Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Garret AT Gold vs E-trac

Shavnore

Shavnore

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
1,072
Location
Maine
After doing a lot of research, (maybe my research isn't that great) I'm really finding it difficult to differentiate real world application between these two machines. Numerous people say you can't compare the two, then others say that the two machines complement each other. When it boils down to it, aren't they both built for the same thing? Finding coins, relics and gold? When watching YouTube videos of the two, people choose their AT over the E-trac on certain hunts (trashy areas). How does a $1500 machine even questionably compare to a $670 machine?

I'm seeing the pro's between the AT gold being: Its waterproof, faster recovery, better for gold, better for trashy areas

And the pro's for the e-trac being: It's a Minelab, it has better depth, it capable of different frequencies.

When I am seeing these two machine's go neck to neck, the E-trac has a little more depth. I don't see how paying a $900 dollar difference between two machines for a few inches of depth, yet sacrificing the waterproofing, faster recovery time, better sensitivity for gold is worth it?

I am not by any means bashing the e-trac, I really want some feedback because I have my eyes on a used one that is only $100 more than a new AT-gold and I really want it. I just don't want to feel like I'm getting less of a machine and just buying a name brand.

Would love for some real world feedback :D

HH
 
In my opinion you'd be getting much less of a machine if you went with the ATPro/gold over the Etrac. 2 inches of depth is huge. Your right you can't compare the two, the Etrac is a much better machine except for the waterproof part. If I was still using my ATPro I'd have found a fraction of what I've found with my Etrac. If you are going to be using it in water then get a CTX.
 
Jamflicker said:
In my opinion you'd be getting much less of a machine if you went with the ATPro/gold over the Etrac. 2 inches of depth is huge. Your right you can't compare the two, the Etrac is a much better machine except for the waterproof part. If I was still using my ATPro I'd have found a fraction of what I've found with my Etrac. If you are going to be using it in water then get a CTX.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the input! did you find it difficult to adjust to the recovery time on the e-trac?
 
If you've never used a Minelab then I recommend you borrow or rent one before you buy that ETRAC. I did not speak Minelab language and went back to the ATP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You may think you don't care about a few extra inches, until you are hunting beside someone who can get that far down.

I have hunted with multiple people using Garrett ATs, and they can't see the deep OLD coins that I can. You have to decide what you want to hunt. Do you want nickels and gold, or do you want deep coppers and silver?
 
AT PRO isn't even in the same league as the etrac the etrac has a lot of features that the at pro doesn't have
 
jwp1964 said:
If you've never used a Minelab then I recommend you borrow or rent one before you buy that ETRAC. I did not speak Minelab language and went back to the ATP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Good point, it's a lot of money to spend if the machine isn't going to be right for you. Also, you need to figure out what you want to look for as that will help with your decision.
 
Well, from another post, this Member has a pretty sweet cellar hole find...even an old well on the property and everything! Big place within walking distance of his house, ...

He can hunt this place for years...!...

Were it me, and looking at this.. I'd wade on in there with a mid range rig, like the Pro..woods work here we are talking, and pretty thick at that...a machete, some cigars, and sniff around a little to get the lay of the land to see if an upgrade would help after gaining a bit of understanding.......

I'd be getting to the bottom of that well for sure with some sort of coccamamie home made snorkle tube Briggs and Stratton suction dredge device though! Theres gotta be 100 yrs of leaves and dead squirrels in there before you get to the pay dirt! Maybe cut a road and get a septic tank pumper guy up in there to give it a good initial sucking?:laughing:

Y'all know any guy with moderate intelligence and one working thumb can run a Pro with very little practice...but again, this guy is a Marine, so consider that while giving your advice!..Sooner or later, somethings gonna get broken, or somebody gonna get killed!.:laughing:

Kidding aside...Its a pretty sweet looking place though, definitely worth a run at...maybe some of you guys close by might want to offer some hands on tutelage? Especially if you know a septic pumper guy who likes a challenge and will work for a 12pack! That shouldnt be too hard to find in Maine...lure him in there with a 6 pack, and tell him the other 6 are down the hole!
HOORah!
Mud
 
Last edited:
Mud-puppy said:
Well, from another post, this Member has a pretty sweet cellar hole find...even an old well on the property and everything! Big place within walking distance of his house, ...

He can hunt this place for years...!...

Were it me, and looking at this.. I'd wade on in there with a mid range rig, like the Pro..woods work here we are talking, and pretty thick at that...a machete, some cigars, and sniff around a little to get the lay of the land to see if an upgrade would help after gaining a bit of understanding.......

I'd be getting to the bottom of that well for sure with some sort of coccamamie home made snorkle tube Briggs and Stratton suction dredge device though! Theres gotta be 100 yrs of leaves and dead squirrels in there before you get to the pay dirt! Maybe cut a road and get a septic tank pumper guy up in there to give it a good initial sucking?:laughing:

Y'all know any guy with moderate intelligence and one working thumb can run a Pro with very little practice...but again, this guy is a Marine, so consider that while giving your advice!..Sooner or later, somethings gonna get broken, or somebody gonna get killed!.:laughing:

Kidding aside...Its a pretty sweet looking place though, definitely worth a run at...maybe some of you guys close by might want to offer some hands on tutelage? Especially if you know a septic pumper guy who likes a challenge and will work for a 12pack! That shouldnt be too hard to find in Maine...lure him in there with a 6 pack, and tell him the other 6 are down the hole!
HOORah!
Mud
Click to expand...

This is great thanks

The colonial site I found is a huge influence on the detector, seeing how it may hold silver and there are tons of streams going into it looks like the at gold might be my best route :)

Not to say I'm not going to pick up an e-etrac later I just really want to get into those creeks!
 
Think your making a good decision , start out with the AT , you can save up trade up should you need .
HH
 
Eventually getting both would be having your cake and eating it too...

I've actually thought about getting an etrac for land silvers.. There is no question that it kills silver on land.. And I just can't get into the dig everything mentality you have to have to find gold on land so silver it is on land..

<°)))>{
 
Here's my take,having had the At pro and etrac,both good machines.Etrac hits harder on deep coins.The etrac will find silver,copper and some gold.The at pro will find silver,copper,and all gold.
The etrac just hits hard on silver,its hard to miss.A new guy running a etrac would do just as good in my opinion as a guy running one for five years.
The At pro isn't a slouch though,it hits hard on coins.And will find things like gold that the etrac wouldn't make a sound on.
It's all in what you want.Silver and cleaner ground,etrac no doubt.Gold and silver in iron and junk,at pro hands down .
 
After months of agonizing research i finally pulled the trigger and picked up the AT-Gold. Taking it out in the woods first thing tomorrow to nail that cellar hole! Thanks again everyone for your kind insight.
 
I can't speak on the Garrett AT detectors since I've never used one, but on the subject of depth: A couple of inches is HUGE when talking metal detecting!! Could mean the difference in digging Rosies and Mercs vs Barbers and Seated coins! :cheers:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Rattlehead said:
I can't speak on the Garrett AT detectors since I've never used one, but on the subject of depth: A couple of inches is HUGE when talking metal detecting!! Could mean the difference in digging Rosies and Mercs vs Barbers and Seated coins! :cheers:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

+1 Nailed it!
 
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