The Ace and AT Pro can work fine on the dry sand but as soon as you hit the wet and damp they start to false from the saline and mineralized sand.
Probably a dedicated waterproof design would suit you better.
The Simplex is very affordable but on the beach in “Beach Mode” it suffers from being a 1 tone design. Hope they update that.
The Equinox 600 would be a much better choice but you will spend more.
After that comes the Sand Scoop. One can get by with the offerings on the different warehouse sites but most scoops can be a little challenging due to their design, size and weight etc.
The Sand Scoop needs to be a well thought out purchase as it is one of the most important tools in your detecting arsenal.
A small scoop won’t allow you to dig the dry sand before the sand caves into the hole. A heavy scoop is well, just too heavy and depending on the hole size, may just end up trapping damp sand in the scoop and not allowing it to empty without some effort.
Another thing to consider is your physical condition. Some of us, have problems with arthritis, surgeries and other limitations. This then requires a scoop that, with the long handle, is lightweight. So they sell a carbon fiber handle and titanium scoop for these individuals and others who enjoy that design.
The lighter the equipment, the longer you can hunt no matter what your physical condition.
One needs to add a long handle to the scoop to keep from bending down constantly.
Best of Luck!
Rusty
