which gps unit should i buy?

[FISHINGURU]

never owned one...haven't even seen many in use...i've pretty much bought everything i could think of lately so why stop now?

pro's and con's ?

thanks

[BobT]

I's search the site. You'll find lots of information about handhelds.

With money no option and without knowing your intended use, I'd opt for the Garmnin GPSMap76CSX. Visit Garmin's HSOforum to view specifications.

Bob

[mrklean]

for fishing or what? H20 Color

[Wanderer]

The Lowrance color units are nice. I have a HUNT, but think I would have been perfectly content with an H2O.

[JimBuck]

What are you looking to do with it? Run it in the boat during the summer? Ice fishing during the winter? Hunting? In the truck? Is cost a factor? Color or B&W? These are all important details that will help us give you answers you might be looking for. I personally run my Lowrance 522i from my boat on the ice and in the car from spot to spot and use the GPS capabilities as well as the flasher/fish sonar. Sweet setup.

[tip_upclyma]

H2OC with the LakeMaster Chip......you will NOT be disappointed. Check the Bargin Basement or C-List for a good "used" one.

[ozzie]

H2O..easy to use and with a chip it can put you right on the structure of the lake you want to fish!!!! plus it is good for navigation

[ameyers41]

I like the Lowrance handhelds as well (H2O, H2Oc, Expedition). Various price points for you, easy to use with the chips, both navionics and lakemaster. Like tip_upclyma said, you can find one online or the bargain cave for reasonable. Or, if you're going to the ice show this weekend, I think most places will have package deals on them with the chips. Very handy tool to have with you.

[Sandmannd]

H20 or H20C with the lakemaster.

[iFishStu]

I bought an H20C and the Lakemaster chip this fall, can't wait to try them out on the ice. I happend to find a good deal on the auction site that begins with an e for both items. Before that I used an entry level Garmin which was OK, but nothing compared to the new unit

[ec30_06]

I love my lowrance xog with a navionics 08 chip.

[hoggs222]

I couldn't ask for much more out of my H20 C with Lakemaster. Works great for whatever.

[cribbageboy]

I like my Lowrance HUNT. Then again, I only really use it when I'm out in the woods. I also have the MapCreate Chip. Great combo. Without knowing what all you want to do with it, I'm not much help, but I would reccomend the Lowrance units.

[gritsnham]

H2O color(black and white is not bad either) and a lake trip if your going to be mainly using it for fishing

[FISHINGURU]

well i am in the ice fishing forum aren't i lol? yeah mainly ice fishing is what i'd use it for.

i tried a search but something must not of been working because it kept saying it couldn't find anything for my search.

sounds like alot of people like the H20's and a lakemaster chip...does that chip have alot of lakes on it? how about the smaller less famous lakes?

price is not a factor...by time i decide to buy something i always tend to go all out...something in my brain says well your already gonna spend x amount of dollars might as well throw down more and get exactly what you want lol....but there's that fine line on saving some money especially if i'm paying more for stuff i'm not gonna use....you guys know the game.

[Blaze]

My H2O color will eat batteries faster than he B&W version, but I love my color screen. Check out Lakemaster's site - there should be a list of MN lakes there.

[BobT]

GPSMap76CSX is anything but entry level.

One of the advantages of the Garmin units is that they aren't catered to specific purposes like the Lowrance. That isn't to say that the Lowrance H2O can't be used off the water or the Hunt can't be used on the water. Both are probably just about as useful either way but they are geared for their intended primary use and so may have some specific inconveniences involved.

The Garmin products on the other hand are far more versatile but that versatility comes with a pricetag that may be higher I suppose. Can't say for sure as I've never compared.

There are some extremely powerful Garmin units that aren't quite to the level of the GPSMap76 that aren't quite as spendy. And they are all available with various selectable features like color, altimeter, electronic compass, SD card readers, etc.

What I like is the PC mapping software including Lakemaster that is available giving me the ability to scan the maps, create routes, add waypoints, etc. all from my PC on a 21" screen in the comfort of my living room and then download to my GPS or SD card.

Just some information to hopefully help without confusing.

Bob

[mnfin]

H20 is awesome. Get a 12v auto power cord and plug it into your truck or wheeler and you do not have to worry about batteries.

I love using it with the wheeler ice fishing. Just drive to the spot and start fishing.

I have also been looking at the XOG for a cross over GPS but it has fewer channels than the H2O so hypothetically not as accurate. They are cheap thou.

[shnelson]

If you're not worried about cost, I'd recommend the Garmin Rino 530HCx. I picked one up over the spring and have gotten plenty of practical use out of it, as it is very versatile.

I haven't picked up the lake maps for it yet, but i'm sure they're just as good or better than the rest. I do have the full US topo maps, they are very detailed and a must have for any garmin user.

It's also got sunrise/sunset, celestial tables, 2 way radio and gps polling for groups. 14-16 hour batt life, It is water proof as well, I believe it is rated to be submerged for up to a half hour and still be functional (I can't speak to whether or not it floats though).

Check it out, I'm confident it wont let you down!