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Garmin Striker 4
Garmin Striker 4 Review Facts
When out fishing having a proper fish finder can make all the difference. A proper, functioning fish finder assists those on the water to find groups of fish far more easily. This allows the fisherman to focus more on the catch than on tracking. Fish finders are able to locate fish underwater by finding pulses of sound energy. This is usually done with sonar technology. Sonar is an acronym for SOund Navigation And Ranging which essentially means that it uses acoustic location and the measurement of echoes in order to find targets in water. Fishfinders offer a graphical display which helps the user to determine whether the object that the sonar technology is identifying is schools of fish, debris or the bottom of a body of water. This type of technology is typically used by both sport and commercial participants. They are available to the public via a specialized website and outdoor adventure stores.
This article focuses on the Garmin Striker 4. Garmin is well-known for their GPS and locator technology. Garmin has a reputation for pushing advancement in GPS technology as well as keeping up with the times when it comes to their interface technology and their app connectivity between the apps and GPS. We looked at consumer reviews of the Garmin Striker 4 in order to determine what those who bought it liked and disliked about it. We also looked at the materials used in order to construct the product to determine its quality and durability. Finally, we looked at the added features in order to determine its accuracy, relevancy and its cost comparison to competitive products on the market. This is our in-depth review of the Garmin Striker 4. We hope that this review assists you in your next fish finder purchase.
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Easy to read screen - even in sunlight
Provides a clear view of the bottom detail
Easy to install
Inexpensive
Cons
It can glitch out a bit when around technology with stronger wavelengths
Doesn't offer the same strong construction as more expensive models
The cords easily disconnect and don't seem to insert/stay well
ACCURACY
This product offers marking capability which allows the fisherman to pinpoint their favorite spots in regards to hotspots, ramps, and docks. This allows those using the product to go back to those areas with ease. The location of each is easily identifiable, accurate and easy to read. This product offers a CHIRP transducer which is a technology that modifies the pulse that is sent out by the transducer. This offers a range of frequencies in order to offer the best accuracy available to identify ranges of fish, individual fish and any debris that might be mistaken for fish. Those who used this product found that this product offers very good accuracy and therefore had great success when fishing. They appreciated the clarity of the items being identified and the accuracy of the unit, saying that this product did not let them down when it came to determining what was under them in the water. The transducer can also send out a pulse that goes fairly fair (77/200 kHz) which assists with the fisherman's range as well which is positive. Overall, those who used this product appreciated its accuracy.
ADVANCED FEATURES
As mentioned above, this product includes a CHIRP Sonar technology which is done with a CHIRP transducer with a transom and trolling mounting kit. This allows the apparatus to move easier when the boat is in motion. It also offers sonar history which allows the fisherman to rewind back for way-point markings, again, making travels and favorable areas easier to return to. This equipment according to reviewers is quite easy to install and stays in place well which is positive. This product also includes way-points and routes in order to make travel easier and finding the way back easier. This product also offers smooth scaling which is done at depth-range adjustments. This offers graphics that offer uninterrupted images on the screen when switching between shallow and deep ranges. The mount tilts and swivels for better and easier range of motion. Those who used this feature appreciated the mounts construction and ease of installation. It also includes a built in flasher which is better for finding fish vertically. Finally, this product offers speed data which displays on the screen in order to provide a seamless fishing experience. Overall, those who used this product appreciated its extra features but didn't find despite it's numerous features that this product is too flashy or busy. They liked how easy this product is to use, how clear the images are, how clearly the screen shows the items below and how accurate the features are with this product which is positive.
BASIC FEATURES
This product offers a 3.5" color display. Those who used this product liked the size of the screen and appreciated the clarity of it even in brighter areas. LED screens can often become hard to read when out in the sun, however, this does not seem to be an issue with this product. This product also offers a keypad option which allows those using the product to use the product with ease. It offers a built-in, highly-sensitive GPS which helps the fisherman get around as well as leave pinpoints in areas that need to be remembered in order to get the most out of their trip and for docking purposes. Many reviewers found that the GPS of this product is quite detailed and easy to read. They also found the GPS maps to be quite accurate which is probably the most important aspect of this product. There were very few complaints about the ease of use when it comes to the GPS unit. This product uses CHIRP sonar as mentioned above, which is well-known for its detailed and reliable technology. Finally, this product offers HD-ID sonar which is a sonar technology that is specific to Garmin. Overall, this product meets the basic adequate needs in order to offer a superior fishing experience. And those who used this product appreciated how well made this product was, and how reliable its basic features are.
