Garrett AT Pro - Not Impressed

[Matt1344]

[I know that this is generally considered the most beloved detector which is why I couldn’t wait to use it.]

So I’ve put about 10 hours on the AT Pro (I know that’s not a lot), but so far I’m not impressed with anything it does that the cheaper detectors don’t (if that makes sense).

Maybe I just need a little more time on it or need to adjust some of the settings.

The search coil being larger than the one on my White’s which I had previously used, makes digging a nightmare. Each object rings in, in an area that is about a square foot. The pin pointer (on the detector) is useless when there are multiple objects in one area. With the AT Pro I’m digging holes three times the size and spending 5 to 10 x more time searching for the object.

The thing is all over the place with the sensitivity set higher, but the sensitivity seems to directly affect the search depth. You can’t take advantage of the deeper search depth (over 6 inches) if you don’t have the sensitivity up, but if you keep it up there seems to be too many false positives. I get coin range signals that go away. I get coin range signals when the detector is sitting still. There seems to be so many random signals that go away with this thing as well.

Speaking of depth, I laid a quarter on the surface of the ground and took the detector directly over it. It rang in at 2 inches (which is what it should do)…but then at 4 and 6 inches with the exact same motion going over the same spot. So basically the depth indicator means nothing.

Now on to the numeric metal values. The same coin could ring in (and does) at 7 different values or more. So what’s the point? Is a specific number from 70-99 really going to keep you from digging? The numeric values seem useless when there is so much inconsistency and such a wide range of values the exact same coin can ring.

WIT reminded me below, I've also found more bottle caps than EVER! Which has translated to probably 5 x more trash digs.

To me, every bell and every whistle on this thing isn’t worth the hassle…at least so far.

What are your thoughts, feel free to put me in my place/tell me what I’m doing wrong. So far using it, for me, has been very frustrating.

 

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[Chips]

I feel your pain.

I have lots of experience with many detectors and have had two AT Pro's that were not up to par when a good friend bought me another AT PRO. This one almost works as advertised but I don't trust it and it hangs on my wall. Maybe you just received one of the first ones produced and it isn't working as it should. I don't know, but I have many detectors that I trust to not waste my time using or having to second guess what it is telling me.

I must agree with Sandman.
I originally bought the At-Pro. granted it may have been an early model. It worked great for 2 years and I liked it.
Then one cold windy day out in field it started falsing out for no reason. I always take very good care of my gear in transportation and storage. After much trawling through the help sections and indeed here, we traced the the problem to either the coil or the head unit. Sadly it was not the coil .
I thought it was just me, as I hunt alot. So I was advised to try Minelabs and Fisher. I have had no problems with my CTX or F75 gear since, touch wood.
It maybe just my luck, I like Garretts but, I'm a little nervous of ever purchasing another Garrett.

 

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[Stevesgold]

Guys, I have had experienced the same issues. My son, my wife and I all purchased the AT Pro. My son has gone crazy with this thing and has found coins and silver up to 11 inches deep. I myself feel it is gut feeling and luck. I have found most of my coins at 4 - 5 inches and some silver at 5 -6 inches. However, what my problem is the Iron Discrimination and separation. My son can pick a coin out right next to a nail or under the nail. Not me.. not my wife. If I am near any iron or what ever I can not here what he hears. So to sum up this I believe it is 1. The user and experience. 2. The machine and capabilities. 3. The trust in you gut feeling of that tone. I have dug a silver dime in a hole that had iron grunts coming back in the tones. But I kept hearing that ping of high faintly so I dug it. Whala a silver dime with nails around. Give it time. It is a good machine. However there are better and pricier ones out there. All in what you want. I just experienced a bad time with mine in St Croix. I was hoping to do some beaches but it was so chattery and iron. Forget the saltwater. I tried what they said about GB down to 10 - 18. Sensitivity down to 3 bars. That did not work either. ATPro not for the saltwater. Did not work well on dry sandy saltwater beach either. May be because of the hurricane pushed a ton of crap up on the beach. idk.