Need some Opinions!

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 4, 2014

Hey people! I'm thinking of upgrading and I have these top 2 alternatives to choose from. First there is the Garrett AT Pro and second I just love the F5! Of course for $100$ More I could get the AT Pro which is fully submersible. BUT, I just love the F5!!! Feel free to post any comments people!!

steve1357 · Apr 4, 2014

I have the F5 and F70. If you're going to spend Atpro money, get the F70. It'll blow the atpro and F5 away.

The F70 is too hot, but once you learn it, it's the deepest for the money.

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 4, 2014

I know Steve! But I'd like to test my luck doing some water detecting! But yes it 'could' be another option! I live in Puerto Rico my friend, and there are hundreds of miles of shore line!

steve1357 · Apr 4, 2014

If I was diving and beach detecting, I'd get a waterproof pulse machine and dig everything.

Read around the beach and diving forums, you don't want an F5, F70, or ATPro.

Jmho

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 4, 2014

Hmm I see what u mean Steve. The thing is I still want a good versatile machine. I currently have a Fisher F2 and does pretty good at the beach including in the wet sand section. I use the 11"DD and 4" coils. They all work pretty good. Not the best but gets the job done. So basically I still have as best options:
F5
F60
ATP!

steve1357 · Apr 4, 2014

There's a "beach and shallow water" forum here you could get a lot from.

My fundamental concern with the beach is to have a machine you can ground balance in salt water sand.

You'll see some units advertise "will ground balance all the way to salt".

May look at the GoldbugPro or ATGold. Read the beach forum, you don't want to spend money on something that doesnt do better than your F2 in salt. You can use the diving pulse detectors on dry land, they work great.

Maybe post your question in the beach forum.

christo000 · Apr 5, 2014

If ur in out there where theres more beach then land, I'm not sure the choices you made would be best I mean will they do the job yes but if ur wanting to really hit the water the Atpro will work to a point to really get those nice targets without a dought u may want to just buy a couple aftermarket coils for ur f2 I know they do good & look into gettingva fully underwater dedicated detectors ull still be able to use it on the sand but it won't false out on ya,ull get crazy depth without having to lower the sensitivty so low that ur compromising depth & or having it unstable,

happycamper08 · Apr 5, 2014

The tesoro sand shark and the garrett sea hunter are in that price range.

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 7, 2014

Well, it's funny how the thread took direction! What I really meant is that I would be occasionally hunting beaches. Well yes, I live in a tropic island with a lot of beaches to try my luck, but I do more relic and coin shooting! ( Hoping one day I find a chest full of spanish reales

) so that's why I have these 2 options (ATP, F5). In the next couple of months I'll be getting one of these. Let's see how it turns out!

Fletch88 · Apr 7, 2014

I've always wanted to go to PR! If I had 100's of miles of salty wet sand beaches, I would look at used Excalibur's or CZ's if you want waterproof. Also, within you budget a used Safari, SE pro, or Sovereign GT will work great on salt beaches and inland, but are not waterproof.

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 10, 2014

Still looking through a lot of md reviews but I have to say, the F75 is a monster! If it were water proof then I would just made up my mind already. I saw a lot of youtube vids of the ATP ,F70 and F75. F70 would off been nice if it had manual ground balance. I see that the ATP is really good but read that it is sort of old tech already and basically the F75 would be to me the perfect choice! Great depth, gb capabilities and sensitive to small gold too. I'm really now thinking of getting an F75! Unless there's an upgrade on the ATP Mk II? Jejeje just thinking. Keep coming the comments and opinions!

steve1357 · Apr 10, 2014

F70 is hotter and cheaper than F75...

Fisher screwed up imho.

But you're budget keeps increasing from where you started this thread, you might as well buy a $5k Minelab.

HH

christo000 · Apr 10, 2014

F2digger said:
Still looking through a lot of md reviews but I have to say, the F75 is a monster! If it were water proof then I would just made up my mind already. I saw a lot of youtube vids of the ATP ,F70 and F75. F70 would off been nice if it had manual ground balance. I see that the ATP is really good but read that it is sort of old tech already and basically the F75 would be to me the perfect choice! Great depth, gb capabilities and sensitive to small gold too. I'm really now thinking of getting an F75! Unless there's an upgrade on the ATP Mk II? Jejeje just thinking. Keep coming the comments and opinions!

Agreed the f75 is a great machine I'm using the f75ltd with boost & cache modes ill tell ya what honestly I've had many machines in comparison of ur choices & other Atpro,705,v3i,deus xp,& f75ltd these were the most recent machinez I've used the ltd is proving itself to be a power house getting targets that I know I went over with the other machines its very well balanced & extremely deep, has quite a bit of options but not to over whelming its a really good machine the ltd if ur looking & ur starti.g to think a f75 I highly suggest mayb even a used ltd it is worth it

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 11, 2014

Funny Steve! Yes I started with less budget but slowly I have been increasing my budget. Selling some old stuff hanging around and well, mo' money now! But yes, the F75 is an impressive machine with impressive depth Christo000! In reality, I know there's no "The Best" Metal Detector out there, but I want a great working MD. Preferably Fisher or Garrett. That's all!

steve1357 · Apr 11, 2014

F2digger said:
Funny Steve! Yes I started with less budget but slowly I have been increasing my budget. Selling some old stuff hanging around and well, mo' money now! But yes, the F75 is an impressive machine with impressive depth Christo000! In reality, I know there's no "The Best" Metal Detector out there, but I want a great working MD. Preferably Fisher or Garrett. That's all!

I'd get you a cz3 or older cz5,6 models. They are Fisher multifreq machines that will beat any singlefreq display machine. You'll never need another detector imho.

And dig everything, I'm guessing you are going over places that have already been detected many times over if you're looking for the good stuff.

steve1357 · Apr 11, 2014

F2digger said:
Hey people! I'm thinking of upgrading and I have these top 2 alternatives to choose from. First there is the Garrett AT Pro and second I just love the F5! Of course for $100$ More I could get the AT Pro which is fully submersible. BUT, I just love the F5!!! Feel free to post any comments people!!

Good luck with your ATPro...

Tnmountains · Apr 11, 2014

Get the at pro. It is a slower recovery speed but it does not miss much and has good discrimination. Plus you can get the dang thing wet or hunt a creek.

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 15, 2014

Well look what I got as a very VERY early christmas gift!

steve1357 · Apr 15, 2014

F2digger said:
Well look what I got as a very VERY early christmas gift!

Well, how many inches did you gain over the F2? I may get me one.

TheCaribbeanDigger · Apr 15, 2014

steve1357 said:
Well, how many inches did you gain over the F2? I may get me one.

Well Still haven't gone on a real hunt but used on a local beach. I tell u this! Found a freakin dime in the wet part of the sand a little over 8 inches! Rang loud and clear!! Though with my trusty F2 I have found nickels and pennies in the wet sand at 5-6 inches. Little chattery but still digable signals using the 11" DD coil. The thing that really impresses me is the importance of having a MD with GB!! For now I only have like 2-3 hours of experience using it! Still crawling at this stage