Hand Held GPS - Best on the market

[WALLEYENUTZ]

In the market for a HandHeld GPS with Chip. What do you guys recommend.

Current products please

[schweady]

Very happy with my Garmin GPSMAP 62st and LakeMaster chip. Such a huge step up from my old Lowrance ExpeditionC, it's no contest.

[dfeste]

I'm very happy with Garmin GPSMap 78 with LM chips. They make bigger and better handhelds(Garmin I mean), check their site. Wouldn't even consider a different brand.

[bigbad401]

How much are you willing to spend? The Garmin Montana has a nice big screen but has a nice big price tag. Really, anything from Garmin is very nice. I have an Oregon and it is really nice with the Lakemaster maps. Right now Garmin has a closeout on the Lakemaster maps; half off. Get the maps before you can not anymore.

[schweady]

Right now Garmin has a closeout on the Lakemaster maps; half off. Get the maps before you can not anymore.

I see the CD-ROM version on Garmin's site, $49.99. Do you see the microchip on sale somewhere? I assume at the same "closeout" price.

I can't believe that LakeMaster would give up such a huge handheld map market. Perhaps particulars on the the sale to Johnson Outdoors have been worked out and a new Garmin LM map version is in the works to be announced soon? One can only hope...

[bigbad401]

I believe that Garmin only has the CDROM. I prefer the CDROM over the SD card myself. Who knows when or if the new Lakemaster will be available for Garmin.

[Tom7227]

If you do any hunting most of the states that I've checked in the midwest have downloadable maps of their public hunting spots. Big plus for me.

[schweady]

I believe that Garmin only has the CDROM.

I got my LakeMaster micro SD chip for my Garmin 62st last June at the big store in Rogers. Nice to swap it into my Nuvi on occasion, too.

[Esox_Magnum]

Do the Garmins accept Navionics also??

[MN Mike]

Do the Garmins accept Navionics also??

No they do not.

FYI

Stopped in a Scheels tonight, saw the one of the Montanas priced at $629, Lakemaster Data Chips for Garmin were $119.00, pick you're flavor, they were in stock and haven't disappeared yet.

Mike

[MN Mike]

FYI

Stopped in a Scheels tonight, saw the one of the Montanas priced at $629

Oops.... that should have been a $529

[Esox_Magnum]

Bummer on the Navionics, not impressed with the Lakemaster chips so guess I'll have to look elseware for a new hand held...

[schweady]

Esox: If it's lake coverage you're worried about, give the Garmin LM chip list another look. Far, far more lakes mapped than Lowrance LM chip. I used both LM and Nav in my Lowrance; don't miss Nav a bit.

[MN Mike]

Run both side by side, Navionics in my Humminbird 798, Lakemaster in my Garmin GPSMap 60csx on Lake of the Woods, I don't see a big difference either way, both work well, besides.... over the past 3 years, side imaging has played a bigger role on where I fish rather than the data found on these mapping cards.

I don't like the way Lakemaster breaks out their cards into different areas. It would take 3 Lakemaster products to get the data I have in my one Navionics card, that being said, I wouldn't give up my handheld Garmins to run Navionics on something else unless it was a proven / durable device.

Mike

[schweady]

I don't like the way Lakemaster breaks out their cards into different areas. It would take 3 Lakemaster products to get the data I have in my one Navionics card...

True that... there's your one big disadvantage. Also, the Garmin chips have always been about 20% higher-priced.

[Esox_Magnum]

Just not a fan of Lakemaster is all, had one based on all the hype for my trips to MN and used it a total of 3 hours befor going back to my Navionics.. Sad to say I was highly dissapointed...

[PerchJerker]

Just not a fan of Lakemaster is all, had one based on all the hype for my trips to MN and used it a total of 3 hours befor going back to my Navionics.. Sad to say I was highly dissapointed...

It depends entirely on the lakes you're fishing, and even where you are on those lakes. I can take you out on Mille Lacs and show you structure Navionics has that LakeMaster missed, and vice versa. I can take you out on LOTW and show you a large, well-known reef complex that Navionics missed completely. Bottom line is that both of them are good but it is entirely dependent on the specific lake(s) in question.

[OnAFly]

I got my Garmin LM cdrom for $50, so I'm happy. It was a big improvement over the 2007 maps I was using. Also, my Garmin Oregon 450 lasted over 24 hours on a set of batteries. So far I'm happy as a clam with the setup.