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Garmin Striker 7SV Review – Fish Finder Planet

The Garmin Striker 7SV is a standout addition to the current wave of fishfinders introduced by Garmin. Its astonishingly light frame of merely 24 oz beautifully conceals a robust 7-inch high-resolution display. This expansive, crisp display allows for a highly detailed and lucid presentation of readings and data. While the Striker 7SV holds a middle-tier price tag, it offers a rich suite of advanced and potent features that belie its cost. The CHIRP integrated with DownVu and SideVu sonar functionalities turn fishing into an effortless and delightful experience. Dive into this comprehensive review of the Garmin Striker 7SV to unravel its myriad features, sonar technologies, merits, demerits, and many more compelling attributes. A distinguishing advantage of opting for this fishfinder is that it includes a transducer. Here are the supported frequencies for your perusal. Additionally, the package comprises both transom and trolling motor mounts. However, it’s imperative to verify the inclusion of the transducer with the current model.

Supported Frequencies

• Traditional : 50/77/200 kHz
• CHIRP [Mid & High]
• SideVu : 260/455/800 kHz

Key Points

• Waterproof IPX7: Garmin Striker 7SV 
• Display: 7 inch big display with 800 x 480 pixels resolution
• CHIRP Sonar: Provides clear and sharp images for improved better target separation
• SideVu Scanning sonar: Check what liest the side of the boat
• DownVu scanning sonar: Near picture photos of what’s beneath the boat (structure, fish and objects)
• Flasher: Built-in flasher can be used for ice fishing and vertical jigging
• GPS: Built-in GPS functions with waypoints and routes
• You can check the boat speed in real time for better fishing experience for different types of fish species
• Key: Physical key for easy operation
• Key: Physical key for easy operation

Display

Adorned with a sizable 7-inch vibrant color display, the Striker 7SV elevates its users’ experience by providing an unparalleled viewing platform for diverse data sets, readings, and reports. The display boasts an impressive resolution of 800×480 on its color WVGA screen, ensuring you’re privy to a dazzling and pin-sharp display, effortlessly revealing the choicest fishing locales. Further enhancing its usability, the split-screen functionality allows simultaneous viewing of multiple readings or data sets on this expansive screen. Given its robust water resistance rating of IPX7, you can rest assured that high swells and consequent water splashes will not pose any threats to the device’s functionality.

Sonar Technology

CHIRP Sonar​

CHIRP, an acronym for Compressed High-Intensity Radar Pulse, operates by oscillating frequency over time. This revolutionary sonar technology significantly enhances the accuracy of locating fish spots compared to previous techniques. CHIRP delivers a stronger pulse than its traditional sonar counterparts, driving more energy into the water and the target. While conventional sonar may falter in achieving superior target separation, CHIRP excels, delivering optimal differentiation between entities — a feature every angler seeks. Besides larger targets, CHIRP also allows for efficient detection of smaller ones, producing clear, sharp, and high-definition images for an improved target distinction. Contrary to the singular frequency of traditional sonar, CHIRP emits multiple frequencies simultaneously, resulting in a clutter-free display. Whether you’re casting a line in a tranquil pond or braving the saltwater waves, you’ll be awestruck by the superior performance of CHIRP sonar. Depending on your transducer model, you can adjust the frequency to your needs, facilitating the clear and efficient detection of both small fish and larger game species.

DownVü

Several years ago, Garmin unveiled DownVü, an innovative feature integrated into their latest models, which sent ripples throughout the angling community. DownVü is a high-frequency sonar system capable of rendering an almost photographic representation of objects, underwater structures, and fish beneath your vessel. This groundbreaking technology has the potential to revolutionize your interaction with your fishfinder’s display. The DownVü sonar signal offers superior target separation in both freshwater and saltwater environments, providing excellent resolution that simplifies the fish finding process.

Paired with SideVü, these tools equip users with a comprehensive understanding of the underwater environment both beneath and surrounding their vessel, significantly augmenting their fishing efficiency and success.

SideVü Sonar​

SideVü sonar is a complementary technology to DownVü, with its focus extending laterally to capture the aquatic scenery flanking your boat or vessel. This gives you a comprehensive view of what’s beneath the water’s surface, allowing you to identify both fish and underwater structures adjacent to your boat’s sides.

SideVü technology provides an almost photographic image, thereby revolutionizing your fish-finding experience. This vivid representation drastically improves your ability to pinpoint optimal fishing locations, fundamentally changing the way you approach your fishing trips.

Coupled with the delivery of high-resolution imagery, SideVü also incorporates noise suppression techniques. This powerful combination refines the sonar returns, filtering out unnecessary clutter and interference. This enhancement makes the process of locating the perfect fishing spot not only more accurate but also significantly more efficient.

The SideVü sonar expands your underwater visibility, transforming the fishfinder into a reliable guide that uncovers the underwater world’s mysteries on either side of your vessel. This way, no stone remains unturned in your quest for the ideal fishing locale.

