Lowrance Elite 7 HDI - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Lipripper92592 · 02-06-2013, 12:17 PM

I'm back in the market for a decent fishfinder/GPS unit and have been looking at the Lowrance Elite 7 HDI. http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Produc...HDI-en-us.aspx

Preliminary research has shown that this is a good unit but I could easily be missing something importan:,\ Chartplotter, 50/200 or 83/200 along with 455/800 DSI. Does anybody have any experience with this unit. It's priced at $699 with transducer, $749 with Navionics Gold package.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Pretty much, I'm comparing the
HDS 5 and the Elite 7 HDI units right now. The HDI units will not accept structure scan, which is out of my price range and needs anyways. Supposedly this was released this month, so I havent' been able to find too many reviews online at this point. Thanks so much for your help.
Chris

fishingfiend · 02-06-2013, 07:17 PM

I was in a similar position last month after I sold off my Humminbird 597ci di. After many hours in various forums/bassproshops looking at the HDS Gen2/Touch/Elite7, I eventually went back to Humminbird with the 798ci SI.

Here is some insight into my thought process.

HDS Gen2/Touch - requires mounting separate gps/transducer/structure scan - Even for my PA12 this is unnecessarily complex. The second transducer for structure scan was a deal breaker for me, unless it's the newer and much more expensive Touch series.

Elite7 hdi- finally sonar plus down imaging, but the trade off is the 800x480 resolution and 256 colors. Why leverage their broadband sounder if you're not getting the full colors. Also, the single micro sd slot was a deal breaker for me. Saving your waypoints/recording on the Navionics chip is sketchy. The 7" screen would have been nice though.

798ci SI - Side Imaging is worth it! How many times have you wondered if there was something to your side worth checking out? The way I have it setup, I can see between 85-100' to either side. Though the screen is smaller at 5", it's also 640x640 resolution. Add in 3 dedicated view buttons, 2 SD card slots and the ability to record your entire days activity and then review the data on your PC. Plus it's a single transducer setup. Oh throw in a rebate and killer holiday online pricing and I got it for pretty much what retail is on the Elite7.

The major tradeoff to be fair, no 800hz for SI/DI. Nothing is perfect...

Hope that helps...

TJones · 02-07-2013, 03:18 PM

on the opposition . i had similar model in the 500 series hummingbird . 598 combo. and now have similar model to the one mentioned in the above post . 898si . a littler bit bigger screen . i think the main differences between our units is the mount or hardware . i had a problem with my 598 early on , when i rolled the kayak in surf with unit attached . a learning experience . the bracket that holds the unit became real loose and was never the same .these units are a small fortune , but are amazing . down imaging should be on your list of requirements . not everyone can or is willing to fork out the additional money on the upgrade , but if you are spending a fair amount of time on the water and the unit is in your price range, the difference between 2d and 3d is substantial .well worth spending the additional money on . like mentioned above, lowrance might be a little more complicated to put together on a kayak. hope this bit of information helps.

Lipripper92592 · 02-07-2013, 05:15 PM

Thanks so much for the advice and information! I had a lowrance DSI for a bit, but wasn't too happy with it in water deeper than 80 feet, the lack of zoom function was a deal killer in deep water. I've never owned a humminbird and for some reason, I"m a bit hesitent to pick one up. I guess it's similar to the PC/MAC debate. There are a few sites that have the HDI 7 listed for $660.......I'm going to have to think this one over for a while. Any other comments or advice is greatly appreciated.

fishingfiend · 02-07-2013, 07:03 PM

I had my concerns about Humminbird too, but I got over it and purchased a second unit.

If you can afford SI, do it!

Here's a shot of Newport Harbor. I've only had it a month and still have lots to learn.

02-06-2013, 12:17 PM	#1
Lipripper92592 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 516	Lowrance Elite 7 HDI I'm back in the market for a decent fishfinder/GPS unit and have been looking at the Lowrance Elite 7 HDI. http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Produc...HDI-en-us.aspx Preliminary research has shown that this is a good unit but I could easily be missing something importan:,\ Chartplotter, 50/200 or 83/200 along with 455/800 DSI. Does anybody have any experience with this unit. It's priced at $699 with transducer, $749 with Navionics Gold package. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Pretty much, I'm comparing the HDS 5 and the Elite 7 HDI units right now. The HDI units will not accept structure scan, which is out of my price range and needs anyways. Supposedly this was released this month, so I havent' been able to find too many reviews online at this point. Thanks so much for your help. Chris

02-07-2013, 03:18 PM	#3
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	was gonna give opinion my on the opposition . i had similar model in the 500 series hummingbird . 598 combo. and now have similar model to the one mentioned in the above post . 898si . a littler bit bigger screen . i think the main differences between our units is the mount or hardware . i had a problem with my 598 early on , when i rolled the kayak in surf with unit attached . a learning experience . the bracket that holds the unit became real loose and was never the same .these units are a small fortune , but are amazing . down imaging should be on your list of requirements . not everyone can or is willing to fork out the additional money on the upgrade , but if you are spending a fair amount of time on the water and the unit is in your price range, the difference between 2d and 3d is substantial .well worth spending the additional money on . like mentioned above, lowrance might be a little more complicated to put together on a kayak. hope this bit of information helps.

02-06-2013, 07:17 PM	#2
fishingfiend Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 196	I was in a similar position last month after I sold off my Humminbird 597ci di. After many hours in various forums/bassproshops looking at the HDS Gen2/Touch/Elite7, I eventually went back to Humminbird with the 798ci SI. Here is some insight into my thought process. HDS Gen2/Touch - requires mounting separate gps/transducer/structure scan - Even for my PA12 this is unnecessarily complex. The second transducer for structure scan was a deal breaker for me, unless it's the newer and much more expensive Touch series. Elite7 hdi- finally sonar plus down imaging, but the trade off is the 800x480 resolution and 256 colors. Why leverage their broadband sounder if you're not getting the full colors. Also, the single micro sd slot was a deal breaker for me. Saving your waypoints/recording on the Navionics chip is sketchy. The 7" screen would have been nice though. 798ci SI - Side Imaging is worth it! How many times have you wondered if there was something to your side worth checking out? The way I have it setup, I can see between 85-100' to either side. Though the screen is smaller at 5", it's also 640x640 resolution. Add in 3 dedicated view buttons, 2 SD card slots and the ability to record your entire days activity and then review the data on your PC. Plus it's a single transducer setup. Oh throw in a rebate and killer holiday online pricing and I got it for pretty much what retail is on the Elite7. The major tradeoff to be fair, no 800hz for SI/DI. Nothing is perfect... Hope that helps...

02-07-2013, 05:15 PM	#4
Lipripper92592 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 516	Thanks so much for the advice and information! I had a lowrance DSI for a bit, but wasn't too happy with it in water deeper than 80 feet, the lack of zoom function was a deal killer in deep water. I've never owned a humminbird and for some reason, I"m a bit hesitent to pick one up. I guess it's similar to the PC/MAC debate. There are a few sites that have the HDI 7 listed for $660.......I'm going to have to think this one over for a while. Any other comments or advice is greatly appreciated.

02-07-2013, 07:03 PM	#5
fishingfiend Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 196	I had my concerns about Humminbird too, but I got over it and purchased a second unit. If you can afford SI, do it! Here's a shot of Newport Harbor. I've only had it a month and still have lots to learn.