VX-1 PRO Ice Sonar VS VEXLAR FL18

[fasttimeracing]

 VX-1 PRO Ice Sonar System
 OR
VEXLAR FL18.

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BUT FOR YOUR FIRST FISH FLASHER!

[wallydiven]

I just bought my second vex last year, but that was only because everyone was sold out of all other flashers. I was looking for the VX-1

[lhprop1]

I've had my FL18 for years and never had even the slightest problem with it.  I'll recommend the FL18 until something goes wrong with mine, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Talt to anyone who owns a Vex and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who's ever had a problem with theirs.  Vexilar all the way. 

[fasttimeracing]

IM SEEING VEXLARS EVERY WHERE. AM NOT SEEING MANY PEOPLE WITH A HUMMINGBRID OR A MAR CUM. THE THING WITH THE MAR CUM HAS ABOUT THE SAME THINGS AS THE VEXLAR FOR $100 LESS. MAYBE I WILL WAIT AND SEE IF I HEAR ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE MAR CUM!!

[iluvpounders]

if i was back on the market for one i would go with a marcum for sure. I love my vexilar fl-8 but the marcums just seem to be a half a tick better on all fronts than the vexilar. more sensitivity, better seperation etc...

[Junior58]

IM SEEING VEXLARS EVERY WHERE. AM NOT SEEING MANY PEOPLE WITH A HUMMINGBRID OR A MAR CUM. THE THING WITH THE MAR CUM HAS ABOUT THE SAME THINGS AS THE VEXLAR FOR $100 LESS. MAYBE I WILL WAIT AND SEE IF I HEAR ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE MAR CUM!!

It doesn't have the same for less, the Marcums have MORE for less.

[MN Bassfisher]

It doesn't have the same for less, the Marcums have MORE for less.

And less battery life.

[TIBS]

And less battery life.

Not significant enough to make a difference, IMHO.  Can get 4 extra batteries and still come out ahead with the Marcum price wise.

I would buy the Marcum over the Vex, the Vexilar has no "superiority", other than the price point being sky high.  They both work well, at least from all the reviews on this site I've read over the last year or so.  I've never used either, so no first hand experience.

[Junior58]

Not significant enough to make a difference, IMHO.  Can get 4 extra batteries and still come out ahead with the Marcum price wise.

I would buy the Marcum over the Vex, the Vexilar has no "superiority", other than the price point being sky high.

That goes for all Vex models vs. competitor level flashers. My LX3 has never died on me once from sun up till' sundown. There's nothing wrong with Vexilars as they are indeed reliable but you can't deny that you get the least options by far dollar for dollar. Name recognition is their best selling point. A ton of guys at work ice fish and many have not heard of any other flasher name besides Vexilar.

[LostOne]

All I can say is that I have an fl18 and I fish at least 3 nights a week for crappie, and I honestly don't think that I've seen someone with a different unit catch more than me.  I have no interference whatsoever, while others have had all kinds of issues.  I wouldn't normally back one product against another, but before I had my vex...I had never jigged a fish, after the first season with my fl18...I placed 4th in the Team Maine Crappie League Season-Long Tourney! I wish I could say it was because of me, but it was truly because of my fl18! My $.02.

[fasttimeracing]

WELL LAST NIGHT AFTER WORK I WENT TO THE BAIT STORE AND ASKED ABOUT ORDERING A MAR CUM. WELL COME TO FIND OUT HE WILL ORDER ME ONE BUT WILL NOT LET ME RETURN ONE. HE SAID FIVE OUT OF SIX GUY WERE BRING THEM BACK AND GETTING TO VEXLARS. I HAVE LOOKED AND LOOKED ONLINE FOR REVIEWS ONE BOTH OF THESE FLASHERS AND STILL HAVE NOT HEARD A BAD THING ABOUT THEM. BUT WHEN IT COME DOWN TO IT I THINK SPENDING A $100 MORE IS DUMB. BUT WHEN U ARE LOOKING TO BUY U CANT GO WORNG BY BUYING SOMETHING THAT 90% OF ICE FISHERMEN HAVE. BUT IM STILL GOING TO WAIT IT OUT A LITTLE AND SEE BEFORE BUYING ONE OF THEM.  THIS IS A BIG INVESTMENT FOR ANYONE

[ice dawg]

I have an FL 18 and have never seen a Marcum in use and I wouldn't say anything bad about either one of them. I know that there are some really nice sonars out there and when I'm due for a new one it will be hard for me to choose. By then they will be even better.

