AT Pro

Nuggetville

Jr. Member
Feb 28, 2011
66
0
The Pro is half the price of the VX3 for one. I think the VX3 is kind of flying under the radar as a toned down V3i. The Pro really opens doors that at this point no other detector does. I also think many people looking to spend $1200 on a Whites tend to pony up to the V3i. Just my .02. Happy hunting!
 

Bart@Big Boys Hobbies

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Jul 24, 2005
4,594
1,219
Moore Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Call for your Treasurenet special discount! Be sure to mention Tnet when you call!
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
1. The AT Pro is newer.
2. AT Pro is cheaper and more affordable to most people.
3. V3 can be overwhelming to some people with all its adjustments.
4. Not only is AT Pro a good darn detector but its waterproof.
5. AT Pro with all its features and depth is way undervalued in my opinion.
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Not many hunters like the White's VX3 or their close relatives because of the huge price increase and difficulty learning it. You can't hunt in the rain with the White's or take them to the beach or local lake. The AT PRO is easy to learn and is quite deep.
 

John-Edmonton

Silver Member
Mar 21, 2005
4,399
3,950
Canada
Detector(s) used
Garrett- Master Hunter CX,Infinium, 1350, 2500, ACE 150-water converted 250, GTA 500,1500 Scorpion, AT Pro
This is a Garrett forum........why would another brand be hailed/boo'd here :dontknow:
 

Smudge

Bronze Member
Jul 9, 2010
1,532
44
Central Florida
Detector(s) used
A Propointer tied to a stick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Also, the V3 weighs in at 5 pounds. Trying swinging that for a couple of hours and see how your arm feels. :D
 

RiverRat3

Bronze Member
Apr 1, 2009
1,360
419
Maryland
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX3030
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?
 

Smudge

Bronze Member
Jul 9, 2010
1,532
44
Central Florida
Detector(s) used
A Propointer tied to a stick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

I think the AT Pro would do great in fresh water, but I have yet to find a single frequency detector that does well in the wet sand/surf of a salt water beach.
 

Dwight S

Hero Member
Apr 26, 2010
558
70
NC
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT-Pro & White's TDI & Tesoro Compass uMax
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

The AT-Pro isn't a Etrac, but it doesn't cost nearly as much to purchase and doesn't take as long to get serviced if the need arises. The AT-Pro has good depth. I get good solid hits at 10". Sometimes no VDI info, but if it's solid and repeatable, I tend to dig. You have 40 points of iron descrimination and Iron Audio that gives you even more info. 12 levels of notch descrimination above the iron. You also have Standard and Pro Modes with Custom (allows for custom settings that are saved), Coins and Zero descrimination levels built in. The standard mode is easy for people just starting out to understand. The ground balance is automatic by pressing the GB button and pumping the coil a few times and from there can be manually tweeked for even better response to certain metals. I bought mine to be a back-up to my White's XLT, and now the XLT is the back-up to the Garrett.
 

Bart@Big Boys Hobbies

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Jul 24, 2005
4,594
1,219
Moore Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Call for your Treasurenet special discount! Be sure to mention Tnet when you call!
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Feel free to call me with any questions you may have. I can make you a great deal on one. Thanks, Bart.
 

lookindown

Gold Member
Mar 11, 2010
7,089
4,936
Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
ACE 250,AT PRO, CZ21...RTG pro scoop...Stealth 720
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Smudge said:
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

I think the AT Pro would do great in fresh water, but I have yet to find a single frequency detector that does well in the wet sand/surf of a salt water beach.
My AT pro works well on the west coast beaches of Florida. I can run 5 of 8 bars of sens and it is stable in the wet sand, in the water, and in the wash where the water meets the beach. I have dug coins 8 inches deep in the wet sand. I know that's not deep to some people, but I think its pretty good. The manual says the AT pro is not designed specifically for saltwater use, so I was pretty sure it was going to be useless. I was very surprised.
 

Smudge

Bronze Member
Jul 9, 2010
1,532
44
Central Florida
Detector(s) used
A Propointer tied to a stick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
lookindown said:
Smudge said:
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

I think the AT Pro would do great in fresh water, but I have yet to find a single frequency detector that does well in the wet sand/surf of a salt water beach.
My AT pro works well on the west coast beaches of Florida. I can run 5 of 8 bars of sens and it is stable in the wet sand, in the water, and in the wash where the water meets the beach. I have dug coins 8 inches deep in the wet sand. I know that's not deep to some people, but I think its pretty good. The manual says the AT pro is not designed specifically for saltwater use, so I was pretty sure it was going to be useless. I was very surprised.

Interesting. How often to you find yourself having to re-ground balance the machine?
 

Dwight S

Hero Member
Apr 26, 2010
558
70
NC
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT-Pro & White's TDI & Tesoro Compass uMax
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Smudge said:
lookindown said:
Smudge said:
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

I think the AT Pro would do great in fresh water, but I have yet to find a single frequency detector that does well in the wet sand/surf of a salt water beach.
My AT pro works well on the west coast beaches of Florida. I can run 5 of 8 bars of sens and it is stable in the wet sand, in the water, and in the wash where the water meets the beach. I have dug coins 8 inches deep in the wet sand. I know that's not deep to some people, but I think its pretty good. The manual says the AT pro is not designed specifically for saltwater use, so I was pretty sure it was going to be useless. I was very surprised.


