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If you had to choose one detector for life, what would you choose?

still like the 540 vanquish.tough little detector with a great pedigree!

(h.h.)
j.t.
 
Equinox 800! Because it's light weight, easy to understand controls, fast recovery speed if you need it, very deep, great presets that with tweaks can even be made better depending on the setting, bang for dollar spent incredible, water proof/water resistant, it's a top notch coin machine and a relic machine rolled into one. Wow how many other detectors can do so many things so well? Answer it's the only one that can. To me it's a no brainer.

Very nice points, thank you for your opinion on this! :)
 
Well, if you want one for life, you may want to consider a Nokta Makro product, as they are probably the most sturdy built machine out there. I use the Anfibio Multi, but they have a new multi frequency machine coming out that should be available soon.
 
Although I'm presently exclusively hunting with a Nox 600 if by some ridiculous set of circumstances I was forced to only have one detector It would be my White's M6 .It's built tough , works extremely well and I don't have to buy replacement battery packs from the factory .With a smaller coil it is still light and balanced enough for my deteriorating body to handle . Also if dementia should set in It would probably take me awhile longer to forget how to use it .
 
"For life" is hopefully a long time and is longer than the shelf life of many detectors. VLF detectors thankfully have definitely improved through the years just as easy to get, quality targets have decreased. Also, I personally have moved too many times to count and no one detector would have been the best for everywhere that I have lived. So no recommendations will be coming from me unless the OP is willing to stay put wherever they are for the rest of their life and is willing to share that location and its detecting conditions with the rest of us on here.
 
"For life" is hopefully a long time and is longer than the shelf life of many detectors. VLF detectors thankfully have definitely improved through the years just as easy to get, quality targets have decreased. Also, I personally have moved too many times to count and no one detector would have been the best for everywhere that I have lived. So no recommendations will be coming from me unless the OP is willing to stay put wherever they are for the rest of their life and is willing to share that location and its detecting conditions with the rest of us on here.

Hopefully, we'll see some new technology, that makes a real difference, before long. It has been well over 20 years since detector technology has made any major steps in depth. I cleaned out as deep as current technology can go, and I've cleaned out as much as a faster processor/recovery will get me in junky sites. I'm ready for that next 2"-3" gain in depth.
 
'Life' changes. Asked this in 1971 and I would have maybe picked a Compass Yukon 77B, later maybe a 77 Auto, or it might have been a White's 63-TR or perhaps my Garrett Hunter BFO. I would have given it some thought ... back then. But 'Life Changes'. and so did the detectors I liked at used at the time. From '77 into '81 maybe the Garrett 15 kHz GroundHog or the 50 kHz American S2 TR-Disc. units that found me a LOT of good targets.

They worked fine and hunted a lot of places I enjoyed, and while I also had other detectors those where what I liked and used the most back then, ... but 'Life Changes' and in July of '83 Tesoro brought out their Inca. It was a terrific slow-motion, quick-response detector that opened the doors to much more enjoyment, as well as excellent finds, in so many ghost towns and other old places I hunted that it was time for a 'Life-Changing' moment that has lingered right to today.

I read other's ideas and selections, and figure what they like or could put up with for times to come is great, for them. But for me, there is not one single detector pick I could make because none are perfect and more-than-one is the best way to go to complement what you use and where you hunt.

Any of what are in my current Detector Outfit could be put to use for most anything I do, regardless of where I go in the future. The Silver Sabre ā†Ø0MAX, Bandido II ĀµMAX, Simplex +, ORX or Apex. Any of them would work for me for the rest of my Life .... unless thing change. I could change or detector design and mobility could change. 'Life Changes.'

But for now, a quick answer is I could be satisfied with my Garrett Apex w/'Ripper' and 'Raider' coils for a long while.

Monte
 
"For life" is hopefully a long time and is longer than the shelf life of many detectors. VLF detectors thankfully have definitely improved through the years just as easy to get, quality targets have decreased. Also, I personally have moved too many times to count and no one detector would have been the best for everywhere that I have lived. So no recommendations will be coming from me unless the OP is willing to stay put wherever they are for the rest of their life and is willing to share that location and its detecting conditions with the rest of us on here.

re-read my question, I was just curious what you would use given the choice.. that is all. Your opinion, forget the details. What would you use?
 
