Joel and/or anybody else 
Wanted to pick your brain about upgrading from my LX-3.
What are pro’s and con’s of the LX-5 vs. the LX-7?
I know it’s comparing a flasher to digital, but figured you and your team have used both in many different situations and would have a good idea.
Look forward to your response.
G.Dahl
Get the LX-6 
Joel and/or anybody else
Wanted to pick your brain about upgrading from my LX-3.
What are pro’s and con’s of the LX-5 vs. the LX-7?
I know it’s comparing a flasher to digital, but figured you and your team have used both in many different situations and would have a good idea.
Look forward to your response.
G.Dahl
Greg! Thanks for the note.
Over the past few years of filming for the show, and running around on my own, I’ve alternated between both the LX-7 and LX-5 that I own.
From my testing, I think alot of it simply comes down to personal preference, as if you’re big on the showdown (vertical) display and zoom, and like the chart display (history scroll) feature, similar to open water graph displays, the LX-7 is the only way to go. That level of customization is really what you’re paying for, along with the ability to change with the times as more updates become available.
Outside of plain personal preference, the dimensions of the unit are where I think the LX-7 really shines if you fish out of a hardside or portable shack the majority of the time. You’ve got the larger screen, and don’t really pay the consequences of bulk/size. If you’re hole-hopping the majority of the time, I’d pair one of those lithium ion batteries with an LX-5i (that’s what I’m running this year) and don’t look back. It’s a smaller system that, especially with the battery weight savings, becomes simply more nimble and easier to carry when I’m spread out across the ice with four rods in my hands, a tacklebox pinned between my cheek and shoulder, and bait puck in my teeth.
Be honest with yourself and the style that you like to fish most, then choose what fits you best. If I exclusively fished in a hard-sided house, I’d choose the luxury of the LX-7, it’s expanded screen size, and tons of features any-day. That’s not to say you can’t hole-hop with an LX-7 or LX-9, Holst does it all year every year. I just prefer the smaller setup, and have grown to know and love the display on my LX-5 year after year.
Joel
What Joel ? 
No love for the LX6 ? I just downgraded from the LX9 to the LX6… although I fish out of a shack mostly, I like the smaller size 
What Joel ?
No love for the LX6 ? I just downgraded from the LX9 to the LX6… although I fish out of a shack mostly, I like the smaller size
I’m too set in my ways with that circular dial, and on the digital units, the circular dial on the LX-6 is a bit small for my taste. That said, it’s like a full-color HD showdown when using the vertical displays, and is just as small as the LX-5 with all the other benefits of the LX-7 (for $100 cheaper). To each their own, and that’s the beauty of all the choices we have these days!
Joel
Thanks Joel!!
Given it’s too easy to fish out of Todd’s ice castle a majority of the time, I think I may splurge on the LX-7. Plus, even on my BWCA ice fishing trip where we do hole hop…..instead of drilling 20+ holes with gas auger…it’s really only 2 holes by hand auger…which I can handle carrying it that far…ha!!!
I’d go with the LX-5, mainly because it’s a much safer option.
Have you actually stopped to think about the so called ‘updates’ Marcum sends out to their digital flashers? “Plug in your flasher to an internet connected device so we can send you ‘firmware updates'”. We aren’t trying to plant tracking code and subliminal messages in your flashers or anything. Right.
Do you think it’s a coincidence that the LX-7s came out in 2011, right when Obama was starting his push for re-election? It’s long been known that the outdoorsmen demographic didn’t think highly of our fascist leader, but it’s not as well known that Obama partnered with many companies(Marcum being one of them) during his campaign. One plan put in motion was to track and monitor ice fishermen, done primarily through digital flashers and other electronic devices.
The LX-7 provides a unique opportunity to send out subliminal messages through their different graphing features. The new ‘6 color’ flasher schema seems like a better way to determine the size of fish underneath you, but in reality it’s just much easier to send out coded messages with 6 colors than three. It’s like trying to write a book using only three of the six vowels, pretty tricky.
