Please Help Me Decide - Help Needed!

OuttKastt · #1 02-02-2015, 06:12 PM

Hi Guys,

I am rather excited as I believe I found myself with two deals on Fish Finder combos which can be used on ice and the boat and have internal GPS.

The two models are the Elite-5 Ice Machine and the Humminbird ICE 597CI.

With the Elite-5, I was able to have Wholesale Sports price match TFH and picked it up for $629 (TFH has some coming in and they are pricing them at $629). There is also currently a $100 mail in rebate for this unit.

With the Humminbird 597CI, there was one in the Bargain Cave but it looks like someone stole the bag for it. Originally it was priced for $799 but they had this one marked down to $639. The salesperson found a brand new, unopened 597CI and said he would give it to me for the same price of $639.

I am really stuck on which one to keep and which one to return.

Boat Transducer
The Humminbird also comes with a portable transducer that you can mount on a boat and I would have to buy a transducer for the Elite-5 Ice Machine.

Screens
Both have a 5" screen but the 597CI has 640 by 640 and the Eilie-5 has 480 by 480.

Case
Both Units come with a soft case. I am not too sure how good the Elite-5 case is but I know the Humminbird cases are quite good.

Beam
The Elite 5 I believe only has a single beam of 20 degrees and the 597CI has Dual Plus Beams which I believe are 60 degree and 20 degree.

GPS and Maps
Both of these units have built-in GPS and also come preloaded with the US basemaps. The 597CI has optional Lakemaster, Navionics Gold, Hotmaps, and Hotmaps Premium.

Warranty
The 597CI comes with a 2 year warranty and the Elite-5 comes with a 1 year warranty.

I am sure there are lots of ways these units are similar and different but would sure appreciate you opinions. I am hoping to hit Cold Lake this weekend and just need to make a decision.

Thanks in advance for your opinion

coors04 · #2 02-02-2015, 06:15 PM

I have always liked and here great things about humminbird

EZM · #3 02-02-2015, 06:50 PM

I think your comparison and list above speaks for itself in every point ..... get the humminbird.

Both are great units, the humminbird at that price point, however, is just a bit better.

crf250xtom · #4 02-02-2015, 06:56 PM

Lowrance also has 30000 watts peak to peak Humminbird is something like 2400 I believe not even close

Habfan · #5 02-02-2015, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crf250xtom

Lowrance also has 30000 watts peak to peak Humminbird is something like 2400 I believe not even close

Wow !!!

EZM · #6 02-02-2015, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crf250xtom

Lowrance also has 30000 watts peak to peak Humminbird is something like 2400 I believe not even close

The Humminbird has 4000 watts Peak to Peak ..... fyi

OuttKastt · #7 02-02-2015, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crf250xtom

Lowrance also has 30000 watts peak to peak Humminbird is something like 2400 I believe not even close

The Humminbird has 4000W peak to peak. What does that mean? Also, for the Elite-5, it indicates that it has 30000 peak to peak (analog equivalent). Does this mean we are comparing apples to apples when the Elite 5 says, "analog equivalent)? I don't really know what this means.

Thanks

Lund rebel · #8 02-02-2015, 08:16 PM

I have a 597 with the ice package, ended up buying a lx5 as I wasn't super happy with the quality of the flasher with it compared to a dedicated unit. I just basically use it as a gps now with my navionics. The flasher works and catches fish just I hop hole to hole a lot and it takes a while to read properly.

Kim473 · #9 02-03-2015, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OuttKastt

Hi Guys,

I am rather excited as I believe I found myself with two deals on Fish Finder combos which can be used on ice and the boat and have internal GPS.

The two models are the Elite-5 Ice Machine and the Humminbird ICE 597CI.

With the Elite-5, I was able to have Wholesale Sports price match TFH and picked it up for $629 (TFH has some coming in and they are pricing them at $629). There is also currently a $100 mail in rebate for this unit.

With the Humminbird 597CI, there was one in the Bargain Cave but it looks like someone stole the bag for it. Originally it was priced for $799 but they had this one marked down to $639. The salesperson found a brand new, unopened 597CI and said he would give it to me for the same price of $639.

I am really stuck on which one to keep and which one to return.

Boat Transducer
The Humminbird also comes with a portable transducer that you can mount on a boat and I would have to buy a transducer for the Elite-5 Ice Machine.

Screens
Both have a 5" screen but the 597CI has 640 by 640 and the Eilie-5 has 480 by 480.

Case
Both Units come with a soft case. I am not too sure how good the Elite-5 case is but I know the Humminbird cases are quite good.

Beam
The Elite 5 I believe only has a single beam of 20 degrees and the 597CI has Dual Plus Beams which I believe are 60 degree and 20 degree.

GPS and Maps
Both of these units have built-in GPS and also come preloaded with the US basemaps. The 597CI has optional Lakemaster, Navionics Gold, Hotmaps, and Hotmaps Premium.

Warranty
The 597CI comes with a 2 year warranty and the Elite-5 comes with a 1 year warranty.

