Im in the market for a new depth finder and want some input on what everyone thinks. Im looking at a garmin echomap 73sv a humminbird 899si. the garmin has quickdraw and pre loaded maps, the 899 has 2 sd card slots and is a little cheaper. Anything else I should be aware of? My price cap is a grand and I want side imaging so lowrance I believe is not an option.
I bought a 999 si and a 859 di and i like them both. DK.
I would go with the Helix 9si.
I had a helix 5 si last year and it was the biggest piece of crap I have ever owned. I wont waste over a grand just to see if the 9 is any better. Plus it wont make instant maps and dont have chirp. And I dont need or want a unit that is as big as a bathroom tv.
You should be able to get a 999si for under a grand.
I just switched to garmin from humminbird and so far it is great. I am fishing all next week so I can let you know of all is still good when I get back
Cool I look forward to the review. What unit do you have mojo?
I had a helix 5 si last year and it was the biggest piece of crap I have ever owned.
What didn’t you like about it? I’m trying to make the Garmin/Humminbird/Lowrance decision too. I’m currently leaning towards the Garmin 73sv you mentioned. For Lowrance there is the Elite-7 Ti that is $800 with side imaging but you need to add a map chip I believe.
GPSMAP 7608XSV
Cool I look forward to the review. What unit do you have mojo?
The helix had nice imaging but that’s it! The gps tracking would show that I turned left and went a quarter mile on shore and it ended there and picked back up again a half mile down stream. The depth reading would show I was in 15 to 20 foot of water when the down imaging showed I was in 1.5 foot of water and the down imaging was the correct one. As far as lowrance I thought you needed to buy the structure scan black box to get any side imaging on any of their units? I could be wrong but there is so little information on there website its like they dont want you to buy anything from them. I am leaning towards the garmin at this point. The 73sv chirp just has so much more to offer. Only down side I see is not being able to use a navionics card but I have that on my phone so who cares I guess.
Catnip, for the 73sv look around for a 2015 model as they being marked down g
eatly. Last I saw cabelas had one marked down to $549. They may be hard to find. The only difference is the transducer.
Just checked online cabelas still says they have them in stock for that price
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/sonars-sonar-gps-combos/_/N-1118469/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104588280
Thats a good price. The question is, is chirp worth the extra $300 ?
That price is with chirp technoligy. Garmin was forced to change the transducer for 2016 because of a pattenant infringement lawsuite last year. Stores are unloading these units as fast as possible or they eat them after. As per the law suite there is a window to unload them after the window closes charges may filed against the store for selling them.
I believe That price is with the downvu chirp technoligy transducer. Garmin was forced to change the transducer for 2016 because of a pattenant infringement lawsuite last year. Stores are unloading these units as fast as possible or they eat them after. As per the law suite there is a window to unload them after the window closes charges may filed against the store for selling them.
I believe That price is with the downvu chirp technoligy transducer. Garmin was forced to change the transducer for 2016 because of a pattenant infringement lawsuite last year. Stores are unloading these units as fast as possible or they eat them after. As per the law suite there is a window to unload them after the window closes charges may filed against the store for selling them.
Any idea when this is? Not quite in the position to buy yet
That price is with chirp technoligy. Garmin was forced to change the transducer for 2016 because of a pattenant infringement lawsuite last year. Stores are unloading these units as fast as possible or they eat them after. As per the law suite there is a window to unload them after the window closes charges may filed against the store for selling them.
Are you sure about this? I’ve been following the Striker 7 sv because it has CHIRP, but if the 73 sv model on sale has CHIRP I would much prefer that since it also has Lakevu HD.
In the Q and A section on Cabela’s site is this answer: The 73sv Combo with LakeVü HD does not come with the GT52-TM transducer. The 73sv comes with a GT40 transducer, it will do CHIRP DownVü and SideVü, but not traditional. However, the echoMAP CHIRP 73sv part number: 010-01575-01 comes with the GT52-TM transducer. The GT52-TM will do CHIRP DownVü, SideVü and CHIRP traditional.
Witch one will tell me the fishes name and what it is hungry for? The 73sv on cabellas site for under $600 says nothing about chirp. On garmin website sauna nothing about chirp unless you select the new model with chirp. I will email garmin and find out. The question still remains is chirp worth the extra $300 if last year’s dosent have it???? Iv never used anything with chirp so I do t know what the difference is.
The one on sale at Cabelas is the 2015 non chirp unit and it doesn’t have the map making capabilities that the new 2016 Echomap 73 SV Chirp has.
The one on sale at Cabelas is the 2015 non chirp unit and it doesn’t have the map making capabilities that the new 2016 Echomap 73 SV Chirp has.
The non current echomaps are capable of instant map making. You just update the software to V3.20 for free. I just picked up a 2015 73dv for the bow to compliment the 93sv on the transom. Both units are now updated to V3.20 software & the quickdraw mapping feature works just fine. The units are also linked to share waypoints & trails. BTW…basspro has the 2015 73dv’s for $425 & there is a $100 rebate on the Lake Vu Ultra map chip which has some nice features. The mapping that is included with the unit is pretty good to start with. The 2016 mapping (with the 2015 units would have to update the maps to the 2016 release) also gives you a color depth shading feature option. With the Garmin you get 1 free mapping update within a year of purchase. I bought the 73dv 10 days before they announced the rebate….oh well. These are good units & should be seriously looked at.
Nice, I didn’t know about the update.
That’s a very nice price at BPS for the 2015 DV unit.
I would be gun shy about Garmin. Unless my research on SD chips for their units are wrong they are very disappointing, unless you are fishing large lakes or coastal waters.
I’m using a Helix 7 SI, one recommendation for it. For new fish finders, I think Lowrance Hook 7 would make it my first choice.
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