What I really want is.......

[marco]

Summer is coming up and where I live its really hot...but an hour away is the beach and its nice. There are also 3 lakes with sandy swimming beaches within 30 minutes. This summer to cool off I have decided to buy a detector so I can wade in both fresh and salt water...approx knee to waist deep...cooling off and hopefully finding a few rings. Im sure I will find a lot of crap but that comes with detecting...Im not new to it...but I AM new to water.

So my question is...what would be a great all-around detector for water in general...salt and fresh. I dont care if it goes down 200 feet but I want to know It wont be destroyed if a wave hits me. Some level of disc would be nice but I would use the absolute minimum...just so I'm not digging to china for iron every 3 feet! A few years ago i ran around with an ATPro...I dug a ton of clad but not much else. It didnt perform well at the beach...ok in the dry but not at all in the wet sand. Work got in the way and I sold it. No AtPro bashing from me...it was great in parks, ect...but this time around I want to focus on water and jewelry.

I am aware of PI vs VLF...but it does seem that multiple frequency detectors are also popular.
A few models I am considering in no order:

ML Excalibur
Garret Infinium
Tesoro...but not sure which of the sharks is most versatile for both fresh-salt.
Fisher CZ's...there seem to be several...any info on the most versatile would be great.

If anyone has used several and think one would be best from your experience I am all ears. If I have missed something let me know. If money was no object the ML CTX would be an option but jeez id kindof like to spend less than $1000 not $2500.

Thanks

 

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[redcobra8u]

I have an AT Pro and a Excal II. Bought the Excal II to hunt in the wet sands and love it. Very durable and easy to use in the water.

 

[topdogintampa]

The Excal is hard to beat and the CZ20/21's would be my 2nd look. jmo...You'll find the best fit with enough research...

Good luck and HH!

T

 

[lookindown]

You cant go wrong with either the Excalibur or the CZ21...you may regret a PI, you wont regret the Excal or the CZ.

 

[shawninNY]

It doesn't sound like you'll be doing too much salt/sand . 1st choice would be excal11. But I would look into finding a used whites beach hunter ID , there a good water machine a lil awkward to use in surf but handles wet sand well!

 

[bigscoop]

I'd say the Excal or the CZ for sure. Put either of them in all metal mode and you're likely to have your chance to dig all the iron crap you want anyway. In the stock version I'd say the CZ is probably a bit deeper but the Excal a bit more sensitive. Either one is a top of the line beach and shallow water machine and either of them will allow you to use disc when desired/required. But I think the big plus is that both machines are time tested and they've both been proven to be reliable and productive.

 

[marco]

Thanks for the replies. Based on many posts here and also youtube vids it does seem that the Excal and CZ21 have great track records. I've only been looking for a week...I only see a few of these detectors used at the moment and they are only $150 or so less than new.....strong resale value is definitely a good sign. And neither of these detectors are the "newest-greatest thing at the moment".

I have seen more used whites-tesoro beach detectors for sale than Excal or CZ....for significantly less. It is tempting to spend $500 instead of $1000+ I am sold on Excal-CZ being great....but are they double the price great? Anyone love their Whites or Tesoro? There is definitely something to be said for spending half as much on a water detector then also being able to shop for something like a used X-Terra 705 or Fisher F5. But not if the cheaper detectors are cheap because they fall apart and/or cant read a ring at 6 inches in wet sand.

 

[shawninNY]

I still have my whites BHID found plenty coins and gold with it! My only reason for wanting and upgrading to the excal 11 was I found myself digging a lot of deep bobby pins with the BHID for some reason deep bobby pins on saltwater beaches fool the machine and you get a mid tone and yellow light ( which signifies gold , or nickle ) it's a decent machine , it's easier wade in surf with it hip mounted go with the whites and buy the excal with the proceeds from your swimming holes!

 

[bigscoop]

Whites & Tesoro & Garret are good machines, but with a PI you are "always" going to have to be digging everything.

 

[shawninNY]

Whites BHID isn't pulse . 3 tone id with corresponding led. Green led =high tone coins and silver .yellow=mid tone gold and nickel. red = iron low growl tone , This machine performs most like the excal IMO .

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You can find used excals for 600-800 if you keep your eyes on the classifies here. Last excal I bought I got for $575...

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

The multi frequency machines do best for a discriminating machine in salt. Used cz21s go for $600-900, used excals $600-800, used excal IIs run $800-1200 on average. The PIs are cheaper and deep, you do have to be prepared to dig all the bobby pins and nails.

Www.metaldetectingstuff.com

Wayne

 

[marco]

I think a big part of what I end up with will be waiting for a good deal. Seems Like I couldnt go wrong with CZ or Excal or BHID.....I just need to see a good used one pop up. The Whites wasnt on my list but now it is so thanks for that suggestion.

 

[matrix master DBA]

Ive used the sand shark in both salt and fresh water for 8 years. It is a great detector well made easy to use. I have found gold and silver rings. For the price its hard to beat.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

As matrix said Sand Shark is another good choice if you don't mind extra digging. Thing with Excal is it tells you when it is iron and will also tell you when there is iron with gold...

 

[marco]

Do sand sharks give a different tones for different targets?

 

[matrix master DBA]

Do sand sharks give a different tones for different targets?

They have two modes normal which is like a regular detector sound and VCO "voltage controlled oscillator" I like vco the best. It gets louder as the target reaches the center of the coil makes it really easy to pinpoint. Another feature I like is F-Set you can adjust the tone or Frequency. You can make it a higher tone or lower tone. And when you need to replace the seal just call tesoro and they will send you one free. I change mine every year..

 

[Irishgoldhound]

I think I'm going with the BH ID 300 first and save all my finds from it for an excal. Can't afford the higher price of an Excal, I'm not one for buying used technical equipment. Some things in my opinion are best bought new.

 

[shawninNY]

It'll work well for you BHID can do all the excal can such as iron and gold will give low growl with mid tone chirp , both yellow and red lights will be on , the excal does it better but the BHID holds it's own , for really quiet beaches reverse disc hunt in all metal till you get a hit than toggle to see what it is! Only chain I ever got was 18 k wrapped in an old buoy marker link , massive 3" long x 1-2. " wide rotten link , in 3' of water in a frequently pounded bay beach! There where 0 signals that whole day , there's no doubt several others passed over that clearly iron target!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I own BHID an own 2 excals now. BHID is good but not in a me class as excal. I got far more gold using Excal, BHID only had 2 freq if i remember correctly too.

BHID is a good detector, mine kept leaking in battery compartment, even that aside, if I had both BHID and Excal sitting in my truck at the beach to choose from, the BHID would never leave my truck...

If BHID was all I had to choose from I would still enjoy the hunt with a competent detector...