Advice on my next detector purchase!

[pros3lyte]

Hi Everyone. So I'm looking for some input before I decide if I'm gonna upgrade or not.

This past summer (2013) I bought my first detector, a Garrett ACE350. I got incredibly addicted to detecting and I'm aching for the snow to melt so I can get back to digging!

I absolutely love detecting. And I've got a lot of friends that are interested in it, but none have detectors or wanna drop the cash. My girlfriend also goes with me quite often and she loves it as well.

Anyways, so I live in Michigan and head to the beaches quite a bit, and I coinshoot a ton on older properties. My ACE350 is good at the beach, but I can't really go into the water too far with it. Which is a bummer because I'm also a diver and would love to hit some of the awesome off shore sights around here to see what I can find.

So here's my question. I'm debating on either buying something along the lines of an ACE250 so that my gf/friends can join me, or I'm thinking of possibly upgrading to the ATPro of ATGold so that I'll have something more versatile for water sights. Also, this second option would leave me with the ACE350 for my gf/new recruits to use.

So there's that, but then the other question is, would the ATGold benefit me any more than the ATPro in this area of the nation? Considering I'm not going to be prospecting for gold nuggets? Is the difference between the two big enough to call for the more expensive unit? Money isn't really an issue between the two, but if the benefits don't offset the extra cost, I don't want to pointlessly spend cash.

Finally, I'm a pretty big Garrett fan, but is there any other detector in this price and quality range that might be worth checking out?

Thanks ahead of time my friends!!

 

[matthias]

Hey there. My vote is for the Garrett AT-Pro with all three sizes of the Garrett DD coils. You would also need to get the Garrett waterproof headphones. GL and HH. Matt

 

[pros3lyte]

Thanks Matt! Great call on the headphones.

 

[Crumble]

If you are a diver, you want a real waterproof metal detector... AT Pro is only waterproof to 10ft. I would look into the Tiger Shark for strictly freshwater, or the good ole CZ21 or Excal which will work in fresh or salt. All are waterproof to 200ft. Tiger Shark is about the same price as the AT Pro and has a lifetime warranty... CZ21 and Excal are about double the price.

 

[Longhair]

Since you're talking freshwater only, and as a diver, you might want to look for a used Fisher1280X. They can be had pretty inexpensively, they can take pressures that would crush an ATP, and they work very well here in the mitten.
If you don't give any more for a 1280 than I did, you'll still have $ left in the budget toward another land machine for your GF.

 

[Skwerly]

Oh yeah. AT Pro and let the gf use the 350. 100%.

 

[TN_INDIAN]

They say the At Gold has a lil more punch to it. Im trying to decide between the 2 as well for my water machine. But I wont be going past 10'' mark either tho. let us know which way u go thanks.

 

[Milhaus]

Everything Crumble said.

 

[DaviDs]

Everything Crumble said.

Everything Milhaus and Crumble said
Seriously though, it is some good advice.

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Since you're talking freshwater only, and as a diver, you might want to look for a used Ficher1280X. They can be had pretty inexpensively, they can take pressures that would crush an ATP, and they work very well here in the mitten.
If you don't give any more for a 1280 than I did, you'll still have $ left in the budget toward another land machine for your GF.

Great post! Holler if you have any questions. Love to help you!