I know this question is like Chevy vs. Ford. I solved that problem by owning a Ford Truck and a Chevy Tahoe but wish to be uniform with my electronics. I emailed Shut-Up-And-Fish about the price of new Birds, which are great by the way, but before I jump into it thought I would garner some opinions. I have heard a great deal about the quality of customer service from Humminbird but the rebates currently available from Lowrance add to the mix. I know the side imagining is important to some but not me, just do not do enough fishing to warrant the extra expense but would like to have the down imaging.

I was in your shoes last year asking the same types of questions to all types of people.

It was almost a coin flip for me as I weighed all the pros and cons of each side. But I went with the Lowrance HDS - 7, from what the guy at Cabelas told me. Which was it was easier (for ME)to connect my unit I have now (in the back) to the one I want to buy next year (in the front).

Just have to find out which one will work for you.

I have used both. When I upgraded I went with Hummingbird for the following reasons;
Ease of Operation
Customer Service
Amount of Features;(2D, Down Imaging, Side Imaging all in one)
And I would go with the side imaging, great feature, I love mine.

Take a look at the Lowrance Gen 2 units. Much faster processor and upgraded features. Structuremap is one of the coolest things Ive ever seen.

The menu nav is simpler on humminbird. I hate trying to find where to do stuff on my partners lowrance. Also my bird boots up in a tenth of the time of his lowrance.

Bird!

Lowrance better 2D. Birds better SI and easier to use, IMO.

I have Birds for the record, but have owned both

What about the new generation 2 units from Lowrance? What features does it have compared to the Bird?

Structure map is really cool. Still a fan of the birds though. I like the picture better.

Customer service from Lowrance is way better than it use to be so for those who say customer service from humminbird is a plus, that argument is null and void. I have HDS Lowrance units and love them. But you will want the structure scan, I promise. It changes the whole game if you want to learn to fish deep water.

I have had both and my pick is the Lowrance over the Bird but thatis just my opinion. I think the Lowrance is much simpler to operate.

I had a demo of both units...

Humminbird
Much easier to get around on the screens and options.
No extra box to buy for side imaging ($500)
Liked the side imaging better

Lowrance
Liked the traditional sonar better (may have been because I have always had lowrance before)
Liked down imaging better

Was close to a tossup for me but HB had the edge. Humminbird was a couple hundred $$ cheaper and no extra boxes, etc. Both make a quality product. I think lowrance has fixed the issues on the leaking units (not waterproof) that was hampering them for a while.

+1

Check out Jersey Dan's dealings with Lowrance Customer service dealings and then look at Barret's (I think) customer service dealings with HB.

Cliff notes- Dan had more problems that took a long time.
Barret had a minor problem that was fixed immediately.

I have a 997 and love it. The SI is great and it is Very easy to get started.

With either unit, go play on BBC looking at their hb or low board and you will learn a great deal on how to work the unit before you even get on the water!

Love the Bird I have and have a buddy that has a Lowrance both side imaging. They both have a great picture but to me the Bird is much simpler to operate. I never can get to the pages I want on his Lowrance and it drives me crazy. I'm sure once you get more familiar with the lowrance it would be easier, but the learning curve is much easier and faster with the Bird to me. Spend the money on side imaging and you will be glad you did. In my opinion down imaging is almost useless without side imaging.

I would not know anything about Lowrance's customer service, have had their units for 20 years, never had to send one in, knock on wood, comparing my buddies birds to my Lowrance I like it better hands down, but that is what I am used to using.

Had Lowerance on last boat and Bird's on current boat, both have positives and both have negatives as already listed. I would figure with one has the most positives that are important to me and purchase that brand....

I like my HDS units. I don't think it hard to navigate. Looking to get the Gen2 on the next one.

bird for me. im not smart enough to operate the lowrance

LOWRANCE






Lets see some pics from those allegedly better Hbirds?

+1 to all of JR's pro/con list. I ended up going with the Lowrance. I got a gen 1 unit on closeout and got the LSS-1 on TW black friday 20% sale, so price was about the same and I planned on using DI much more than SI and I do think Lowrance has HB beat there, so that's what I went with. They both make good units.

If you're going to use SI more than DI, HB definitely has Lowrance beat on ease of use and image quality. But Lowrance down imaging is just awesome!

My experience with HB customer service was incredible. They overnighted me a transducer no questions asked. I have yet to see a LW side imaging that looks as good as a bird.

Come on Hbird lovers where are the pics? Can't find any clear ones to post?

Is this a trick question.... just google it pal. Nothing personal but i have run SI on Lowrance on many many different boats as well as HB. Like I said. Not one Lowrance has every come close to a SI pic of a bird. I do think that Lowrance has a better 2D and a comparable if not better DI. As far as SI ill take a bird any day of the week and twice on sundays.

http://www.bbcboards.net/zeroforum?id=280

Look up the ones that Doug posted....