Vexilar FLX-30 - Honest Reviews?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

In that situation there probably isn’t a huge advantage.  With the FLX-30 you’d have seven different cone angles as opposed to two or three which also gives more IR settings.   The other features like the 18ft zoom and the Range selections are more geared toward deeper water so if you aren’t fishing deep water much that isn’t much of an advantage. The 30 also has a medium power setting as opposed to just high and low which is kind of nice.  An FLX-28 with a TriBeam and a LI battery and you’ve got most of what the 30BB is IMO.

Ok good to know. When I was at the bait shop playing with the FLX30BB & looking over the features that is the conclusion I came to. Just thought maybe I missed something.

[hnd]

talking with a friend who's basically owned every flasher on the planet and his month or so with the FLX30bb.  He feels like it has solved the shallow water issues of most other vexilars and its solved the proview problem of the flx28.  But he said the premium in price paid was not worth the features when he could pick up and M5 for under $500 that has mostly already solved most of those issues.  But he like many others had issues with Marcum about 5-6 years ago and is a bit gunshy which is reasonable.   

He bought 2, sold 1 and bought a helix to put it through its paces. 

regarding the future for vexilar.   I think they'll be ok.  I think trying to sell an 800 dollar mechanical flasher is probably not going to work for them but people are going to by vexilars for many years into the future.  and here's why :

A) because while a vexilar isn't goign to help you with mapping, gps, or livescope type features, when it comes to what is down the hole you are straddling over,  a mechanical flasher works as well if not in some cases better than any other 2D sonar product (this eliminates panoptix/livescop...i'm talking 2d) on the market.  Which is its original purpose.  Which leads me to the 2nd reason

B) Most fisherman aren't looking at maps, GPS, or can afford Livescop/panoptix.   Most people head to the local community spot, or are spot scavengers.  Thats just the reality.  Even as that stuff is becoming cheaper, and we are all carrying something in our pocket that gives you access to maps and GPS.  MOST ice fisherman do not use it.   This is just observatory based on my travels ice fishing and noticing what everyone else is using. 

Those 2 reason are why Vexilar isn't going anywhere.   Their professional staff is also very extensive, well spoken, and they take care of them very well.

[HWeber]

Prostaff and brand loyalty are why vex won't die. People will say anything is the best for a couple bucks

[Agronomist_at_IA]

talking with a friend who's basically owned every flasher on the planet and his month or so with the FLX30bb.  He feels like it has solved the shallow water issues of most other vexilars

What is the shallow water issue with vexilar? I’ve never heard of it or seen it. I’ve used mine in the 19* cone and fished in 5ft of water with no problems.

[hnd]

he's had to run an s cable on every vexilar he's ever purchased to not have his 4mm tungsten take up a foot of space on the screen.  Same issue I had when i ran an 8 and then upgreaded to an 18.  not even lp mode removed it for me.   we used to fish a ton of shallow water (<10')  this is because you can't turn the gain all the way down on the vexilars.  birds and marcums you can clear the screen which allows you to tune it to a thin line representation. 

Obviously still completely usable and works fine in most situations.  and to be honest, i probably wouldn't of ever noticed if i hadn't fished a situation like this side by side with a buddy with an lx3.  But we def ran into issues fishing among trees in shallow back water river sloughs where you were blind because the marks were so big. 

he said messing with the frequency basically can clear that up wiht the flx30bb

[Agronomist_at_IA]

he's had to run an s cable on every vexilar he's ever purchased to not have his 4mm tungsten take up a foot of space on the screen.  Same issue I had when i ran an 8 and then upgreaded to an 18.  not even lp mode removed it for me.   we used to fish a ton of shallow water (<10')  this is because you can't turn the gain all the way down on the vexilars.  birds and marcums you can clear the screen which allows you to tune it to a thin line representation. 

Obviously still completely usable and works fine in most situations.  and to be honest, i probably wouldn't of ever noticed if i hadn't fished a situation like this side by side with a buddy with an lx3.  But we def ran into issues fishing among trees in shallow back water river sloughs where you were blind because the marks were so big. 

he said messing with the frequency basically can clear that up wiht the flx30bb

The only time I ever had that was with the pro view. Otherwise it’s been fine for me with the duel and tri beams. I’ve never used a single cone transducer on a vexilar besides the pro view.

