Garmin Force vs Lowrance Ghost [Which Should You Buy]❓

This article compares two of the market’s most potent and advanced trolling motors: the Garmin Force vs Lowrance Ghost. 

So, which one is better for your fishing needs? And how do they differ in price, silence, spot lock, efficiency, control options, and use? 

To answer these questions, we will review each trolling motor’s main features and specifications, as well as their pros and cons.

🌪️ Garmin Force Overview

The Garmin Force is a very efficient trolling motor system that has been on the market for three years. 

It can withstand freshwater and saltwater conditions. It also comes with advanced abilities, including:

• A fantastic gesture control function.
• Cruise and speed control.
• Wireless remote.
• A built-in transducer.

Its brushless motor and propeller design make it a very quiet motor.

What Impressed Me About The Garmin Force Trolling Motor?

The gesture control system is excellent to use! 

The remote (which is wireless) allows you to control the motor with hand motions. You can steer left or right, speed up or down, or activate the spot lock feature with simple gestures.

👍 It’s very quiet

The brushless motor and propeller design minimizes noise and vibration, making it ideal for stealthy fishing.

👍 The brushless motor can run on 24V or 36V automatically

The motor can adjust to the voltage of your battery system without any manual intervention, giving you more flexibility and convenience.

👍 Can be used in fresh and saltwater

The motor has a corrosion-resistant coating and a sealed electronics compartment that protects it from saltwater damage.

👍 It’s as responsive as a cable steer-type trolling motor

The foot pedal has a heel-toe design that mimics the feel of a cable steer-type trolling motor, giving you precise and intuitive control.

Adding the Garmin Panoptix sonar system makes the experience even better. The motor has a built-in transducer that works with the Panoptix, which provides real-time images of fish and shapes around your boat.

👍 It has a sophisticated cruise control system

The motor has a cruise control function, which means you can keep moving at a constant speed regardless of wind or current conditions. 

It also has an autopilot function that follows a GPS route or a heading.

What Don’t I Like About The Garmin Force?

The issues listed below are those that I felt needed to be better for a product of this stature and price.

👎 There is a resistance (albeit quite small) to the foot pedal

Some users have reported that the foot pedal has some resistance when pressed, which can be annoying or tiring.

👎 The buttons on the foot pedal take a while to get used to

The foot pedal has several buttons that control different functions, such as spot lock, heading lock, and propeller speed. It can be confusing or overwhelming to remember what each button does.

👎 There is no impact protection or breakaway shaft

The motor has no breakaway shaft. This means there is no protection if there is impact damage should it collide with underwater obstacles.

👎 The Garmin Force is heavier and hard to lower or lift

The motor weighs approximately 70 lbs. (31 kg), which makes it one of the heavier trolling motors in its category. 

Manual deployment means no mechanical assistance when lifting or lowering the motor. This requires some effort on the user’s part.

👻 Lowrance Ghost Overview

The Lowrance Ghost has been on the market for over 4 years. 

It is the company’s first product that has used a brushless motor. It also has an inbuilt sonar and several other excellent features. 

Lowrance claims it has the highest thrust. It also claims that the motor has the “longest run time” when it is compared to any other trolling motor on the market. 

All this with zero sonar interference.

What Impressed Me About Lowrance Ghost Trolling Motor?

The features I like about the product are listed below.

👍 The Lowrance Ghost has variable shaft lengths 

The motor has three shaft length options: 47″, 52″, or 60″, giving you more choices depending on your boat size and water depth.

👍 Available with bigger thrust alternatives

Depending on the input voltage, the motor offers higher thrust options than the Garmin Force: 

• 120 lbs. at 36V
• 97 lbs. at 24V. 

This extra power results in a more responsive and powerful trolling motor.

👍 The Motor does not impact the sonar

The integrated sonar works with Lowrance StructureScan 3D imaging systems, providing a detailed view of the bottom and fish. 

Impressively, the system is shielded from the motor and does not interfere, ensuring clear and accurate images.

👍 The foot pedal functions can be rearranged to suit you

Interestingly,  the foot pedal software includes a programmable button that allows you to assign to any function you want.

The options include assigning features like spot lock and heading lock.

👍 The Lowrance Ghost foot pedals are more intuitive

The wired steering systems (as opposed to actuating cables) respond instantly and very smoothly when activated. An LED indicator is installed that shows the motor’s status.

The 360-degree breakaway mount is great insurance in rocky areas. The mount lets it rotate 360 degrees if it hits an underwater object. Resulting in less chance of damage to the prop.

