Lowrance or Hummingbird ?

[little big man]

Has anyone tried the new humminbird 987C2SI that has had a lowrance lcx25 or 102? I am looking at upgrading my lowrance units and like the idea of the side imaging and 3D. I have never had anything except lowrance but mine are not color. The color appears easier to see bottom fish and structures. Any input is appreciated.

[AndyR]

I think the Hummingbirds are pretty sweet. I dont think you would be dissapointed in those things. Not only the side imaging on them is cool but all the other options associated with it.
I just used a 102C last weekend on my buddies boat. That was a nice unit too.
Today mostly all new units are good! Whatever you choose it will be a good deal!

I would never have thought I would be comparing LOWRANCE and HUMMINGBIRD, but I do believe this could be Hummingbird's first quality product. I have two 104's and a 26 and I wouldnt even compare the images, options, easiness to use, or the quality. I have sent stuff back to Lowrance trashed and they fixed it for free, they are also good people. I'm not saying don't buy this new Hummingbird just don't be the test dummy, give it a few years! The 102 and 25 are the same units I have with different hardware, excellent units. GOOD LUCK

[little big man]

Thanks for the advice. After thinking about it and the comment about how lowrance is tried and true and great customer service I am going to stick with the tried and true of lowrance. Service is everything. I guess we all want the latest and greatest and it may not be the best, just new gadgets. That side imaging and 3D is extremely cool but having never had any experience with hummingbird and the great service and reliability of my lowrance equipment I am going to go ahead and get the lcx 26 and the 102lcx with gps to replace the two x91 and gps unit I currently have. Thanks for the info and the confirmation of what I felt and should have known.

[Questor]

I realize this is a bit off-topic, but I did get a Bottom Line model a few years ago and was very displeased with it. I eventually threw it away (literally into the garbage can) and replaced it with an Eagle model.

The issues were, first, that the software was bad in this new model and by the time Bottom Line and I finally realized that, I had already become so fed up with the unit I didn't want to have it repaired.

Secondly, I hated the way it mounted to the boat. Any adjustments required taking the boat out of the water. This was an infuriating process of fumbling and trial an error. The Eagle/Lowrance system is MUCH better in that if I need to adjust the transducer, I just reach down and adjust it a click or two. It's been fabulous.

My understanding is that Lowrance acquired Eagle and they share quite a few parts.

I like the menu and the features of the Eagle. It is one of the best things I have ever owned.

Eagle also had a nifty downloadable simulator that I could run on my PC to learn the features of the unit before ever taking it on the water. That was a very nice touch. It was free for the downloading from their web site.

[little big man]

Thanks that sounds like a deal being able to run a simulator first. I'll check out the new lowrance's and see if they have that also.

Eagle was bought by Lowrance and I recall that I went to the Lowrance site to get the "product emulator". Here's an example link:
http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/LCX-111Chd.asp

See the gray text that says "product emulator"? Click on that to download. They have one for each of their products.

[AndyR]

You really cant beat lowrance and their service either. I would have to bet that hummingbirds service dept is great also. They just got bought out by MinnKota Moters a year or so ago and for me MinnKota has been good.

Yesterday I went to cabelas and got a LCX-25 and 110C for a great deal. (I couldnt pass it up!) I too was looking at Hummingbirds side-Imagining and found it to be sweet for locating fish in a school but I knew it would take some time to get used to it.

I got my Lowrances because I already was familiar with them and the GPS units carry the software I want to use in them!

Have fun with your Lowrance Color units, they are sweet!

[Dr Scarey]

Both are great brands. Humminbird has come a long way in the last two years. Telflex just about milked that division to death prior to selling it to Johnson Outdoors. Thank goodness Johnson appreciates Humminbird and is putting tons of money into their R&D dept. By the way, of the two, Humminbird is the only one that runs the "new", Navionics Hotmaps Platinum chip. The plantinum imaging is AWESOM!!!!!

Bill

Boy I wish I could get the Platinum maps for my lake! I do like the Navionics maps with the one foot contours and my 987. I use it mostly for the GPS right now. I am going to get the transducer mounted (finally) next week if I can find a free place on the back to put it. I am running out of transducer real estate.