need input for gps/fishfinder

[icejohn]

I had the lowrance elite 4 HDI on my old boat (lost in fire) and with the Navionics Lake Maps.......wasn't really too pleased with maps/lowrance. Am looking at garmin echo map 43DV with lake vu HD mapping.....any help or ideas? Both cost about $300 the navionics chip costs $149 don't know if the pre-installed lake vu HD mapping on the garmmin is comparable.
Thanks,
icejohn

[boondox]

myself would wait for black Friday sales  but that's just me might be able to get a lowrance elite 5 chirp for dirt cheap.. or even a humming bird helix 5 sonar with gps... each can be used for ice fishing to but that up to you and wanting to wait... 

[perch-hound]

Icejohn,

I have the Garmin 70dv unit, the base mapping is really great for Oneida for example, 1ft contours, all buoy locations, etc.
Way better than the base Lowrance, or hummingbird base.
It is highly tunable with settings, way more so than my ability anyhow.
The only complaint I have is it is not NEMA 2000, that would have been nice for the engine telemetry display.

-Perch

[filetandrelease]

I have a 2010 nav chip in my 113c and it works just fine the newer ones are even better , base maps are ok but just not as precise jmo

[icejohn]

Filet, I had the navionics hot spots chip in my lowrance elite 4hd (before fire) and I had to contact cust service many times since it didn't display  all the definitions...buoys etc. For many of the places I fish,black lake Cayuga lake and even port bay, they had to update these areas and still had problems. I have a hand held I've had for 10yrs. With the navionics chip which had no problems. I just don't know about the insight maps....so can't spend more than about $300.
icejohn

[filetandrelease]

Thanks for the up date IJ

[wheredawaldos]

I love my elite 7 chirp