Top 5 Editorial Picks

Five current fishfinders chosen for distinct buyer needs—from compact value to a premium expandable system. These are editorial selections, not Amazon or reader ratings.

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  1. 1
    Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Fishfinder with Transducer - 4-inch LCD Display - Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar - Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces (010-02550-00) | Transducer, 4-inch LCD Display, Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar, Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces 4 Inch STRIKER Vivid 4cv Transducer

    Best Compact Value

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv

    A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.

    • CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar in a compact package
    • A sensible pick when you do not need a chartplotter or SideVü
    • Best fit for budget-conscious small-boat anglers
  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) | Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder, Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes 010-02553-00 7 Inch STRIKER Vivid 7sv Transducer

    Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv

    A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.

    • CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü sonar for fish and structure
    • Simple setup with a practical 7-inch screen
    • Strong value for most general boat anglers
  3. 3
    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54 Transducer, 7” Touchscreen Chartplotter, Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland 7' Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland with GT54 Transducer

    Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade

    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv

    The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.

    • Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and touchscreen control
    • Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar
    • A better fit than STRIKER when charts matter
  4. 4
    Humminbird XPLORE Series GPS Fish Finder MEGA Side Imaging+ & HD Touchscreen Display Transducer Included) 9-Inch Display

    Best Side-Imaging Upgrade

    Humminbird XPLORE 9

    A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.

    • MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+
    • 9-inch display with touchscreen and keypad control
    • Recommended configuration: 9-inch, transducer included
  5. 5
    Lowrance HDS PRO Fishfinder/Chartplotter with Smartphone Integration and Preloaded C-MAP U.S. & Canada Charts 10 Inch ActiveImaging HD 3-in-1

    Best Premium Expandable System

    Lowrance HDS PRO 10

    A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.

    • Active Imaging HD and C-MAP charting
    • Wide networking support for integrated electronics
    • Ready to expand with ActiveTarget 2 and the Lowrance ecosystem

Humminbird 386ci Review

Rating
2/5
 
Humminbird 386ci has an average rating of 2 out of 5 based on 4 user reviews.

humminbird_386ci

Vendor Price
BassPro $399.99
WestMarine $399.99
FactoryOutletStore $299.99
ISave $449.99

The Humminbird 386ci is an affordable and high-quality fishfinder. It is a sturdy product with numerous user-friendly features to make this a great value for serious fishers. This unit features a high-quality 3.5 inch display and powerful sonar technologies, making it a great deal. The 386ci uses a compact but high-resolution 320V x 240H 256 Color TFT 3.5 inch FSTN LCD display. Don’t be fooled by the small screen, the 3.5 inch LCD display provides more than adequate screen space.

The Humminbird 386ci sports many of Humminbird’s most advanced and highly-regarded features. Anglers will love the screen snapshot to memory card feature that will allow them to save important screen shots. There is also an advanced sonar recording system that you can use to keep track of all the action. The advanced split screen zoom system allows for customized viewing, and the instant image update system will ensure that all images are live and highly time accurate. You can also use a freeze frame feature to slow the action down, and there is a “mark structure” feature to keep track of important objects.

Further, the 386ci Combo uses an advanced “Down Imaging” system that takes highly accurate snap-shops of the environment underneath the boat. The 386ci Combo series uses a powerful sonar output system recording powers of: 200 kilohertz / 25° @ -10 decibel + 455 / 16° @ -10 decibel and 455 kilohertz / 75° @ – 10 decibel + 800 kilohertz / 45° @ – 10 decibel and has a depth of 350 feet(DI)/600 feet. This unit can also provide near live updates with its Real Time Sonar Window. And if you are looking for a specific fish or specific size of fish, the highly regarded Selective Fish ID+ system can be used to find the exact species and size of fish you are looking for and will use an easy to understand icon system to alert you when the right fish is in range.

The 386ci Combo series is built to last and is waterproof. This sturdy product also comes with a one year warranty and a quick disconnect system. The transducer can be mounted inside the hull. This unit also features a back lit display and thus can be used in the dark or low-light conditions.

You can get a great deal on Humminbird 386ci here.

 
 
 Humminbird PiranhaMax 196ciHumminbird 386ci
humminbird_piranhamax196cihumminbird386cidi
Screen Size3.5 in / 89 mm3.5 in / 89 mm
Screen Resolution320 x 240 pixels320 x 240 pixels
Display Type256 colors256 colors TFT
Imaging2D2D
Transducer TypeTransom Mount/Trolling MotorTransom Mount/Trolling Motor
Transmit Power200W RMS
1600W Peak-To-Peak
500W RMS
4000W Peak-To-Peak
Sonar Frequency 200/455 kHz83/200 kHz
Maximum Depth600 ft1500 ft 2D
GPS Antenna16 Channel InternalInternal
Waypoint Storage5002,500
Routes050
Plot Trails050 w/20,000 points each
Card Slot(s)N/A1 MicroSD
Map CompatibilityN/ANavionics Gold/HotMaps
LakeMaster
MSRP$199$299
ReviewReview

User Reviews

Posted by dontbuyit

  • 1/5
1

It worked great on my Diamondback Airboat for 2 weeks. Then it stopped getting GPS signal. I thought the unit came with map card pre-installed so I was surprised that there was no card when I took the cover off. I called Humminbird customer service and found out that you have to buy an SD card for $144, the builtin maps don’t have the lakes that I was fishing on at that time. I bought the card, GPS works again but I wouldn’t buy this if I knew I had to spend additional $144 to get GPS to work.

Posted by Jake T.

  • 4/5
4

I got HB 386ci together with Navionics charts. The chartplotter is great especially during bad weather, I can follow the my original track when heading back to marina. The sonar is a bit inaccurate at greater depths but overall it’s a very good product.

Posted by Robert Barrett

  • 1/5
1

Bought this 386ci July 2014, The GPS works great but the sonar seems to lose it brains intermittently and the debth indication goes to .6 ft. two three minutes later it recovers or if I recycle the power. It happens about every ten minutes. This is really annoying. I am dreading having tear out the unit from my boat and return it to Hummingbird. I should have bought a different brand.

Posted by EC

  • 2/5
2

I had thought to take advantage of Humminbird’s exchange program to get the through-hull transducer for my kayak. Only after purchasing did I find out that they had changed the way it works and it ended up having to pay an extra $75. In hindsight I should have went with the Lowrance unit instead. As far as kayaking goes Lowrance seems to be the best bet for your money.

Posted by Paul Stokes

0

I like the performance of my 386ci but the problem I am having is that I cant erase my track. I am obviously missing something as I can remove current track but not the history and now have so many breadcrumbs on my map that I can hardly see the lake on the screen. Any help would be appreciated.

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