AT Pro vs GTI 2500

[Gold Dust]

Hello All,

Gold Dust here.
First of all thank you for providing a wonderful Forum. Its been very helpful thus far.

I am trying to decide between the AT Pro and the GTI 2500 , but its been a tough choice so far. If you had to choose between the two which one would it be and your reasons why.

Also does the 2500 take on the same abilities as the AT Pro if you were to use the DD coil of the AT Pro on the 2500?

Any insight would be helpful .

Thank You

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[Keppy]

Welcome to Tnet..............I have the AT Pro and the GTI 1500.................I don't think the AT is as good as the 1500 .... and i am thinking of getting the 2500 and selling .... both my AT and 1500............. my reason is that the 2500 has a true all metal in it and the AT and 1500 does not................ And i took the AT out and i have to swing that thing like a grass whip to get a good signal................. My thoughts about the AT is that it is just a waterproof 250........................I know it has Pro Audio and High- Res Iron Discrimination................. But it was a disappointment to me....And for the 1500 & 2500 you have 7 different coil choices........... with the AT you only have 3..........And what ever coil you use on the AT Pro it will never be like or as good as the 2500 ..or the 1500.........HH

 

[Sandman]

I too have both the 1500 and AT Pro and have used the 2500 also. What Keppy said about the At Pro is true. It requires a very fast sweep speed to get those depths that many are saying they get. I don't like the fact that its Zero mode is not true all metal. I have lost confidence in my 1500 though since getting it back from Garrett as it is not the same detector and not as deep as a BH. Only thing I don't like about the 2500 is the weight and lack of depth of a Sov GT. But that is a dual freq unit too.

 

[Keppy]

I too have both the 1500 and AT Pro and have used the 2500 also. What Keppy said about the At Pro is true. It requires a very fast sweep speed to get those depths that many are saying they get. I don't like the fact that its Zero mode is not true all metal. I have lost confidence in my 1500 though since getting it back from Garrett as it is not the same detector and not as deep as a BH. Only thing I don't like about the 2500 is the weight and lack of depth of a Sov GT. But that is a dual freq unit too.

That's right Sandman swinging that AT that fast is like work to me .............. If i hunted 2 or 3 hours like that i would be beat to the ground...............And after all these years of hunting i am not use to swinging a detector at that speed............

 

[lonelyduckhunter]

I have both the GTI2500 and the AT Pro. I like both of them. Love the tone roll audio on the Pro in Pro mode great for finding coins mixed into iron done real well hunting junky spots. The 2500 is a great machine with all metal mode and imaging. I use both of mine switch back and forth not sure I can really tell you I like one versus the other but the 2500 has found some real deap coins for me in all metal mode. The imaging is a plus as well but I dig everything anyway. I don't pay attention to the number on the at pro I listen more of the sounds but the tone roll audio is awesome. Tough choice.

 

[Keppy]

I have both the GTI2500 and the AT Pro. I like both of them. Love the tone roll audio on the Pro in Pro mode great for finding coins mixed into iron done real well hunting junky spots. The 2500 is a great machine with all metal mode and imaging. I use both of mine switch back and forth not sure I can really tell you I like one versus the other but the 2500 has found some real deap coins for me in all metal mode. The imaging is a plus as well but I dig everything anyway. I don't pay attention to the number on the at pro I listen more of the sounds but the tone roll audio is awesome. Tough choice.

Well for me you have to swing that AT to fast ............... I don't like to hunt like that................Took out my 1500 and AT got a target with the 1500 nice loud sound swinging nice and easy......................And just got a slight chirp with the AT UNLESS i would swing it like a grass whip........ Then i got a nice loud sound with the AT................... And then i said this is not the way i want to hunt................. And i did that more than once with the 1500 & AT with different settings........ Just not me to work myself to death swinging like a mad man.............

 

[George (MN)]

The reviews of the AT Pro have been almost 100% positive since mid-March (after the fix was done). I don't recall what serial numbers, but Garrett could advise (reviews were mostly bad pre-mid-March).

The AT Pro is barely over 3 lbs & can go underwater to 10 feet. This is where the gold ring to pulltab ratio will be best (beyond knee deep). I might not go in the water, but just use the AT Pro for coin hunting when there's a possibility of rain. Or maybe I'll use it most of the time. I'll be giving it a good testing & reporting my findings.

Others report the AT Pro air tests 12" on a quarter if ground balance is set for best results. And about 15" on nickel & many gold rings. Most denominations have been found by various testers at 8" in places that have been hunted heavily. 2"-4" deeper than Ace 250 according to a couple reviews.

