Lowrance i finder H2O

[Diago]

Do the units come with the maps already installed or do you need to purchase a chip? How about roads maps, are they installed?

Thanks

JIm

[minnbowhunter]

road maps are installed in the unit. The chips are for the detailed lake info with contour lines and hot spots marked.The chips are for different regions, lake of the woods is on a chip of its own. Some of the lakes have better detail than others.

[Hoffer]

Does anyone else have any comments - pros or cons on the ifinder H2o?? I was thinking of getting one - but would love to see some more info regarding these units and if people continue ot use them alot once they get them - or are they a toy that gets put in the shelf after awhile

[Fred_Bear]

i won't go ice fishing without it

[Hoffer]

Thats good feedback - as i was going to use it more for ice fishing....do you fnd you can use it in the boat too in the Summer to find the breaks etc....

[zachp]

Get the h2o or h2oc, i've had the h20c for a couple years now and it is with me at all times. I would recommend the color unit which makes reading contours a lot easier and the detail on the maps sticks out much better. Look around and you should be able to find a decent deal, if you're planning on buying the lakemaster/navionics chip then search for combo packages and save some money. If you need more info email me at zpoehelr@yahoo

[minnbowhunter]

I use mine all the time, Hunting and fishing. The lakemaster chip is great. I take it on roadtrips to find gas and restaraunts stops. The battery will last quite a while if the screen light is turned off. I don't have the color unit, don't have any info on that unit.

[jigging-matt]

Finally got myself an H20 with the Lakemaster chip Yesterday. Wow what a great machine. Had an old Magellan, hardly ever used it. Have used the H2o more in one day of fishing that in 2 years with the Magellan. Wish I would have gotten one a lot sooner.

[Fish to Win]

This may be a DUMB question but can you use this unit for hunting as well or is it for water only- What kind of software do you need to buy if any at all and what are the approx. cost of the software- Thanks

[caseymcq]

You can use it for anything. You don't HAVE to buy software. If you want you can buy LakeMaster and/or Navionics chips for lake maps. There are several threads on the pros and cons of these two chips. Check those out there is some great information and opinions on each.

You can buy the Map Create software from Lowrance if you want to make some custom maps to load onto the unit.

[hanson]

I was probably one of the first people in MN to get the H20c when it came out a couple years ago. I had my pre-order in for over a month and it came as scheduled.

Anyway... simple point is after 2+ years of owning one, I still use it all the time on the ice, in the truck, and in the boat. It gets much less use in the boat now since I have a full size color mapping GPS in the boat but it still comes with.

With the Lakemaster MN chip, you have an entire state highway and road atlas built in so I can navigate myself around Lake Mille Lacs while checking out the contours around Indian Pt at the same time.

Without a chip in the unit, basic major highways are part of the base map built into the unit but thats it. Bodies of water are shown but their shoreline outlines are not very accurate. You pretty much are going to want to run a chip, either Navionics or Lakemaster.

Money well spent if you ask me!

[skippie]

I have the Epedition C and love it, nice thing is it has the same scout feature as the hunt with a built in mp3 player and voice note feature, all for less than the hunt