A Rant About Detectors

[Smudge]

Ok, gotta get this off of my chest.

Message to White's, Minelab, and Garrett:

Why are your best machines so blasted HEAVY?

I have been researching my next detector for a couple of months and thought about getting a really good one from one of the above.

Forget it.

It's always the same from users: "I love my Sovereign/E-Trac/Spectrum/DFX/GTI/GTA,etc., BUT... I can only swing it a couple of hours before my arm wears out."

Really? Yeah, that's what I want: rotator cuff issues when I'm in my 50's because I swung your 4.5 lb. detector the last ten years.

Looks like Garrett is trying with their AT PRO (but its not a top end detector).

Fisher/Teknetics/Tesoro seem to have cornered the market on light weight detectors.

Guess I'll have to do my shopping with these guys. Are they as good as the big three? Well, I guess I'll have to find out.

The rest of you manufacturers need to lighten up! Pun intended.

Ok, I feel better now. Thanks.

 

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[liftloop]

do you dig with a smaller shovel because the dirt gets heavy or do you take less dirt in every shovel full. lift some wieghts get in shape and that heavy detector will becomes liter.look at the mine lab 4500,5000,you have to be a gorilla to use that thing.crepe the battery alone weight more than most detector.but when you have the fever you don't even notice the weight,

 

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[Dirty Money]

Note to Whites -

New V3i-2 carbon fiber case instead of steel. Titanium and carbon fiber shafts. Could take almost a pound off the machine. Keep price under $3000! Technology and quality costs, boys.

 

[bwirth1999]

Ok, gotta get this off of my chest.

Message to White's, Minelab, and Garrett:

Why are your best machines so blasted HEAVY?

I have been researching my next detector for a couple of months and thought about getting a really good one from one of the above.

Forget it.

It's always the same from users: "I love my Sovereign/E-Trac/Spectrum/DFX/GTI/GTA,etc., BUT... I can only swing it a couple of hours before my arm wears out."

Really? Yeah, that's what I want: rotator cuff issues when I'm in my 50's because I swung your 4.5 lb. detector the last ten years.

Looks like Garrett is trying with their AT PRO (but its not a top end detector).

Fisher/Teknetics/Tesoro seem to have cornered the market on light weight detectors.

Guess I'll have to do my shopping with these guys. Are they as good as the big three? Well, I guess I'll have to find out.

The rest of you manufacturers need to lighten up! Pun intended.

Ok, I feel better now. Thanks.

Smudge .. I have used so many different detectors that IMH the top line Tesoros Fishers & Teks... Are just as good as the top of the line high priced Minelabs,Garretts & Whites......Could be i am getting old & weak but the AT Pro even with the Gizmo on it still seems heavy or not balanced that good to me........And i am not going to wear a harness of any kind so i can swing a detector.... I am not a jack ass or mule.

See now, I swung my AT Pro for about 6 hours the other day... Yeah my arm was tired.. but i wouldn't say it was heavy... And I don't have the gizmo yet. I thought it was pretty light, but... ehh we all know what opinions are like... And I think I am one of those too..

 

[goldseeker4000]

You can only make detectors so light. At what point do people stop worrying about having to exert physical energy and just get out there and build some muscles and have fun finding coins, gold and relics.

 

[AUDuke]

You can only make detectors so light. At what point do people stop worrying about having to exert physical energy and just get out there and build some muscles and have fun finding coins, gold and relics.

The point when a person gets too old to swing a heavy detector. I knew a gentleman that swung a detector (A tesoro) while using his walker. You may be 85 some day and need a light detector.

 

[Smudge]

Been seein' a few folks saying "you just need to build up some muscles".

That's some pretty flawed thinking. You could be in great shape, but swinging a heavy detector over a prolonged period of time (we're talking years, not months) can very well lead to a host of problems, rotator cuff among them. And muscle mass won't mean a thing.

I've known plenty of guys who took good care of themselves have it happen. It's less to do with muscles and more to do with joints and ligaments from the constant swinging of a heavy detector.

I want to enjoy this hobby for a long time, and that's why I'm moving to lighter weight machines.

To each their own.

 

[dirthog]

I am about to buy my first MD and hadnt given thought to this issue.. I have neck arthritis and hardly any cartilidge in my left shoulder.. Am considering a Garrett Ace 250 or a Tesoro. Tesoro based on warrantty but now seems I have to consider weight also.. Already SSDI for other reasons so budget is a factor also.. Some areas that I am looking at have heavy growth and now see that some MD"s according to some post work better due to weight.. Input on this would be nice as I have alot of areas that havent been touched in my area of NC that were gathering spots for groups of ppl. and Cornwallis crossed the Dan River not far from here.. thanks for bring this topic up.. Mark

 

[goldseeker4000]

dirthog, seriously look into any of the new x-terra class detectors 305, 505 or the flag ship 705. Read up on the x-terra forum. Very helpful. Talked to a guy couple days ago and we weighed a tesoro Tejon and my 705 and te 705 was lighter. Let him try it out and he is convinced he is going to sell his tesoro and buy an x-terra705. food for thought.

 

[dirthog]

I talked with Mike who has woodland detectors. He has a xterra 305 that I am interested in. I had thought of a cheaper unit but then seems if I get neck deep in this hobby then I would be upgrading and this unit would work well both for my health issues and I get the benefit of a better unit it seems than a beginner unit... Lots of undetected area here.. Thanks for your input... Mark

 

[WNYDigger]

I’m new to the hobby but don’t these units come with a shoulder harness. ?

Ok, gotta get this off of my chest.

Message to White's, Minelab, and Garrett:

Why are your best machines so blasted HEAVY?

I have been researching my next detector for a couple of months and thought about getting a really good one from one of the above.

Forget it.

It's always the same from users: "I love my Sovereign/E-Trac/Spectrum/DFX/GTI/GTA,etc., BUT... I can only swing it a couple of hours before my arm wears out."

Really? Yeah, that's what I want: rotator cuff issues when I'm in my 50's because I swung your 4.5 lb. detector the last ten years.

Looks like Garrett is trying with their AT PRO (but its not a top end detector).

Fisher/Teknetics/Tesoro seem to have cornered the market on light weight detectors.

Guess I'll have to do my shopping with these guys. Are they as good as the big three? Well, I guess I'll have to find out.

The rest of you manufacturers need to lighten up! Pun intended.

Ok, I feel better now. Thanks.

 

[Dano Sverige]

No...you can by hip or chest mounts (some do come with them i guess but mine never have) or buy and use a bungee harness.