Marcum LX-7 Size?

[wiel0059]

I was initially leaning towards an LX-5, but the more research I didn't I didn't think it was a major upgrade over my Ice 35 for the price in all honesty (target separation was a big improvement, but outside of that I couldn't justify the price and I like my Ice 35).

So, now I'm leaning towards the LX-7 or LX-6 after tons of research. I love the idea of the LX-7, but I'm worried its 'too big' since I hole hope a ton. My buddy has the LX-6, and I don't love the size of the flasher wheel once you had the zooms / water columns on. This is where the LX-7 would excel...

Honest feedback from users that have the LX-6 or LX-7, do you think the 7 is too big when hole hopping? I'm interested in a lithium battery right now either, that adds even more cost on top. Perhaps in a year or two that would make sense. Thanks fellas!

[BigSling]

I found the weight difference to be marginal when I compared the two and definitely preferred the larger screen. If you already weren't pleased with the screen size on your buddy's LX6, spend the extra few bucks on an LX7 and save yourself from second guessing going with the smaller unit to save a little weight.

[Buckshots]

I just got my LX6 in the mail yesterday. I like to hole hop as well and don't like things taking up much space in the shack. The screen size looks good to me. It looks like it'll fit me right. Amazon had them for 525 + free shipping the other day. They are back up in price now. Keep your eyes peeled and I bet you will find a good deal. I don't think they'll go back to 525 though.

[perch_stalker]

I've got the lx7, and I do alot of hole hopping. I don't have any experience with the lx6 other than looking at it on the store shelf, but I love my lx7, I definitely love the big screen. Much easier to see all the different screen views. I thought I would use the round traditional graph view, but found myself loving the vertical, vertical zoom and the graph. I only used the round graph once. Another thing to think about, the lx7 is upgradeable to the lx9 to get the camera if you're interested in that in the next year or two. The lx6 doesn't have that option. Unless you're worried about the little room you'll save with the lx6 and the little amount of weight, I'd recommend the lx7!

[prosty41]

After one season with the lx7, I never want to fish without it. I don't hole hope a lot but when I do, I don't mind moving it. The only complaint I have (and I think I'd have this complaint with anything with a screen), is the display can be hard to see on a sunny day. Get the lx7.. it's worth the $

[3300]

the weight comes from the sla battery and hardly any thing from the head unit. the way you want to use it is not how most of us use it. the traditional wheel is not used any more except on units that only offer that display. it does come with it for those who think they still need to view water in a circle. the best way to use it tho is half screen graph and the other half uses vertical zoom and vertical normal views and you can add the specs of the unit in the middle of those vertical displays. if you upgrade the lx7 (you can't upgrade the lx6) to the lx9 then you can have the back ground color the camera instead of simply a color choice. for color only choice i use black. also the camera view can be full screen of split screen and you choose what you want on the other half of the screen like graph and camera only 50/50. i would say the lx6's fall back would only be the amount of screen space for the graph, but with out using one i could be wrong. the sensitivity is also better on the lx7/9 by a quarter inch. what that means is if you are fishing say perch that hug the bottom it will mean the fish have to be a quarter of an inch higher up from the bottom for the sonar to see it correctly.
people want this to fit a bucket and buy the smaller unit for that reason. i don't want mine in a bucket when i am going fishing because i bought to use it so i drill holes along the way to where i fish looking for fish and not leaving it tucked away some where i can't use it.
when off ice it goes in a safe spot and doesn't need a bucket then either. i bought the lx7 knowing about the ability to upgrade it to the lx9 and i did that after the first season. i just didn't want to spend as much as a lx9 costs if i didn't like it, but i do. the camera on it makes it nice to carry one unit on to ice and can make it camera only or sonar only or both at the same time and one screen to look at full time and one battery.
the lx6 would be my second choice if i couldn't afford the lx7 or didn't want to afford it.
i hole hop when the fish need to be found, so at times that's all i do and i drill a lot of holes looking for them. it's not a problem for me. the case is designed weird tho so once the transducer is out in the arm it makes the front/display lean forward. glare is a problem until you adjust to how to use a flat screen in sun. the rain shield does mess with polarized sun glasses, so you have to not use it is the best choice, but be careful to not scratch the screen like getting it wet from landing fish and wiping it down. i bought a few notebook screen protectors to try out to protect the screen for those days and to see if it knocked down any glare, but i haven't done it yet.
when you see them on store shelves it will help you realize how much bigger the 7 is. if you want measurements, i'll get them for you for the 7/9.
the lithium type batteries are supposed to knock 2/3 of the weight off if you can't handle the wight of the 9 amp sla battery. i am used to it so no problem for me. i think the lx6 may come with the same battery anyway. if not it would be 1 amp less.
nothing compares to the lx9 except the rt9 now.
these are all designed for open water too.

[32footsteps]

Not sure what 3300 wrote there.  Again, a whole bunch of words that probably have good info in them but I'm not going to take the time to read all of something that could probably be paraphrased.

An LX7 isn't ridiculously heavier than other units.  If it's around 15 pounds and the others are a tick over 11 it's only 4 pounds heavier.  In the bigger picture, that's not as huge of a deal as some make it out to be.  The way some go off about it you'd think they were pushing 40 pounds.  Nope, not the case. 

In terms of weight, 15 pounds isn't bad to hole hop with at all.  The issue with the LX7 is the way that the case is balanced from the factory and that makes it a bit cumbersome.  If you fix that strap issue or grab it by the back of the case and carry it using the handle on the plastic shuttle it's not a problem at all. 

[pikeaddict]

I had an LX6 and sold it to my brother.  Really like the additional screen size of the 7, especially when using multiple displays, or in daylight outside the shanty ripping big baits for pike and Lakers. I usually carry mine by  the shuttle thru the slot in the back of the pack.

[FISHFORPIKE]

I would be very surprised, if after you got an lx6 or 7 and used it in graph mode; that you would ever want the "wheel" again.  Love my LX7 and graph mode.  Verticle zoom with the graph is a nice addition to the display, depending on conditions/ water depth.