Vexilar vs Marcum

[Dano02]

I've been looking at a vexilar flx28 and marcum lx7. I know the marcum can be upgraded but I'm used to the vexilar since I've had an fl8. Any pros and cons about both?

[hamms-scooter]

I would do a search on here or google. This subject is fun and all but it is not a right and wrong thing. It's opinion. Go check them out at the store and like I said google it. For the money u are looking to spend I would also look at the Lowrance products as well. Awesome ice units and very adjustable. I run a hds5 and a marcum lx7 and I love them both. The gps on the lowrance is awesome as all the spots I marked late fall are ready for me first ice!

Edited November 18, 2015 by hamms-scooter

[th64]

 If you fish in a shack with someone you may want to get the opposite brand (we all tend to copy the people we fish with) with the opposite brand you will have fewer problems with interference. I fish outside most of the time and I have heard that one has a brighter screen so I will be switching to that brand.

Good luck

[Paradice]

I've been looking at a vexilar flx28 and marcum lx7. I know the marcum can be upgraded but I'm used to the vexilar since I've had an fl8. Any pros and cons about both?

My first flasher was a used FL8.  It was a good unit.  I replaced it with a marcum VX1.  Had that about ten years I figure.  Love it and I don't have any issues with it.  It will cross signals with a vexilar.  My brother has a hummingbird and we never get interference. 

 

Take all that with a grain of salt.  I'm not up on the latest gizmos with flashers.  My tells me how deep it is, bottom locks, and shows me fish.  Not sure what else there is. 

[brian6715]

Once you use the big screen on an LX-7, anything else you look at looks small and out of date, I think other flashers perform about the same, but it sure is nice looking at that big screen! I use my LX-1 to hole hop though, the 7 doesn't work great for that.

[nxtgeneration]

 If you fish in a shack with someone you may want to get the opposite brand (we all tend to copy the people we fish with) with the opposite brand you will have fewer problems with interference. I fish outside most of the time and I have heard that one has a brighter screen so I will be switching to that brand.

Good luck

In my experience this is backwards.  I have always had much better luck with everyone running a vex.  Once someone shows up with a Marcum we can never get the interference to quit

[Garett Svir]

Dan- The Blaine Hardwater Expo is this weekend and it's a great place to get info on both units. Stop by the Vexilar booth on Sat or Sunday and I'd be glad to run through some of the features on the FLX-28. The Vexilar FLX-28 has 20 different interference rejection channels to choose from so I haven't had any problems with interference using this unit.

[NoWiser]

Don't get the opposite brand as a buddy.  Vex and Marcums don't play well together.  We can use 4 Vex's easy in one house, but if you throw in one Marcum you can pretty much call it quits.  If you fish with others often, I'd get the same brand that most of them have.

[leech~~]

Dan- The Blaine Hardwater Expo is this weekend and it's a great place to get info on both units. Stop by the Vexilar booth on Sat or Sunday.

WHAT? There is one more weekend of Deer hunting for us. Why would they do it now?? 

[Chaws]

If you have a bunch of vex in the house and a marcum shows up, the vex guys have problems however if you turn it around, where you have a house of marcum guys and a vex guy shows up, there's no problem for the marcum guys. Buy a Marcum and don't worry about it any more. Also don't worry about the humming noise notable to vex units. Find yourself a used LX5 and you'd be super happy.

[MuskieFever]

First off, you can see and catch fish with any unit on the market.

This is what I've taken from my experience and input from friends:

Vexilars are pretty dang durable. Me, friends, and family have had their units for 8-15 years plus and no issues. Very good battery life. No software glitches. Raw analog signal (you can see every movement of the fish down to it flaring its gills). 525 lines of resolution. Good transducers. Easy to hole hop with.

Marcum also has durable products. Haven't been around as long but good feed back. Battery life isn't as good on LCD screen units. Software glitches happen now and then. I know they had an issue with the lx-7 software, not sure if that issue is gone or not. A friend of mine couldn't see his lure in shallow water, not sure why. Also heard of units not working in very cold temps -20+, no idea why. Not sure on resolution lines, they don't advertise it. Not as hole hop friendly, handle location is awkward to some.

Not trying to bash or promote either company, just giving my experience and what I've heard.

Edited November 19, 2015 by MuskieFever

[hamms-scooter]

I fish with my Marcum next to a fl18 and lowrance hds 5 also fl22 no issues between them.

[Paradice]

The nice thing about the VX1 is that it fit on the old blue vexilar box I got back in the late 90s.  Hole hopping can be hard on gear when the slush gets crunchy and you gotta slam things around to get them to sit where they need to. 

[Jarrid Houston]

Lots of questions come up when people ask these sorts of questions..  What do you fish for? How often do you fish? and of course what is your budget? are just a few of the upfront conversations go go's.  I am a die hard Vexilar dude, not just because of the reputation, but because I believe in its products.  I fish pretty rugged, and the abuse my units take would challenge any other competitors.  Not sure about other products, but I can tell you that I know facts for Vex's. 

Less than 1/10 of 1% call backs on any machine of 2 years.  This in itself should tell you that they take there products very serious and want the consumer to trust in them that they are buying the best machine on the market.  Speaking of market, vexilar created it!  Okay, back to the conversation..