Some people are hypothesizing that Obama is tracking fish catches throughout the ice belt, the popular theory is that a government induced food/crop shortage is on the way in the next year or so. Obama will be able to claim a state of emergency and lock down the presidency for decades. Knowing where and when fish are caught is useful data, he doesn’t like the idea of self sustainability in his future dystopian state. He’ll have lakes and rivers shut down, only accessible by government agents, and guess what, they won’t have to work hard to catch fish, they already have all your favorite spots marked in their data ‘lakes’.
Hunters aren’t exempt from this either. Like everyone feared originally, Obama is taking away everyone’s guns. You’ll have no more guns anymore, he’s taking them and keeping them for himself. But what about those fancy new trail cameras with wireless capability? Well, he’s writing individual thank you notes to everyone who has set one up, you are providing the government yet another way to track what will be one of the only available resources left in this country. He will send out those thank you notes with our new currency, Obamacare bucks.
Everyone will be given the exact same amount of Obamacare bucks(OCBs) at the start of 2017(when he is ‘re-elected’). Any previous US currency will be deemed worthless(hope you weren’t counting on that 401k!!!), with an equal amount of OCBs, everyone will be on a level playing field, except for the group of illuminati that helped usher in this new age. That group includes the ultra-wealthy as well as those instrumental in pushing mind control and tracking products to the mainstream. It’s safe to say you won’t hear dad yelling, “Who want’s some OCB in a few years, those days are long gone”.
Open your eyes, everyone is so caught up in their own underpants they don’t realize what’s happening. Fox News has been right all along, Obama IS a communist, and a muslim. This is compounded by his socialist, nazi background. His birthplace is still a ‘mystery’ to some, but most people who haven’t been living in La La land know that he’s the one living offspring of Jim Jones. This is basically a Minnesotan’s worst nightmare, his Native American heritage can only mean one thing, the Mille Lacs Lake walleye shortage will only get worse, by design. It will start off looking like a win for the anglers, “Mille Lacs netting quota reduced by 30%!” But read the fine print, all other lakes will have a MINIMUM netting quota.
Let me know if you want anymore info, I’d be happy to elaborate. But in short, I’d go with the LX-5 and save yourself a few hundred bucks(not that it’s going to matter in a couple years).
I’d go with the LX-5, mainly because it’s a much safer option.
Have you actually stopped to think about the so called ‘updates’ Marcum sends out to their digital flashers? “Plug in your flasher to an internet connected device so we can send you ‘firmware updates’”. We aren’t trying to plant tracking code and subliminal messages in your flashers or anything. Right.
Do you think it’s a coincidence that the LX-7s came out in 2011, right when Obama was starting his push for re-election? It’s long been known that the outdoorsmen demographic didn’t think highly of our fascist leader, but it’s not as well known that Obama partnered with many companies(Marcum being one of them) during his campaign. One plan put in motion was to track and monitor ice fishermen, done primarily through digital flashers and other electronic devices.
The LX-7 provides a unique opportunity to send out subliminal messages through their different graphing features. The new ‘6 color’ flasher schema seems like a better way to determine the size of fish underneath you, but in reality it’s just much easier to send out coded messages with 6 colors than three. It’s like trying to write a book using only three of the six vowels, pretty tricky.
Some people are hypothesizing that Obama is tracking fish catches throughout the ice belt, the popular theory is that a government induced food/crop shortage is on the way in the next year or so. Obama will be able to claim a state of emergency and lock down the presidency for decades. Knowing where and when fish are caught is useful data, he doesn’t like the idea of self sustainability in his future dystopian state. He’ll have lakes and rivers shut down, only accessible by government agents, and guess what, they won’t have to work hard to catch fish, they already have all your favorite spots marked in their data ‘lakes’.