'Life' changes. Asked this in 1971 and I would have maybe picked a Compass Yukon 77B, later maybe a 77 Auto, or it might have been a White's 63-TR or perhaps my Garrett Hunter BFO. I would have given it some thought ... back then. But 'Life Changes'. and so did the detectors I liked at used at the time. From '77 into '81 maybe the Garrett 15 kHz GroundHog or the 50 kHz American S2 TR-Disc. units that found me a LOT of good targets.

They worked fine and hunted a lot of places I enjoyed, and while I also had other detectors those where what I liked and used the most back then, ... but 'Life Changes' and in July of '83 Tesoro brought out their Inca. It was a terrific slow-motion, quick-response detector that opened the doors to much more enjoyment, as well as excellent finds, in so many ghost towns and other old places I hunted that it was time for a 'Life-Changing' moment that has lingered right to today.

I read other's ideas and selections, and figure what they like or could put up with for times to come is great, for them. But for me, there is not one single detector pick I could make because none are perfect and more-than-one is the best way to go to complement what you use and where you hunt.

Any of what are in my current Detector Outfit could be put to use for most anything I do, regardless of where I go in the future. The Silver Sabre ā†Ø0MAX, Bandido II ĀµMAX, Simplex +, ORX or Apex. Any of them would work for me for the rest of my Life .... unless thing change. I could change or detector design and mobility could change. 'Life Changes.'

But for now, a quick answer is I could be satisfied with my Garrett Apex w/'Ripper' and 'Raider' coils for a long while.

Monte

Yeah I guess I should have said "At this point in time" Thank you for the post, you certainly tried out your fair share of detectors!

And very interesting choice.
 
My goodness. Even my fellow hobbyist are taking this post the wrong way.

the question is, what machine would you choose if you had to pick one from now on and give your opinion.
The question is not, why is your machine better than mine and also, it is not let me in on your honey holes.

Good grief, I can already tell there has been an increase of old farts or maybe it is just the same old farts that has always been here pissing and moaning.


Oh yeah I forgot, this is the "friendly metal detecting forum" isn't it??

It should be called the "not so friendly metal detecting forum" or even the " old fart forum"


So some have said they are not going to take the time to go into all the reasons why you would choose a particular model but, you have enough time to sit on your butt and write a detailed personal statement paragraph, that has also been legally notarized by your local county clerk, with two witnesses, on why you are not partaking in the conversation!!! šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

For real???
 
My goodness. Even my fellow hobbyist are taking this post the wrong way.

the question is, what machine would you choose if you had to pick one from now on and give your opinion.
The question is not, why is your machine better than mine and also, it is not let me in on your honey holes.

Good grief, I can already tell there has been an increase of old farts or maybe it is just the same old farts that has always been here pissing and moaning.


Oh yeah I forgot, this is the "friendly metal detecting forum" isn't it??

It should be called the "not so friendly metal detecting forum" or even the " old fart forum"


So some have said they are not going to take the time to go into all the reasons why you would choose a particular model but, you have enough time to sit on your butt and write a detailed personal statement paragraph, that has also been legally notarized by your local county clerk, with two witnesses, on why you are not partaking in the conversation!!! šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

For real???

bigtim1973,

the original poster may have asked an innocent question with no intent of starting a detector war. That's fine. I am not trying to be unfriendly or anything else. I am just not going there since I have seen what can happen on this forum when the "wars" start.
 
bigtim1973,

the original poster may have asked an innocent question with no intent of starting a detector war. That's fine. I am not trying to be unfriendly or anything else. I am just not going there since I have seen what can happen on this forum when the "wars" start.

I know, it isnt a battle, it is just a question of what you want to use.
 
I know, it isnt a battle, it is just a question of what you want to use.

Monte had a great answer. My answer is similar. If I just expected to hunt in one type of detecting environment the answer would be easier and more valid. I don't so I can't answer the OP's question. I need every one of the detectors I own and use regularly in my signature except for the Vanquish 440 which is a loaner. Where I detect and what the targets are determines which detector I am using not what I "want" to use which is way down the list. If I just went by what I want to use because I like it the most I may choose the wrong detector for the job. Maybe someday I will be an "old fart" and I will only be able to detect in one type of detecting environment.

