Garmin 240 vs Lowarance X85

[Judo]

I need your help. I am deliberating over buying a Garmin 240 with temp. and speed for $299 vs a lowrance X85 at $449 plus an add on speed, temp sensor thing for another $60. Is the Lowrance worth that much more money. I want somthing user friendly. Thanks for your input. You guys and gals have been a big help to me.

[I_FISH]

I went through the same thing as you are and ended up with the lowrance X85. I looked at the garmin and I felt that the lowrance was much more clearer in the picture quality. Right now you can get the lowrance X85 for $449.00 which INCLUDES a FREE Speed and Temp. I got mine for this price with the speed and temp. Lowrance has a promo on it. Go to www.lowrance#####. Take the listing to a sporting goods store and most will honor it. Or Reeds Sports has it including a speed/temp for that price. Scheels also will honor that to.

I_FISH

[JohnP]

bought a garmin 240 last year, very user friendly, great definition. I am very happy with mine and also paid 299.00 at Gander Mt.

[tstick]

i think the garmin is a lot better choice. it has more power, costs less, and i really hate taking a lot of time scrolling through all those menus. it's why i've kept my 350a.and not gone to an x85.....the garmin looks easier to use..

[fishlips]

Definitely the Garmin 240!

[matt thompson]

Not trying to advertise here but Thorne Bros. has the x-85 for 419 w/speed and temp,and the garmin 240 for 289 w/temp. I appologize if I have crossed any lines. Matt Thompson

[Greggb]

If you're looking for accurate trolling speed get the Lowrance. The speed on the 240 is useless. Here's why. You have to calibrate to an accurate source (GPS). If you calibrate it to a high speed like it recommends then trolling speed is off by as much as 5 mph. If you calibrate to a slow speed then the high end speed can be off by as much as 20 mph. I sent my unit in because I thought there was a problem. Garmin checked it out and said thats the way it is. It is very cumbersome to use speed with the Garmin. I do a lot of trolling and find this unit not to fit my needs because of this.

With the lowrance speed setup is easy and brainless and pretty much dead on. Also the screen refreshes on the Garmin are slow. Lowrance beats them again.

I loved my Garmin at first because it shows very good detail. I purchased it because of price. But there are some features I don't like (as listed above). You can judge for yourself what's important.

Good Luck!

[Greggb]

Do they have a website or phone number?

[TS 45]

I have the X-85, bought last season at Galyns in Il. They throw in the speed / temp. sensor free. Thru careful negotiation I paid $330.00.
Garmin seems interesting too, good luck either way.

[Kevin A.]

The X-85 suffers from the same high vs low speed problems. When I noticed it on my X-85 I called lowrance customer service and they said "that's the way it is...". The problem isn't the manufacturer it is the paddle wheel design itself. A paddle wheel is great for less than 10mph...above that switch to GPS fro an accurate read on speed.

Judo, consider a Furuno LS6000 #####www.furuno#####/fishfind/ls6000.html

2400 watts (300rms), 320x240 pixels, BIG screen, $389 including speed & temp, @ Shoreway Marine (www.shorewaymarine#####). I'll be ordering one today to replace an X-85 that will be replacing an X-65 on the bow.

[wjw]

You've probably got more information now than you wanted but I bought an X-85 for my son from Reed's last winter at the sport show in Sioux Falls for $350 with speed/temp and a SAM with an extra transducer (right from Jeff Arnold). Its great but when we tried to calibrate it for both high and low speeds and it didn't work out very well. I was using a Garmin handheld GPS. My 350A is also less accurate at high speeds. We ended up calibrating it for low speed so he'd have something for trolling. Interestingly, my two GPS receivers (Garmin and Lowrance) don't always agree on low end speed either.