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Daddy by day, fisherman at night.
If you’re looking for a good fish finder, the Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv is one of the most affordable devices that still generates high-quality images. Garmin has packed many features into the Vivid 7cv for its overall cost of $500, considering that the transducer alone is worth just as much.
But, since the Striker Vivid 7cv doesn’t have maps, it is often overlooked as an option. Even without maps, however, the device is a chart plotter with a high-precision GPS and superb sonar.
There are a lot of benefits and a few drawbacks, but for certain fishermen, this device is well worth the investment. Read our Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv review to learn the ins and outs of this device and evaluate if it is the right pick for you.
Table of Contents
Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv Review: A 30-second Summary
| ⭐ Rating: | 4.4 ★★★★★ |
| 📡 GPS: | Internal |
| 🖥️ Screen size: | 7 Inches |
There is a wide variety of useful features on the Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv fish finder. However, there are three unit components that stand out above the rest in our Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv review:
- Built-in GPS: The Striker Vivid 7cv gives location data and supports waypoint navigation (so you may mark waypoints and return to them later). The Striker’s GPS indicates your speed on the screen.
- Chirp technology: Garmin Striker 7cv’s transducer incorporates CHIRP technology and traditional sonar. CHIRP transducers sweep over many frequencies, unlike standard sonar devices. The Garmin Striker 7cv’s CHIRP technology produces almost photographic-quality underwater photos.
- Included flasher: The built-in flasher mode makes this version ideal for vertical fishing while standing still. By activating this setting, you’ll narrow your focus to the fish-passing water area right underneath your boat. This fish finder feature is perfect for ice fishing.
What Comes in the Box
- Striker Vivid 7cv fishfinder
- GT20-TM transducer
- Power/data cable
- Tilt/swivel mount
- Hardware
- Garmin bumper sticker
- Documentation
The Good
- Budget-friendly cost
- Excellent value in a plug-and-play transducer
- Detailed imaging
- Some of the industry's finest color palettes
- ActiveCaptain
The Bad
- No electronic touchscreen
- No built-in maps
- Increasing data storage space is not an option
- Map customization is not available
- Average networking
Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv Fish Finder: First Impressions
The Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv is perfect for casual fishermen who don’t require detailed maps or a lot of storage space. This device is ideal for fishermen who value high-quality images, too.
GPS
Most current fish finders in the $400–$600 price range have GPS circuits. However, this in no way diminishes the usefulness of this technology. When combined with the fundamental data provided by fish finders, GPS technology is one of the most valuable tools for every fisherman.
The Striker Vivid 7cv tracks your position and lets you navigate with waypoints, so you can save valuable locations and easily find them again. Thanks to the built-in GPS receiver, the Striker 7cv provides real-time speed feedback.
Navigation
While the functionality is good, the interface navigation of the Striker Vivid 7cv leaves much to be desired. Of course, it does the job alright but the lack of touchscreen or, even better, touchscreen plus joystick navigation, makes it clumsy compared to more expensive models.
Navigation arrows, a button to establish waypoints, a power button that opens and closes the menu, and a button to choose items now do all you need. You may swiftly adjust the backlight’s intensity with little effort and cycle menus. The menus are well organized and easy to read.
However, the user interface is ordinary; we all know that fish finders are superior. On the other hand, the item is so astonishingly cheap because Garmin skimped on the interface and the number of maps included.
Networking
The Striker Vivid 7cv can only connect to other devices by wireless (Wi-Fi) or wired (Bluetooth) means. There is no NMEA support, no Ethernet connectors, and the only thing the device can connect to is a phone. As we’ll see in “Other Features,” Garmin prefers that you use the ActiveCaptain app.
You can technically link this gadget to other compatible Garmin devices via a Data Sharing Cable or by connecting the blue and brown cables of the devices. The Garmin handbook clarifies how to accomplish it, and whilst not that difficult, you might simplify it even more with some added networking features.
For the price, you’re getting networking on par with similar devices, or maybe even slightly above par. Nonetheless, it’s nothing to brag about.
Mapping
The GPS included has Quickdraw contours mapping software, which allows you to make 1′ contour maps of all water bodies you’re fishing in. This is done by combining data from your transducer with GPS coordinates. You can use it for multiple purposes – preloading maps, pre-fishing lake discovering, and making routes and waypoints.
In the “Other Features” section, the ActiveCaptain feature is another one to keep an eye on. Even if your device doesn’t come preloaded with maps, you can share the maps you make and download the charts other fishermen have created for free and navigate unfamiliar waters better. Although the Vivid 7’s mapping is extremely poor, Quickdraw Contours helps compensate for this shortcoming.
Traditional Chirp Sonar
The Striker Plus series has twin beam CHIRP chirp ClearVü scanning, alongside the traditional CHIRP sonar found in other Striker models. However, the SideVü program is not included in the 7cv suite. The Plus CTM-20 scanning sonar doesn’t use just one frequency to send signals; it continuously sweeps from low to high, giving you the best possible picture quality.
The latter provides a picture-perfect view of what’s underneath your boat. The fish arches are very clear and allow maximum fish visuals. A water temperature sensor is also included within the transducer.
Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv Wrap Up
From our Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv review it is easy to note that the Striker Vivid 7cv is an excellent choice for fishermen who want to see better when fishing or upgrade to a device with CHIRP and GPS capabilities.
It has a high-quality display screen that enables exceptional visibility with the accompanying tilt-and-swivel mount. Is it the best fish finder? Probably not. But it has practically all of the capabilities of fish finders and a decent cost.
Even without its chart-plotting powers, the overall performance of the Striker Vivid 7cv makes it a suited contender for promising fishermen.