Lowrance iFinder questions

[buckeye_sean]

Looking to buy my first GPS unit and through some extensive research I am leaning heavily towards the Lowrance ifinder H20 or H20C. However, still have a few nagging questions.

First off, other than the cost factor is there a big plus getting the color screen vs. the B&W screen? (I know it looks nicer, but haven't been able to see both of them powered up for comparison.)

Second, since I will also be using this on the road for occasional car trips etc. I would appreciate any input from current owners as to how well the unit works "on the road" vs. on the water.

Lastly, I fish mainly inland lakes and reservoirs which Lowrance seems to already have as downloadable maps. How much benefit will I see by purchasing the MapCreate sofware? Also, would I be better off getting one of the "Hotspot" chips vs. the MapCreate software?

I appreciate any feedback on this, thanks.

 

[tommays]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

I have the saltwater chip and find it to be a great value

As far as color for me seeing shallow spots is very inportant and i find color is the way to go for that

To get really usefull car navagition i think you will need to go to a higher priced unit

Tommays

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

I bought the H2O and the navonics premium lake package. The lake package cost was 129 dollars. They have over 8000 lakes on that chip and I have yet to find a lake that didnt have the lake map on it. The H2O unit comes with a 12 volt adaptor for your car so you dont burn batteries. I have the black and white and it works great for me. My concern with the color is if you dont have the background light on all the time is it very readable. I know when I went from black and white to color on my cell I can see the display unless I turn the light on.

The H2O has a lot of basic map stuff for when you are on the street. Major roads and exits and stuff. Mapcreate sounds like a pretty cool program. The H2O only has one chip slot so I doubt you can use navigation and lake ability at the same time.

 

[Tcrum5711]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

I own the H2Oc. Works great in the car on trips. Never loses signal and locks on very quickly. The screen is definitely dark and using the light is just about the only way to see the screen. A buddy has the BW/ version and has the same problem with the dark screen though. His takes longer to lock on to satellites and is slower to load the info on a Navionics card.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

The I finder H2OC or H2O are much brighter than the Garmin equivalment GPSMAP 76C or GPSMAP 76.

Also the lights are LED's so do not affect the batteries as much. Also comes with a lighter power adapter. Garmin charges $30 or more for the adapter.

I finder has all the navigation aids and a good marine base map. On the hwy has major roads and streets but minor roads do not show up.

Garmin units you must check very closely. Older GPSMAPS 76 had a good marine bass map and navigation aids but newer unit have a very poor base map and no Navigation aids at all. They have changed several times. Last time I checked back in winter the Color GPSMAP 76CS had a desent marine base map with navigations aids.

For Marine and Road I think Garmin's GPSMap 276C is a very good unit. It has a Marine and auto mode and is easy to switch form one to the other.

I think JB has a 276 or a 176 and has a lot of good thinks to say about it.

In the smaller hand helds I think the ifinder is much eaiser to veiw and the base maps are better. Also for about 80 more can get the mapcreate software, a card reader and a memory chip.

 

[fishingdan]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

I agree with most of the above. I have had the ifinder H20 for 2 years (monochrome). It is a great handheld unit. With the mapcreate software, you can load a tremendous amount of land detail in the unit.

I love it in the boat and for hiking. It works fine in the car, but there are better car gps units that can give turn-by-turn directions.

 

[buckeye_sean]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

Thanks for all the input so far. I do know that there are better units out there for road purposes, however I would say this will be used 90% in the boat and 10% in the car. Still up in the air whether the color is worth the extra $. Is the color unit faster by any means, updated software etc?

Portability is key for me, as well as the ability to load lake maps which made the H20 and easy choice. Now if I can just narrow it down to B&W or color and whether to get the MapCreate software or a chip.

Decisions...decisions...decisions...

 

[Boatist]

Re: Lowrance iFinder questions

I own a Garmin GpsMap 76 monochrome older unit and it works great and has the navigation aids that garmin use to put on the units. The unit works great on the water with out buying any detail chips. In the car also works great. It does not have turn by turn but I set a waypoint at all the major turns and that works great.

The main problem it has is in the car very dificult to see the screen. If your a passenger you can find an angle where you can see it but if you driving you can not take your eyes off the road long enough to see where you are. I am going to buy the ifinder color unit as an upgrade.

The Ifinder units both monochrome and color are both much eaiser to see the screen. Yes most of the time the light must be on but it is a Led lamp so does not affect the battery that much. At the winter boat shows I saw the monochrome units and the color units and in my opinion the color is worth the extra bucks. Since this display was indoors and the garmin I have is so hard to see, I ask lot of questions about how hard it is to see in different light conditions. The Lowrance rep got out his personal Ifinder hunt and the H20C from the display and we took a walk out side. We could not find a place where the unit was hard to see. I just liked the color unit better and felt like even it i got the monochrome unit I would always want the color unit.

Another thing I noticed was how fast the screen re drew it self. My garmin can takes a while if I make a change where the screen has to re draw. I think the rep said the new unit are faster and have a dual processor. One handels the screen and the other your position. Double check that but it is much faster than my garmin.

Since the unit was new I still have not bought mine but will soon. I have been watching the post here and have not seen a post about problems with the ifinder.

Another thing to consider is if you need an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. H20C does not have either but expidition does. It also plays mp3 if you want that. For me the 4 satellite altimeter is fine with an accuracy of about 200 feet. Also on a very small screen I really do not need a electronic compass. On My Garmin it will display a compass rose with in two steps but I do not use that mode as the screen is too small. Instead I turn on a bearing to next waypoint and use the boats compass. Hiking or in the car I use the steering indicator.