Garmin vs. Lowrance

I've used both and I really like Garmin better. It's much more user friendly. I would get the touch screen going forward. There are so many features now you can connect to your boat with like radio, motor alarms and gauges, etc.

If you are using or ever planning on getting an i-Pilot Minn Kota trolling motor, you might want to look at a Humminbird because that is the only brand that connects to it. I have the i-Pilot and don't use it connected to my GPS but depending on the fishing you do you might want it. Something to look into.

I have an old Garmin 541s and love it. I do not have it permanently mounted, and I truly believe that adds to its longevity. It is very easy to use (I am 65), and has great features. A friend of mine had a much better model go bad after about five years, but he had the unit permanently mounted, and the boat stayed out in the weather.

Obviously it’s a personal thing, but I have both and I’d choose Garmin all day between the two. The contour mapping is so easy and usable and helps a ton for trout/red fishing, especially from Nov-March.

I've had a garmin then simrad, then Lowrance, then a brand new Garmin EchoMap Plus 93SV. I like the Garmin and it is easy to use. My only complaint is the unit loads the standard mapping maps so much slower than the Lowrance and Simrad units I had. The processor is not as good.

Helped my buddy install a new Garmin 9” Live Scope with Panoptix transducer/perspective view. Took her for a quick test run last night and came away very impressed. I’d like to see the new Humminbird Mega 360 for a side by side comparison between the two.

Love the Cmaps on Lowrance. They’ve stepped up their game recently. Multi color pallet for shading makes things pop off the screen and narrow a bunch of water down once you get on a pattern. Humminbird lake maps are are also awesome. Really like the Mega DI/SI on Humminbird.

Loading while you zoom. I called standard mapping, and they said they just recently partnered with Garmin. Any model except for the latest and greatest will have a slower processor than us generally required for their maps. He did tell me to try and update the software, which could help. I’m going to have the boat on hand this weekend and will try that. I like everything else about the unit however. It’s a Garmin Echomap Plus 93sv. Got it at Cabela’s for $599. Which was $400 off