Lowrance X-67 vs. FL-18 vs. LX-3

[vexilarkid]

I was wondering what everyone thinks about the three different sonar units. I am asking for a fried of mine who wants to upgrade from an FL-8se. He was looking at the lowrance X-67 and I told him I didn't know much about them. Myself I currently own an FL-18 and I like it very much. Does anyone know much about the LX-3 either? Replies would be greatly appreciated.

[mrwalleye_13]

I have seen the others, haven't really used them just watched people use them. I like everything about vexilar more. Personal opinion i guess, i would never change to anything else. I have the fl-8 now, and maybe when i get some more money its going to be an fl-18 as well.

[cloudfisher]

I've used the 8 and currently own a lx3. Both are great units. I just like the column zoom and water depth/fish check without drlling a hole. If you do a search, there's a bunch of debates about these three. Have you been ice fishing on LaSalle before? I usually stop by the Becida bar whenever I'm up there.

[gspman]

Do a search on the various forums in this site and you will find a billion (almost literally) threads discussing Vex vs. Marcum and some on the Lowrance too. More info than you could dream of touches on this subject on this site. There are a couple very recent threads on this as well in the ice forum and the equipment forum. This subject gets beaten absolutely to death every year.

[jtroop]

I borrowed an FL-18 for a day and liked it but ended up buying the x67c so it can do double duty in the boat. I also liked the add'l colors (in "ice mode" black, blue, green, yellow, and red I think) to help differentiate between the size of the targets. Also - you don't need to buy the "Ice Machine" package. Any x67c with software version 1.4 (or higher) has the ice mode capability. I bought my x67c prepackaged with a "skimmer" transducer. I mounted the unit/battery in a carrying bag and figured out a way to float the skimmer in the hole. Shaved about $80 off the "Ice Machine" package. It doesn't look quite as pretty, of course !

[Dennis Steele]

I was realy interested in the X67 when it first came out. Cool to have both a LCR and a decent flasher in the same unit. However in my opinion I don't think that it compares to either the Vex FL18 or the Marcum LX3. Its a little more complicated to run with a ton of menus and after having fished with several guys who have them it does'nt appear to have the interference reduction that it needs. I should add that the multiple colors do not tell you if a target is larger than another. Its just about signal strength.

I used to run the FL18 and its a good unit backed by a good company. I have a Vexilar Edge II on my River Pro Jet Boat. I love that sonar and they have stood behind it when I had problems.

The FL18 would be second choice if I were to buy another unit. Its advantage is that you can get different cone angles for various situations. Its also very easy to use.

Marcum is the unit that I have been using the past two seasons and in my opinion its the best unit out there.It has and adjustable zoom and adjustable zoom window. You can move the zoom up and down in the water column and adjust the size of the zoom. The Vex does not.

It also has more power to shoot through the ice and not have to drill a hole to get a signal to see if there are fish down there.

It also has better target seperation as well as the best interference reduction. You can fish along side your buddies and not have a problem with their units interfering with yours. You can also fish alongside another Marcum with no problems.

All of the units are good units, and your going to improve your catch with any of them. Some are just a little better than the others.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

the lowrance x67c ROCKS!!! its still new to me, however, but so far i really love it. easy to navigate, ive never had any interference problems with it yet, everything seems to be as great as a marcum or vex, (ive used it with an fl8, and and lx3 in the same shack at the same time). its also seems more practicle for year round use too. i wouldnt trade for anything. but any of the said units are a great investment, and a fun toy to keep ya fishin!

[Ed Carlson]

If I were to consider the Lowrance X-67 or the X-68c I think I would go with the X-68c.

I think I would buy the X-68 in a summer configuration and also get the puck, then I would set it up on a Genz Box for ice use. I do not like their on ice package as is right now, too rinky dink.

With the X-68 you get GPS mapping and more flexibility of use on the ice or water or on an ATV or whatever.

Downers as I see it are like Dennis mentioned, wacky semi-complicated menu's that take time to get accustomed to and learn.

Pluss's are you can rig up a multi-season GPS/Sonar with tons of toys built into the unit as a portable, or use as a boat mount fairly easily and cost effectively.

I like the Lowrance X-67-68c system but for now I will likely stay with the Vex and/or the MarCum for on ice use.

[Chad711]

Ive had interfeance probs next to fl-8s with my x67c. Other than that its been my best investment. No noise either if you have good hearing. Used it in the boat too..

[jtroop]

As concerns my earlier [refuted] comment regarding color/size of targets correlation - pretty much everything the x67c shows on the screen (or, I suppose most if not all commercial sonar devices) is an interpretation of the strength of a signal being echoed. However, according to the manual (addendum 1 page 7) quote "The color of the signal bands correspond to both fish size and their position in the sonar signal cone. Black and blue signals tend to be smaller fish, or fish that are at the outside edge of the sonar cone. These smaller or more distant fish return weaker echoes. Red signals are much larger fish, or fish that are in the center of the sonar cone, almost directly below the transducer. They return the strongest echoes." End quote. (I hope it's legal here to quote the Lowrance documentation ?!)

If Lowrance is misstating the capabilities of their unit(s) I'd like to know.

[Chad711]

Someone said ealier that the colors do not represent the fish size. Wrong.

If Im fishing red, like I did Friday, I called every Crappie, and every Eye. Plus you can adjust colors. Some people just dont take the time to figure it out I guess.

[Dan Wood]

I've fished with an LX-3 for the past 3 seasons. I've been extremely happy with it.

[MetroEye]

I bought the X-67 last year and have been very pleased with the unit. A buddy of mine was talking to the Lowrance reps at the Ice Show last month. Apparently, after using these units all last winter, they feel that the graph mode is far more effective for ice fishing I haven't been out yet this year but i can't wait to give it a whirl.

