The wife is letting me take my choice for my Birthday.
A new Lowarance HDS-10 or Hummingbird 1197-SI system.

I wanted to ask the experts first beore I spend that kind of money. Wich one is best and why ?

1197 primarily due to Customer Service. Lowrance has had a lot of problems with the new HDS units. Humminbird will have your graph back to you in a week. Lowrance will have it for over a month.

With that being said, I'm having my 1197 installed today! Can't wait to get out there and see what all I have been missing!

If you want something tried and true, you had better do the "bird". In the long run, the Lowrance may end up a better unit, but for now, my vote would be H.B.

My choice is Lowrance HDS 10 For Sure.

This is a real "To each his own" question.
They are both great units, you will not be dissapointed with either.

I really like my Lowrance graphs, but on my next boat, I think I will have Humminbird electronics, unless Lowrance really steps it up in the next year or two. Too many CS problems with Lowrance right now.

this is just a ford or chevy question.i am now useing a HB1197 AND A HB997 however i used lowrance for years.they both make good units...rick

"Well everybody's heard about the Bird. Bird,Bird,Bird is the word" Good customer service.

I have 3 Lowrances and 1 Bird, take the Bird fer sure.

hds-10

Humminbird

the bird and with the new update that came out last week the new colors are cool in down and side img and locks on to gps fast fast

I have a lowrance on the deck and a bird at the seat, The read-out on the bird is way clearer, the lowrances settings are easier to figure out but the humminbird is by far way better. I dont have the HDS-10 but it is a newer lowrance model, I do have the 1197 its awesome.

I don't want to highjack this thread or anything but being an old school topo map kind of guy, do you not have to buy a down scanner unit with the bird. I started looking at all these graphs recently and I guess you have to buy the 600 dollar down scanner with the HDS.

MrF - Humminbird comes with downscan. If it isn't already on the unit you can download a firmware update to get it. Lowrance doesn't come with down or side imaging which is why you have to spend the $600 to get it. LSS-1 is the Structure Scan "box" you have to get.