Hunters aren’t exempt from this either. Like everyone feared originally, Obama is taking away everyone’s guns. You’ll have no more guns anymore, he’s taking them and keeping them for himself. But what about those fancy new trail cameras with wireless capability? Well, he’s writing individual thank you notes to everyone who has set one up, you are providing the government yet another way to track what will be one of the only available resources left in this country. He will send out those thank you notes with our new currency, Obamacare bucks.
Everyone will be given the exact same amount of Obamacare bucks(OCBs) at the start of 2017(when he is ‘re-elected’). Any previous US currency will be deemed worthless(hope you weren’t counting on that 401k!!!), with an equal amount of OCBs, everyone will be on a level playing field, except for the group of illuminati that helped usher in this new age. That group includes the ultra-wealthy as well as those instrumental in pushing mind control and tracking products to the mainstream. It’s safe to say you won’t hear dad yelling, “Who want’s some OCB in a few years, those days are long gone”.
Open your eyes, everyone is so caught up in their own underpants they don’t realize what’s happening. Fox News has been right all along, Obama IS a communist, and a muslim. This is compounded by his socialist, nazi background. His birthplace is still a ‘mystery’ to some, but most people who haven’t been living in La La land know that he’s the one living offspring of Jim Jones. This is basically a Minnesotan’s worst nightmare, his Native American heritage can only mean one thing, the Mille Lacs Lake walleye shortage will only get worse, by design. It will start off looking like a win for the anglers, “Mille Lacs netting quota reduced by 30%!” But read the fine print, all other lakes will have a MINIMUM netting quota.
Let me know if you want anymore info, I’d be happy to elaborate. But in short, I’d go with the LX-5 and save yourself a few hundred bucks(not that it’s going to matter in a couple years).
Fishing……IT’S A FREAKIN CONSPRIACY MAN !!!!! NOW THE FEDS KNOW ALL YOUR HOT SPOTS !!!!!
Seriously SMH
Ditto to everything that Joel said and here’s my 2 cents…
I’ve had a 5 for over 10 years now (actually the same unit with no issues) and picked up a 7 four years ago when it first came out. If you are someone who likes to keep it simple go with the 5… About all you’ll ever need to do is adjust the gain. My dad prefers the it over my 7 because he doesn’t want to worry about changing the display, adjusting the background brightness/color, updating SW, etc. (Although he does love the screen size on my 7 if I adjust and set it up to look exactly like a traditional flasher 
) However, if you like fine tuning your presentation to get every possible advantage you can the 7 is the perfect unit because it allows you to adjust to exactly the depth/presentation that you are using at any specific time. To be perfectly honest you can’t go wrong with either unit.
One other nice plus to the 7 is it also works great if you want a portable unit to run during the soft water months. I take it along when I do some exploring on smaller lakes with a canoe and it works perfectly.
Will
Logan, I haven’t seen a comment from you in some time and I must admit, this one was worth the wait! I especially like the old country buffet reference.
I don’t have much to add, as Will and Joel covered it from top to bottom. The best advice I can give is to go somewhere that has them on display, whether it be an expo, or retailer. Spend some time looking at both of them; who knows, you may find the LX6 to be the perfect balance between the two. Now that I have the 5i I am ready to upgrade my 6 to a 7. Pick what you feel will be best for you right now; if that changes down the road, upgrade again! No matter which way you go, you will get more than your money is worth. (even in the OCB future)
Great points by all and have decided I am going to give the LX-7 a try, especially with Cyber Monday deal, save a few bucks to boot. Can always go back to the LX-5i or up if needed.
Like lambs to the slaughter….
I just purchased the LX-5i tonight. I had an FL8 for the last 10-12 years and wanted to get an upgrade. I’m more comfortable with a flasher so I went that route. I looked at the Vex FL-18, Hummingbird ice 55 and the LX-5i. I have friends who have FL-18s. They are all good units and I went with the LX-5 because I liked the movable zoom and I liked the transducer set up.
Can’t wait to get it out on the ice.
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No love for the LX6 ? I just downgraded from the LX9 to the LX6… although I fish out of a shack mostly, I like the smaller size 
