I use a Whites DFX it's a nice quiet unit from dry to wet sand and stays quiet in the water too.. I don't use it when the surf is up though.. It's a all round good detector that if properly setup can be used for almost all ground conditions and for most any hunting.. I would looked at the money this way. I wanted a unit that I knew was 100% good for all my hunting needs and needed to know that I had a unit that would be pulling it's own weight so to speak and it was me who had to learn it.. But the point is I had the confidence in it from day one.. Buy the best detector you can afford or else you will be buying another unit soon after the first.. I'm on the DFX going on 4 years now and I have not nor do I believe I will outgrow it.. It does produce well on salt water beaches and inland too.. You can even prospect with it but there are much better units for prospecting.. The DFX does have a long learning curve.. If the learning curve may be a issue why not check out a Whites MXT.. Great unit easy to use.. Not as quiet on the beach but plenty usable and great for prospecting too!! Did I say easy to use! Good luck! George