Combo or Handheld

Hey just wanted to know what do you think? I'm getting ready to purchase some new electronics for my boat. Gps/finder combo or handheld and good fishfinder?

Handheld gps does a fine job.

What models and or units do you recommend.

I use the Lowrance iFinder Hunt(has 16 channels vs 12 of some other models) Has not let me down and has gotten me to the ramp in fog when I could not see the front of the boat.

Come on give me some good advise.....

It depends on what you will use your GPS for. If you only want it for your boat I would suggest Lowrance LMS-520C. This unit will do anything you need it to for fishing. If you want it to hunt or hike with in the woods I would suggest Lowrance's I finder.

I will use it just for boat or maybe family trip in the car,,,

I have been thinking about the Lowrance XOG - it is like the ones for your car, but it is used for car, boat, or hiking. Runs $269 and bass pro and cabelas. It doesn't have a very good review for the boat though. There is also the Lowrance iway 600c for land or marine. It's around $600 but supposed to be the best on the market. If I had an extra $600 I would get that one. It looks pretty impressive - especially if you want one for car and boat. I have an older hand held I use for the boat some and it does a decent job in the boat, but not in the car. I have a Garmin nuvi in the car and it does excellent.

I have had both (lowrance Ifinder H20 - handheld, and lowrance sonar/gps 520 - actually I have the 480, monochrome version of the 520). If I were buying a new one - I would definitely go with color. I like the sonar/gps much better. You really sacrafice screen size with the handheld - even a handheld with a larger screen. They both operate very similar - but it seems the 520 operates a little quicker. I don't think you will be disapointed with the 520 - sonar is great, gps is great. I know I had the plan of using my handheld in the boat and the occasional car - but it wasn't as good for car trips as I had hoped. Handhelds don't offer turn by turn directions when driving - and basically ends up being a little more complicated to use than a road map or AAA trip tic. I ended up selling it when I got a newer boat with the lowrance in it. I don't think you will be let down by the lowrance 520, but if you get a handheld - I think you will always be wanting a little more and second guessing your purchase as I did.

check out tigergps.com - I bought mine there and their prices are hard to beat.

I've got the I-finder as well. It really is a nice unit. The only thing with the handhelds is the screen size. If you are just going to use it in one boat, get a big permanent unit with a nice color screen. The price of the handhelds goes up considerably when you start adding mounting hardware for different vehicles, memory cards or map cards, etc...

Good luck!

I have the lowrance I-finder H2O and like it alot becuase I fish out of others boats quite a bit... for navigaition purposes it works well but a little hard to see in the bright sun, you need to have it pluged in the whole time or the batteries will go down in a days time. If I was only going to have it in my boat i would go with a combo, my next purchase will be the humminbird 797 with the side imaging....