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Vexilar FLX-28 vs MarCum M5

Short answer: Pick the Vexilar FLX-28 for deep water and 0.5 in separation; pick the MarCum M5 for movable zoom and switchable 8/20 degree cones.

A fish being pulled up through an ice hole next to a sonar transducer cable — Photo: Forest Service, USDA, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. Credits

These are the two flashers most serious hard-water anglers end up choosing between. Both are made in the U.S., both have dual-beam options, and both separate a jig from a fish sitting just under it.

Spec comparison

	Vexilar FLX-28 (ProPack II)	MarCum M5
Transducer cone	9° Pro-View Ice-Ducer	Dual beam 8° / 20°
Target separation	0.5 in	3/4 in (SuperFine Line mode)
Power output	1,000 W peak-to-peak	2,500 W peak-to-peak
Max depth	300 ft	160 ft (20/40/80/160 ranges)
Zoom	Split screen, 6 ft & 12 ft bottom zones	Movable zoom anywhere in the water column
Interference rejection	20 settings	12-step
Warranty	2-year limited	2-year

Sources: vexilar.com FLX-28 pages; marcumtech.com M-Series page, M5 release and M5L manual (Oct 2026). MarCum's manual lists 2.15 in separation in standard mode at the 20 ft scale, 3/4 in with SuperFine Line on.

Which one?

Deep water and the tightest separation: the FLX-28, with 300 ft of range and 0.5 in separation on a 9° cone. Suspended fish and switching cones: the M5. Movable zoom works anywhere in the column, and you can flip between 8° and 20° on the fly.

Not sure you want a flasher at all? Read flasher vs forward-facing sonar.

Where to buy

FLX-28: Buy at Vexilar →
MarCum M5: Buy at MarCum →

Related guides

Written by Cory Arnold, Iron County, Michigan. Specs checked October 2026.

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