handheld gps

[ellroy2]

I am looking into buying a handheld gps unit and am wanting some advice. I was looking at the Garmin GPSMAP 76S but I see alot of you guys talk about the Lowrance H20. I want to get one for the main reason of marking fishing spots on the water but will most likely play around with it when I travel and do other things like backpacking. So I'd prefer a unit that is pretty useful for a variety of activities. So what are the reasons why the H20 seems to be prefered over other units when it comes to fishing? Any other advice or info would be helpful. Also, how accurate is the speed reading on handheld units? Would that be something you could use for trolling speeds? Thanks

[PierBridge]

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So what are the reasons why the H20 seems to be prefered over other units when it comes to fishing?

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Two reasons price and more importantly the ability to use the LakeMaster and Navionics high Definition Lake Map Chips.

As far as a hand held GPS goes IMO Garmin blows Lowrance out of the water for reliability, Ease of use and just about ever other category.

[FishingwithJake]

I think PierBridge got it backwards, Lowrance blows Garmin out of the water when it comes to being user friendly and functionality. Right now the hot Lowrance units are the H20's because they are inexpensive. The next step up from the H2O is the Expedition. What does the Expedition have that the H2O doesn't? The Expedition has a true magnetic compass, barometer, and a slightly larger screen. It also allows you to play music. I think the Expedition is worth the extra $40-$50. I personally own the Hunt Plus model and really like it. If you want the capability of making your own maps and downloading them onto a blank chip then get the Plus package. By the way, the Plus software only gives land contours not lake contours.

[PierBridge]

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I think PierBridge got it backwards, Lowrance blows Garmin out of the water when it comes to being user friendly and functionality. Right now the hot Lowrance units are the H20's because they are inexpensive. The next step up from the H2O is the Expedition. What does the Expedition have that the H2O doesn't? The Expedition has a true magnetic compass, barometer, and a slightly larger screen. It also allows you to play music. I think the Expedition is worth the extra $40-$50. I personally own the Hunt Plus model and really like it. If you want the capability of making your own maps and downloading them onto a blank chip then get the Plus package. By the way, the Plus software only gives land contours not lake contours.

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Sweet I'll take 10 Expeditions for $179 that way it when it has problems with aquiring the Satelite signal or the DC power cord fails again like a large majority have I'll have nine back ups and then I won't mind waiting an hour on hold to send them back another one of their products.

Just kidding I always pull out one of my 10 year old Garmins when the H2O craps out on me and I have to send it in again.

Can you post the Link where I can get an Expedition for $40 more then the H2O you speak of, I paid $139 for my H20......

Thanks Pier...

[PerchJerker]

I'm with PierBridge, Garmin makes a better gps than Lowrance.

The difference is that Garmin has more interest and focus in the automotive and airline markets than the fishing market. Lowrance obviously has the fishing and hunting markets as targets, and has some great functionality and capabilities for those activities.

Overall Garmins are better units. That is not to say Lowrances are bad, but if you take map chips out of the equation -- Garmins are better units. In my opinion.

[Bobb-o]

I definitely agree with garmins being better units. If Garmin had the Map76's with the chip before i bought mine i definitely would have bought that instead. It was the lakemaster chip and the topo maps with mapcreate that sealed the deal for me (not having to have the expensive GIS software like you need with the Garmin)

[Big-Al]

The Garmin Map 60 and 76 models are really great GPS units. With the addition of the "x" series, introducing a new new receiver and micro SD cards they are even better. They are extremely fast to lock on. They will even do that in a building or under heavy canopy. Yes, that is certainly not usually an issue while fishing, but I have heard numerous complaints about failure to lock on. With WAAS enabled, it is common to get close to 10' accuracy.

There are a ton of features that I won't bore you with. For that you can go to the Garmin site. Yes, the H20 is cheaper. Yes, there are more detailed maps available for many Minnesota lakes. I haven't been around the H20 enough to know that unit, but for my money, I will invest in a Garmin.

[anyfishwilldo]

I love my H2OC. I wouldn't trade it for any other unit out there.

[Orlip]

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Yes, there are more detailed maps available for many Minnesota lakes. I haven't been around the H20 enough to know that unit, but for my money, I will invest in a Garmin.

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Are there more? I have the lakemaster chip for my garmin and was under the impression that they had the same data?

As for Lowrance, I have owned 2 The Hunt C and Expedition C I think you can find them in the bargain cave now. Could never get the compass calibrated on the hunt c as for the expedition c when it got a little cold you could not scroll around.

Thats my .019

[Big-Al]

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I have the lakemaster chip for my garmin and was under the impression that they had the same data?

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Going by what the folks say on this forum there are several lakes, Kabetogama for one that has newer, more detailed maps in the Navionics software then is available in Lakemaster.

Still not enough to make me give up my Garmin.

[Daze Off]

I have the H20c and absolutely love it - love the off-lake data on the Lakemaster chip as well. Would not trade it for the world.

Daze Off

[PerchJerker]

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love the off-lake data on the Lakemaster chip as well

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I think you get more and better off-lake data on Garmin, as long as you use their software

[BobT]

I am not familiar with the H2O but from comments made on this site, it is the unit of choice. I don't know how the H2O is with available dry land data but for my Garmin I not only have the Lakemaster software I also have USTopo and Roads and Recreation software. Each serves it's own purpose. Since I can download from my PC I am able to do a lot of the legwork at home and then download what I want depending on the purpose.

Bob

[PierBridge]

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I have the H20c and absolutely love it - love the off-lake data on the Lakemaster chip as well. Would not trade it for the world.

Daze Off

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I don't think anyone that has one would trade it I know wouldn't.

The Garmin Lakemaster software doesn't have nearly the number of Lakes the LakeMaster MN chip has but at least they are moving in the right direction.

[uglystick007]

I have a Garmin and have used the Lowrance. I prefer the garmin for ease of use in editing the data I don't need after a week long trip. The Lowrance has presented some difficulty in that area. So really I'm comparing the software and not just the on Lake pushing of buttons. For the money Lowrance has won that battle and Garmin appears to be getting more expensive. If anyone knows of a good way to edit trails without creating routes on Lowrance let me know.

[Roop-Dogg]

please help!!! just what exactly is the lakemaster chip and how does it work????

[Ralph Wiggum]

The Lakemaster chip is a SD card (like the memory card for a camera) that plugs into a GPS. It contains detailed maps including depth contours of many lakes, marker buoys, rock piles, as well as tons of other points of interest (restaurants, hotels, bait shops, etc),

So, you plug it into your GPS and you get tons of information.