The 2016 launched Garmin Striker 5dv was initially introduced to provide an affordable fish finder in a market full of high-end, costly fish finders. The Garmin Striker 5dv had plenty of unique selling points which made the product stand out amongst its competitors.
Although it is comparatively cheaper compared to its counterparts, it lacks chartplotters/maps, microSD reader, and NMEA port.
Features of the Garmin Striker 5dv
DISPLAY
Its compact design mainly intended for heavy outdoor use comes with a 5” display with a pixel matrix of 800 x 480. The display also allows slit-screen feature with adjustable backlight, making visibility under the harsh outdoor light a bit easier.
It also displays up to 3 panels at a time.
The display comes with IP-X7 waterproof layer. The device is designed to withstand heavy splashes, rain and can even be immersed in water up to 3.3ft for 30 minutes without any damage.
SONAR AND TRANSDUCER
STRIKER 5dv includes a Garmin CHIRP (77/200 kHz) transducer, which provides a visibly higher level of clarity and detail for fish and structure than traditional 77/200 kHz transducers.
CHIRP sends a continuous sweep of frequencies instead of sending a single frequency, ranging from low to high, then interprets them individually upon their return. Since the frequencies provide a wider range of information, CHIRP sonar technology can create crisper fish arches with greater target separation.
You also can upgrade to high-performance Garmin CHIRP technology, which provides crystal-clear sonar images with even more remarkable target separation and resolution from shallow to deeper depths.
For better fishing, bottom contours are more visible, even at higher speeds, and signal noise can be suppressed at greater depths to provide a more timely interpretation of what’s underwater.
Garmin Striker 5dv was originally envisioned to provide best sonar capabilities that can cover 50/70/200 kHz for 2D imaging and 260/455/800 kHz for DownVü.
The CHIRP tech can only utilize Mid and High CHIRP when it comes to 2D, but you can also use CHIRP for DownVü, which is a huge advantage over similar units that only use CHIRP for 2D scanning. 2D CHIRP is ideal for locating fish targets as it is available in two different conical beams, one at 15° for 200 kHz which offers less penetration, more details and the other at 45° for 77 kHz which penetrates deeper but fewer details.
The max depth of the unit is 1,900ft for 2D and 750ft for DownVü.
One should use DownVü when you are trying to observe the overall shape of the bottom or the vegetation and underwater structures underneath your vessel. Since Striker 5dv actually uses CHIRP for DownVü scanning, you can except an almost photo-like quality.
High-sensitivity GPS
The highly-sensitive GPS of Garmin Striker 5dv allows users to be located anywhere on the lake accurately and also has provisions to mark the spots where the fish are biting so you can return to them again in the future. You also can mark docks, boat ramps and other locations on the lake. One can just follow the path created on your screen to return to them whenever you wish.
Waypoint Map
The waypoints marked with the help of GPS along the way helps users to navigate with ease and to help comeback to the spots which had higher concentration of fish. If you feel like you’ve lost track and stuck in the middle of nowhere, this high-end GPS system and its Marking the brush piles, stumps and docks option helps find your way back to the boat camp.
Speed-check on your Screen
You can quickly and easily see your boat’s speed on the screen of your STRIKER fishfinder. It’s a great tool to make sure you are trolling at the right speed for the lure you’re using and for a particular fish species. It’s also a good way to tell if you are going the right speed in wake-controlled areas.
Fish Vertically with Built-in Flasher
The built-in Flasher that comes with the Garmin Striker 5dv fishfinder will show the bottom of the water body , if it is muddy, solid, the jig or weighted bait, depth of the fish underwater. You can even watch how high your jig is being lifted and dropped and whether fish move toward or away from it.
Portable
A portable kit is available , making it perfect for kayak, canoe or ice fishing. It includes a sealed, rechargeable battery with charger, built-in transducer cable management and storage and suction cup transducer mount and float.
Wireless network
As mentioned earlier the Garmin Striker 5dv lacks microSD reader or any NMEA ports. Needless to say, it does not support Ethernet or Bluetooth connectivity options. On the other hand, it can communicate with echoMAP units via a data cable.
Pros
- Dual frequency sonar
- 2D CHIRP (Mid and High)
- CHIRP DownVü
- High-sensitivity GPS receiver
- Numerous 2D sonar functions
- GT20-TM transducer
- Up to 5,000 waypoints
- Can share info with echoMAP units
- Adjustable backlight
Cons
- Limited connectivity options
- Incompatible with maps and charts
To conclude the Garmin Striker 5dv is one of the cheapest fishfinders with high-end GPS and marking options, what it lacks for in connectivity it makes up for with its superior location and navigation features.