Need help deciding on new detector

[thadious]

Hi everyone! I have been detecting for two years now with a bh 505 and a viper trident. I did OK with the bh not so good with the trident. The thing is after two years I have decided to upgrade to a much better detector. I am leaning towards a dfx but am also considering a se or explorer 1000. I have a bad back and cannot detect more than an hour or two at the most before the pain stops it from being fun. I live in San Diego, Ca and primarily hunt the beaches and parks in that area. I am fully retired though, live in my RV and plan a trip to the east coast this summer, (gas prices willing),. I have tried hunting the water in San Diego on the ocean side and have to say the waves knock me around a lot and quickly put my pain level into the cannot detect range. I am saying this because although I want to hunt the water I am not sure I will be able to.

Any way what I am asking is what do you think the best detector would be for me in the southern Ca area. I will probably only use stock coils and plan on hunting 2 to 3 days a week. Thanks for your input. Ted

 

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[Monty]

If you can't handle the surf, look for lake side beaches to hunt. Since the ocean is a it far for me to drive I have had good success hunting inland lake beaches and shallow water. No surf at all to contend with. I am having the same problem with my back problem. I am going to be shopping for some lighter weight gear this summer so I can perhaps last a bit longer. Tesoro makes a nice lineup of light weight detectors and they have a loyal following here on T-net. Check their section for owner comments. Monty

 

[Michigan Badger]

Ted half the people I know have bad backs (myself included). Now I'm getting joint pain (the knee type) too.

But, some of us are too stubborn to give up, right?

You might be shocked at my suggestion but here it goes.

If you want to stay with beach hunting, I'd suggest a Garrett Infinium (case mounted to your belt) and use the light weight small 8-inch mono coil. Then drag a nice long handled sand scoop and you're loaded for bear.

This rig will detect rings 12 inches deep (so I'm told) with no problem.

I'm just starting with the Infinium myself. My 8-inch coil arrived today (sweet!).

Take care my friend.

Badger

 

[Highwater]

Ted,
Go for the fresh water swimming beaches. Use a major mfg waterproof VLF detector with switchable coils. Go with a hip or chest mount. (I prefer a hip mount) Start with the standard rod and if that is too much strain try a straight shaft. Also use an aluminum scoop and floating sifter.
With this set up you can hunt water and land in comfort. You will probably be able to get in an extra hour or two of detecting. For what you are describing it should be your ultimate choice. Good luck & HH Highwater

 

[thadious]

Ted half the people I know have bad backs (myself included). Now I'm getting joint pain (the knee type) too.

But, some of us are too stubborn to give up, right?

You might be shocked at my suggestion but here it goes.

If you want to stay with beach hunting, I'd suggest a Garrett Infinium (case mounted to your belt) and use the light weight small 8-inch mono coil. Then drag a nice long handled sand scoop and you're loaded for bear.

This rig will detect rings 12 inches deep (so I'm told) with no problem.

I'm just starting with the Infinium myself. My 8-inch coil arrived today (sweet!).

Take care my friend.

Badger

Badger I fell in love with this hobby when I started it in may 2005, it was the only thing that could get me out of the house with the back pain. I am a stubborn old goat who does not know what the word quit means. If i can walk or hobble I will detect. I bought a bh 505 first and liked it but no real depth. I then wanted a water detector and after reading the hype of a certain on line company i bought both a viper trident. the trident did find coins but no depth and heavy and unbalanced out of the water. I then bought a mpx pro on a whim again believing the hype of same on line company. (yeah you could say I am a slow learner). Anyway now wife says I can buy a new one but it would be my last until it pays for its self. I don't know about that but since she is not going to argue with me on this one I want to make sure I make I wise choice. I will check out the infinium you suggested as well as others that have been suggested. thanks for the input. HH ted

 

[EasyMoney]

Garrett Infinium, without a doubt.

 

[TomNWMI]

Your going to kill this poor guy recommending the Infinium!!

A PI for someone with a bad back?? It doesn't matter where you detect, fresh or salt water, digging all the iron will quickly put an end to the outing.

Yeah yeah I know that "some" iron can be eliminated with the Infinium but it won't be enough.

Go with a good Multi freq VLF equipped with an 8" coil. Larger coils can tough on the arm and body in the water especially if you already have problems.

