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Garmin Striker 4 Review

Written by: Pete Danylewycz
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There’s never been a better time to be on the hunt for fishing electronics than now. The big names - Garmin, Humminbird, and Lowrance - are offering more powerful tech, better screens, more user-friendly controls, and better prices than ever before.

And while screens and control heads are growing every year, there are still awesome options for kayakers and other anglers who need a small, portable unit that doesn’t get in the way.

One of the most popular is Garmin’s Striker Plus 4.

It’s certainly not new, but how does it stack up against its competition like Humminbird’s excellent PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI?

Is the Striker Plus 4 still the top rated small fishfinder on the market?

Let’s find out!

Striker 4 Review
Striker Plus 4 Review
Striker Plus 4cv Review
Striker Vivid 4cv Review

Garmin Striker 4 Review

Garmin Striker 4 Review
Garmin Striker 4 Review
Garmin Striker 4 Review

It’s no secret that we love Garmin’s Striker 4. For anglers looking for the smallest, most portable fishfinder without sacrificing capabilities like mapping and CHIRP sonar, there’s simply nowhere else to look!

The Garmin Striker 4 offers a comparable screen to the Humminbird PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI, sacrificing a small amount of image quality for vastly superior CHIRP capabilities as well as GPS and contour mapping.

Quite simply, there’s no real competition for this unit in the portable fishfinder game, and unless and until Humminbird or Lowrance step up, there probably won’t be.

If you’re in the market for a small, portable, capable fishfinder, this is the one to choose.

Specifications

Display Size: 4.3”
Resolution: 272 x 480
Frequencies: CHIRP 50/77/83/200 kHz
Side Scanning: No
Maximum Depth: 1,600’ freshwater; 750’ saltwater
Transducer Angle: ?
Target Separation: ?
GPS: Yes
Maps: Yes; Quickdraw Contours Mapping
Waterproof: Yes, IPX7

It’s no secret that we love Garmin’s Striker 4, and the upgraded Striker Plus 4 takes a good thing and makes it even better. For anglers looking for the smallest, most portable fishfinder without sacrificing capabilities like mapping and CHIRP sonar, there’s simply nowhere else to look!

The Garmin Striker Plus 4 offers a comparable screen to the Humminbird PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI, sacrificing a small amount of image quality for vastly superior CHIRP capabilities as well as GPS and contour mapping.

Quite simply, there’s no real competition for this unit in the portable fishfinder game, and unless and until Humminbird or Lowrance step up, there probably won’t be.

If you’re in the market for a small, portable, capable fishfinder, this is the one to choose.

Pros:

  • Awesome price!
  • Acceptable screen size and quality
  • Good range
  • CHIRP
  • GPS
  • Contour mapping

Cons:

  • ???

Screen and User Interface

The Striker Plus 4 offers a 4.3-inch screen that matches the size of its rivals, providing clear, crisp images that are relatively easy to read given the overall dimensions of this unit. While certainly not a competitor for larger models like Garmin’s ECHOMAP Ultra, you can expect more than adequate performance in bright sunlight.

And frankly, if you’re looking at bite-sized electronics like the Stiker Plus 4, you've already decided to prioritize things other than screen size and absolute readability.

Garmin’s user interface is legendary for its simplicity, no doubt a result of its years dominating the portable GPS industry. You’ll find the Striker Plus 4 intuitive and simple to learn, allowing you to really unlock its features without needing to refer to the index or Google instructions.

You control this unit via a selection of simple to use buttons, and just a few minutes of trial and error will have you navigating the Striker Plus 4 like a pro.

That’s a huge advantage. Many, if not most, fishfinders can feel like they require a degree to operate, and I know more than a few anglers who really don’t know how to use the full capacity of the electronics they have because it’s simply too complicated for them.

I’ll bet you know a few, too!

That’s not going to happen with the Stiker Plus 4.

Sonar

Garmin’s Striker Plus 4 may be small, but it packs a serious electronic punch.

Paired with a reliable, powerful CHIRP-capable transducer, it broadcasts on frequencies ranging between 50 and 200 kHz. This offers an ideal compromise between range and detail, and while image quality can’t match units costing 10 to 20 times as much, you won’t have any problem identifying fish or picking them out against a cluttered background.

As with the Striker 4, Garmin has chosen not to disclose which transducer the Striker Plus 4 is paired with, so we can’t tell you the specifics like beam angles and target separation.

What’s clear, nevertheless, is that it works well, easily outpacing the non-CHIRP competition.

GPS and Mapping

As you’d expect from Garmin, the Striker Plus 4 sports excellent GPS location and waypointing, allowing you to identify likely spots to fish as well as must-haves like launches and hazards. Ideal for pre-season scouting, you can find the best places to fish and have a plan before you hit the water.