[Dingo]

Last weekend I used my LX-3 next to a new X-67 and a FL-18. All 3 units in the same house. I am telling you that X-67 is junk. I have nothing against Lowrance, they make nice graphs, but their ice equipment is junk. My buddy returned his Ice Machine when we got back and bought a LX-3. True Story!!

If you are buying it for the GPS, save your money and buy a good Garmin handheld.

[Superduty]

It doesn't matter what unit you are using and whether you paid $100 or $2500. The only thing your sonar can show you is strength of signal. A large fish on the edge of the cone may appear the same as a small fish in the center of the cone. It may be possible to determine the size of fish by signal strength if the 2 or more fish in question are known to be in the same area of the sonar cone. How can anybody know this? The best way to learn how to use any sonar on the ice or open water is to run it with the an underwater camera at the same time.

Another question: Did your unit ever show a band of multiple fish that appeared 4 feet thick on the sonar screen? Is there actually 4 feet of fish directly below the unit or is there a narrower band of fish spread out more horizontally. Two or more fish at the same depth may actually appear to be at differnt depths based on their location in the cone. Fish (A) at real depth of let's say 20 feet and is directly under the cone will appear at 20 feet on unit. Fish (B)at real depth of 20 feet and at the outer edge of the cone will appear slightly deeper because of the cone angle. Furthermore, fish (A) may be a small fish and since it is directly under the unit may appear as a strong signal. Fish ( may be extremely large, but since it is at the outer edge of the sonar cone will appear as a weak signal.

[Dingo]

Good post Superduty, that is exactly why people always "think" the fish are coming "up" for the bait. Our flashers have trained us that way, when in reality it is not always true.

[Superduty]

You hit the nail on the head Dingo.

[jtroop]

Yes, Superduty, your first paragraph is another way of paraphrasing the excerpt from the Lowrance manual.

Depending on your settings, an x67c (in flasher mode)will show a "small fish" (at 20 feet in the center of the cone) as a black line and a "large fish" (at 20 feet in the center of the cone) as a red line. Larger items (fish, branches, suspended debris, bubbles, whatever) cause a stronger echo return than small items. The x67c is painting strong echo returns with brighter colors.

[Long Gray Line]

I've fished my Colorpoint in the same house w/ my b-in-l using his X-67 (Lowrance ice kit). He uses his in chart mode and I'll verify the sensitivity & accuracy. It showed both his minnow AND the split shot above it on his graph. We also had an Aqua-Vu down and the line showing a fish coming up to look at his bait was a fish coming up to look at his bait. The great big echo with the shadow under it was a 7-8 lb northern! What it showed was exactly what was going on down there. As soon as I can sell my Colorpoint (save the Colorpoint comments, it's been done here before!!), I'm getting an X-67.

[MetroEye]

LGL,

That is exactly what the Lowrance reps were talking about...I'm heading up to the big pond tomorrow and I can't wait to try my X-67 in graph mode! Thanks for chiming in.

[Feldy]

I went fishing with my fl-8 and the guy that went with me had a lx-3. I asked to use his for a while and ended up buying one just like it. I love it for the crisp lines and detail. One guestion though is what are the colors supposed to be? The red is definitely the strong but the others seem to blend a bit. Still love it though.

[andy j]

The X67c are anything but junk, I used it all last winter a during the summer and it is a great multi-season unit. I do own a LX-3 and really like it also.

[federline]

At the risk of putting someone else over the edge and throwing the gas can on the fire, I have to bring something up.

I had a Zercom Clearwater Classic and a Zercom LCF-40. I know that the LCF-40 had MIL-SPEC LCD that didn't freeze up, and both these units didn't have a single moving part, all electronic. The LCF-40 LCD display had stark line edges with a blue "Indiglo-like" backlight. The battery charge outlasted today's Vex's and Marcum's. It was completely silent, and had great resolution. It just wasn't color, it was mono.

So my LCF-40 dies the first time out this winter, and I bite my lip and go looking at the Marcums and Vex's. I'm end up disappointed with all of them after the LCF-40 - noisy; mechanical parts, blurry displays and colors that run together. I wanted another LCF40 at this point, I loved that thing.

Then I start playing with the Lowrance x67c and chatting folks up. It's silent and all electronic, no mechnical parts, no motors to power along with the electronics. It's got crisper lines than my LCF40 did. The colors don't bleed. The display doesn't freeze. And it's in 5 colors. And it's a full featured graph, too. Sold.

Coming from an LCF40, I felt like I was going backwards in technology when I was considering a Vexilar or Marcum flasher.

The Lowrance ice pros also demonstrate on the video how a sensitive high-speed color graph can provide additional useful information for ice fishing than a flasher. One of the posts above describes this. Could this mark the apex of the reign of flashers for ice fishing? Who knows... sounds like yet another religious war to add to the Marcum vs. Vexilar vs. Lowrance feud to me. Maybe we'll see other manufacturer's graphs get non-freezing displays to compete for ice angler's cash.

All in all, the unit and Lowrance's approach to ice fishing seems pretty progressive, just like the recent changes in equipment to support mobilty have been, such as lightweight flip shelters and hot-knife-thru-butter augers.

Disclaimer: I have a day job that is in no way connected to Lowrance, and my total fishing skills, or lack therof, prevent me from being a Lowrance pro. I'm just a tech-head consumer who is addicted to fishing in all seasons.

[Hubcat]

If you want to see what the x67c looks and acts like you can go to the Lowrance web site and go to the x67c product page (Not Ice Machine) you can download a product emulator. You can then check out all the features and learn how to use them.

It is like a demo but it is interactive and lets you check out how the x67c works

[DRH1175]

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