Best Beach / Underwater Detectors?

Reed Lukens

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2013
2,653
5,418
Congres, AZ/ former California Outlawed Gold Miner
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero, Whites MXT, Vsat, GMT, 5900Di Pro, Minelab GPX 5000, GPXtreme, 2200SD, Excalibur 1000!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It's been a while since I have seen best all around detector thread for the shallow water hunting at the beach. I have an old Excalibur but it's time for an upgrade. I'm thinking of the Surf Master Pro but I'm just not familiar with any of the other brands out there. From you guys with multiple detector experience, what do you think are great choices in beach detectors these days?
 

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cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,210
14,519
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
IMO, you already have the best of the water machines. Get the CTX if you must, but, I get more depth with my Excal/NEL Attack combo.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,420
30,084
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I use the Tesoro Sand Shark. I have paid for the machine many-times-over since 2012, in gold jewelry alone.

 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,210
14,519
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Same here.....with the Excalibur, E-trac, and all my other machines though the years. If you have a beach with little iron, sure, get a PI machine like the Sand Shark. Our beaches here are too iron infested for me to use a PI machine. You waste too much time and effort digging ferrous junk instead of digging potentially good targets.
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
CTX 3030 if you want to be able to dunk the machine or any FBS machine will work well up out of the water.
 

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Reed Lukens

Reed Lukens

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2013
2,653
5,418
Congres, AZ/ former California Outlawed Gold Miner
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero, Whites MXT, Vsat, GMT, 5900Di Pro, Minelab GPX 5000, GPXtreme, 2200SD, Excalibur 1000!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks everyone :) Some great answers as usual. I've had my Excalibur for over 10 years :) It's been to Minelab a few times for tune up's, but now knowing that it's still a solid contender after all this time just put a big smile on my face tonight :evil6:
 

beerguy

Bronze Member
May 6, 2004
1,138
1,174
Camano Island, WA
Detector(s) used
CTX3030,
Many more on a rotating basis.
Park Ranger and Pack Mule pouches by Freeloader!
If you really need to spend some money, get a carbon fiber shaft to improve the balance.

I just picked one up and it is really nice. I should be able to swing all day in comfort.
 

Mudflap

Bronze Member
Mar 31, 2012
1,312
1,655
Wallingford, Connecticut 1667
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT, Dual Field, CZ-21, Vaquero, Home Brewed (3).
Detecting since 1972.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I use as Whites Dual Field and a PI Pro on the beach and in the water. Great machines but remember they are PI. I am slowly getting tired of digging a zillion bobi pins so am looking at getting a CZ-21 to add a bit of discrimination. I believe the Xcalibre and the CZ are two machines using dual or multiple frequency that can handle the salt and still discriminate.
 

OP
OP
Reed Lukens

Reed Lukens

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2013
2,653
5,418
Congres, AZ/ former California Outlawed Gold Miner
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero, Whites MXT, Vsat, GMT, 5900Di Pro, Minelab GPX 5000, GPXtreme, 2200SD, Excalibur 1000!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If you really need to spend some money, get a carbon fiber shaft to improve the balance.

I just picked one up and it is really nice. I should be able to swing all day in comfort.

No, I'm not buying a new one, just helping a friend take the step in the right direction with everyone's help here :)
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I use as Whites Dual Field and a PI Pro on the beach and in the water. Great machines but remember they are PI. I am slowly getting tired of digging a zillion bobi pins so am looking at getting a CZ-21 to add a bit of discrimination. I believe the Xcalibre and the CZ are two machines using dual or multiple frequency that can handle the salt and still discriminate.

I got very good at NOT digging bobby pins by simply sweeping target whike doing a circle around target. A Bobby pin will have that double hit sound in the threshold. The one thing that kept getting me was those darn fresh sparkler wires! I don't know why but they would not hardly seem to give that drawn out, double beep sound. I know longer have the Dually and went back to my 3rd Excalibur.
 

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