But the addition of Garmin Quickdraw Contours is simply revolutionary in a fishfinder of this size, allowing you to generate your own 1-foot-increment contour maps as well as gain access to maps other anglers have uploaded.

For fishermen on the go, or for your first time on new water, this feature is simply unbeatable, and quality bathymetric maps really do tilt the odds in your favor even on lakes and rivers you've fished for a while.

Once you’ve had access to this tech, you’ll never go back!

Garmin Striker Plus 4 Review

Garmin Striker Plus 4 Review
Garmin Striker Plus 4 Review
Garmin Striker Plus 4 Review

It’s no secret that we love Garmin’s Striker 4, and the upgraded Striker Plus 4 takes a good thing and makes it even better. For anglers looking for the smallest, most portable fishfinder without sacrificing capabilities like mapping and CHIRP sonar, there’s simply nowhere else to look!

The Garmin Striker Plus 4 offers a comparable screen to the Humminbird PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI, sacrificing a small amount of image quality for vastly superior CHIRP capabilities as well as GPS and contour mapping.

Quite simply, there’s no real competition for this unit in the portable fishfinder game, and unless and until Humminbird or Lowrance step up, there probably won’t be.

If you’re in the market for a small, portable, capable fishfinder, this is the one to choose.

Specifications

Display Size: 4.3”
Resolution: 272 x 480
Frequencies: CHIRP 50/77/83/200 kHz
Side Scanning: No
Maximum Depth: 1,600’ freshwater; 750’ saltwater
Transducer Angle: ?
Target Separation: ?
GPS: Yes
Maps: Yes; Quickdraw Contours Mapping
Waterproof: Yes, IPX7

It’s no secret that we love Garmin’s Striker 4, and the upgraded Striker Plus 4 takes a good thing and makes it even better. For anglers looking for the smallest, most portable fishfinder without sacrificing capabilities like mapping and CHIRP sonar, there’s simply nowhere else to look!

The Garmin Striker Plus 4 offers a comparable screen to the Humminbird PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI, sacrificing a small amount of image quality for vastly superior CHIRP capabilities as well as GPS and contour mapping.

Quite simply, there’s no real competition for this unit in the portable fishfinder game, and unless and until Humminbird or Lowrance step up, there probably won’t be.

If you’re in the market for a small, portable, capable fishfinder, this is the one to choose.

Pros:

  • Awesome price!
  • Acceptable screen size and quality
  • Good range
  • CHIRP
  • GPS
  • Contour mapping

Cons:

  • ???

Screen and User Interface

The Striker Plus 4 offers a 4.3-inch screen that matches the size of its rivals, providing clear, crisp images that are relatively easy to read given the overall dimensions of this unit. While certainly not a competitor for larger models like Garmin’s ECHOMAP Ultra, you can expect more than adequate performance in bright sunlight.

And frankly, if you’re looking at bite-sized electronics like the Stiker Plus 4, you've already decided to prioritize things other than screen size and absolute readability.

Garmin’s user interface is legendary for its simplicity, no doubt a result of its years dominating the portable GPS industry. You’ll find the Striker Plus 4 intuitive and simple to learn, allowing you to really unlock its features without needing to refer to the index or Google instructions.

You control this unit via a selection of simple to use buttons, and just a few minutes of trial and error will have you navigating the Striker Plus 4 like a pro.

That’s a huge advantage. Many, if not most, fishfinders can feel like they require a degree to operate, and I know more than a few anglers who really don’t know how to use the full capacity of the electronics they have because it’s simply too complicated for them.

I’ll bet you know a few, too!

That’s not going to happen with the Stiker Plus 4.

Sonar

Garmin’s Striker Plus 4 may be small, but it packs a serious electronic punch.

Paired with a reliable, powerful CHIRP-capable transducer, it broadcasts on frequencies ranging between 50 and 200 kHz. This offers an ideal compromise between range and detail, and while image quality can’t match units costing 10 to 20 times as much, you won’t have any problem identifying fish or picking them out against a cluttered background.

As with the Striker 4, Garmin has chosen not to disclose which transducer the Striker Plus 4 is paired with, so we can’t tell you the specifics like beam angles and target separation.

What’s clear, nevertheless, is that it works well, easily outpacing the non-CHIRP competition.

GPS and Mapping

As you’d expect from Garmin, the Striker Plus 4 sports excellent GPS location and waypointing, allowing you to identify likely spots to fish as well as must-haves like launches and hazards. Ideal for pre-season scouting, you can find the best places to fish and have a plan before you hit the water.

