Pinpointer for sniping -Vibra-Quatic 2 vs Garrett Carrot?

[Caribou369]

Heya prospectors,

It's been a while, but with summer coming on, I'm looking at adding a pinpointer to my stash for underwater crevicing and sniping. Looking at the Vibra-Quatic 2 and the Garrett Carrot, I've done quite a lot of searching for reviews and they both seem good. On one hand, the VQ2 is good at greater depths and has no button mechanism to get messed up; the GC is more visible and may have better detection, but you can't take it as deeply. I usually only dive down as deep as 20-25' at the most, and rarely, but that's too deep for the Garrett, right?

Anyways, wanted to ask here if anyone's had experience using both for sniping gold, or even just experience determining a detectors' utility from the printed specs, and would be willing to weigh in.

Much appreciated,
Caribou369

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[nuggetshooter323]

I've got the original Vibra-Probe and in my experience, it being pulse induction, is not very sensitive to really small nuggets. If you touch the nugget to the tip it will give off one short vibration, which means it's just on the threshold of being sensed. I know the Garrett is a VLF, so for that reason alone, it will be sensitive to smaller nuggets. But with the PI circuitry of the Vibra Probe, you will not get any interference from black sand. So really a case can be made for both, so get both.

 

[meMiner]

If you are also using a detector, my suggestion is to try both pin pointers nearby your detector to see which one causes the detector the most interference. I don't have the underwater pinpointers, but have a few different brands of the ones for the dry. The Garrett holds up well, if not better than the others. When I tested them side by side, the Minelab was slightly more sensitive...In the field, I don't notice the difference. When I tested the Vibraprobe on a gold ring, dime & small nugget, I found it to be a bit less sensitive than the Garrett, but again I am not sure it would make all that much difference in the field. For what it is worth, the guy selling the pinpointers, thought the Vibraprobe was the better unit, but that day I settled on the Garrett.

 

[emptyhole]

I use the garrett and am real happy with it.I like the adjustments and the ability to detune it to narrow in on a larger object.
P.S. don't forget your magnet it will save you a lot of work, plus check your holes or cracks after you remove iron,as I have found gold in the same area several times.

 

[emptyhole]

Here's a couple pictures of the nugget I got last week with my metal detector as you can see in the picture I use the pinpointer to check targets and pinpoint them also a picture of the nail I pulled from the crack first, good thing I double checked.

 

[Aufisher]

Nice nugget and square nail!

 

[meMiner]

Good on ya! I probably would have spotted the nail and kept going. Nice nuggy.

 

[nuggetshooter323]

I took my own advise and went and got the Garrett AT pin pointer, and my hunch was correct. The same nuggets that I tested with my Vibra-Probe, I tested with the Garrett. I found the Garrett will register the individual nuggets (they are about 1/2 the size of a match head) very vigorously at the highest (level 3) sensitivity, whereas levels 1 and 2 don't register at all. I need to change the battery on my Vibra-Probe and see if I can get a stronger reaction to the same nugget.

I thought that I would test the Garrett's reaction to heavy black sand concentration, and at level 3 sensitivity I stuck the end of the probe into a small tub of black sand and it didn't utter a peep. Then I stuck the probe into a small tub of blond sand that I know has fine gold in it, and I got sporadic beeps. So I'm very happy with these results, and I can't wait to take it into the field.

 

[Caribou369]

Here's a couple pictures of the nugget I got last week with my metal detector as you can see in the picture I use the pinpointer to check targets and pinpoint them also a picture of the nail I pulled from the crack first, good thing I double checked.
View attachment 1309046 View attachment 1309047 View attachment 1309048

Nice nuggy, emptyhole!

 

[Caribou369]

Nuggetshooter and placergold, thanks for the advice. The vibra-quatic 2 looks to have better depth and sensitivity than the old vibra-probe, but still and all. Talked it over with mah hunny and we're going to get one of each, trade off from time to time, see which one we like the best. It may be that one of us likes one and the other likes the other, in which case no worries, or it may be that we both prefer one over the other. Either way I'll be sure to post a review and some results!