I always suggest people look into the FLX series, but would rather be honest and tell you if you are not looking for the cats meow, than you may want to consider a 18, 20, or 22?  Not sure what you chase most often? 

Another variable to take in to consideration is that you can could sell your bird and think of it as a great down payment for an upgrade.

Honestly there are numerous reasons I think the even novice ice angler should use vex, but they are easy to discuss in person.  I recommend you visit an upcoming ice show and seek out a pro-staff and begin conversation.  Good luck!

[ClownColor]

First off, you can see and catch fish with any unit on the market.

This is what I've taken from my experience and input from friends:

Vexilars are pretty dang durable. Me, friends, and family have had their units for 8-15 years plus and no issues. Very good battery life. No software glitches. Raw analog signal (you can see every movement of the fish down to it flaring its gills). 525 lines of resolution. Good transducers. Easy to hole hop with.

Marcum also has durable products. Haven't been around as long but good feed back. Battery life isn't as good on LCD screen units. Software glitches happen now and then. I know they had an issue with the lx-7 software, not sure if that issue is gone or not. A friend of mine couldn't see his lure in shallow water, not sure why. Also heard of units not working in very cold temps -20+, no idea why. Not sure on resolution lines, they don't advertise it. Not as hole hop friendly, handle location is awkward to some.

Not trying to bash or promote either company, just giving my experience and what I've heard.

This pretty much sums it up nicely.  

 

I went with a vex simply cause everyone I know had them and loved them...they also seemed very durable and lasted many many years. Since I've had great luck with mine and great CS, I'll buy another Vex.

With that said, If I was new to the market, I'd simply look for the best deal I could find from the top 3 makers...they all do the same and they've all proven themselves as good units and companies.

[SP180]

this question is beat to death. both are great (chevy vs ford). Pick the one that looks the best for you. not works the best since there really is no comparison to determin that question.

[ZacAttack0201]

Personally, I'd go Vexilar.  My main buddy I ice fish with uses a Marcum LX-7 and loves it so I was leaning that direction the last 2 years.  However, last year on Red I had the unfortunate situation where a case of bottle water decided to fall off a shelf and crush my FL-18.  The casing on it was smashed into pieces, but it still functioned.  I stopped by the Vexilar headquarters and they had everything fixed for dirt cheap and within a few days.  The customer service from Vexilar was superb!  Now if I could just get that kind of service out of the Lowrance guys for my HDS9...  Bottom line, because of Vexilar's awesome service my next sonar will be the FL28 and not a Marcum (they might have good support too, but I have no experience with it).  Good luck fishing!

Edited November 24, 2015 by ZacAttack0201

[hnd]

Please for the love of God don't buy a flasher based on the idea of interference.  I fish with a couple of guys who go through flashers like water just for the fun of it.  We have fished side by side for years and have NEVER EVER ran a combination of flashers where we couldn't clear a screen.  I'm talking bird mechanicals, vex, and marcum.  using boat units and like the lowrance x67c its a different story.  

units i've used extensively - fl8, fl18, vx1, lx5, ice 35, fl28, lx7. 

My current unit is an lx5.  I'm pretty hard on my machines and the lx7 i knew i would ruin at some point. 

the fl28 i used for a weekend.  it was pretty awesome.  the weed mode isn't really all its cracked up to be but it did help.   The lx7 is like on its own different playing field though.  its so customizable that I dont' even know how to compare it.  people freak about the lcd but thats no issue, people worry about lag but its nonexistant,   people also complain about configuration but i do more with my mechanical flashers than i did when i used the lx7. 

both have top notch customer service.  the lx6/7 series had a tough roll out due to firmware and what not.  but thems the breaks when you are breaking out innovative ice technology (yes yes yes, there has been lcd sonar for years..i have them on my boat, i know their capabilties)

personally you can't go wrong with either.  i'd choose the lx7 just due to its versatility, but if i caught a wicked deal on an fl28 i might move that direction too.

[Rikkus_WI]

I absolutely love my FLX-28!  And, I use it side-by-side with my Marcum LX-5.  But if I am just taking one out, it is the Vex.  Unfortunately, the Marcum does not play well with my friend's Vex, FL-18.

I was hot on the Marcum LX-7.  After 2-two year's use, my LX-5 crapped out while on Winnie.  That evening I ran into Bemidji.  Standing in front of both the FLX-28 and LX-5; I was thinking about how the FL-8 I just gave away to a little fishing Buddy is still going strong after more than 15-years of service; and why I was standing there.  I went with the Vex.  One thing I will say, Marcum repaired my unit for a low cost.  And, there service group is great.

The Vex is simple to operate.  The Marcum requires a little playing when setting up the split screen.  The different screen colors (like for color-blind folks) is a good feature. 

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Can't go wrong with any, but if you want a simple to run/understand almost bullet proof unit go with a vexilar. I have an 18,20,22,&28. 

Edited November 27, 2015 by Agronomist_at_IA

[fishersofmen]

I have a fl-20 and my kid has a fl-18 and we do have some interference issues in the same house. Great units though and have never had any problems with my vex units in the 20+ years I have been using them. A friend bought a Marcum lx-5 2 years ago and he just had to bring it in to get the motor replaced.

[Fowlmouth]

How many flippin post will there be on this, talk about a topic beat into the ground.