Just ordered a Lowrance Elite-5 Combo

workinpr0gress · #1 03-08-2010, 09:58 PM

I was looking for a combo plotter/sonar to flush mount in my old 20's console. I was in between getting a Standard 180i, Northstar 650, Lowrance Elite 5. I skipped the Garmin because I wanted a little better sonar. The Lowrance Combo was interesting to me but I couldn't find much info on it yet, I guess cause its so new. I got much better info when I called Lowrance than what they offer up to the public. This thing supposedly has one of the best base maps for a cheap unit, which I like in case I am somewhere not covered well by a chip. It also is supposed to have a good sonar for the money. I am not a huge fan of any unit you can't directly enter #'s but space is limited and I'm not gonna spend a small fortune on something thats gonna be out in the weather most of the time. For what I use it for it should be perfect. At least I'm sure it's better than the 5-8 year old stuff it's replacing.

Anyone use one yet? Any impressions?

Thanks, Bruce

Elite-5 Combo

workinpr0gress · #2 06-29-2010, 09:04 PM

Well I've been using the unit for about 4 months an average of four days a week and its outside in the weather flushed into my console in a slip by the ocean. I have 0 complaints about this unit. Menus are fast and common sense. Display data and fonts are so customizable. It's sunlight visibilty is amazing. I actually run mine in nightime mode most of the time cause its a bigger color contrast from land to water. It's base map has much more than one would expect. The sounder is fast and has excellent deeper water clarity. My ducer is shoot-thru mounted with the t/m ducer which I raised an eyebrow at but has worked great so far. My only complaint was I waited 3 months for a nmea cable and a cover so when I say its in the weather it is. Fighting the water spots isn't fun on electronics. For $490 and what it can do I am quite happy. Knock on wood.

Ryank · #3 07-02-2010, 08:23 AM

Bruce, I am torn between that and the Garmin 441s, My reasons for the garmin is the weather radar option with the sirius or xm? plan Also being able use it as a radiois nice . My hang up with Lowrance is their customer service has sucked for me and a friend of mine more then once, and Garmin has been awesome so far with other electronics of theirs. What did you mean by cant directly enter numbers?
Where did you buy it?

workinpr0gress · #4 07-02-2010, 10:55 PM

I like when units have a number pad rather than having to scroll through numbers with an arrow key.

lobo1 · #5 07-10-2010, 09:28 AM

Every year I fish with one of the best Lowrance pros in the business, Bruce Samson. This year I was on his boat and he had two of the HDS-10's one of the 7's and one of the 5's hooked up - he also had a laptop wired in the mix, sidescan ducers and underwater camera......this guy knows the bottom of the lakes up in the midwest like nobody else.
As long as you are not wanting to run a radar - I think you will be very happy with the higher end Lowrance products.

If you have any specific issues or questions Bruce is your guy and if he is not in a tournament or prefishing - he would be happy to answer any tech questions you have. He does seminars on electronics in the winter too.

feel free to email me if you need his info. ebeamish@yahoo.com

Steve

pelican · #6 07-10-2010, 05:02 PM

being in the marine repair buisness,i get to see just about everything.lowrance electronics,are the worst possible pieces of equipment anyone can purchase.their customer service is basically non existant.the list of problems i've ran into with lowrance products is endless-including my own boat-when i got it,it had lowrance electronics.
i would never advise anyone to ever purchase anything from lowrance...
search around the internet for problems with lowrance electronics,the results will scare you...

workinpr0gress · #7 07-10-2010, 05:10 PM

Isn't northstar, lowrance, eagle, navico all under navico...

Blue197320 · #8 07-10-2010, 08:28 PM

i hear the new lowrance stuff is nice. looking at the hds-8 for my other boat when its ready. im gonna keep watching it to see how they come out.

lobo1 · #9 07-11-2010, 11:13 PM

I dont have any Lowrance stuff now - only b/c my new boat came with Raymarine and I added Garmin autopilot.
Me and many of my friends have run Lowrance for many years in the toughest of tournament environments and it is pretty good stuff. I will agree with the Pelican in that their customer service sucks - which does bother me......but to say it is it the worst is ridiculous. Lowrance makes some very good stuff.
They may be the most popular brand and sell MILLIONS more units and therefore have more complaints......... still no excuse for their "customer - NO service dept".........Garmin makes a ton of stuff and still takes care of its customers.

my $.02 worth