The AT Pro pro(portional) mode was made to give whispers & chirps on deep coins, & roll tones for bottlecaps. Not so much a lack of depth as a lack of volume, compared to standard mode.

Some hunters say they can't react to both loud & soft tones so they have to focus their hearing on one or the other (shallow or deep).

The standard mode would be full volume on all, but maybe get too many bottlecaps with the DD coil.

No detector is perfect, but many are good enough for most situations. The GTI-2500 is more expensive new, & heavier. Should be lots of info on net & used ones can be found regularly. All metal with ID goes deep according to others.

I could recommend a few dozen other models, too. HH, George (MN)

 

[dogpound]

i have the AT pro and a GTI series garrett(the 1500) and i wouldn't trade my GTI 1500 for anything, that "imaging" feature is awesome. i only really plan on using the AT pro around water areas just so i don't ruin the GTI

 

[Keppy]

i have the AT pro and a GTI series garrett(the 1500) and i wouldn't trade my GTI 1500 for anything, that "imaging" feature is awesome. i only really plan on using the AT pro around water areas just so i don't ruin the GTI

Same with me dog. And my GTI is deeper than the AT Pro.......But then the GTI detectors is high end and the AT Pro is mid range........

 

[architecad]

i have the AT pro and a GTI series garrett(the 1500) and i wouldn't trade my GTI 1500 for anything, that "imaging" feature is awesome. i only really plan on using the AT pro around water areas just so i don't ruin the GTI

I don't have the AT pro yet but what I'd seen in youtube about of it, I can have my own conclusion that it is a good machine for the shallow water but not better than the GTI2500 for the rest of searching mode.

For my own opinion, the GTI2500 is a great machine and much better machine than the Excalibur in dry sand.

Arch

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Gold dust. AT Pro is hands down the better machine. Garrett has really made a deep fast machine. Really good in iron too! Holler if you need more info or pricing! Love to help you!

 

[jerseyben]

I was not a believer in the claims on depth on the AT Pro at first. But... After digging CONSISTENT deep targets, I am quite impressed! I have dug targets up to 15" with 12" being the "norm" for me. I understand soil conditions play a big role in that but I am just going based off my own experiences. I never dug anything deeper than 8" with my Ace 150 or F2.

 

[nfunk]

I don't have the AT Pro but I sold my ACE 250 and bought a GTI 2500. I love the imaging, better depth than the 250 and all metal mode. The only negative is that the 2500 is a little heavy, but even with a little arthritis I don't find it to be a problem.

 

[lookindown]

The AT PRO can go in the water, weighs less and costs half as much as the 2500. The only problem I have with the AT PRO is that it goes deeper than I like to dig.

 

[coinbug]

Just bumping this thread because I'm trying to decide between the AT Pro and GTI 2500.

They really aren't that far apart in price now.

I love the fact that the AT Pro is fully waterproof, but it seems that the GTI 2500 ought to be a better machine.

Any fresh opinions?

 

[fella]

I have the ATP and love it. I've hunted with my brother a few times and he has the 2500. Both solid machines! But the GTI 2500 not having cam locks...c'mon!

 

[Ronzie]

I had a GTI 2500 for over 4 years which I got as an upgrade for my GTAx Ultra 1000. Wasn't that much of a step up and can't compete with the 2 newer machines after that.

 

[Digger2]

I have been having my GTI 2500 for 10 years, I bought the AT Pro in april of this year. I find the 2500s' imaging to be a neat addition, but not always that accurate. The AT Pro is a lot lighter and I believe it to be a lot faster in trashy areas (maybe because I use it more than the heavier 2500).
Its a snap to change coils on the 2500, and a pain in the fingers to change the coils on the AT Pro. The 2500 requires twice the amount of AA batteries than the AT. The Imaging on the 2500 only works with special concentric coils, while the AT P uses DD coils.

I have hunted (on a couple of occasions) an area (Tot Lot) with the 2500, layed it aside, and took the AT and retrieved almost the same number of coins. This has never happened if the AT Pro is used first. Because of this statement I believe the AT Pro to be more efficient at cleaning out an area than the 2500. That does not make it a 'better' machine. Your mileage may differ.

 

[firemac]

Ive only tried the 2500 one time that a friend had on the beach, and didnt like it. The stock DD coil thats on my at pro I love it! When pin pointing with it using the 90 degree turn, I can pin point exactly over the target, its like its a thin knife blade going straight to the target. I like to use the at pro first on an area and then come back over with my etrac and clean it up, the etrac goes much deeper on targets for me, hope this helps. HH