Help me buy a GPS?????

[muc33]

I realize I am about to ask you to put two units together. I know we all have strong opinions about our favorites, but please tell me why I would want one over the other after you read my probable use. Thanks everyone.

My use...

I, including my family love to ice fish, we are finding that traveling to more lakes is fun. I am looking for a gps unit that can house a lake chip... either chip is fine... and we also want a unit that will work ok as far as a travel gps for the family truck. I really plan on using this in the ice fishing aspect of finding a shelf or structure change to fish... finding that rock pile or dredge hole on a SW Minnesota lake. Then when I travel to Madison Lake or French Lake, maybe even Lake Ida in Alex I can look at the map and see those changes, ride out on my 4 wheeler and set up and give it a try. Then put it away and fish. For the truck aspect... having never been to Mille Lacs, how do I get to the resort I am staying at, how do I get to lake Traverse from my house? Just the basic travel routes. Easy enough for me and my wife to use in the truck if we need. But also versitle enough to get me on that 5 foot drop on the south side of Little Boy Lake.

Get my drift? Ok here are the choices. Both are Lowrance.

The I-way 250 or the H20.

Ok give me the goods, the bads and the uglies. Include ease of use, battery life, versatility and remember, I am new to this and always have time to learn and then upgrade in a year or two. I do, also by the way have a fishing pontoon that this could at least be used on soft water occasionally. Thanks for your input I can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

[muc33]

I should note also that one is waterproof and the other isn't and I realize this. I feel that my use will be limited mostly to the ride out to the fish house, and in the truck. So I am not too worried about the one being non waterproof.

[Eric Wettschreck]

H2O.

I've been told it's way easier to use and for dudes like me the simpler the better.

[BobT]

I assume you have done some shopping and have narrowed to these two devices. Any particular reason you have limited yourself to Lowrance?

Bob

[23jhamre]

( Note from admin, please read forum policy before posting again,Thank-you.)

[mvanotterloo]

I was in search of a GPS last year to use for fishing, biking, hiking, running, etc... I shopped everywhere and decided to purchase locally just because of the local service I could get but at this store where I purchased I ended up discussing brands and we narrowed it down to Garmin by far. Lowrance was alright but 1/5 of the units they pulled out of a box to tested by Lowrance didn't even turn on and that wasn't the first time they had this happened that is why they go through all the boxes to test them before they sell.

My personal choice Garmin by far they have every possible unit you could ever want.

Personal Choice(by way of what I could afford) Garmin Legend Cx now of course it is HCX but I still get awesome reception with mine.

My 2 cents...

[rusty ironMan]

I also have a Garmin. Mine has been discountinued (eTrex Legend C.) I use it for multiple things, biking, hiking, in the car, in the boat, etc. I'm going to order the Lakemaster maps for this winter. The one thing that I like compared to the H20 (and yes I've used the H20) is that the buttons are on the side of the unit. It is much easier to use when you have gloves on. Another thing is that it is smaller than the H20 and fits easier in my pocket. And if you like to download your data (tracks, routes, or waypoints) it has a standard USB connection. The Legend Cx is the same as mine, but you can use micro-SD memory cards.

[muc33]

I guess, yes, it was narrowed down just by use knowledge of Lowrance products by my friends. Not that that is binding, but the two units I listed are the ones recomended to me by others who have the products. I have a few who have one or the other.

But more opinions are better. Right???? hehehehe

[looneyducer]

I've had an H20 for about a year now, and use it very much like you say you're planning to use yours. It isn't as helpful as you might think for finding said resort, and it's far more helpful than you would have ever guessed for putting you where you want to be on the lake. I don't know how much difference make and model make, but I have to say as far as fishing goes, one of these is at least as helpful as a Vexilar.

[BobT]

One of the features I like about my Garmin (don't know if this is a feature offered by Lowrance or not) is their Points of Interest (POI) database. When I am traveling I can search for wayside rests, gasoline suppliers, motels, restraunts, etc. Of course as with anything this information is only as up to date as the latest update and so isn't always perfect.

