Daughter Wants To Upgrade

[Oddjob]

Hey Folks,

My ten year old daughter is looking for an upgrade from an AT Gold. Like her brother she waited for the new Garrett release but she was far from impressed.

However she still wants to upgrade and feels that her AT Gold is alright but just does not perform that well on salty beaches.

She wants to go Minelab but the only Minelabs I have experience with are the GPXs, GPZ and CTX, all of course too heavy for her.

She has her eyes on the Excal 2 and I think a Safari (not sure what it is called).

Anyone got any suggestions; she loves beach hunts and surf she can stand in.

Thanks for the input folks.

 

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[jeff of pa]

since your asking about the Minelab's you should post in our Minelab forum. or at least
have it in title to draw those in the know

 

[cajamk]

I am so impressed with a young woman who knows what she wants!!! I am a woman detectorist !!

 

[DiamondDan]

Wait a minute..... I take it you haven't explained to her that the AT series detectors are the greatest machines ever, and theres no such thing as an upgrade?

 

[McKinney_5900]

The Excall II weighs the same as the CTX, plus no display.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

If shes going to be underwater - the Excalibur II. If she's keeping to less than a few feet of water - the Safari.

On the other hand - I found quite a lot with my Minelab analog detector with no display. The display just helps you avoid trash . . . or might that have been jewelry?

 

[Oddjob]

No I was actually just looking for any ideas t throw her way.

since your asking about the Minelab's you should post in our Minelab forum. or at least
have it in title to draw those in the know

 

[Oddjob]

Well it is a good starter machine for anyone from kids to adults, but I would not think it is great by any means, nor would I advocate the Minelab Snob attitude either. I used to enjoy Garrett machines back in the day, before that Whites.

Wait a minute..... I take it you haven't explained to her that the AT series detectors are the greatest machines ever, and theres no such thing as an upgrade?

 

[Oddjob]

Thanks for that, never owned one.

The Excall II weighs the same as the CTX, plus no display.

 

[Oddjob]

Yes no more than 3 feet deep in the surf, she is not getting tanks just yet.

If shes going to be underwater - the Excalibur II. If she's keeping to less than a few feet of water - the Safari.

On the other hand - I found quite a lot with my Minelab analog detector with no display. The display just helps you avoid trash . . . or might that have been jewelry?

 

[McKinney_5900]

I would stick with a waterproof machine. One slip in any surf and the non waterproof box is toast. I run a Minelab SE Pro and it seems to get great reviews in salt. I'm a 6' man and I wouldn't take it into more than ankle deep surf, if that. I don't hunt salt beaches much at all, but my luck...I'd slip at least once in time in about any surf.

I also run a Whites M6 which also works very well in salt. Not waterproof. Too bad the new version Garretts AT Pro is rejected.

If I was a ten year old, I'd want a display. Most kids would.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

The Excal is a lot easier to handle with a modification to a straight shaft. I just swung mine 3 hours today and could have gone all day long.

 

[smokeythecat]

The Garrett AT machines are great. I use my XP Deus at the beach in and out of the water. They have a $25 accessory to keep the main unit waterproof, and you can stick it in your pocket. Dug a zillion dollars in change today early, then the rain dumped on me, no problems with the machine or the headphones which are wireless. It is ultra light weight, so your daughter could go all day.

 

[Oddjob]

She asked me about XP, all I could say was I do not know anything about them other than I have read they are not keeping up on salty beaches with the CTX and killing it out in the bush. Hunted with a fella once who had an XP, pretty sure he was not the poster child for XP.

I just told her she needed to read up on it more and other machines as well.

The Garrett AT machines are great. I use my XP Deus at the beach in and out of the water. They have a $25 accessory to keep the main unit waterproof, and you can stick it in your pocket. Dug a zillion dollars in change today early, then the rain dumped on me, no problems with the machine or the headphones which are wireless. It is ultra light weight, so your daughter could go all day.

 

[jadocs]

I'm impressed that a 10yr old is that read up on detectors. That's awesome. Since she is that dedicated any investment will be worth it because the machine won't go to waste. 3 ft of water, definitely get a waterproof machine. As far as the weight, I would also straight shaft the Excal with the pod behind the elbow. If you contact Plugger he will make the shaft to your daughters specification (i.e. Height).

 

[smokeythecat]

I can't use a Minelab since they weigh as much as some models of Volkswagen's. Cat's got too much arthritis. The beach I was at the last couple days WAS salt water and I had no issues. On the Atlantic coast, going out in the water is sometimes not a good idea. The water in a lot of places drops off quickly and you're at 6" of water then in a couple steps four feet. At the park last year there was a nor'easter, and I saw one guy in a scuba suit go from 6" of water to almost over his head 4' from shore. Water is that rough. If you use the Deus in water you have to get a piece of wire they supply that wraps around the coil for water over about 6" deep. It's a cheap accessory. I bought one but haven't used it as of yet. Deus sucks gold and silver off the beach. The one place I go, there is not enough money for me to go out in the water. Waves regularly are 3 to 4 feet and the rip currents will get you. Dry and wet sand is fine.

 

[McKinney_5900]

I must ask this question...what is it that your daughter read that turned her off of the Garrets AT MAX? I've never owned a Garrets myself but my friends with the AT PRO praise those, and the MAX shows to be even better. The MAX hasn't really been tested in the field as far as I can tell, so where's the negativity coming from at this point?

Lots of pluses, waterproof, improved operation in salt, and half the cost of the Excall, a third the cost of the CTX. The MAX seems like a natural to me.

Just curious

 

[Honest Samuel]

Purchase her a light detector like a Tesoro Majove for $151.10. Good luck to her.

 

[Oddjob]

Have you seen the AT Max video that came out on day one? If you where 10 years old would that impress you? There is no negativity at all; just a 10 year old that waited for all the hype and then she sees some guy hitting on a coin directly on the surface and nothing but suggestive improvements.

She has been wanting an upgrade, Garrett AT Gold was her first machine with Nel Coils and Mars Shaft. She thought that Garrett could have been at the very least descriptive about something other than the one proven facts of a backlight. So like I said she was not impressed, but she still wants to upgrade to a machine that will better suit her needs on salty beaches.

I must ask this question...what is it that your daughter read that turned her off of the Garrets AT MAX? I've never owned a Garrets myself but my friends with the AT PRO praise those, and the MAX shows to be even better. The MAX hasn't really been tested in the field as far as I can tell, so where's the negativity coming from at this point?

Lots of pluses, waterproof, improved operation in salt, and half the cost of the Excall, a third the cost of the CTX. The MAX seems like a natural to me.

Just curious

 

[Oddjob]

Got one in the basement; tried to sell her on that, we will see.

10 year little girls; man they can change their minds like a mood swing. But at least she is logical, my son is so Pro Garrett it will make you sick. To my son that AT Max has already discovered new life saving space ore on a distant planet.

Purchase her a light detector like a Tesoro Majove for $151.10. Good luck to her.