But the addition of Garmin Quickdraw Contours is simply revolutionary in a fishfinder of this size, allowing you to generate your own 1-foot-increment contour maps as well as gain access to maps other anglers have uploaded.

For fishermen on the go, or for your first time on new water, this feature is simply unbeatable, and quality bathymetric maps really do tilt the odds in your favor even on lakes and rivers you've fished for a while.

Once you’ve had access to this tech, you’ll never go back!

Garmin Striker Plus 4cv Review

Garmin Striker Plus 4cv Review
Garmin Striker Plus 4cv Review
Garmin Striker Plus 4cv Review

If Garmin’s large fish finding electronics lag in comparison to Lowrance and Humminbird, it’s fair to say that the opposite is true when you turn to their small units. 

Garmin’s STRIKER Plus 4cv is even better than their amazing STRIKER 4, offering better sonar performance, a larger screen, and better imaging. For kayak and small boat anglers, there’s not a better system out there.

The heart and soul of the STRIKER Plus 4cv is the excellent GT20 transducer. Capable of both standard and CHIRP sonar, it offers a downward-facing ClearVü option that simply blows the competition out of the water.

It’s that good.

Quite simply, there’s no real competition for this unit in the portable fishfinder game, and unless and until Humminbird or Lowrance step up, there probably won’t be.

If you’re in the market for a small, portable, capable fishfinder, this is the one to choose.

Specifications

Display Size: 4.3” diagonal
Resolution: 272 X 480
Frequencies: CHIRP: 200 kHz @ 15° and 77 kHz @ 45°; ClearVü: 455 kHz @ 2.5° x 53° and 800 kHz @ 1.6° x 29°
Side Scanning: No
Maximum Depth: 1900’ CHIRP; 750’ ClearVü
Transducer Angle: see above
Target Separation: ?
GPS: Yes
Maps: No
Waterproof: Yes, IPX7

Pros:

  • Awesome price!
  • Good quality screen
  • Excellent depth and range
  • Excellent transducer
  • CHIRP and ClearVü
  • Quickdraw Contours mapping
  • GPS

Cons:

  • ???

Screen and User Interface

The Striker Plus 4cv offers a 4.3-inch screen that matches the size of its rivals, providing clear, crisp images that are easy to read given the overall dimensions of this unit. While certainly not a competitor for larger models like Garmin’s ECHOMAP Ultra, you can expect more than adequate performance in bright sunlight.

And frankly, if you’re looking at bite-sized electronics like the Striker Plus 4cv, you've already decided to prioritize things other than screen size and absolute readability.

Garmin’s user interface is legendary for its simplicity, no doubt a result of its years dominating the portable GPS industry. You’ll find the Striker Plus 4cv intuitive and simple to learn, allowing you to really unlock its features without needing to refer to the index or Google instructions.

You control this unit via a selection of simple to use buttons, and just a few minutes of trial and error will have you navigating the Striker Plus 4cv like a pro.

That’s a huge advantage. Many, if not most, fishfinders can feel like they require a degree to operate, and I know more than a few anglers who really don’t know how to use the full capacity of the electronics they have because it’s simply too complicated for them.

I’ll bet you know a few, too!

That’s not going to happen with the Stiker Plus 4cv.

Sonar

Garmin’s Striker Plus 4cv may be small, but it packs a serious electronic punch.

Paired with a reliable, powerful GT20 transducer for best-in-class Garmin CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP ClearVü scanning sonar, it broadcasts on frequencies ranging between 50 and 800 kHz. This offers an ideal compromise between range and detail, and while image quality can’t match units costing 10 to 20 times as much, you won’t have any problem identifying fish or picking them out against a cluttered background with the ClearVu scanning sonar.

Transducer beamwidth: Traditional: 45°/15° | ClearVü: 2.5°x53°@ 455 kHz and 1.6°x29° @ 800 kHz

This fish finder works well, easily outpacing the non-CHIRP competition.

GPS and Mapping

As you’d expect from Garmin, the Striker Plus 4cv sports excellent GPS location and waypointing, allowing you to identify likely spots to fish as well as must-haves like launches and hazards. Ideal for pre-season scouting, you can find the best places to fish and have a plan before you hit the water.

But the addition of Garmin Quickdraw Contours is simply revolutionary in a fishfinder of this size, allowing you to generate your own 1-foot-increment contour maps as well as gain access to maps other anglers have uploaded.

For fishermen on the go, or for your first time on new water, this feature is simply unbeatable, and quality bathymetric maps really do tilt the odds in your favor even on lakes and rivers you've fished for a while.