BRAND
Garmin is a well-known brand in GPS and fish finder technology. The company started in 1989 in Lenexa, Kansas. They have always specialized in GPS and location-based services technology. Garmin offers GPS technology in automotive, sport, aviation, outdoor and marine. They have since gotten into technology that can be worn for the ability to track heart rate and GPS services during activity. They currently have a revenue stream of around 3 billion indicating the size of the company and their abilities to grow a business based on their reliable product. They have also developed their app technology which works with their products. Those who use Garmin products tend to praise the seamless data transfer between the app services on their smartphone and tablet and the device they are tracking on. Merchandise purchased from Garmin come with a 30-day return policy as of the date of purchase. All of their products also offer limited warranties. Repairs also offer a 90-day warranty. Those who have dealt directly with Garmin generally praise their customer service team as well as their ease of returns and warranties. Overall, Garmin is a leader in GPS technologies and offer decent warranties and returns which is positive.
DURABILITY
This product does not list much as far as durability features on their website, however, some reviewers noted that it seems to be cheaply made. They didn't have issues with the product falling apart necessarily but noted that because the unit itself is so light it seems to be made of cheaper material. This product is quite inexpensively priced and this seems to go hand in hand with the quality of materials used. Those who purchased this product found that the cords were also poorly constructed in that they don't stay connected as well as they could. There seems to be no snap or tight seal around the connections and so they found that the cords easily fell out of their plugs which can be a bit of a pain especially when in choppy waters. This product also does not offer any waterproofing protection, however, some reviewers did find that when water splashed on the unit that it still worked fine after so that is positive. The mounting brackets and accessories that come with the product seem to be made well, however, the unit itself could use some improvement according to some reviewers. This should be considered before buying this product as this will ultimately dictate the longevity of the product and the cost and value comparison.
EASE-OF-USE
Those who used this product were rather impressed with how easy it is to use this product. This product does come with quite a few features but still less than more advanced options. This is positive in that it does what the user is buying it to do without adding too much business to the screen/display of the unit. Those who used this product found that the screen was quite clean and easy to read, that even in the sun the LED was clear and, again, easy to read, and also that the keypad option was also handy. This product isn't overly complex and the layout seems to praised by many reviewers which is positive. Those who installed this product also found that the installation was quite easy. They didn't have issues reading the instruction for setup, nor found issues when installing it on their boat which is positive. The primary issue that consumers found, as mentioned above, the connection between the cord and the unit itself seems to be weak so the cords disconnect relatively easily which can be a bit of a pain. Otherwise, though, this product seems to be really straightforward and easy to use which is really positive.
FACE
This is mentioned earlier in the article but the face of this product is made of quality materials and the screen is quite technology forward. Those who used this product were impressed with how clear the screen is and how easy it is to look at, even in brighter areas (like in direct sunlight). This is especially important because the majority of the time this product is going to be used is in the sun so the screen should be easy to view when in direct sunlight. There were numerous reviewers happy with the quality of the screen and its clarity which is positive.
PRICE
This product is quite inexpensive. This product does not offer too many features in general especially in the advanced features area. It offers what consumers are looking for which is a reliable fish finder and GPS. Those who used this product found it to be quite accurate and reliable. There were no concerns about the hot spots, docks and ramps marks offered by the device and found it to be quite accurate with these areas which is positive. The product itself doesn't seem to be made too sturdy, many reviewers stating that this product is quite light and seems to be made of lower quality materials which may decrease the longevity of the unit. Overall, though, at this price, it is really hard to complain. This product is probably better for those looking for bare bones, reliable equipment, and potentially for those on a budget.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line is that this product is a pretty good one. This product offers the features needed in this type of product and those features are designed well. They are also quite reliable which is important. The screen of this product seems to offer a high-quality image as well as easy-to-use markings which really assist fishermen not only find fish but also find their way back and dock. This product offers a decent sized screen as well which is easy to use in both light and dark environments. The docking system seems to be liked by reviewers as well, allowing the consumer to use this product handsfree. It is also regularly reviewed as being easy to install. The primary issues and concerns with this product are that it seems to be made of lower quality materials and the construction seems to be a concern. The cords and cables of this product don't seem to stay in very well which can be a bit of a frustration for those using this product. Otherwise, this product is extremely reasonably priced which is positive. This product isn't fancy by any means and is ideal for those who are looking for a simple, inexpensive and easy-to-use product which should be considered when buying this product.
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