Where to Buy Lowrance HDS Sonar GPS Combos

Lowrance HDS-8 Sonar/GPS Combo Price Comparison

To keep things simple I’m only showing the prices for the Lowrance HDS 8 units. I will post comparisons of the other units in the coming days. The following prices are for the HDS-8 with Insight USA and 83/200 transducer (Lowrance model 000-0140-07).

As you can see, WestMarine.com and Amazon.com are currently showing the best prices.

Note: prices are for the HDS-8 with Insight USA and 83/200 transducer (Lowrance model 000-0140-07).

Since I’m in the market for a Lowrance HDS-8 Sonar/GPS fish finder combo, I’ve been doing some online research looking for the best place to buy my unit. I checked all the sites I trust for fishing gear and electronics and here are the results of the price comparison. The prices are accurate as of today and I will stay on top of the prices and keep them up to date. If you find a price that is wrong please leave a comment below and I will correct it ASAP.

Why Buy Lowrance HDS?

Here are a few of the reasons I’m buying a Lowrance HDS-8:

• Large Super-Clear Color Display
• Awesome Mapping & GPS Features
• Broadband Sonar Optimization
• Easy to Use (improved controls)
• StructureScan Side Scan Add-On (late 2009 – can’t wait!)
• Easy to Update Software (new features / improvements / fixes)
• Expandable by Hardware & Software Add-Ons
• 2-year Protection Warranty

Here’s a review I received recently:
What really makes this thing great is it’s user friendly easy to use sonar and gps. You don’t have to have a electronics degree to work the gps and don’t have to be a sonar tech to read the graph. Really easy to tell structure from fish and bottom from structure. Night and fog navigation is a breeze. Easy to keep the boat running in the channels and away from hazzards when visibility is zero. I love it and wouldn’t trade it for the most expensive side image graph or anything else. It pays for itself the first time out with the confidence you gain in your navigation and ability to find fish. Also another thing the lake insight is unmatched by anything I’ve seen or heard of. It enables you to view and navigate to all types of contours you never would have known existed. Such as mid lake humps, underwater points and drop offs.

Other posts about the Lowrance HDS units:
   - Lowrance Structure Scan Side Scan With Down Scan WOW
   - Latest Lowrance StructureScan Preview Video
   - How to Upgrade Your Lowrance HDS Software

Where to Buy

These are the sites I know and trust, so I checked the prices at these websites:

• Amazon.com
• BassPro.com
• Cabelas.com
• GanderMountain.com
• WestMarine.com

After all the price comparisons and online shopping, I found that several of the prices for the Lowrance HDS units are exactly the same from site to site to site. There are a few exceptions which you can see above in the price comparison table. I would suggest that you go with the best price offered by a site you trust and believe in. Some of the sites won’t charge sales tax depending on which state you live in, so that can be a great savings with these expensive units (see info on sales tax below). The big advantage right now seems to be the West Marine coupon for 10% off. That’s a great deal and if you can buy the HDS without sales tax it’s even better.

When to Buy

These sonar combos are selling fast and some stores are running out of the Lowrance HDS units, so you might want to order yours now to make sure you get it. When the StructureScan side-scan add-on is released later this year I think it will be hard to find an HDS fish finder. Another good reason to buy now is to get the HDS unit cost behind you so you can start saving up for the Structure-Scan add-on. Maybe the wife won’t notice, or better yet, maybe the wife will get you the side-scan as a present.

HDS Variations and Models

Knowing which model to buy can be intimidating. When you’re shopping and comparing prices just make sure to compare apples to apples (same exact model and features). Here’s some information that might help.

• Screen Display Size
• HDS-5 – 5 inch display with 480H x 480W resolution
• HDS-7 – 6.4 inch VGA display with 480H x 640W resolution
• HDS-8 – 8.4 inch SVGA display with 600H x 800W resolution
• HDS-10 – 10.4 inch SVGA display with 600H x 800W resolution
• Sonar, GPS, or Sonar/GPS Combo
• ”X” models are Sonar Fish Finders only – no GPS
• ”M” models are GPS Chartplotters only – no sonar
• other models are Sonar/GPS Combo Fish Finders
• Maps
• US Basemap – inland and coastal coverage with detailed shoreline & depth contours
• Lake Insight – 5,000 high-def lake maps & 500+ Fishing HotSpots PRO Lakes
• Nautic Insight – coastal & offshore high-def details
• Insight USA – combined lake and coastal
• Transducer
• No Transducer
• 83/200 kHz Transducer – shallow water less than 900 ft
• 50/200 kHz Transducer – deep water greater than 900 ft
• 200 kHz Trolling Motor Transducer
• Note: Side-Scan will come with it’s own transducer
• SD Card Slots
• None (”M” models)
• One SD Slot – 5 and 7 inch combos
• Two SD Slots – 8 and 10 inch combos

State Sales Tax

Here’s the deal with state sales tax when you buy online. If the company you are buying from has a physical presence (store, warehouse, office) in your state, then sales tax must be applied. If the company has no physical location in your state, then your purchase is tax free. So, if there are no Cabela’s stores in your state then you won’t have to pay taxes if you buy from them. Amazon does not charge sales tax in very many states either, but some of the items you buy from Amazon really come from other companies, so it depends on where that company has a physical presence. If you live outside the USA your tax situation will be different.