👍 The motor increase battery efficiency

The motor has a brushless motor that is more efficient and consumes less power than traditional brushed motors, extending your battery life.

What Didn’t Impress Me About The Ghost?

It can’t be used in saltwater! Sadly, this great piece of machinery can only be used in freshwater, which places it outside ocean-going anglers’ scope.

👎 Real-world power isn’t as advertised

Several anglers have complained that the Lowrance Ghost does not perform with the power they had anticipated compared to similar-level trolling motors in the market.

👎 Noisier underwater than the Garmin

The motor is relatively quiet on the surface but produces more noise underwater than the Garmin Force, which can spook fish or annoy other anglers.

⚖️ Garmin Force Vs. Lowrance Ghost: A Feature-by-Feature Comparison

How and why you troll should be the deciding verdict between two motors. In the following section, I have put together an “apples against apples” comparison of the features. I hope it helps.

Price Comparison

Silence

Both motors are silent on the surface, except for some noise during wide turns or steering. However, the Garmin Force has the edge over the Lowrance Ghost regarding underwater noise.

The Garmin Force has a brushless motor and propeller design that minimizes noise and vibration underwater, making it ideal for stealthy fishing.

The Lowrance Ghost also has a brushless motor, but it produces more noise underwater than the Garmin Force, which can spook fish or annoy other anglers.

My Winner: Garmin Force

Spot-Lock

Both motors have efficient spot lock features that allow you to lock your position with GPS accuracy. However, the Lowrance Ghost has an advantage over the Garmin Force regarding sonar interference.

The Lowrance Ghost has an integrated sonar that works with Lowrance StructureScan 3D imaging systems, which provide a detailed view of the bottom and fish.

The Lowrance Ghost does not interfere with the sonar signals, ensuring clear and accurate images.

The Garmin Force also has a built-in transducer that works with Garmin Panoptix live sonar systems, which provide real-time images of fish and structures around your boat.

However, the Garmin Force may cause some sonar interference, affecting the quality or clarity of the images.

My Winner: Lowrance Ghost

Efficiency

Thanks to their brushless motors, both motors are super-efficient in terms of power consumption and battery life. However, they have different advantages in terms of voltage and thrust options.

The Garmin Force can handle 24V or 36V automatically, giving you more flexibility and convenience depending on your battery system.

The Lowrance Ghost offers higher thrust options than the Garmin Force: 120 lbs. at 36V or 97 lbs. at 24V. This means more power and speed for your boat.

My Winner: It’s A Tie

Control Options

Both motors have various control options, such as foot pedals, wireless remotes, and autopilot functions. However, the Garmin Force has a unique gesture control feature that differentiates it from the Lowrance Ghost.

The gesture control feature allows you to control the motor with hand motions using the wireless remote. You can steer left or right, speed up or down, or activate the spot lock feature with simple gestures.

This feature is unique and not seen on any other trolling motors, and it adds a lot of fun and convenience to your fishing experience.

The Lowrance Ghost also has a programmable button on the foot pedal that you can assign to any function you want, such as spot lock, heading lock, etc. This gives you more customization and control over your motor.

My Winner:  Garmin Force

Area Of Use

Both motors are designed for freshwater use, but the Garmin Force has the edge over the Lowrance Ghost regarding versatility and compatibility.

The Garmin Force is adapted to freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water. It has a corrosion-resistant coating and a sealed electronics compartment that protects it from saltwater damage.

This means using it in different water environments without worrying about corrosion or malfunction.

The Lowrance Ghost is only suitable for freshwater use. It doesn’t have the same saltwater protection or durability level as the Garmin Force. This limits its use and compatibility with different water environments.

My Winner: Garmin Force

🎯 Final Verdict

Feature/Aspect	Garmin Force	Lowrance Ghost
Price, Silence, Efficiency, Control	✔️	✔️
Gesture Control	✔️	❌
Underwater Noise Level	✔️	❌
Voltage Option	✔️	❌
Range of Use	✔️	❌
Thrust Option	❌	✔️
Sonar Interference Spot Lock	❌	✔️
360-degree Breakaway Mount	❌	✔️
Shaft Length Options	❌	✔️

Choosing between Garmin Force and Lowrance Ghost depends on your preference and fishing needs. They are excellent trolling motors that enhance your fishing experience and performance. 

I would choose the Garmin Force – mainly for its versatility, convenience, and innovation.

I hope this article helps you to compare the trolling motors of the Garmin Force and Lowrance Ghost and make an informed decision. If you have any questions, please comment below. Happy fishing!