Tom

 

[hollowpointred]

well if you have a bad back you probably wont want to swing a heavy machine like the SE. you could buy one of those swingy thingies for it that redistributes the weight for you. i hear they work but i never used one. if i were you, i might consider some of the tesoro machines, that is unless you want to go the PI route. the tesoros are light, go deep, and have a lifetime warranty. I'm not sure about the weight on the DFX,but it is a great machine as well. good luck choosing. it can be tough but as a general rule, stick with the major manufacturers and it will be hard to go wrong.

 

[TonyinCT]

Welcome. The detectors you mention are fairly heavy when it comes to detectors but you can hip mount the Excalibur 1000. I have a tricky back also and hipmount mine. The Ecal can be used anywhere and is very light once you remove the box/battery and hip mount it. You can use it underwater as well as beach and land. It would be basically no weight in the water if it were completely submerged. I also use a technique where I turn my upper body when sweeping the coil. this way I am not over taxing my upper back. Please give me a call and we can discuss the matter further and I'm sure I can hook you up with a detector you can use .
Thanks
TonyinCT
860-623-1153
TC Metal Detectors

 

[gamiller]

You also might want to look into a cz-21 , I think it is easier to learn than the excalibur1000 and also is hip mountable.My lady friend who weighs 105 lbs uses my old c z20 and is able to last all day with hip mounted. cz20 is the older model and it looks like the cz 21 would be very similar.

 

[Michigan Badger]

thadious the fundamental issue is depth. If your detector can't reach the targets, how are you going to know they are even there?

I've been at this metal detector hobby since the 60's and did treasure hunting even before that. I don't know everything about this hobby but I do try to keep an open mind and learn. And too, as most on here know, every year I spend lots of money on metal detectors new and sometimes even used.

Just last year I purchased and tested the Minelab Explorer 2, Minelab Sovereign GT, Tesoro Tejon, Tesoro Compadre, Tesoro Silver uMax, Tesoro Silver original, Tesoro Conquistador, Tesoro Silver Sabre II, Nautilus IIb, and some I don't recall just now.

Last year was my year to test some older models to see how they compared to today's models. So, I spent less last year than I normally do.

What I've discovered over the last 40 years or so is VLF detectors are all pretty much the same. Some are a little deeper, more complex, lighter/heavier, etc., but they all are highly affected by ground and atmospheric conditions.

And too, they all are highly overrated as to depth. The very best VLF detectors consistently hunt about 6 inches deep. Deeper targets are occasionally found but generally speaking most items are less than 6 inches.

You mentioned that you want to hunt the beach. This is wise because digging beach sand is a whole lot easier than digging in the woods. And too, the beach usually holds more great finds (very deep).

At fresh and salt water beaches, the really great stuff is deep. When I say deep I mean 8++++++ inches.

Dig down until you find that darker subsoil. About 1-12 inches into this heavier sand is where the loot is located. VLF machines can't even dream of reaches these depth. This is the depth beyond the ordinary wind storms, sand sweepers, etc.

Most all old heavily used beaches have loads of great finds that THers walk over every day because their VLF detectors can't reach the targets.

Will you dig a lot of trash with a PI? Yes! But here again, at great depths most VLF machines would register TRASH on most good targets.

If you're willing to dig more trash you'll be paid off with those mega deep finds the others only dream about.

This is what some very trusted friends have told me and I trust them because I've seen some of their finds.

I'm still learning. This summer I'll be out there for the deep and great stuff.

Badger

 

[Willy]

The one thing that an Infinium can do is ID deep and large iron, which an Excal can't with any reliability. A large chunk of iron will give a lo/hi tone at 1" AND at 15". A gold ring will give the hi/lo tone at 1" AND at 15". The Excal won't give that kind of accuracy at depth. Often, the gold ring will be shifted down on the TID scale to read as iron and the large iron shifted up to read as a coin or something else higher than iron with the Excal. That's why I managed to dig about the same amount of iron with both detectors. Sure, the Infinium just LOVES certain little bits of iron (bobby pins), but even these can be mentally notched out by an experienced operator. The thing is, shallow trash is easier to deal with than deep stuff. That 2' deep anchor bolt would likely be ID'ed as a trash high conductor by the Infinium, and possibly give a good diggable signal with the Excal. ..Willy.

 

[guzz1]

Check out Minelab SOVEREIGN GT great all around metal detector great for the beach and inland you can't get the control box wet though ,, I use mine at the beach in the dry sand and wet sand and shallows .. Guzz1