- Key Facts
- Rating8.4/10
- Why this pickIt's the real upgrade path for forward-facing sonar on an existing Lowrance display, adding Forward, Down, and Scout live scanning views rather than replacing your unit.
Pros
- Real three-view live scanning: Forward, Down, and Scout, all from one kit
- Works across three current Lowrance display lines (HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, Elite FS)
- Confirmed in stock with free shipping in the contiguous US
Cons
- Not a standalone unit, it only runs through a display you already own
- At $1,399.00, it's a real added cost on top of that existing display
- A separate XL kit exists at $1,799.00, and the retailer listing doesn't confirm exactly how it differs beyond price
The Lowrance ActiveTarget 2 isn't a fish finder you mount and turn on by itself. It's a sonar module and transducer kit that plugs into a display you already own, and it's confirmed at $1,399.00 at Amazon.com, matching Tackle Warehouse's price for the same standalone kit. If you're shopping for a complete, ready-to-run unit, this isn't it. If you already run an HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, or Elite FS and want real-time forward-facing sonar, this is what adds it.
Lowrance ActiveTarget 2, What's Confirmed
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Screen | None, sonar module/transducer kit run through a compatible existing display |
| Sonar/transducer | Forward, Down, and Scout live scanning views |
| Compatible displays | HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, Elite FS |
| Price | $1,399.00 (Amazon.com and Tackle Warehouse, stock 000-15959-001) |
The kit covers three scanning views: Forward, Down, and Scout, letting you watch fish and structure react to your bait in real time rather than reading a static sonar history. It's confirmed compatible with three display lines: HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, and Elite FS. That compatibility list matters more than it might look, if your display isn't one of those three, the ActiveTarget 2 doesn't have anywhere to plug in, and the retailer listing doesn't mention support for anything outside that list.
Tackle Warehouse also carries a separate ActiveTarget 2 XL Sonar Kit at $1,799.00, a real, distinct SKU rather than a price range on the same product. The listing doesn't spell out exactly what the XL version changes beyond price, so treat any claim about extended range or a bigger transducer as unconfirmed until Lowrance's own spec sheet is reachable.
The ActiveTarget 2 adds Forward, Down, and Scout live scanning to an existing HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, or Elite FS display, it's a $1,399.00 add-on module, not a standalone unit, with a pricier XL version at $1,799.00 whose exact hardware difference isn't confirmed.
How It Fits with the Rest of the Lowrance Lineup
The Elite FS 9 is one of the three confirmed-compatible displays for the ActiveTarget 2, which makes the two a natural pair: buy the Elite FS 9 as your main display, then add the ActiveTarget 2 later once you know you want forward-facing sonar. The Eagle Eye 9, by contrast, already has live forward/down sonar built in at $999.00 and isn't on the ActiveTarget 2's compatibility list, it's the simpler, cheaper alternative for someone who doesn't already own a compatible display and doesn't want to buy two separate pieces of hardware.
ActiveTarget 2 pairs naturally with the Elite FS 9 (a confirmed-compatible display); the Eagle Eye 9 skips the pairing entirely with live sonar already built in, making it the simpler pick if you don't already own a compatible display.
Pros and Cons
Confirmed pros:
- Real three-view live scanning: Forward, Down, and Scout
- Compatible with three current Lowrance display lines
- Confirmed in stock, free shipping in the contiguous US
Real limitations:
- Requires an existing compatible display, it's not a fish finder on its own
- $1,399.00 on top of that display is a real, significant added cost
- A pricier XL kit exists, and its actual feature difference isn't confirmed
The clearest tradeoff is real three-view live scanning against a real, significant added cost on top of a display you must already own, not a fit for a first-time buyer with no existing compatible unit.
Verdict: Who Is the ActiveTarget 2 For?
The ActiveTarget 2 is for an angler who already owns an HDS LIVE, HDS Carbon, or Elite FS display and wants to add forward-facing live sonar without replacing that display. It's a poor fit for someone shopping for their first fish finder, that buyer should look at a self-contained unit like the Eagle Eye 9 instead, which bundles live sonar and a screen into one $999.00 purchase.
Best fit is an existing HDS LIVE/HDS Carbon/Elite FS owner who wants to add forward-facing live sonar; a first-time buyer with no existing display is better served by a self-contained unit like the Eagle Eye 9.