I have had one for the past 3 years, probably have 150-200 hours total with it, have gotten mixed results. It was my first machine and the only one I used until I picked up an AT Pro just this week.
Pros:
• Very good depth.
• Really good for relics and in areas like farm fields where signals might be fewer and farther between.
• Lightweight, just 2.2 lbs.
• Takes one single 9-volt battery.
• Can be switched to one of 3 different frequencies. Comes in handy when hunting near other Tesoros or during competition hunts.
Cons:
• I have found the learning curve on it to be more like a learning mountain. There are still many times where I don’t feel all that comfortable using it.
• Is single-tone only, and no display. This may or may not be a “con” for you.
• At least where I live (central Maryland), I’ve hardly come across anybody using one, so there hasn’t been much chance to compare notes in person with other users.
• In my experience, it fairs poorly in trashy areas. Last time I tried it in a very trashy park (with old trash, I’m talking bottle caps over 6” deep), it was just going bonkers and I ended up lost trying to make any sense of the signals.
• You can swap out coils, but Tesoro says if you do this, you will need to send the machine back to their factory so they can reset the ground balancing. Now, some users on here say that doesn’t really matter and some say it does. I haven’t tried switching coils, so I have no experience to draw from.
When I was planning to get an AT Pro, I did think about selling the Cibola. But I kept it and will probably just use it sparingly going forward. Maybe for relic hunting or competition hunts.
This is just one person’s opinion and maybe the Cibola will work wonders for you. I think metal detectors are like cars. You can ask 100 people what is the best make and model of car, and probably get 75 different answers. What works for one person isn’t guaranteed to work for the next. Best of luck and happy hunting.
