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!
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