Most Compact Detector

maverick4440

Jr. Member
Mar 20, 2003
62
0
NW Montana
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
What is the most compact high performance detector available? I am looking for something that can break down and completely be packed into a back pack.
I have long hikes to several ghost towns in the mountains and carrying a detector can be cumbersome and clumsy in the mountains. I need something that packs away neatly but is still fairly high performance. I like whites detectors and I am impressed by what I read about the Tesoro Tejon and currently have a Fisher which is not bad either. It just doesn't break down small enough.
Compactness would be the main selling point as all three brands are good quality or maybe someone knows of another detector I am unaware of that is compact when broken down and easily carried in a pack.
I'd appreciate any help in this area.
thanks
 

vaquero44

Bronze Member
Dec 6, 2009
1,264
329
Maine
Detector(s) used
Deep Tech Vista RG 1000, Deep Tech Vista Gold, Deep Tech RELIC, Garrett prop pointer.....bazooka gold 36" gold trap, Angus MacKirk Grubstake sluice, my version of mikes trommel, echo crevice vac, Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
tesoro is about the smallest that ive seen and i would recomend the vaquero weighs only 2.2lbs 1 9volt battery full power lasts a good 10 hrs
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
Remember that detectors made in other countries for the most part do not work good in our soil. Even the ones made here like Tesoro and others that make detectors for other countrys are different than the ones made for the USA. So if i was you i would pass on that $2000.00 detector and any how if you are not a profesional treasure hunter that makes your liveing at it why do you need a detector that cost that much . The only reason to pay that much is for braging rights & ego.......
 

dazoff

Sr. Member
Aug 7, 2007
321
3
Lower Mainland Vancouver,BC
Detector(s) used
To many to say
Keppy said:
Remember that detectors made in other countries for the most part do not work good in our soil. Even the ones made here like Tesoro and others that make detectors for other countrys are different than the ones made for the USA. So if i was you i would pass on that $2000.00 detector and any how if you are not a profesional treasure hunter that makes your liveing at it why do you need a detector that cost that much . The only reason to pay that much is for braging rights & ego.......

OK take a look at the price of the V3 or the E-Trac ask those guy's why they need a detector that cost that much.
The E-Trac is a highly successful machine in the UK as are the Explore line they also cost more over there.

Do you mean a professional treasure hunter has a limit that is different from the rest, I buy what works the best.

Bragging right's and ego :dontknow:


FCC compliant issues maybe not sure but it sure is a cool machine with a big waiting list. Dan :thumbsup:
 

kando

Full Member
Nov 14, 2008
143
2
,U.S.A. almost in Canada
Detector(s) used
....Tesoro conquistador , minelab sovereign
I think what keppy means is for a professional hunter that is a tool of his trade. For most others it is a toy to play with. I think the E-Trac and V they use over seas have different inners than the ones in the usa. And yes the ones that buy the high priced detectors like to brag and some have big egos.
 

OP
OP
maverick4440

maverick4440

Jr. Member
Mar 20, 2003
62
0
NW Montana
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
kando said:
I think what keppy means is for a professional hunter that is a tool of his trade. For most others it is a toy to play with. I think the E-Trac and V they use over seas have different inners than the ones in the usa. And yes the ones that buy the high priced detectors like to brag and some have big egos.

I'm not a professional treasure hunter but I could take up full time treasure hunting and not feel bad about it.
I am still leery of a company I haven't heard of before. I like Whites machines but they are bulky and I keep leaning towards the Tesoro Tejon for a couple reasons.
One is they seem to be more compact than whites and two they have an adjustable tone on the Tejon. I have severe tinnitis and don't hear well with the ringing in my ears and being able to adjust the tone may be a big help.
$500 to $800 is about my max budget for a detector.
It would be used almost exclusively in the old ghost towns here in NW Montana for coins and occasional relics.
I would be a tad skeptical of the wireless machine simply because I have detected with others who had hardwired machines and still got interference from another machine if someone got too close. I imagine that being even more of a problem with a wireless machine.
It does look like an impressive machine however out of my price range.
So far it is boiling down to the Tejon. I have to hike miles through the mountains to get to some of these ghost towns and mining camps so compactness is a big plus.
 

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Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
Garrett makes a back pack that has tie downs on the back for detectors. Nice for hikers shorten you detector up strap it to the back pack and start hikeing. And the back pack will work with any detector .Whites Garrett Tesoro Minelab...You can shorten you detector more than they show in the picture
 

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Boilermaker27

Full Member
Oct 16, 2003
200
41
St. Louis
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Tejon/Minelab Safari/Minelab Excalibur2
Believe me, go with the Tejon. Deep on relics and very easy to use.

Tinnitis. I have it also and have no problem with the Tesoro. I would not use the variable tones, which is actually one tone that can be raised or lowered in pitch. I would click that knob to the off position and use the vco and a good set of headphones.
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
If a Tesoro is what your heart is set on and the Tesoro is very good made in the USA detector that is what you should get. They are light compact and are a high quality detector.
 

kapay

Newbie
May 19, 2010
1
0
Anyone have or know where I can get a manual for a Nautilus DMC II B? I've searched online for one either to buy or download in digital form but have had no luck. I want to give one to an owner who has given me permission to detect his land. He was given one by a family member but has no manual.

Thanks.
Kapay.
[email protected]
 

John (Ma)

Silver Member
Jul 12, 2007
3,637
8
Western Massachusetts
Detector(s) used
Minelab Excal 1000, Tesoro Silver Umax, Tiger Shark and Whites MXT.
You cannot go wrong with the Tejon! Breaks down small, light weight and a great detector. I pack my Tesoro's on my off road motorcycle, you cannot beat them. :icon_thumright:
 

SusanMN

Silver Member
Jun 1, 2007
4,534
4,098
Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tiger Shark, Xterra 705, Makro Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Xterra 705 is pretty light and small. And you can get coils that run on different frequencies for it.
 

BamaBill

Hero Member
Nov 8, 2006
686
16
N. Alabama
Detector(s) used
Minelab X-terra 70, AT Pro, Tesoro Tejon, ML X-terra 50
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I had a 705 and still have an X-terra 70 and you would be better off with the Tejon, especially if you're backpacking it in. The Tejon would take the bouncing around and rougher treatment better. Also, you can get an 8.5" DD coil for the Tejon (only slightly less depth than the stock coil) and it will remain a nicely balanced unit with capability in moderate to slightly bad ground that I expect you'll find in those ghost towns. The 705 only has a 6"DD (6"-7" depth in moderate ground) or 10.5" (little heavy and bulky, especially for backpacking). I have no financial interest in Tesoro, but I do believe in helping someone when I have had experience with something.
 

Aug 27, 2006
1,643
3
WHAT KIND OF TREASURE ARE WE HUNTING TODAY ?
Detector(s) used
MINELAB E TRAC, EXCAL2,QUATTRO,WHITE 6000 DI PRO SL,EAGLE SPECTRUM,SILVER UMAX ,BANDIDO UMAX VARIOUS VINTAGE
try and find a tesoro amigo 2. this incredibly small

unit is not widely known. is older and probably the forerunner

to the compadre. but has the full size coil. the main

box is smaller than a cigarette pack. prob 30 to 40 per

cent smaller than the reg tesoro umax series housings.

which are already very small. its a basic one knob unit

though. this is the lightest possible without going to a hip mount
 

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