Lowrance IFinder Pro Plus GPS

[bobmak]

I have been thinking of buying a entry level GPS for some time now; have never used one before. This would be something I would use for both hiking and ocean kayaking. More of a backup, really, I'd still rely on compass & map/charts for navigation. REI Outlet has the Lowarance IFinder Pro Plus GPS on sale for $49. The price is right for me. Can anyone give me any feedback on this unit? I did some browsing on the net, but I am at work till around 8 PM tonight so my browsing time is limited. If the feedback is positive I'd like to order one before the end of the day. Thanks in advance!

 

[jbreen]

Sorry for the delay in responding, but I was outside

I have the same unit. It comes with non-topo maps so you have to buy the six CD set (about $140) to get that. It does come with a MMC card and reader so you can use it immediately, just not with elevation lines. If you do buy it, the topo maps can be bought without Lowrance's 64mb card and another reader -- that may bring the price down to $100. Lowrance only allows you to have 5 MMC cards registered to the software so keep the cards safe.

It appears accurate and works well under tree cover when at the top of my pack. I'm still trying to convert Garmin and Topo! routes with GPSbabel to work with the Lowrance map. If you like to tinker, it may be good for you.

Jim

 

[arghman]

I have a Lowrance iFinder PhD.

The ability to xfer waypoints/tracks/etc w/ MMC/SD cards is a plus for me, as is the fact that waypoints are timestamped. (Garmin doesn't. Trackpoints are the opposite; Garmin timestamps them, Lowrance doesn't )

Otherwise my experience w/ Lowrance has been very frustrating. "Waterproof" rubber gaskets that keep popping out of their sockets, a user interface from hell, poor satellite acquisition & position lock, and at least one software bug (probably others that manifest themselves in quirky behavior) that they took forever to even acknowledge, let alone fix. My experience w/ their customer service has not been good.

However, for $49, it may be a good opportunity to learn what you like / don't like about particular features of GPS receivers. (their closeout has sold out so this may be a moot post )

I use ExpertGPS for PC software, it reads/writes Lowrance .USR files very nicely.