The only unit I ever had to run an s cable on was the FL8se. For shallow water.

[hnd]

i think the 18 came with a 12.  it with lp mode was def better but still irritating. 

[lowaccord66]

What's the shallow water issues with the 28?  On low power with the gain set right I had no issues using it to catch crappies in 3 fow.  I remember my buddy making fun of me for using it saying I didn't need it so shallow but it worked and worked well. Am I missing something?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

What's the shallow water issues with the 28?  On low power with the gain set right I had no issues using it to catch crappies in 3 fow.  I remember my buddy making fun of me for using it saying I didn't need it so shallow but it worked and worked well. Am I missing something?

In his post it was having a large blob take up 1ft on the screen....I only ever had it with a pro view

[Bucket Rump]

What's the shallow water issues with the 28?  On low power with the gain set right I had no issues using it to catch crappies in 3 fow.  I remember my buddy making fun of me for using it saying I didn't need it so shallow but it worked and worked well. Am I missing something?

Works well for me also, although I run low power in weed mode with the gain turned up on my 28 when that shallow and prefer the Proview over the Tribeam.  Anyone know what the construct difference is between the Proview and the new ducer on the 30?

[Panfisher78]

Works well for me also, although I run low power in weed mode with the gain turned up on my 28 when that shallow and prefer the Proview over the Tribeam.  Anyone know what the construct difference is between the Proview and the new ducer on the 30?


I believe the Ducer on the 30 uses multiple crystals

[lowaccord66]

In his post it was having a large blob take up 1ft on the screen....I only ever had it with a pro view

I have the preview.  If you are shallow and not on LP then I can see how that would be an issue.  For me Normal range, no zoom, LP on weed mode and adjust the gain.  Worked fine.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I have the preview.  If you are shallow and not on LP then I can see how that would be an issue.  For me Normal range, no zoom, LP on weed mode and adjust the gain.  Worked fine.

Tried it when you do that your cone angle is so narrow there is no point in using it in shallow water. To get the bigger cone angle u end up with a huge blob. Where when using a tribeam on 19* you get a bigger cone angle without the blob.

[lowaccord66]

Tried it when you do that your cone angle is so narrow there is no point in using it in shallow water. To get the bigger cone angle u end up with a huge blob. Where when using a tribeam on 19* you get a bigger cone angle without the blob.

Don't know how to help ya.  Worked great for me...somewhere deep in my photobucket there's a pic of the limit of crappies I took using it in 3 fow.  Sorry it didn't do the trick for you.  If I need to fish shallow and my livevu and livescope bundles aren't operational I'd use the flx again.

[tswoboda]

So if you had a tri beam on the FLX28 (which has the three cone angles and labeled on the switch) which basically allows a person to do what you were doing. IYO What are the advantages of moving from a FLX28 to a FLX30BB.

I understand that today a lot of people can get a dual or tri so it pushes them towards a FLX30BB.

I get that you don't care about better IR, but guess what - some people do.  Fishing in a group on deep, fast-sloping, hard bottom lakes is an interference cesspool so if the 30 can knock out interference better than other units that is a big deal TO ME and other's I fish with.

[hookset81]

Thanks a lot Hookset81, awesome feedback.

Why is the battery indicator useless with the lithium? Just because the lithium goes forever, or does it not work?

Saw the guys at YouBetchaOutdoors put up a new video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2-Yxy30oII I'm hoping they do an on ice comparison of the 28 and 30.

I still like the features of the broadband ducer. That said, if I could find a dual beam that would probably be my go to option. Anyone know where to look for one?

Because Lithium puts out consistent voltage until it dies, there is virtually no voltage drop.  Sometimes it says the battery is 50% gone even though it is a fresh charge...they should have spent there time filtering depth display in medium and low power modes rather than a battery indicator that can't work right.  Just display current system voltage instead.