Lowrance HDS Touch

[Kyhl]

I realize these are new to the public but I am wondering if anyone here with connections has had a chance to try these new screens in real life last fall.

I watched a bunch of videos on the units but all of them have been inside or outside in dry weather. I love the idea of a touch screen because I really dislike the slow process of cycling through screens when under split screen mode.

If you have had a chance to try one in real life, how do they work in wet weather?

[morepower02]

The screen has a different feel to it compared to the non touch models. I have a full working display at the store and tried it with wet fingers. Worked perfect.

[Kyhl]

That is good to know. Thanks.

I have fished openers in freezing rain where I had to brush ice pellets off the screen. I imagine that would still be a rare problem.

Having not seen them in person, I just learned that they are 16:9 screens. That is a deal breaker for an upgrade. You lose 5 square inches of screen going from an 8" 4:3 to a 9" 16:9. That is the equivalent of a full pane of an 8", a 2" X 2.5" pane is erased.

The only option would be to use it along with a second screen because screen real estate is too precious to me.

Bummer.

[MuskieJunkie]

I was in Chris Myers' boat last summer on a rainy day and he had the Simrad touch screen in there and it was working well.

However, I'm always skeptical of brand new 1st generation stuff. I'm the guy that waits until that new stuff is a year old, most of the bugs have been worked out and the price comes down.

[ClownColor]

I know it's comparing apples to oranges but my Garmin GPS touch screen works great in the summer an not so good in the winter/cold weather.

One thing with touch screens from working with them at work, sometimes they can get "stuck" in a position and are impossible to use and/or recalibrate.

I'm sure these will be industrial strength but like the above post, I'd never buy a first gen from Lowrance...and I like lowrance and their products. I just don't like to be the guinea pig!

[slurpie]

I think lowrance bought out Simrad so unless they made changes it is, but not really their first shot at a touch screen. I just bought a gen 2 but skipped the touch option. Seems like the screen will get enough prints and smudges without having a reason to touchn it. They want you to run a screen protector on the unit also.

[morepower02]

Lowrance and Simrad are both lines owned by Navico. The Simrad product is alot more high end than most fisherman here would purchase.