Garmin EchoMap or HummingBird Helix?

If this is a dead horse we don't have to beat it any longer but I was looking at getting a GPS unit to map where I am ice fishing. I was thinking about either the Garmin or the Hummingbird... I think the Garmin EchoMap has preloaded maps and the Hummingbird can use Lakemaster or Navionics SD cards... as far as the side imaging and whatnot.. I don't need that as long as it has an ice flasher that would be all that matters

Tuggs3, what is it that your not happy with?

Yes they make an ice fishing conversion kit for the helix. You can find it on Amazon. 

Do they sell a kit to convert my helix 5 into an ice locator?

I have a garmin echomap plus and am not impressed. Will be returning it to get a lowrance. 

I own a Garmin Striker CV+ (No side imagining...) but can get it on the 7" I believe. From my personal experience I like the ability to build your own maps much more then having Pre-loaded maps into the unit. I have the Navionics App on my phone and utilize DNR bathymetric maps for general areas. I seem to fish lakes and areas that don't already have maps built for them. Cheaper unit that does all the same stuff and I bought the ice-ducer for it use it open water and one the ice! One of the my favorite units I have used. Use Humminbird at work for open water applications and I think its kinda smmhh. 

The hd version just has a few extra options such as exclusive lakes, contour depth shading, satellite views, dynamics lake levels, etc.

Can anyone enlighten me on the lakevu and lakevu hd chip?  I mistakenly bought the echomap with bluechart and would like to get the lakevu chip.  Any thoughts?

You can network them, but only to share waypoints. Still require seperate tranducers, if I remember correctly. Simple 4 wire transmit and receive directly between units.

Garmin was installed, and I was able to use it this past weekend. GPS was just fine without the extra purchase of Lake Maps. I will need to try it on more contour lakes, as I was on Winneconne and Wolf River/Butte de Mort's (very little contour changes). Is there a network "box" I can purchase to put a unit on the front deck and just network off the console unit??

I will look into getting LakeVu to load on the unit. Good to know that I don't have to send it back and look for a totally different unit. I kinda figured I would end up having to buy lake maps. This is my first purchase of any kind of Locator. I really just wanted GPS, and contours. Hate using my phone for Navionics app. Thanks for your info

Same unit, just what comes preloaded on it. You can buy LakeVu or LakeVu+ HD for an extra cost and load it yourself. I did a lot of research on the Garmins, thinking I was going to upgrade last year. Then there was a legal issue with transducers that HB had a patron on... I guess that's all been worked out, but I still haven't pulled the trigger. My networked Lowrance units are still working, but older. 

Lakeview series? Is that Map chip or a whole different unit with LakeVu preloaded on it. Starting to think I should have went to a box store instead of Amazon

Ice, you need lakeview unit. Bluechart is exactly what you got, coastal and great lakes. Lakeview series is inland lakes and a few miles offshore of the great lakes.

Purchased Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv off Amazon. Anyone have one? I thought it came preloaded with lake maps. Box says BlueChart g2 included (charts for Coastal US and Great Lakes). Doesn't say anything about inland waters.  Will I need to buy lake maps chip to get contours? I know I can create maps, but was hoping it had the basics preloaded.

Probably not the perfect thread to put this in...didn't want to start a new thread.

The Humminbird Helix 7 G2N package would be everything you needed for ice fishing and on the boat. Usually around $700 I believe.