Tomorrow I am going to an Indian Wars battle site. Some of the targets I need to find are mixed in with hundreds of rusted nails at 3 to 6" in moderately mineralized dirt. Other targets are at 10 to 14" and I need to get accurate ferrous/non-ferrous responses as much as possible. Some of the cannon ball fragments are much deeper. I am taking 3 different detectors.
 
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Underworld: said:
Yeah I guess I should have said "At this point in time" Thank you for the post, you certainly tried out your fair share of detectors!
I know the general idea you had in mind, but I also know a lot of readers, some who responded, have had a limited amount of detecting time, have used a small number of detectors and/or might only have one, and experience with only one make or model. Then, too, we have a lot of readers who have been influenced by marketing as well as comments made by a lot of folks who lean strongly toward only one popular current mode, that being the Minelab Equinox 800.

I simply looked at the fact that I have always selected one favorite detector that I planned, at that time, of using for a long while ... but as I said, 'Life Changes' and so do detectors or hunt sites and, in time, we tend to change-up what we pick to use.

Underworld: said:
And very interesting choice.
My choice might be 'interesting' to some because the Garrett Apex lacks an excessive number of adjustments, or many have been using foreign-made detectors for a while and might think Garrett is far behind. Then, too, it's because a lot of people haven't handled the Apex, or enough, to get to know its strengths and limitations. I have.

I've had my first since they were initially released, and I use all three of those I have with different coils in a variety of hunt sites. I've worked mine, side-by-side, against a lot of the competition out there and have found the Apex to work well in a lot of Iron debris, dense modern trash, be light-weight and handy, and achieve the depth of detection I've wanted / needed at several sites.

It's simple, functional, and provides ample performance and that's what I look for. I could also have picked the XP ORX with my favorite search coils for most of the same reasons. And even the low-priced Simplex + could have a life-long detecting friend for many.

What you were / are going to get are opinions based on personal experience, and with some it might be because they just are not into this great sport enough to appreciate adding a detector or two, or even trimming down to just one.

Monte
 
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Something that doesn't need batteries. :lol:
 

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I have a number of different mechanical/electrical devices called detectors but the one detector that is my first choice is the gal I married many years back. She can detect things I hide every time. I would have to say that "she is my most favored detector". Those old Minelabs might just slide into the cart somewhere at a distant 2nd.
 
My goodness. Even my fellow hobbyist are taking this post the wrong way.

the question is, what machine would you choose if you had to pick one from now on and give your opinion.
The question is not, why is your machine better than mine and also, it is not let me in on your honey holes.

Good grief, I can already tell there has been an increase of old farts or maybe it is just the same old farts that has always been here pissing and moaning.


Oh yeah I forgot, this is the "friendly metal detecting forum" isn't it??

It should be called the "not so friendly metal detecting forum" or even the " old fart forum"


So some have said they are not going to take the time to go into all the reasons why you would choose a particular model but, you have enough time to sit on your butt and write a detailed personal statement paragraph, that has also been legally notarized by your local county clerk, with two witnesses, on why you are not partaking in the conversation!!! šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

For real???

Thank you, I had no ill intentions, just wanted to know peoples personal weapon of choice... weird convo.. I love it when people post, yet make a comment like "I wont bite" hahah ok!.. :)

Just wanted to be clear, we're all on the same team here.. I'm interested in how well the person knows the detector, not "who has the most expensive\advanced"

And again, all things considered, at this point in time.. you could only choose 1 detector to take with you, for all areas and terrain types. Your call, your opinion, based on experience etc..

Happy hunting all!
 
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And again, all things considered, at this point in time.. you could only choose 1 detector to take with you, for all areas and terrain types. Your call, your opinion, based on experience etc..

Happy hunting all!

Now that is much more specific information than your first post ="at this time" and "for all areas and terrain types".

I respect Monte a lot and the others on this forum who will disagree.....however, the Equinox 600 or 800 would be my choice under those conditions. It might not be the best at any specific site compared to another detector but it will find most of the targets in any terrain type or mineralization from my experience with over 5,000 hours on the Equinox (and I do keep a log.)

I never thought you had ill intentions. I just needed you to be more clear about your conditions.
 
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