Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

[Scott-14]

I am going to purchase a new color chartplotter soon and have narrowed my serch down to either a Garmin 182c unit or a equal Lowrance unit. Does anyone have any experience with either units? And which one has better options and ease of use.

 

[T.Z.]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

I have a cheap garmin 12xl that hasn't missed a beat in 5 years, I also have an Expensive lowrance a couple years old and the gps does not work.Garmin makes a better gps and sofware to go with it .Just my opinion

 

[Boatist]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

I have a Garmin GPSMAP 76 and it works fine and has a basic map with Navigation Aids (Buoys Data). However most garmin units do not come with any Navigation aids unless you buy the detailed charts and the unlock codes.<br /><br />New Lowrance units I have seen come with a good basic chart and Navigation aids. New units comming out this month are going to have detail charts with navagation aids, roads lanmarks and the whole works with nothing else to buy. Have not seen any of the new units yet but sales rep at the boat show said they will continue to update charts and they will be a free download. I hate spending big bucks for a new unit and then still having to buy the charts and then still buy the unlock code. After that if a new chart comes out you have to buy that again. So I like what Lowrance is doing. I not sure is any cheaper than buying everthing you need from Garmin but the free undated downloads I like. I have a 1985 Lowrance Fish Finder and so far it has worked perfect. You can find a little bit about the new Lowrance units at Cabela's or Bass Pro shops. New units have a option for a 20 gig Hard drive for recording and maps.<br /><br />Garmin Colors units try and match the colors of the actual paper chart. I guess that good if you want to compare to a real chart. <br /><br />Lowrance has colors with much higher constrast and they really do not try and Match the chart but instead use colors easy to see out on the water. I like the Lowrance colors better. I am waiting to see the new units and get some hands on. These unit are so new still do not have most of the emulators out on there Web site. When they do come out nice to try all the features on your computer so when you actually see units will know how to work it.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

Lowrance is a fish finder company and Garmin is a GPS company so that made my decision quite easy. <br /><br />I’ve got Blue Water charts on my Garmin and nothing I’ve seen even comes close. Going on 4 years of hard usage and it’s yet to miss a beat.

 

[BillP]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

Not specific to the units you are asking about but the biggest difference I can tell between the two brands on all their products is Garmin uses tiny text and their colors not as bright. When you zoom in on Garmin charts the text stays small while the picture gets bigger. Menus are small and chart text is small. That was a problem to me when recently using a 2006c Garmin but might not be to you. Lowrance uses larger text and brighter colors...like 3D. I don't think you can go wrong with either for reliability. My preference leans to Lowrance.

 

[dmonwai]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

The text size is adjustable from small, medium and large on my Garmin 276C.<br /><br />I've never used Lowrance GPS but had several Garmin units. I've been happy with my Garmins. I also have a lot of the Garmin mapping software so I'll be sticking with Garmin for a while.

 

[JB]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

Ditto Damon.<br /><br />I have had 4 different Garmin units, currently use a 276C. Every one has been bulletproof and user friendly (once you learn the Owner's Manual).<br /><br />I have had good luck with Lowrance/Eagle sonars, too.<br /><br />I think Dingbat called it: Garmin is a GPS company and Lowrance is a sonar company.

 

[Jason S in WA]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

Originally posted by dingbat:<br /> Lowrance is a fish finder company and Garmin is a GPS company so that made my decision quite easy. <br /><br />I’ve got Blue Water charts on my Garmin and nothing I’ve seen even comes close. Going on 4 years of hard usage and it’s yet to miss a beat.

There is a reason Garmin is the number one GPS company, as well as the most trusted aviation supplier.<br /><br />Also Blue Charts are cheaper than the Navonics and other cards. The colors in the Garmin match charts (yes paper, even though you have a GPS you should have a chart and compass aboard to not is irresponsible) and offer plenty of contrast regardless of what I have read elsewhere.<br /><br />Stay Garmin for GPS, with the Lowrance for the FF was what I did and have not looked back. I have a GPSMAP 182C and a Lowrance 102DFC. Both color and I will NEVER go back to black and white. Full on sun I can read it where I could not read my Lowrance 135DF.

 

[Sea Six]

Re: Garmin vs Lowrance Chartplotter's

To me, Garmin and Lowrance both have an unnecessarily large and confusing number of products on the market.