HB users: Desire StructureMap? Desire soft keys?

  • SpokaneJim
    Spokane, WA
    Posts: 47
    February 15, 2012 at 4:18 pm #1295293

    I’m a longtime Lowrance user… well over a decade with my X-85’s. However, I’m not overly partial to either Lowrance or HB. But, time has come to make my decision on new electronics. There are two features on the new Lowrance Gen2’s that may keep me from purchasing HB with SI. These are Lowrance’s StructureMap, and the HDS10 & HDS8 soft keys. So, for the HB power users, here are a few questions for you & an opportunity to convince me to switch to HB.

    1) What do you think of Lowrance’s StructureMap? Do you find yourself really wishing HB had it, or see it as a good add-on, but current SI is equal in easily providing answers to your on the water needs? (In other words, after a learning curve in using SI, StructureMap wouldn’t really be additionally useful.?.?)

    2) Soft Keys… Lowrance has them on their 8″ & 10″ models. Seems like they would be a great feature… one step access to most of your needs for every screen you may have up at a given time versus having to “drill down” thrugh a standard “top-down” menu system via a single menu button. Again, HB power users, is this a feature you find yourself strongly desiring at all? Or (once again after the initial familiarization period) do you find the existing HB menu system functionally as quick?

    Now, open discussion…
    3) What features do you think are better on the Lowrance… what features do you think are better on the HB? After you purchased your HB & used it for a while have there been any situations where you realized that one or the other functioned better than the other. (For examples, LakeMaster maps with water level offsets may be an obvious one in favor of HB. But what about some more possibly more subtle differences one may not discover until time on the water? Things due to the subtle differences in frequencies used, number of crystals per transducer, etc., have there been any “wish I had known that moments” (on either HB or HDS)?

    Thanks for everyone’s input!

    Wade Boardman
    Grand Rapids, MN
    Posts: 4453
    February 15, 2012 at 5:09 pm #1039257

    Quote:

    I’m a longtime Lowrance user… well over a decade with my X-85’s. However, I’m not overly partial to either Lowrance or HB. But, time has come to make my decision on new electronics. There are two features on the new Lowrance Gen2’s that may keep me from purchasing HB with SI. These are Lowrance’s StructureMap, and the HDS10 & HDS8 soft keys. So, for the HB power users, here are a few questions for you & an opportunity to convince me to switch to HB.

    1) What do you think of Lowrance’s StructureMap? Do you find yourself really wishing HB had it, or see it as a good add-on, but current SI is equal in easily providing answers to your on the water needs? (In other words, after a learning curve in using SI, StructureMap wouldn’t really be additionally useful.?.?)

    2) Soft Keys… Lowrance has them on their 8″ & 10″ models. Seems like they would be a great feature… one step access to most of your needs for every screen you may have up at a given time versus having to “drill down” thrugh a standard “top-down” menu system via a single menu button. Again, HB power users, is this a feature you find yourself strongly desiring at all? Or (once again after the initial familiarization period) do you find the existing HB menu system functionally as quick?

    Now, open discussion…

    3) What features do you think are better on the Lowrance… what features do you think are better on the HB? After you purchased your HB & used it for a while have there been any situations where you realized that one or the other functioned better than the other. (For examples, LakeMaster maps with water level offsets may be an obvious one in favor of HB. But what about some more possibly more subtle differences one may not discover until time on the water? Things due to the subtle differences in frequencies used, number of crystals per transducer, etc., have there been any “wish I had known that moments” (on either HB or HDS)?

    Thanks for everyone’s input!

    Jim, as someone who has been using HB for 3 years now take my comments with a grain of salt.

    While I haven’t used the LOW StructureMap I have fished with it and I have never said “WOW, I wish I had that.”

    I’ve played with the LOW enough to know that the soft keys are nice but again. I’ve never felt my HB was lacking without them. Of course I use MAC and PC computers so I’m used to doing the same thing 2 different ways with 2 different operating systems.

    The big thing that I think will separate HB from LOW is their customer service and loyalty to their customers. I had an older 997 and was blown away when HB offered down imaging as a free software update. It’s a genius move like that that will keep HB on top.

    Plus with Johnson Outdoors owning LakeMaster, Humminbird and Minn Kota (not to mention Cannon). There are a ton of rumors of features like being able to preprogram your trolling motor routes before you are even on the water. Also a feature where you’ll able to tell your I-Pilot you want to fish the 18′ break and it will access the LakeMaster contour map on an integrated HB unit and off you go.

    Now these are just rumor now but I really don’t see how they won’t become reality.

    As far as LOW being better. I think they have better 2D sonar.

    SpokaneJim
    Spokane, WA
    Posts: 47
    February 15, 2012 at 6:47 pm #1039306

    Quote:

    While I haven’t used the LOW structure scan I have fished with it and I have never said “WOW, I wish I had that.”

    Wade… I’m assuming you meant StructureMap in this sentence. Thanks for your detailed response. As I think about it more, I agree with you… there may be times that I find myself thinking “what is that” on my side imaging & may resort to StructureMap to sort it all out, but either those times will be far & few between, or in the near long run, HB will probably have it’s version. This along with the LakeMaster availability (even though I live in MN, I have family thru-out LakeMaster territory), customer service increases my lean towards HB. I predict I’d feel the same as you regarding the soft keys as well.

    dandorn
    M.I.N.N.E.S.O.T.A.
    Posts: 3207
    February 15, 2012 at 7:38 pm #1039328

    You can’t utilize StructureMap without StructureScan.

    So StructureScan is/was correct.

    Also consider Lowrance’s new 5 year “Advantage Service”.

    More info on Advantage Service

    mojogunter
    Posts: 3301
    February 15, 2012 at 8:56 pm #1039351

    If your unit fails within 5 years you have an option to upgrade to a new unit. That sounds good on paper, but at what cost? It would be nice if they mentioned what it would cost to upgrade. Own a HDS10 and it dies after a couple of years and you could get a new one for $1500 wouldn’t be that great of a deal to me.

    Quote:

    You can’t utilize StructureMap without StructureScan.

    So StructureScan is/was correct.

    Also consider Lowrance’s new 5 year “Advantage Service”.

    More info on Advantage Service

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