Garmin Striker 5 or Helix

[GP]

I noticed the Garmin striker 5 is almost $150 cheaper than the Helix 5. Is there much difference between the 2 to justify the price difference? Seems like the Helix gets more reviews, but looking at the specs they seem to have similar features.

[meandcuznalfy]

Can't go wrong with the Garmin, got the Stryker 4 for my son and it works great, nice units for the price.

[alaska mike]

I don't know anything about the garmin but I love my helix 5 which I use for ice fishing and on the kayak in the summer.  I also have a couple of lowrance's on another boat but I prefer the helix over them.

[davearnold5511]

I use the Helix 7.
I think the choice will come down to personal preference. Before you buy consider:
Will it be ice use only or used on a boat as well? Humminbird Helix allows you to do both.
Is mapping important to you? Humminbird comes loaded with basemap which I find sufficient where I fish, and is upgradeable to Navionics and LakeMaster. I can GPS mark spots where I catch fish and capture screen shots. Plus track my paths so I can get back to my holes even in driving snow.
Is budget a limiting factor? Do you plan on upgrading in the near future? If yes, then buy the one unit you can live with for a long time.

How about battery life? I can fish for days with my extra batteries and solar panels, but if you are limited, the Humminbird unit has a power standby feature that allows you to sleep the unit while going in between holes to conserve battery life.
Not that familiar with the Garmin unit mentioned, but had a Lowrance Ice4 and the Helix blows it away.

Finally, after using different manufacturers' menu interfaces, I find Humminbird to be the most intuitive which can be critical when you don't have time to mess with buttons when a fish is under you.

Finally, getting a hands on demo can help sway the choice one way or the other. Hopefully you have a large sporting goods store near you. It would be worth the trip.