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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Review

The Garmin eTrex Vista HCx portable GPS is one of the newer additions to the Garmin lineup. It’s a compact design and one of the smallest and lightest Garmin handheld GPS units on the market.

The ‘HCx’ in the model designation means this unit has a removable memory card, high-sensitivity GPS receiver, plus a built-in altimeter and compass.

It measures only 4.2 inches high, 2.2 wide, and 1.2 thick and weighs in at a miniscule 5.1 ounces with a pair of AA batteries installed on my scale.

garmin etrex vista hcx handheld gps

Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

Five pushbuttons and a joystick control this advanced eTrex. Three buttons are side-mounted on the left, with two on the right, and the joystick on the front panel.

I found the unit fit nicely in one hand and after some practice was able to operate it single-handed without having my fingers block the screen.

Symbol labels for the pushbuttons are molded into the plastic and located just under each button or in case of the arrow keys on the button. I didn’t like the black on black color scheme as it offers little contrast and made seeing the labels in low light conditions difficult.

A couple of directional indices for compass use are printed on the case front too.

The front panel mounted joystick adds a new dimension to the control and operation of the eTrex Vista not seen on older Garmin handhelds. It functions as both a four direction rocker switch and a dual function pushbutton.

One really handy tool built into the joystick software allows the user to make a waypoint at the current position anytime by simply pressing and holding the joystick button in.

The first time we turned on the unit it took about a minute to locate our position. On subsequent uses it locked on in a few seconds.

The Garmin eTrex Vista HCx features Garmin’s easy-to-use software package that allows the use of most functions via four main pages. Each sequential push of the page button—the upper button on the right-hand side—takes you to the Map, Compass, Altimeter, and Menu pages.

Pages

The Map page displays a basic land and road map but had no coastal details in the areas we check