My brother-in-law just got a computer job with Garmin, and can get good discounts.

How good are they?

I currently use two old lowrance units but hope to get a new boat next spring and will want some new toys on it such as fish finder/gps combo units.

Just curious.

yes i was wondering the same thing

If they are anywhere near the Garmin GPS systems they should be some pretty good depth finders. I currently have 2 Garmin GPS systems and like them a bunch.

what kind of mapping cards can you use with them??? that would be the killer for me. only lowrance or humminbird for me.

Garmin makes okay fish finders, but I would stick to Garmin for GPS. I had a couple of Garmin Fishfinders in the past, they just didn't show the detail that the lowrance units show, even the smaller lowrance units. They are good at telling the depth, but I struggled picking out fish and grass. I played with the gain and everything trying to find a good picture. I do recall finding some fish with it, but I really enjoy looking at the lowrance units for clarity and detail. Heck even Hank Parker has gone away from Garmin to Humminbird.

no problm with my 160..

I have a garmin GPS with FF capabilities. I like the GPS. I never spent the $ to hook up the FF. I already have a good FF and bought it just for the GPS. My only cmplaint is that mine uses Garmin cards. They are not just SD cards like everone else uses. The Garmin cards are crazy expenses and they do not have any free maps I can download like others do. Something to consider if you get a GPS combo. Have him buy you a card or two with his discount too.

I fished in a boat with a Garmin last night. I could have done the same with a coffe can, string and rock.

Thanks for the input. Sounds like I'll stick with lowrance.

A coke bottle on a string works in a pinch!

I have 2 Garmin sonars (fish finders) and 3 Garmin GPS.I have had many people who should know of such things, tell me that Garmin practically gave up on freshwater sonars and is concentrating
its engineering and marketing on GPS.They realized that there are a lot more consumers who drive cars and trucks than fish from personal boats.
My own choice is Garmin equipment.

Garmin is big in inshore saltwater where a GPS is much more important than a depth finder. The only two things you need from a depthfinder there is it's shallow and it's hard, shell or not.