Poll

What do you prefer or think is the best sonar out there? Feel free to tell us what you use and why. If other, tell us what you use.

Marcum
217 (38.2%)
Vexilar
191 (33.6%)
hummingbird
97 (17.1%)
Other
63 (11.1%)

Total Members Voted: 565

Author Topic: Marcum vs. Vexilar vs. hummingbird vs. other POLL(Lets settle this finally!)  (Read 68318 times)

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 5,704
  • Team Iowa!
I've owned a few units over the years.

The units I have kept.

fL18,FL20,FL22,&FL28


Personally I feel the best bang for the buck on the market is.....

an FL18 with a tri beam.

Vexilar offers simplicity, bottom zoom , and 3 beams. Something marcum or Humminbird doesn't offer.

After playing with about every unit and owning most, I feel the FL 18 offers the basic most important options at the cheapest price. Holds its resale really well and is SIMPLE to use.

With saying that I found myself fishing 99.9% of the time with my FLX28 double vision tri beam and DVR camera with DTD. Since my flx28 head is on my double vision.

If I had to suggest a unit to anyone I would tell them to get an FL18 double vision with DTD & a tribeam. Has everything you need with simple solid easy to learn settings.

anything else is bells and whistles with a really pain in the rear learning curve to get the settings right.

I found marcum products to be over price and a PITA to set. I have met numerous people who by a marcum and sell it later. It's not a bad product and good customer service, just never seems to work quite like my vexilar products.

Offline Wyoming_Ice

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,405
  • Ice Fishing God's Country "Big Wounderful Wyoming"
 I like Vexilars float on my LX6's transducer cable  ;D     

  Wyo Ice
RIP "LT"   This place just won't be the same...

Offline lippy

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 588
Marcum LX7

Offline ifish4fishwithteeth

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 231
Marcum LX5

Offline Flint

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 411
Marcum LX5 for best mechanical flasher.If it had a dimmable display it would be about perfect.

Offline rpdog

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
I drive a G M C. Sorry I'm bored

Offline bigredonice

  • Iceshanty Militia
  • Team IceShantyholic
  • *
  • Posts: 5,153
  • keep searchin' 'till ya find 'em.
no technology out there for ice fisherman (yet) that will catch you more fish.   so ill take the most simple unit with the bulletproof tech that is least likely to break down.

whoever comes out with 360* side scan unit specifically for ice fishing will get my money

Offline sickchopperaltitude

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 65
Although I haven't bought anything I'm sold on marcums new digital flashers and from what I understand they do have bottom zoom.

Offline Mrp2000

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 9

Offline Eskimo6120

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 73
  • FLAAG!
Went on a budget buy and got a fl8. Minus the zoom feature, it works flawlessly. What else do you need

Offline Adkrs

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 794
I will move this to the ice fishing with electronics after its been up for a week. Then when the question of which is the best sonar comes up, we can just redirect the person to this thread.  ;D

I reckon thats that. Marcum wins
Beer will get you through times of no ice better than ice will get you through times of no beer...

Offline HeclaHardWater

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 116
Zercom BABY!

Offline 3300

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,631
  • Michigan Moderator.Not affiliated with MarCum Tech
Zercom BABY!
sounds like part of frank zappas lyrics in "moving to montana soon".

got any link or model so i can look that up? never heard of them other than music.

Offline Adkrs

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 794
sounds like part of frank zappas lyrics in "moving to montana soon".

got any link or model so i can look that up? never heard of them other than music.
Theyre older than you. The OG vex
Beer will get you through times of no ice better than ice will get you through times of no beer...

Offline 3300

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,631
  • Michigan Moderator.Not affiliated with MarCum Tech
how old am i?
how old is it?

my daughter says og means original gangster.

Offline matzilla

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,180
sounds like part of frank zappas lyrics in "moving to montana soon".

got any link or model so i can look that up? never heard of them other than music.

https://www.google.com/#q=zercom

Catchin' Fish

Offline 3300

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 7,631
  • Michigan Moderator.Not affiliated with MarCum Tech
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=332863.msg3526572#msg3526572

thanks matt, google doesn't work with my browser but i found some info on it anyway.

heres one for sale for 29 bucks
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/zercom

some is chatter on it from 5 years ago
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=178075.0

looks like marcum wins!

Offline sra61

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 806
MarCum all the way. Comparing a Vex to a MarCum is like comparing an old pinball machine with bells and lights to a Playstation 4! MarCum!

Offline Elkhnter

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 688
Humminbird 570 Graph- As i like to see fish as a Fish and not a Yellow,Red Or Orange line..  I'm just a visual guy and it works 100% perfect for me!!
Marvin

Offline icejohn

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 598
  • kids love fishing too, take one
had vex fl8, bacic model and used it at leasts ? 15 yrs and wouldn't fish without it....until lost in my barn fire. i replaced it with the marcum basic unit vxli each are same price $299,99 but marcum has bottom zoom and has a great case that comes with it..
my 2cents.
icjohn

Offline jawi.

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 13
Marcum LX5i

Offline iceman260

  • Iceshanty Militia
  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • *
  • Posts: 2,092
Vex all the way.
If fishing is a sport are we considered athletes?

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 5,704
  • Team Iowa!
What the vex

Offline IM-POUNDING- R -U

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,086
Till they pry my Vexilar out of my cold dead hands
10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish .....im a 10% are you?

Offline IM-POUNDING- R -U

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,086
303 Members voted and 353 votes?mmmmm?  Due the math.
10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish .....im a 10% are you?

Offline Adkrs

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 794
303 Members voted and 353 votes?mmmmm?  Due the math.

Russians  ;)
Beer will get you through times of no ice better than ice will get you through times of no beer...

Offline 3274mike

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 22
Humminbird

luv2fish2

  • Guest

Offline FrozenTRD

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 16
Vex guy here, hard to play (fish) with others interference.

Offline slipperybob

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,551
  • LX5 or die...maybe extra battery.
last I checked:

353 members = 353 votes...  ;D
For more information read my MN nice journal

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.