littlehugger
Full Member
- Nov 23, 2005
- 231
- 108
I have been a detector for decades, but marriage and children put a chill on my outings.
Well, now I have a new wife, and my boys are older too. We will be spending time at the beach right after Easter, and detecting is ON the menu!
My wife and boys are newbies, and short. I notice with disdain that detector manufacturers often have "Tall Mans Rods" but rods for shorter people are scarce as hens teeth. It is tiring, even painful, using a detector that's too tall for you. It is just another area where all those manufacturing "geniuses" are blind to their customers needs. Um guys, its a proven fact that customers you capture young, stay loyal. Luring new young customers is the gold standard in sales of every industry. Except detectors. You get a choice of various overpriced, low performance toys. Or, bottom feeder full size detectors that are marginally better quality but too big for kids, etc.
ATTENTION DETECTOR MANUFACTURERS! Poorly performing toys are will only discourage newbies! Same with "beginner" detectors that are too long and cumbersome but cost around $100. Few can or will want to throw away $100 or so on an unknown.
Anyway, ranting aside, I did find a couple suitable newbie detectors. I don't know the manufacturer, but they are available at Harbor Freight for $35 and $45 respectively.
The $35 one collapses to quite a compact size. Its light and easy to use. It has a meter, minimal adjustments and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Its not exactly a $5000 Minelab, but its performance is quite adequate for the price, and your little tyke will not give up in boredom and frustration. Nor will he develop cramps from using it. For $35! Not $75 to $150 for a toy or adult sized "starter"
The $45 one will extend to adult level. It will not collapse as compactly, but its no problem to cut a couple inches off the lower pole to make it shorter. It has an 8 inch coil, all-metal, disc mode, pinpoint, GB and even tones for your finds.
I took my boys to the park today after school and used the $45 detector in the tot lot wood chips. I found 16 coins in about an hour. 11 cents, 2 nickels, 2 dimes and a single lonely quarter. I was digging everything and came up with about a dozen bits of junk. Zipper pull, broken ring, screws, etc.
The detector worked like a charm. Clear signals, very little falsing. Light and easy to use.
I think these two detectors are really good deals if you want to train kids, beginners and/or you are a newbie wanting to get into the hobby without dropping hundreds on a detector you will quickly outgrow, or, maybe not even like the hobby. $45 is a pretty minimal investment. If you don't like it, or want to trade up, you can sell it off for very little loss. And if it gets caught in a rainstorm, you are not out for a $500 or more detector whose warranty doesn't cover that!
It will not replace my Fisher's or Garrett's, but I am delighted with the value for money.
Well, now I have a new wife, and my boys are older too. We will be spending time at the beach right after Easter, and detecting is ON the menu!
My wife and boys are newbies, and short. I notice with disdain that detector manufacturers often have "Tall Mans Rods" but rods for shorter people are scarce as hens teeth. It is tiring, even painful, using a detector that's too tall for you. It is just another area where all those manufacturing "geniuses" are blind to their customers needs. Um guys, its a proven fact that customers you capture young, stay loyal. Luring new young customers is the gold standard in sales of every industry. Except detectors. You get a choice of various overpriced, low performance toys. Or, bottom feeder full size detectors that are marginally better quality but too big for kids, etc.
ATTENTION DETECTOR MANUFACTURERS! Poorly performing toys are will only discourage newbies! Same with "beginner" detectors that are too long and cumbersome but cost around $100. Few can or will want to throw away $100 or so on an unknown.
Anyway, ranting aside, I did find a couple suitable newbie detectors. I don't know the manufacturer, but they are available at Harbor Freight for $35 and $45 respectively.
The $35 one collapses to quite a compact size. Its light and easy to use. It has a meter, minimal adjustments and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Its not exactly a $5000 Minelab, but its performance is quite adequate for the price, and your little tyke will not give up in boredom and frustration. Nor will he develop cramps from using it. For $35! Not $75 to $150 for a toy or adult sized "starter"
The $45 one will extend to adult level. It will not collapse as compactly, but its no problem to cut a couple inches off the lower pole to make it shorter. It has an 8 inch coil, all-metal, disc mode, pinpoint, GB and even tones for your finds.
I took my boys to the park today after school and used the $45 detector in the tot lot wood chips. I found 16 coins in about an hour. 11 cents, 2 nickels, 2 dimes and a single lonely quarter. I was digging everything and came up with about a dozen bits of junk. Zipper pull, broken ring, screws, etc.
The detector worked like a charm. Clear signals, very little falsing. Light and easy to use.
I think these two detectors are really good deals if you want to train kids, beginners and/or you are a newbie wanting to get into the hobby without dropping hundreds on a detector you will quickly outgrow, or, maybe not even like the hobby. $45 is a pretty minimal investment. If you don't like it, or want to trade up, you can sell it off for very little loss. And if it gets caught in a rainstorm, you are not out for a $500 or more detector whose warranty doesn't cover that!
It will not replace my Fisher's or Garrett's, but I am delighted with the value for money.
Upvote
0