Interesting. How often to you find yourself having to re-ground balance the machine?

I've hunted wet sand salt water beaches of North Carolina... I find that you have to ground balance in dry, wet, & water. Really not that bad. Dry is usually around 70, wet sand around 15-20 and around 10 or so in the water with a decrease in sensitivity to just a couple of notches for stability. Still reads down to 8 - 10".
 

lookindown

Gold Member
Mar 11, 2010
7,089
4,936
Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
ACE 250,AT PRO, CZ21...RTG pro scoop...Stealth 720
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Smudge said:
lookindown said:
Smudge said:
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

I think the AT Pro would do great in fresh water, but I have yet to find a single frequency detector that does well in the wet sand/surf of a salt water beach.
My AT pro works well on the west coast beaches of Florida. I can run 5 of 8 bars of sens and it is stable in the wet sand, in the water, and in the wash where the water meets the beach. I have dug coins 8 inches deep in the wet sand. I know that's not deep to some people, but I think its pretty good. The manual says the AT pro is not designed specifically for saltwater use, so I was pretty sure it was going to be useless. I was very surprised.

Interesting. How often to you find yourself having to re-ground balance the machine?
It gb at 11 in the water, I do this one time and dont touch it again. Ive been to several beaches several times and it always balances at 11 or 12. I use auto gb.
 

Valley Ranger

Silver Member
Mar 24, 2011
2,515
1,368
Shenandoah Valley
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800, Garrett AT Pro (2), Makro Racer 2, Garrett AT Pinpointer (2)
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Dwight S said:
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

The AT-Pro isn't a Etrac, but it doesn't cost nearly as much to purchase and doesn't take as long to get serviced if the need arises. The AT-Pro has good depth. I get good solid hits at 10". Sometimes no VDI info, but if it's solid and repeatable, I tend to dig. You have 40 points of iron descrimination and Iron Audio that gives you even more info. 12 levels of notch descrimination above the iron. You also have Standard and Pro Modes with Custom (allows for custom settings that are saved), Coins and Zero descrimination levels built in. The standard mode is easy for people just starting out to understand. The ground balance is automatic by pressing the GB button and pumping the coil a few times and from there can be manually tweeked for even better response to certain metals. I bought mine to be a back-up to my White's XLT, and now the XLT is the back-up to the Garrett.

My AT Pro just arrived today. I bought it as a back up for my White's MXT Pro, and because I wanted a good water detector. If everything I'm hearing is true, the MXT could soon be playing 2nd fiddle. What do you like better about the AT Pro vs. the XLT?
 

Dwight S

Hero Member
Apr 26, 2010
558
70
NC
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT-Pro & White's TDI & Tesoro Compass uMax
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Old Stonewall said:
Dwight S said:
RiverRat3 said:
Came to this forum to get your opinion. I was looking at getting an AT Pro and was wondering if it would be worth while. I currently hunt with a minelab etrac but would pass out if I dropped it in the surf. I hunt around rivers and hit the beaches in the winter. Does the AT pro have good depth and discrimination. Also wanted a second detector to take my wife and friends. Also does it require constant ground balancing or is it automatic?

The AT-Pro isn't a Etrac, but it doesn't cost nearly as much to purchase and doesn't take as long to get serviced if the need arises. The AT-Pro has good depth. I get good solid hits at 10". Sometimes no VDI info, but if it's solid and repeatable, I tend to dig. You have 40 points of iron descrimination and Iron Audio that gives you even more info. 12 levels of notch descrimination above the iron. You also have Standard and Pro Modes with Custom (allows for custom settings that are saved), Coins and Zero descrimination levels built in. The standard mode is easy for people just starting out to understand. The ground balance is automatic by pressing the GB button and pumping the coil a few times and from there can be manually tweeked for even better response to certain metals. I bought mine to be a back-up to my White's XLT, and now the XLT is the back-up to the Garrett.

My AT Pro just arrived today. I bought it as a back up for my White's MXT Pro, and because I wanted a good water detector. If everything I'm hearing is true, the MXT could soon be playing 2nd fiddle. What do you like better about the AT Pro vs. the XLT?
The XLT (& MXT too, I'm sure) has so many customizable settings that I tend to try to tweak it for better performance. I still only tend to get 8" to 10", sometimes 12" of depth from it. With the AT-Pro, you turn it on, set the descrimination setting to your preference, ground balance, adjust sensitivity and go hunt. If it rains, so what, you don't have to run for cover. If you drop it in the water, so what. Depth is similar. I still hunt with both, but lately I've been using the AT-Pro more.
 

SpringTxDigger

Jr. Member
Dec 28, 2008
76
8
Katy Tx
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT PRO
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I love mine. Probably my favorite detector in my arsenal. I had it in the river last weekend. I was in shoulder deep water. Kinda feels funny sticking it under water. I don't think anyone can go wrong with the AT.
 

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