[Junior58]

WELL LAST NIGHT AFTER WORK I WENT TO THE BAIT STORE AND ASKED ABOUT ORDERING A MAR CUM. WELL COME TO FIND OUT HE WILL ORDER ME ONE BUT WILL NOT LET ME RETURN ONE. HE SAID FIVE OUT OF SIX GUY WERE BRING THEM BACK AND GETTING TO VEXLARS. I HAVE LOOKED AND LOOKED ONLINE FOR REVIEWS ONE BOTH OF THESE FLASHERS AND STILL HAVE NOT HEARD A BAD THING ABOUT THEM. BUT WHEN IT COME DOWN TO IT I THINK SPENDING A $100 MORE IS DUMB. BUT WHEN U ARE LOOKING TO BUY U CANT GO WORNG BY BUYING SOMETHING THAT 90% OF ICE FISHERMEN HAVE. BUT IM STILL GOING TO WAIT IT OUT A LITTLE AND SEE BEFORE BUYING ONE OF THEM.  THIS IS A BIG INVESTMENT FOR ANYONE

Why are you asking a bait store to order you one? Why not order online where you'll get a better price on either unit vs. a bait shop ordering you one for full price most certainly? Even ebay has some units for sale .........

[stumper]

WELL LAST NIGHT AFTER WORK I WENT TO THE BAIT STORE AND ASKED ABOUT ORDERING A MAR CUM. WELL COME TO FIND OUT HE WILL ORDER ME ONE BUT WILL NOT LET ME RETURN ONE. HE SAID FIVE OUT OF SIX GUY WERE BRING THEM BACK AND GETTING TO VEXLARS. I HAVE LOOKED AND LOOKED ONLINE FOR REVIEWS ONE BOTH OF THESE FLASHERS AND STILL HAVE NOT HEARD A BAD THING ABOUT THEM. BUT WHEN IT COME DOWN TO IT I THINK SPENDING A $100 MORE IS DUMB. BUT WHEN U ARE LOOKING TO BUY U CANT GO WORNG BY BUYING SOMETHING THAT 90% OF ICE FISHERMEN HAVE. BUT IM STILL GOING TO WAIT IT OUT A LITTLE AND SEE BEFORE BUYING ONE OF THEM.  THIS IS A BIG INVESTMENT FOR ANYONE

He is blowing smoke up your you know what about them being returned, I would normally recomend you to deal local, but by the sounds of it he dont deserve your buisiness.

You wont go wrong no matter what you get, but from my experiance you will be happiest with the VX1 for the money.

[Skipper]

That bait shop owner was blowing smoke up your tail pipe. He should be ashamed of himself. The battery life thing with Marcum is B.S. too. I have a VX-1 pro that will run all day and all night on a single charge. The big difference between the VX-1 pro and the FL-18 is the price, they are both good units. They both cancel interference well, they both are durable, they both have good carry systems (though very different), they both are also user friendly. The Marcum will mark and separate the targets a little better, and the screen seems more crisp too.

Either is a good unit that will work well. The only reason I could think of to get a vex is because of the pro and ultra pack carriers, they are pretty sweet.

[stumper]

The VX 1 pro comes with the same case as the LX 3 and 5 now.

[icetechy]

Fleet Farm blowing out remaining VX-1's.  Dependable flasher with better target seperation than the competition at a great price.  They wont last long and if you were looking to get the little one started up in ice fishing this is a great value for the buck...http://www.fleetfarm.com/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=0000000006528&navAction=push&navCount=0&categoryId=

[eyestroker]

wow that is a good deal!    If I didn't already own a lx3-tc, Id be all over it.......

[hrdcore]

Comparing apples with apples, does the VX-1 have the same options as the FL18 or is it more like the FL8?

[eyestroker]

The Vx-1 pro has more power, comes with soft case and has bottom lock.  So yes a Vx-1 has the same features as an Fl-18 and more.  An lx-3tc has moveable zoom and true three color for less than the 18 last time i looked.  The only advantage with Vexilar that I can see is the interchangeable ducers.  But If I were looking seriously at a $450 price point It'd be an lx-5 all day long.