Once you’ve had access to this tech, you’ll never go back!

Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Review

Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Review
Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Review
Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Review

If Garmin’s large fish finding electronics lag in comparison to Lowrance and Humminbird, it’s fair to say that the opposite is true when you turn to their small units. 

Garmin’s STRIKER Vivid 4cv is even better than their amazing STRIKER 4, offering better sonar performance, a larger screen, and better imaging. For kayak and small boat anglers, there’s not a better system out there.

The heart and soul of the STRIKER Vivid 4cv is the excellent GT20 transducer. Capable of both standard and CHIRP sonar, it offers a downward-facing ClearVü option that simply blows the competition out of the water.

It’s that good.

Quite simply, there’s no real competition for this unit in the portable fishfinder game, and unless and until Humminbird or Lowrance step up, there probably won’t be.

If you’re in the market for a small, portable, capable fishfinder, this is the one to choose.

Specifications

Display Size: 4.3” diagonal
Resolution: 272 X 480
Frequencies: CHIRP: 200 kHz @ 15° and 77 kHz @ 45°; ClearVü: 455 kHz @ 2.5° x 53° and 800 kHz @ 1.6° x 29°
Side Scanning: No
Maximum Depth: 1900’ CHIRP; 750’ ClearVü
Transducer Angle: see above
Target Separation: ?
GPS: Yes
Maps: No
Waterproof: Yes, IPX7

Pros:

  • Awesome price!
  • Good quality screen
  • Excellent depth and range
  • Excellent transducer
  • CHIRP and ClearVü
  • Quickdraw Contours mapping
  • GPS

Cons:

  • ???

Screen and User Interface

The Striker Vivid 4cv offers a 4.3-inch screen that matches the size of its rivals, providing clear, crisp images that are easy to read given the overall dimensions of this unit. While certainly not a competitor for larger models like Garmin’s ECHOMAP Ultra, you can expect more than adequate performance in bright sunlight. And now you can choose from 7 vivid color options for you display color!

And frankly, if you’re looking at bite-sized electronics like the Striker Vivid 4cv, you've already decided to prioritize things other than screen size and absolute readability.

Garmin’s user interface is legendary for its simplicity, no doubt a result of its years dominating the portable GPS industry. You’ll find the Striker Vivid 4cv intuitive and simple to learn, allowing you to really unlock its features without needing to refer to the index or Google instructions.

You control this unit via a selection of simple to use buttons, and just a few minutes of trial and error will have you navigating the Striker Vivid 4cv like a pro.

That’s a huge advantage. Many, if not most, fishfinders can feel like they require a degree to operate, and I know more than a few anglers who really don’t know how to use the full capacity of the electronics they have because it’s simply too complicated for them.

I’ll bet you know a few, too!

That’s not going to happen with the Stiker Vivid 4cv.

Sonar

Garmin’s Striker Vivid 4cv may be small, but it packs a serious electronic punch.

The heart and soul of the STRIKER Vivid 4cv is the excellent GT20 transducer. Capable of both standard and CHIRP sonar, it offers a downward-facing ClearVü option that simply blows the competition out of the water. It broadcasts on frequencies ranging between 50 and 800 kHz. This offers an ideal compromise between range and detail, and while image quality can’t match units costing 10 to 20 times as much, you won’t have any problem identifying fish or picking them out against a cluttered background with the ClearVu scanning sonar.

Transducer beamwidth: Traditional: 45°/15° | ClearVü: 2.5°x53°@ 455 kHz and 1.6°x29° @ 800 kHz

As with the Striker 4, Garmin has chosen not to disclose which transducer the Striker Plus 4 is paired with, so we can’t tell you the specifics like beam angles and target separation.

This fish finder works well, easily outpacing the non-CHIRP competition.

GPS and Mapping

As you’d expect from Garmin, the Striker Vivid 4cv sports excellent GPS location and waypointing, allowing you to identify likely spots to fish as well as must-haves like launches and hazards. Ideal for pre-season scouting, you can find the best places to fish and have a plan before you hit the water.

But the addition of Garmin Quickdraw Contours is simply revolutionary in a fishfinder of this size, allowing you to generate your own 1-foot-increment contour maps as well as gain access to maps other anglers have uploaded.

For fishermen on the go, or for your first time on new water, this feature is simply unbeatable, and quality bathymetric maps really do tilt the odds in your favor even on lakes and rivers you've fished for a while.

Once you’ve had access to this tech, you’ll never go back!

About The Author
Pete Danylewycz
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Pete grew up fishing on the Great Lakes. Whether he's casting a line in a quiet freshwater stream or battling a monster bass, fishing is his true passion.
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