How many of you keep a spare flasher?

So, here’s the situation — this spring I purchased a FLX-28 at a great end of year blow pricing deal. Debating on if I should keep my FL-18 as a spare/backup. I’ve only had it a couple years and last year I upgraded it to an ultra pack, added the DD-100, and even wired in a dual port USB with voltage display so I could keep my phone and GPS charged on the ice. Worked awesome, but I just couldn’t pass up the fancy 28 at the price I got it for. And as my wife always reminds me, I’m one of those gear-heads that love to always be upgrading.

Having a hard time parting with it as it was my first flasher, but, don’t see it being used now that I have the 28. Seems silly to leave it sitting on the shelf in the basement for the “just in case” chance my 28 craps out or what not. My son is only 2 so it’s going to be a while before he needs his own.

So, what would you guys do? How many of you keep a spare flasher on hand?

FLX-28 (main, always with me)
Helix 5 Ice (maps/backup, always with me)
Ice-55 (backup/spare I keep at home)

I’m stubborn and don’t like to sell things…I upgraded the Ice-55 to a FLX-28 2 years ago and I’m stuck on whether I should sell it or not. I bought it for $200 almost 10 years ago, so it makes me feel better about hanging onto it even if it only gets used by friends once or twice a year. Once it’s time to upgrade the FLX-28 a few years down the road, I may sell or give the 55 away to someone just getting into the sport.

I do, it has came in handy for myself and others.

As for your son, mine was 3 when he wanted to just “have one too” in the wheel house.

I always keep a backup and it gets used quite often between bringing out friends/family.

I have a Humminbird ice-45 that’s around 10 years old as well that I keep as my back up. I upgraded to a LX7 last year and my 45 gets used more often than I would have thought. I figured for the $150 I could get it for it was well worth keeping

I always have a backup around, and I take it with most trips. I have had days were I need a third unit because I will take a few guys and they don’t have anything themselves so than I just get to walk around with the camera and cut holes.

Keep it, I have 4 or 5 flashers now and if I take the parents and brother and his family out, we have all we need.

Will Roseberg wrote:

I always keep a backup and it gets used quite often between bringing out friends/family.

Same here, I like to be plus one in my inventory.

Keep a spare.

I have:

FLX-28 (main)
Lowrance HDS-7 (gps/sonar)
Fl-20 (backup/family/friends)

Flx 28 and a fl20 for backup every trip

You guys were supposed to make this simple for me and tell me to sell it and put some $ back in my pocket!

Hmmm, dilemmas….Daycare isn’t cheap, ya know!

Well since they are Vexilar’s you won’t need a backup in case one breaks down… So really just need to decide if you want to be a benevolent outfitter of friends and family.

Jamin wrote:

You guys were supposed to make this simple for me and tell me to sell it and put some $ back in my pocket!

Hmmm, dilemmas….Daycare isn’t cheap, ya know!

We did make it easy for you, keep it? I mean who doesn’t have at least 2 flashers? Sometimes I like to sit in a dark fish house with both of them running while listening to Pink Floyd…”The Wall.”

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Jamin wrote:

Daycare isn’t cheap, ya know!

Amen

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

Sometimes I like to sit in a dark fish house with both of them running while listening to Pink Floyd…”The Wall.”

If you play it backwards, they sync up and it. will. BLOW. YOUR. MIINNNDDDD!!!!!

I think it’s especially good to have a Humminbird as a backup for those times when interference gets in the way. And like others have said, if you have people who want to go out with you but don’t have one, they are going to have a miserable time without a flasher.

I would sell it as soon as possible to me for $50.00. I only have 3 spare locators.????

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:</div>
Sometimes I like to sit in a dark fish house with both of them running while listening to Pink Floyd…”The Wall.”

If you play it backwards, they sync up and it. will. BLOW. YOUR. MIINNNDDDD!!!!!

I do not sit on the “Dark Side of The Moon”
…ice house flashers…there is no interference
…when I have become “Comfortably Numb”…….

LX5 as a backup, works great when grandkids come along.

As others have said – do not sell! You haven’t sold it and you are already questioning the idea. If it is trustworthy and you can afford not to sell, keep it.

Fl 8 ,fl 18 ,lx6. Lx3 TV. Oh and a fl12 on the jon

Keep it. I have a FL20 for me and a Fl 18 for my wife my mom is looking at getting one for herself and I wish I did not sell my last one. If you have a child which I think you alluded to for sure keep it I took my niece out guess what where is hers to look at and why does uncle always get the fish did not take her long to figure out a bobber is not the way to do it. she is 8 Just my 2 cents. It’s worth it even if it’s only a few times going out with someone. I would much rather chisel a hole with a tire iron than not have my depth finder with.

Never expected such a silly question to garner so many passionate (and hilarious) responses. I often fish alone or with people that already have a flasher. My son is 2…it’s going to be a while before he knows how to read/use one. My wife doesn’t fish (blessing and a curse).

I guess maybe it’s worth holding onto this season to see how often it gets brushed off for others to use (like BigWerm eluded to). Unless something crazy happens in the flasher industry this winter, I’d imagine it will still have the same value next year.

This thread reminds me of guitar amps lol. “I already have 3 but man this one is sweet!”. You should see the amount of amps and effects pedals some guys have trying to nail down their tone. Most of those, if not sold, end up on a display shelf.

I’d keep it and use it as a functional decoration around your house. Put it on a shelf in the off season then use it in the winter.

Ryan Wilson wrote:

…I’d keep it and use it as a functional decoration around your house. Put it on a shelf in the off season then use it in the winter.

You’re not married, are you??

My wife would… and then my remains if I even considered trying that.

Jamin wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ryan Wilson wrote:</div>
…I’d keep it and use it as a functional decoration around your house. Put it on a shelf in the off season then use it in the winter.

You’re not married, are you??

My wife would… and then my remains if I even considered trying that.

Lol

Going on a decade now along with a 6 year old boy (this will be his first ice season, I’m really excited about that) and 4 year old girl. My wife has absolutely zero hobbies so she lets me enjoy mine. I’m extremely lucky in that sense because fishing and music are my medicines. I also don’t complain when she comes home with $300 in Victoria Secret and $70 scrubs lol.

My wife doesn’t care what’s on our walls.

Jamin wrote:

You guys were supposed to make this simple for me and tell me to sell it and put some $ back in my pocket!

Hmmm, dilemmas….Daycare isn’t cheap, ya know!

Sell it and pay for a week of daycare, or have a quality backup flasher to use for the kid(s) someday to create lifetime memories on the ice!

Jamin wrote:

Hmmm, dilemmas….Daycare isn’t cheap, ya know!

Think of it this way. If you sell it, you only get ONE WEEK of daycare nowadays…if that…Keep it!

Edit: Maybe I should read the post above me…

Tell the old lady to sell one her 78 pairs of shoes or designer purses to help with daycare. Just a thought.

I have a second one now, in case my son ever wants to come along. But he’s not into fishing…yet. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, there have been times when buddies’ units have crapped out, and we wished we had a spare along. Now I’ve got one. One of these times, I’m sure mine will crap out. I did drop one off a four wheeler last year. Fortunately it landed in a snow drift, so it wasn’t hurt. Four feet away, and it would have been bare ice, and I would have needed that spare.