Best bang for your buck..

[Up North2]

for a flasher with a $400 budget. Don't want to start a flasher war here but just looking for opinions in case there is something out there I'm not seeing. I don't want to spend more than $400 and would like new and not used. Right now I'm looking hard at the Showdown dual beam. Can get it at $350. Also considered the Hummingbird 55 but you're not going to get it for $400.

Anything else out there that fits the budget I should look at?

[monstermoose78]

the Fl-18 is on sale at some places for 399

[123fish]

Marcum LX3tc is right at that figure or less on sale. Love mine. Don't know what a person would need more in a fish finder to catch fish.

[walleye-]

I would wait for the big boys toys sale at mills this weekend u could get a fl20 for about 400 or the fl18 for 350 ish

[SwivelDigger]

Check out Reeds, I see they have good deals going on right now. If you know what you want order online. They have HB 55 for 429 or LX 5 for a little cheaper.

[Lusid]

Why buy new when slightly used with do?

with 350 you could get a nice flasher on C L

[fishwater]

In my opinion the best deal to be had under $400 is going to be a lightly used lx5 - the best flasher ever made Marcum will take care of you if you have ANY problems, they want users to be happy as much as anyone.

If you have problems finding one for under $400 in good enough condition, pm me, I could have a line on a couple sitting idle.

[Storm Rider]

Reeds has the LX-5 for $400 right now.

[Greenhornet84]

Marcum vx1pro has bottom 6 ft zoom option and ir. Also would have an extra 100 bucks for jigs or a tank of gas to head north with.

[Vlasin]

LX5!

[Fur Fish and Feathers]

I'd either spend another $100 and get a digital (Reeds has the LX-6 for $499, Gander has them on their HSOforum for $599 and get a $100 gift card back) or spend half your budget on a used Vex.

[gunner55]

+1 on the vx-1p & I think I have just seen these for $269+ somewhere,FF/L&M(?)

[bltbowhunter]

I've got the ICE-55, but just ordered the LX-5 from Reeds. I've been keeping my eye out for one after fishing with buddies who've had one for the past few years. It's free shipping now, and comes to $427 after tax.

[Lusid]

Please explain your reasoning with buying new?

Most of these units are built like tanks and I've still to this day never seen a "dead" unit.. other than a transducer going bad from years of abuse.

[caseymcq]

+1 on the vx-1p & I think I have just seen these for $269+ somewhere,FF/L&M(?)

I recently saw them on sale for $249 with free shipping... That's a lot of bang for the buck.

Or an FL8 SE would be another good option. Relatively inexpensive and still gets the job done.

[Borghy]

The FL-18 is great. It has zoom and bottom lock,it's pretty much everything you need and is bullet proof. I would rather buy a new unit than used and this is right in your range.

[Fred_Bear]

Lot's of FL-20's popping up around the $400 mark on different classifieds sites. That's what I would get with my money.

[amateurfishing]

if also used for open water, strongly consider the HB 597 on sale at a rogers/Owatonna store for $419 ish. a great brand new unit (unless HB is discontinuing them and their support)

[Up North2]

No love for the Showdown?? Reeds has the dual beam at $349 free shipping. I'm really leaning towards this or the HB Ice 55. The Showdown seems to have a lot going for it from what I see. Digital, Zoom, dual beam, ir. It shows the bottom, your bait and the fish in a simple vertical format.

Plus with it's compact size it would be great for hole hopping. I want new for the price point I'm in. Seems used sonar is holding it's value quite well. Besides I like to have my warranty. Thanks for all the input everyone!

[Hoyt4]

HB ICE 35 for 250 new great flasher to get and I'm a vexilar guy

[amateurfishing]

No love for the Showdown?? Reeds has the dual beam at $349 free shipping. I'm really leaning towards this or the HB Ice 55. The Showdown seems to have a lot going for it from what I see. Digital, Zoom, dual beam, ir. It shows the bottom, your bait and the fish in a simple vertical format.

Plus with it's compact size it would be great for hole hopping. I want new for the price point I'm in. Seems used sonar is holding it's value quite well. Besides I like to have my warranty. Thanks for all the input everyone!

showdowns are very good, I started this sport with a troller and loved it. IMHO they are priced too high and you don't get much for it. they are great for starters but if you really get into (or are into) the sport, you will outgrow their capabilities quickly. I took the troller and my HB 597 out together for 1 season always starting with the troller because that's what I knew, but once I started playing with the 597 on the ice I soon realized & learned how basic they are (which is good)and even a novice such as myself learned how much more info & use you can get out of a machine with just s few dollars more. If $350 is a good price point for you then you should be running to rogers and picking up a 597 for $419 that will give you 100x more info/options/settings especially if you can use it on open water too.

[Scott O.]

For $400, I'd go with the Bird 45. That's what I've got and I love it. The dual beam selection, zoom, digital depth and battery indication, ease of use, tough as nails (fell off the box of my truck when turning on a corner when I forgot to grab it and it hid the road HARD, but it still works great. I had the soft case for it). I actually don't have an issue with the Showdown. Seeing it, the vertical display would be nice and depth reading is great. If you really have your heart set on it, I say go for it. Flashers are all about personal preference.

[Fishalittle]

Is that an in store only special..... the HSOforum shows $649 for the 597 unit set up for ice fishing?

[magic_minnow]

Showdown man. I've been happy with mine. You really don't need all the bells and whistles, although the showdown has enough. I don't even have the dual beam and it still rocks. I got love for all the units....myself personally have owned VX-1, LX-3, FL-18 and H-55. All great units but I always go with my showdown. Best battery life i've ever seen too. I've gone 3 days without charging before if you turn the light off. IMO any flasher is better than no flasher. Heck if Gord Pyzer and Doug Stange use the showdown...it must mean something!

[ZachD]

No love for the Showdown?? Reeds has the dual beam at $349 free shipping. I'm really leaning towards this or the HB Ice 55. The Showdown seems to have a lot going for it from what I see. Digital, Zoom, dual beam, ir. It shows the bottom, your bait and the fish in a simple vertical format.

Plus with it's compact size it would be great for hole hopping. I want new for the price point I'm in. Seems used sonar is holding it's value quite well. Besides I like to have my warranty. Thanks for all the input everyone!

I have the marcum showdown 5.6 dual beam and love it.. Ive used higher on the end flashers and they catch fish too but the 5.6 is all i need