One thing about using a GPS, when you do visit a resort or other business that you might want to visit again someday, you can mark their waypoint while there for future reference and this can be done with any GPS. Brand or model doesn't matter.

Bob

[Corey Bechtold]

I have the Lowrance H2O in Black and White. I think that it sips the batteries a little more than the Color units. It is accurate and having the flexibibliy of adding the Lakemaster or Navionics chip is the real bonus.

I have an older Garmin GPS map 76 and it did a good job for me but now it just sits in the garage. I'm hoping to sell it on HSOList or to my dad so I can buy some more Ice fishing stuff.

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[hanson]

muc33-

Seams like you are really looking to combine the functions of 2 distinct GPS units into one which you eluded to in your first post, that is an auto navigational style GPS and a more fishing oriented, lake map GPS. Its going to be tough.

Best answer in my opinion is buy a handheld that you are comfortable with (Garmin or Lowrance) and put the Lakemaster MN chip into the unit. The Lakemaster chip has an entire atlas of MN highways, interstates, city streets, street addresses, reststops and other POIs (Points of Interest), along with high definition lake contours on many of Minnesota's Lakes.

A Handheld unit w/ Lakemaster won't give you turn by turn directions like an automotive type (I-Way or TomTom). You can schedule your destination either by moving the curser over it and selecting "Go To" or entering a waypoint to "Go To". What you'll get is a compass heading "as the crow flies" to get to your destination which then has to be interpreted by you as to a bunch or right and left hand turns on our city street or highway system.

An automotive type also won't have the lake map information you are looking for.

My vote is still for a Lowrance H20c. Love mine! I run Lowrance in my boat so all the menus, buttons, and functions are the same.

[farmfishing]

I had a h2o they do not float. I also have had a garmin and a magellan. I personally like all of them and their unique features. After checking prices and capabilities i bought the lowrance I hunt what an awsome unit. Has all the features of h2o and many more. If i was u i would find the one that best fits your personal needs.

[looneyducer]

The Lowrance has that feature as well. My not finding it useful could just be a personal thing. I find both settings -- North up and direction of travel up -- very disorienting while driving. I guess that could be due to screen size. Anyway, the billboard covered world seems to suffice for me when I'm off the lake, but I'm really happy to have a private billboard -- that hump is over here! -- in my pocket on the lake.

[rockman]

Funny, my Garmin Map 76 Gps sits in the drawer as well, only because I use my H2Oc all the time now.I do like the Garmin, and have had zero problems with it, but having map chips available for the H2Oc is the only way to go.I do like having a color unit,although it does suck the batteries down fast with the backlight on. Use the 12v power cord for it to save on batteries, if you do buy a H2Oc.Many folks have posted on the Lowrance handhelds, so there is plenty of reading here about them.

[jstorm42]

I love my H2OC. I think they take a larger variety of maps compared to the Garmins. The color version also has a 16 channel parallel as opposed to a 12 channel receiver.

[greebs]

regarding the lake chips and pinpointing on structure, is it going to give me a "live" shot? for example, if the local organization drops a bunch of christmas trees on a spot one day, am I going to be able to see that bunch of Christmas trees?

[muc33]

Thanks guys, I knew I was kind of grasping for stars in the hope to find equal opinions in the two. The guy at the retailer suggested the two because he said the road one would take the lakemaster chip as well. So that is why I was really wondering. wanted to hear first hand instead of from a salesman.

I voted for the H20c and hopefully I get it soon. Gonna wait til after the show this weekend. Gotta price hunt for goodies!!!

Thanks for the responses I appreciate the honesty.

By the way, for those of you who have the H2Oc, what kind of battery life should I really expect??? I know what the box says, but what is the REAL life of batteries?

[Wash-Ups]

I would go with the H20C or the Expidetion C

[Orlip]

I would go with a Garmin and get all the features you want in one hand held.

[MinnesotaMongo]

If you go on Lakemaster's HSOforum - you can save about 30 bucks on an H2o and chip. Looks like a good deal to me.