GPS & Waypoint Map

The Garmin Striker 7SV stands as a paragon in the realm of fishfinder-GPS combos. This device boasts an impressively sensitive in-built GPS, ensuring you are able to precisely and accurately determine your current location, regardless of your destination within the U.S.

Beyond merely identifying your current position, the Garmin Striker 7SV also enables you to bookmark your favored fishing locations for future visits. In addition, it gives you the convenience to earmark other noteworthy locations such as docks, boat ramps, and sights of interest. This intelligent device crafts a safe route, guiding you back to your preferred locations without a hitch.

The waypoint map you develop by marking various locations can significantly enhance your navigational efficiency. These waypoints allow you to effortlessly revisit diverse locations, including brush piles, stumps, and docks. Many users also find this feature invaluable in navigating back to their boat ramp.

An added bonus of the Garmin Striker 7SV is its compatibility with other devices. You can readily share waypoints and routes with any other STRIKER or echoMAP chartplotter combos. This interoperability underscores the Striker 7SV’s reputation as a premier choice for any discerning fishing enthusiast.

Check Speed Real Time

For users of the Striker 7SV, the device offers a highly beneficial feature of real-time speed monitoring for your boat. This is a particularly advantageous capability as it aids in optimizing your trolling speed according to the specific lure and fish species you’re targeting. Being able to control and adapt your boat’s speed based on the fish species’ behavior can greatly improve your chances of a successful catch.

This feature is also incredibly useful when navigating in wake-controlled areas. By constantly monitoring your speed, you can ensure you’re maintaining a safe and permissible pace, thereby complying with any established wake regulations. This reduces the risk of creating potentially dangerous situations for both your own vessel and others in the vicinity.

In essence, the real-time speed checking functionality offered by the Striker 7SV provides a vital tool in the modern angler’s arsenal, improving fishing efficiency and navigational safety.

Design & Operation

Like other Striker series models, Strike 7SV also comes with a rugged design. With the IPX7 water resistance level, this fishfinder can withstand harsh marine environments. The device is nearly rectangular with a curve on the sides. There are several physical buttons on the right side of the device. There is a navigation button for navigating through the device. It’s designed in such a way that the device can be operated with one hand.

• Keyed interface
• Physical buttons
• Easy to operate with one thumb
• Able to withstand harsh marine environments

Ice Flasher – Ice Fishing and Vertical Jigging

Do you love ice fishing? If the answer is yes, you will be glad to hear that this fishfinder can be used as a flasher too. This all-in-one unit can perform as both fishfinder and flasher. So if you are into ice fishing or jigging for crappie, this built-in flasher feature will show you several things likes the bottom, jig, weighted bait or the depth of fish.

You can also watch how high the jig is lifted or dropped and the fish movement. It can detect whether the fish is incoming to it or moving away. These fascinating features make it one of the best ice fishing flasher in the market.

Price

Despite offering numerous advanced features, Garmin Striker 7SV comes with a very reasonable price. Read the Garmin Striker 7SV review thoroughly to understand if it meets all your needs. We are also sharing a short pros & cons list after this paragraph. ​If budget is an issue, then check: Garmin Striker 4 Review.

Pros

• A spacious 7-inch display, boasting high-resolution visuals, enriches your viewing experience.
• Integrated with a potent CHIRP sonar, the device promises superior target separation, delivering crisp, sharp, and photograph-like images of underwater structures, fish, and objects.
• DownVü sonar technology revolutionizes your underwater exploration by providing almost photographic representations of objects, structures, and fish beneath your vessel.
• SideVü Sonar technology broadens your horizon by revealing what lurks to either side of your boat, providing a comprehensive view of your aquatic surroundings.
• Equipped with a GPS system that features waypoint functionality, the device allows you to mark and return to your favorite fishing spots or locations of interest.
• With a built-in flasher, the device serves as a versatile companion for ice fishing and vertical jigging.
• Real-time speed checking ensures you maintain optimal trolling speed and compliance in wake-controlled areas.
• The package includes a transducer, complete with transom and trolling mounts, ensuring a comprehensive setup for your fishing needs.
• User-friendly operation facilitated by a simple dedicated button design, making it accessible to both seasoned and novice anglers.
• The device offers a combination of advanced features and robust performance at a reasonable price, making it a sound investment for any fishing enthusiast.

Cons

• SideVu needs more improvement

Final Verdict

I am an avid lover of Garmin’s fishfinders. They have always proved to be a great manufacturer with a good deal for both newbie and seasoned anglers. If you are not ready to splash thousands of dollar but still want to have a great fishfinder, you can completely rely on Garmin Striker 7SV. Since you have read the review of Striker 7SV, you are completely aware of how powerful and useful it is for most anglers. Combined with several sonar technologies and GPS functions, it can be the best buddy for your next trip. I strongly recommend Garmin Striker SV for both newbies and professional anglers.