Handheld GPS Recommendations

[Fuzzbient]

I'm considering getting a new handheld GPS for ice fishing. Will any Lowrance handheld work with the same MicroSD Lakemaster chip I use in my Lowrance Elite 5 DSI in the summer?

Also, any recommendations or opinions on what is best these days for ice fishing handheld GPS units?

[aanderud]

In the last 3 weeks at least a handful of people have asked the same questions regarding new GPSes. There's been some discussion. Some folks decided to go with a console unit like and elite 5 mounted to a portable box, or in their truck, or on their snowmobile. Others went with the GPS62 line from garmin, and others still use lowrance iFinders like the H20 and the expedition (though those are showing their age, they have a slower CPU, etc))

Your lakemaster SD card will likely work with the H20 and the expedition from lowrance, but not the garmin.

[schweady]

I can understand your desire to maximize use of the chip you already own, but after making the jump from a Lowrance ExpeditionC handheld to my Garmin 62st, I would never look back. The huge improvement in features, connectivity, and up-to-date support made this - for me - far more than just a Ford-Chevy thing. Garmin simply makes better handhelds. If you do go with Garmin, the map chip you'd want is the Upper Midwest Fishing Guide microchip. It's appearance is identical to the old LakeMaster data yet covers more area, especially those additional miles across the MN-Canada border. For sure, it's a solid value, with 7-state coverage on one chip.

Oh, and if you do go with a Lowrance handheld, do your homework on their Endura line. Posts on this site and elsewhere have less than flattering things to say.

[MN Mike]

I'm considering getting a new handheld GPS for ice fishing. Will any Lowrance handheld work with the same MicroSD Lakemaster chip I use in my Lowrance Elite 5 DSI in the summer?

Also, any recommendations or opinions on what is best these days for ice fishing handheld GPS units?

The Lakemaster card you have had to be Endura Compatible ( usually said so on the packaging ) if you planned on using it in a new Lowrance handheld. There were many made that were not compatible.

If you are looking at buying a new chip, then I would look at a Garmin GPS and mapping chip setup also.

Mike

[Big-Al]

Quote:

Garmin simply makes better handhelds.

+1 on what schweady said on the garmins. If your budget allows take a look at the Montana. It is the Cadillac version of the 62st.

[bigbad401]

+2 on the Garmins. Plus it is easier to find free maps (such as TOPO)for Garmin GPS's. And the last time I looked, Garmin lake maps had more lakes on it than the Lowrance lake maps.

[RainyEye]

Just got the new Navionics app for my iPhone, I'm really impressed with it so far and I'm thinking I'll probably use it more than my iFinder H2O . Can't wait to try it on the ice!

[bigbad401]

I'd much rather drop my iFinder down the hole than my iPhone!!!! Or drop it on the ice!!! Or get it wet!!! Or...well you get the picture.

[aanderud]

I'd much rather drop my iFinder down the hole than my iPhone!!!! Or drop it on the ice!!! Or get it wet!!! Or...well you get the picture.

Every time a handheld GPS thread comes up, the iphone is brought up. At least the prior poster here said he uses his iphone app 'more' than his other GPS -- not necessarily implying that you could do without a regular handheld GPS. Many folks try to say 'just' get the iphone app. They aren't the same class of product. It's similar, but much different.

The phones are barely suited for fishing and hunting at all. They are not waterproof -- they can't handle even a bit of MIST/RAIN (let alone being dropped in the water). They don't work with gloves on since they have no physical buttons (at least not most gloves).

I like the iphone/android navionics app for fair-weather browsing. I also use mine MORE than i use my expedition C. But, it can't fully replace my handheld GPS for ruggedized outdoor use. Sorta like how I check my email on my phone, but the phone doesn't fully replace my computer where I do the heavy hitting computing/typing.

[KirtH]

They do make some pretty nice cases to protect your phone and ipad. I like the Navionics App in my phone, pretty handy if you are sitting in your vehicle just pull up the app.

[RainyEye]

I definitely wouldn't use my iPhone in inclement conditions outdoors, but when the ice is drivable I think it would great in the car and better on some lakes as the Navionics app shows more detail on some lakes I fish than my Lakemaster chip.

[Fuzzbient]

I do have an old Lowrance iFinder Expedition C that I've been using for years but it's starting to get really poor at finding sattelites. I also do have the Navionics app on my Android phone but it is tough on battery life. Maybe I should just try to locate an ice kit for the Lowrance Elite 5 and use it as the gps or mount it on my ATV. Are the ice kits for the Elite 5 sonars still available?

[schweady]

I do have an old Lowrance iFinder Expedition C that I've been using for years but it's starting to get really poor at finding sattelites.

Exactly. There were a huge number of us on here who thought we had it all with those iFinder units and then they all started to fail at locating... all around the same time. (Insert conspiracy theory tale here.) Hard reset, soft reset, battery swaps, connecting to 12v power... we tried it all, to no avail. Do a search on this site for any number of these tales of woe...

Oh well, it drove me over to Garmin and I've never looked back.

[Fuzzbient]

By the way, I ended up getting a Garmin Oregon 450 with the fishing guide chip. Man is that thing awesome! It even tells you what days and times the fish bite best. ;-)