I am sure there are lots of ways these units are similar and different but would sure appreciate you opinions. I am hoping to hit Cold Lake this weekend and just need to make a decision.

Thanks in advance for your opinion

If you read what is here, I think you have the answer. Pretty obvious to me.

LCCFisherman · #10 02-03-2015, 01:25 PM

Neither.. buy a Marcum.

EZM · #11 02-03-2015, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OuttKastt

The Humminbird has 4000W peak to peak. What does that mean? Also, for the Elite-5, it indicates that it has 30000 peak to peak (analog equivalent). Does this mean we are comparing apples to apples when the Elite 5 says, "analog equivalent)? I don't really know what this means.

Thanks

Unless you are planning at penetrating depths in excess of several hundred feet It's largely irrelevant.

It's not a "feature or specification" I would list anywhere near the top of my list when looking at a sonar unless I was looking at a high def down or side imaging unit used in deep off shore applications. All major brands operate in a similar range of power.

For the purposes of a conventional sonar, in conventional fishing situations 4-60 feet of depth ...... there would be zero difference. The humminbird, with a little more power might give you slightly better target recognition and separation at over 100 feet maybe ...... but you would be hard pressed to see the difference running both units side by side.

It's largely irrelevant for your application. It just "sounds" like it means more than it really does.

OuttKastt · #12 02-03-2015, 05:41 PM

Thanks for clearing that up EZM!

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

Unless you are planning at penetrating depths in excess of several hundred feet It's largely irrelevant.

It's not a "feature or specification" I would list anywhere near the top of my list when looking at a sonar unless I was looking at a high def down or side imaging unit used in deep off shore applications. All major brands operate in a similar range of power.

For the purposes of a conventional sonar, in conventional fishing situations 4-60 feet of depth ...... there would be zero difference. The humminbird, with a little more power might give you slightly better target recognition and separation at over 100 feet maybe ...... but you would be hard pressed to see the difference running both units side by side.

It's largely irrelevant for your application. It just "sounds" like it means more than it really does.

crf250xtom · #13 02-04-2015, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OuttKastt

Hi Guys,

I am rather excited as I believe I found myself with two deals on Fish Finder combos which can be used on ice and the boat and have internal GPS.

The two models are the Elite-5 Ice Machine and the Humminbird ICE 597CI.

With the Elite-5, I was able to have Wholesale Sports price match TFH and picked it up for $629 (TFH has some coming in and they are pricing them at $629). There is also currently a $100 mail in rebate for this unit.

With the Humminbird 597CI, there was one in the Bargain Cave but it looks like someone stole the bag for it. Originally it was priced for $799 but they had this one marked down to $639. The salesperson found a brand new, unopened 597CI and said he would give it to me for the same price of $639.

I am really stuck on which one to keep and which one to return.

Boat Transducer
The Humminbird also comes with a portable transducer that you can mount on a boat and I would have to buy a transducer for the Elite-5 Ice Machine.

Screens
Both have a 5" screen but the 597CI has 640 by 640 and the Eilie-5 has 480 by 480.

Case
Both Units come with a soft case. I am not too sure how good the Elite-5 case is but I know the Humminbird cases are quite good.

Beam
The Elite 5 I believe only has a single beam of 20 degrees and the 597CI has Dual Plus Beams which I believe are 60 degree and 20 degree.

GPS and Maps
Both of these units have built-in GPS and also come preloaded with the US basemaps. The 597CI has optional Lakemaster, Navionics Gold, Hotmaps, and Hotmaps Premium.

Warranty
The 597CI comes with a 2 year warranty and the Elite-5 comes with a 1 year warranty.

I am sure there are lots of ways these units are similar and different but would sure appreciate you opinions. I am hoping to hit Cold Lake this weekend and just need to make a decision.

Thanks in advance for your opinion

Is this unit going to be strictly for ice fishing?

OuttKastt · #14 02-04-2015, 08:01 PM

No. It will probably be used mostly for ice fishing but would like to use it on my boat even though my boat did not make it on the lake last summer.

diamond k · #15 02-04-2015, 08:03 PM

I think the bargain cave is final sale so that might be your decision by default

RavYak · #16 02-04-2015, 08:16 PM

^ Yeah if it was considered a bargain cave buy then you can't return it unless it doesn't work in which case I think you have 1 week to return it.

The GPS is nice on these units but I prefer my HB Ice 55 as it seems to be more accurate and easier to read.

OuttKastt · #17 02-04-2015, 11:25 PM

I don't believe the one I bought was considered Bargain Cave as it came off the shelf with the other flashers. They just matched the price of the bargain cave one as it was the last one.

I put it together tonight but was really upset as it is missing the portable transducer that it was suppose to come with. I will either have to phone Humminbird in the morning or Cabelas. If they don't provide me with a transducer, I will be keeping the Elite 5 and returning the 597.

Thanks for the heads-up though and I will be sure to check into it.

Cheers