In the ever-presence of tough competitors like Humminbird and Garmin, Lowrance most definitely knows how to thrive and stay relevant. I am partial towards the brand’s Hook2-4X — it is one of the initial fishfinders I purchased — because it tended to all my beginner needs along with an incredible value for money.
It doesn’t have a bevy of fancy features, but what it has will definitely give you the time of your life on certain fishing expeditions. The unit’s efficient sonar coupled with a crisp display and no-fuss setup makes sure you go back home with the catch, making your family chipper.
If you’re looking for a fishfinder that can offer results in a majority of fishing situations without making you splurge hundreds of bucks, Lowrance Hook2 4X is the better choice to buy. That said, you can know about the nitty-gritty in the text below.
Table of Contents
What Makes Lowrance Hook2 4X Stand Apart?
Lowrance Hook2 4x has broader sonar coverage with error-free fish detection ability and a crisp and competitive display to make it stand apart from the rest. Combining these with its beginner-friendly controls and affordable price most certainly make it the best value fish finder.
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Our Lowrance Hook2 4X Review
Let me ask you one thing before we delve into the specifics; are you looking for a fishfinder that can offer ordinary fishermen extraordinary experiences on the water without getting out of budget? You’re headed in the right direction.
The device comes with a bullet skimmer transducer that you can easily plug on your boat in different ways. No extra money is involved here. Yay! Speaking of easy, this is one of the best parts of its entire construction. This little fellow employs Autotuning sonar and a phone-like key menu. Go down the memory lane to those old Nokia phones with simple keys for navigation. Yeah, setting it to the fish-hunt mode is that easy.
I instantly fell in love with this guy because it gave me plenty of yay moments. It still does. The wider sonar coverage of Hook2 4X searches double area as compared to competitive fishfinders. So, apart from a couple of minutes spent on arranging everything, all your time will be spent catching fish and chasing the next one.
Furthermore, the 4.3-inch screen may not be the best out there, but that’s debatable. It checked all the boxes for me, so I would call it stellar. The Solarmax screen displays sonar data in the form of crisp and bright fish arches and bottom contours even under blinding sunlight.
Finally, what finalized the deal for me was their warranty (1-year warranty) and great customer support. I would recommend you to buy it if you want a budget-friendly fishfinder with awesome detection capabilities.
Easy Use & Installation
Lowrance Hook2-4x is all about fishing, fishing and fishing. Its setup and use are one of the simplest you’ll find on the market. Experience or no experience, you’ll not find the keypad menu hard to navigate. The keypad interface has a simple layout. Besides, its straight-out-of-the-box use makes things more convenient, especially for people having little patience for fiddling and tweaking. More impressively, the autotuning sonar will automatically figure out the settings that suit your current fishing scenario the best.
The convenience extends to the installation of the transducer as well. The Bullet Skimmer transducer can be mounted on several different points on your boat in a flash. On top of that, the portable size of the unit is just perfect for small watercraft.
Wide-Angle Sonar
Time, as well as accuracy, is of crucial importance during fishing as your target can escape in a blink. Hook2 4x has one of the widest sonar ranges available in the market. It employs wide-angle sonar technology to scan double areas in a flash. Plus, the Bullet Skimmer transducer comes back with crisp images of fish arches and general bottom structure in 2-D form. So, if it’s indicating there’s a fish underneath your vessel, then be sure that it is a fish.
For instance, if you’re using a 200kHz frequency, the device will show a clear and unerring visual of fish and contours present at a depth of 200ft.
Display
The display of Hook2 4x is by no means the biggest and most sophisticated, but the clarity of the visuals is worth mentioning. The 4.3-inch display window is a perfect match for small boats and kayaks, where space is a critical issue. No other sizes are available; this might be the only flaw.
The display uses Solarmax technology, which means you’ll not have to strain your eyes to read the screen under dazzling sunlight. The technology will automatically adjust the screen’s brightness according to the light to keep the readability intact. The screen is also backlit so that you can take it for nighttime fishing too.
Furthermore, the display also has multiple viewing angles. Thus, you’ll not have to hover directly over it to see what’s it showing. Just remember that you need to adjust the angle at 50-degree to view the bottom.
Pros
- Reasonable price
- Compact size is great for small vessels.
- Broader sonar coverage.
- Crisp and precise data about fish and bottom terrain.
- Display with multiple viewing angles exhibits clear images of the underwater environment.
- Keypad interface is simple to control.
- Convenient installation of the transducer.
Cons
- Single-beam sonar.
- This one doesn’t have a GPS antenna.
- Compact screen doesn’t meet the expectations of many anglers.
- Lower power as compared to some other models.
Why Should I Buy Lowrance Hook2 4X?
The first and most compelling reason is its affordability. At this price, very few fishfinders offer such great value.
Secondly, the wide-angle sonar will go over a large territory in one go and return with accurate information to save you time and fuel.
Thirdly, the menu layout is so simple that you’ll run it expertly even on the first attempt.
Lastly, the Solarmax display with its crystal-clear visuals makes sure you have a rewarding weekend getaway.
Conclusion
Despite belonging to a relatively lower-end class of fishfinders, Lowrance Hook2 4x offers plenty of amazing things. With its efficient wide-angle sonar, simple setup and clear display, the unit meets all the needs of both an average angler and a first-timer.
The only potential drawbacks are its lack of power and screen sizes, but it makes up for that with value and wide range of use. In the end, I would encourage all those anglers looking for a portable fish finder with exceptional detecting capabilities and a reasonable price to buy this one.
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