I live in Milton Dan.
What I like about the Outlaw over the Explorer. Much lighter and easier to swing, picks up tiny thin gold chains that the Explorer couldn't, much better in trashy/iron invested areas, best pinpointing machine I've ever used. The only machine I've ever used that I could hunt without a pinpointer. When you dig a plug, it's in the hole every time. Not to one side or the other. Best discrimination machine I've ever used. I'm having no problem picking out goodies surrounded with iron because of the amazing recovery speed.
I'm not knocking the Explorer because I found some great finds with it and would proudly own machines from all the big companies. I used my Explorer for 5 1/2 years and knew it inside out. I read Andy Sabisch's book several times and high lighted the main parts that I could almost read it in my head. I would say it was the machine with the biggest learning curve for me. I ended up buying the Pro coil for it which was better than the stock SE coil.
It would get a little more depth than the Outlaw. But from what I've read about the Tejon from tests and owners, it would probably be deeper than the Explorer. I've personally never actually did that test so I can't say for sure.
As for the GTI 2500. Well my very first machine was a Garrett GTAx 1000 back in 1998. I was hooked and would say it was a really good starter machine. I think it was about 2 years later that the GTI 2500 came out and I was wanting it big time. Never looked at any other companies machines then. Then a few years later I bought one new. I paid $1000 and it came with a bunch of stuff (digger, pouch, couple of Charles Garrett's books, cap, coil cover, rain/dust cover).
Honestly I wasn't overly impressed. I was expecting a bigger step up from my GTAx 1000 and it wasn't. Right after I bought a gently used Explorer SE from a fellow club hunter as I was in a metal detecting club at the time. The Explorer was way better than the GTI. So at that time I considered myself a Minelab guy.
So 5 1/2 years later I was ready to move up to an E-Trac. I had already read and studied everything about it before I actually used one. I had met up with an older fellow and he showed me how to use it. It was easier going from knowing the Explorer to the E-Trac than not ever using a Minelab before. The guy was generous enough to offer me his E-Trac to use for a week when he went on holidays.
While out on a hunt with it during that week I ran into another detectorist who had a Tesoro Vaquero. We each set up our machines and let each other try each others. He was very interested in the E-Trac. I was completely blown away with the Vaquero. I was WOWED. I had never used a Tesoro before and can say I wasn't really interested in them. My mind was made up that Tesoro was dinosaur technology and wondered why anyone in their right mind would buy one.
That was the biggest mistake I ever made in metal detecting. How or why would anyone want a machine with no display, no depth meter, one tone
?
Imo Tesoro makes you a better detectorist. It makes you think about every target and after a short time you really get to know just as much as a multi tone display machine. I'm not digging any more trash than my other machines and when I do half the time I guessed it was trash but still had to dig it.
After that day I decided against the E-Trac that I thought I wanted so bad. I never really liked the Explorer or E-Trac tones but I thought I was a Minelab guy.
I started looking into Tesoro and researched which machine would be best for me. I decided the first one would be the Outlaw. The 3 coil package was really attractive and the Tejon would be to hot (17.2 to 17.6 kHz) for the real trashy areas. Best decision and move I ever made. The Outlaw was a $1000 cheaper than the E-Trac. I was actually considering buying a Tejon at the same time but decided to go with the Outlaw for the rest of this season to get to know it instead of switching back and forth.
People have different opinions but there isn't much more the E-Trac can do that the Outlaw can't. Definitely not a $1000 worth. To me Tesoro gives you the best bang for your buck by far.
How many times have you found a small coin deeper than 10"?
My test garden in my back yard is different than most peoples. I don't dig a normal hole. I use a square shovel and dig a 4 sided big plug and pull the plug out so it's like a cement block. One big solid piece. It helps when it was really dry when I did this. The Outlaw can pick up a quarter at 11", a dime at 9" in my dry backyard.
If I lived in the Outback and nugget hunted then I could see spending the money on a machine. I'd probably go with a Minelab GPX 5000. But I'd also would want to hear how the new Garrett ATX does in comparison.
I ended up selling both my Garrett's and Minelab back in July and have absolutely no regrets. Over the winter I'm getting a Tejon and an AT Gold, then by late May I'll pick up a Tiger Shark for diving.
for the Outlaw package with the 3 coils. Can't beat the coil covers and lower rods being included compared to the cost of getting another Vaquero and buying extra coils and lower rods. I hope I like it as much as I did my Vaquero and I have heard through the roomer mill that the Outlaw is a little smoother running than the Vaquero. I guess I will find out in a few days.
after all these years of detecting with different high dollar top end detectors. That is also why I got the Tesoro Outlaw on the way to me. (I do really like my AT Pro ) and I really liked my Vaquero that I had and sold (mistake looking back). I think the Outlaw will be smoother in trash and iron trash sites than the Vaquero was. I like the retune and toggle operated threshold all metal & non motion metal function being on a toggle switch better. Unlike the Vaquero where you put it in threshold motion with the disk knob being turned all the way counterclockwise.
