio I doubt I'd ever get; the sonic hub allows you to network two or more units??



Glenn, chime in here!

 

[tightline 700lx]

Had a few cheap birds over the years and they all crapped out in a year or two.



Had a few cheap lowrances and they all worked flawlessly.



Bought an expensive Lowrance and it craped out on me in a year and a half.



So that said, you are gonna get good ones and bad ones in both brands. Buy the one you want regaurdless of the brand...



Thats what I'm gonna be doin.

 

[Mini]

Sonic Hub is a music system with FM raxio, iPod dock, amplifier and speakers.



You can connect units in a Lowrance system by NEMA2000 backbone or ethernet.

 

[Tim Greifer]

You are correct, you have to purchase the Structure Scan (LSS1) unit separatley for the side imaging and down imaging. It is well worth it, if you can afford the luxury. I look at it as an investment as well. I have mine ran and mounted so that when I upgrade boats, I can simply take the unit off and put it onto the new rig. Like I said before, you cant go wrong with either Lowrance or Hummingbird, but Ive never been done wrong and LOVE the features of the Lowrance.

 

[Don Moorman]

The HDS 5 is nice. I put them front and in dash. My Last finders were Lms 520c it was fine and a X65.

My very 1st finder was a humminbird. I guess back then Lowrance had the market. Humminbird was pretty new back then. Lowrance had the name and rep. I think these two will always have a "VS" between them though LOL!

 

[fatrap]

Owned and fished with both. Kind of like compairing Chevys and Fords to me....both are great just which one fits your needs. I always keep an open mind to those who own another brand. Nothing more fruitless than a product snobb. For the record I'm running (flawlessly) two color Lowrance units, one with GPS on my current rig. I came pre rigged with Lowrance is my only reason for the choice.



fatrap

 

[fatrap]

.

 

[Jeff Daubert]

I have owned both and think they are both fine. I did have a fisherman more knowledgable than me say that the Lowrance GPS was better than the HB though. Can't say that I really notice a difference, but then again maybe that's why I seem to get outfished most of the time!!!

 

[Humminbird Greg]

Nice to see a civil exchange of information here instead of the heated debates as on other web sites (saying they have

 

[Jim in VA]

Had both Lowrance and HB - more lower to mid-range of both. I'm a huge fan of HB because of their customer support and the reliability of the products I've had from them. Got no love from Lowrance when the unit that came on my G3 crapped out. To be fair, the unit was several years old and out of warranty, so this is not a slam. They didn't have to do anything (and they didn't!). I have just had better reliability out of the HB units and found HB customer service willing to above and beyond to help out (e.g., replace a missing part on a mount by sending a whole new mount) regardless of warranty or not.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Greg's participation here speaks volumes to HB's attention to customer service.



TOXIC