Any Lowrance Hdi Owners Here?

[Tugmaster]

I've been looking at getting a decent fishfinder for my kayak. I was at BPS and got to play with a few. I'm really impressed with the Elite 5 HDI. I stopped by my local West Marine and I can get a VERY good price on the Gold version ( comes with the Navionics chip). The company I work for has a acct there so I can get it less than anywhere else I looked.

So does anyone here have a Elite HDI? I was told that the 5 is exactly the same as the 7 just smaller.

Is it worth the $$. Any inputs you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Todd

[msk]

I've got the 7x Hdi and find it to be a great finder. Really wish I would have picked up the gps version though. I am actually looking at picking up a 4 with gps and move the 7 to the bow.

I run slit screen with downscan on one and 2d on the other. You won't be disappointed!

[jcoholich]

It is the exact same unit as the 7, I have an elite 7HDI and I have to say it is a really easy unit to use and the sonar works great!  Its a nice feature that the downscan and broadband sonar come in one transducer.  Also the Navionics chip is a huge plus.  The gold chips usually sell for around 150 bucks a piece.  Lowrance makes a transducer mount specifically for kayaks, you might want to look into that option and also the navionics chip should be able to be updated to get the sonarcharts on line which is an amazing bonus to have and with the new lowrance update you are able to view them on the elite HDI units

[Tugmaster]

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like a winner! I can't use the kayak transducer mount since it's made for scuppers and my kayak doesn't have any. Thanks again, Todd

[Tugmaster]

Just ordered it today. Really looking forward to it! Now we just need the winter to go away!!!

Todd

[Wayne P.]

It is the exact same unit as the 7, I have an elite 7HDI and I have to say it is a really easy unit to use and the sonar works great!  Its a nice feature that the downscan and broadband sonar come in one transducer.  Also the Navionics chip is a huge plus.  The gold chips usually sell for around 150 bucks a piece.  Lowrance makes a transducer mount specifically for kayaks, you might want to look into that option and also the navionics chip should be able to be updated to get the sonarcharts on line which is an amazing bonus to have and with the new lowrance update you are able to view them on the elite HDI units

Only Navionics Hotmaps Platinum, Navionics Platinum+ and Navionics+ has Sonar Charts.

Gold and Hotmaps Premium do not.

Additonally Lowrance units cannot participate in the Sonar Charts program, but can view that map layer.

[camovan]

Gold can be updated to + though. I just did this last week, same deal as I got a bundled gold card that was essentially free at the time.