Big Boys Hobbies

Pinpointer longevity.

hoser

hoser

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Joined
Jan 10, 2006
Messages
8,606
Location
Grayling, MI.
Today it's raining like pouring water out of a boot. That said I decided to browse you tube. I was curious about pinpointers in general and came across one guy who was reviewing some of the popular brands. According to him the Carrot, and the Minelab 35 only lasted about a year and were basically inferior. He never showed how he used them, but I would say he was doing something they weren't designed for. I have had the six Garretts for many years and they all work. I did have one that was funky after a couple months use and sent it to Garrett where they sent me back a Propointer II. My original Propointer I have had for many years still works just fine. So, has anyone had issues like this guy? When my wife bought her first detector, the Fisher F2 it came with this little dark green PP that wouldn't find a car hood if you laid it on it. Don't remember the name either.
 
I've used the same carrot for some 10 years, at least until I wore holes in the end. Put on protectors and kept using it for a year or so then the sound got low. I decided it had given its all and time for a new one. I don't use my pointer to dig.

Pinpointer-end.jpg
 
No issues with my Garrett. Have used it in well over 20,000 holes. I know as I keep a tally of coins found. I don't use it to scrape.
Two guys I hunt with have not had any issues with theirs other than one did use his to scrape with and wore a hole in the end like Cherry Picker did.
 
I'm pretty rough with my Carrot and have never had major problems with them in a decade, rarely submerge them. One of them the sound died, I found some cheap little piezo speakers at digikey and soldered it in, good as new. Tip protectors are a must, most problems I'd say develop by shredding the tip.
 
Has everything to do with how you use them and how they are maintained. There will be a dud here or there, just a result of mass production, but for the very great part how long they last will depend on the life they live. Any of them.
 
I had an issue with the on/off button way back when I was still using my Propointer I as my primary pinpointer - it was probably after about one detecting season of use at the end of maybe 2017? The on/off button on the Propointer I was not nearly as robust as what they have on the II and the Carrot. Anyway, Garrett refurbished my Propointer I, and I still have it to this day as my backup. But I used the experience as an excuse to buy a used Propointer II, which has flat out worked for the last six years with no issues as my "every day, every hole" pinpointer. It gets heavy use, but not abused...I don't scrape or pry with it, and I've always had a rubber tip protector on it. I also put a strip of gorilla tape over the speaker holes, and voila, sufficient weather proofing along with significantly tamping down the obnoxious noise level ;)
 
Can't speak for the Garrett but the pro find 35 is useless. Mine had the easiest use of any you'll find and still didn't hold up. And I'm talking 30 hunts or so.
 
Been using my carrot for years with absolutely no issues. Used it at the beach and got it submerged in saltwater, and no problems. I received a pinpointer with my Deus II, never took it out of the box - just kept using the carrot. I have heard some folks complain about the pro find 35, but I don't have any experience with them myself.

There are Chinese counterfeits of the ProPointer out there - I have to wonder if the youtuber that hoser refered to might have unknowingly been using one of those - they say Garrett on them, and look convincingly enough like the real ones, except they're crap. I understand that the only way to really know is to check the serial number. Just a thought....
 
There is no reason a Garrett "carrot" should not last ten years or more if used as it is intended.
They are sturdy and reliable. They are not digging or chopping tools. If you are using it to dig, especially in hard ground,
you will not only wear out the tip, but damage the electronics with the shock and flex of the unit. My carrot is so old,
I can't remember when I bought it, but it was an upgrade from the not-waterproof black pinpointer from Garrett.
(that unit still works as well)
 
AirmetTango said:
I had an issue with the on/off button way back when I was still using my Propointer I as my primary pinpointer - it was probably after about one detecting season of use at the end of maybe 2017? The on/off button on the Propointer I was not nearly as robust as what they have on the II and the Carrot. Anyway, Garrett refurbished my Propointer I, and I still have it to this day as my backup. But I used the experience as an excuse to buy a used Propointer II, which has flat out worked for the last six years with no issues as my "every day, every hole" pinpointer. It gets heavy use, but not abused...I don't scrape or pry with it, and I've always had a rubber tip protector on it. I also put a strip of gorilla tape over the speaker holes, and voila, sufficient weather proofing along with significantly tamping down the obnoxious noise level ;)
Click to expand...
I agree about putting on a tip protector, it is so cheap, to protect the tips !

too_
 
too_pointer said:
I agree about putting on a tip protector, it is so cheap, to protect the tips !

too_
Click to expand...
I think my Carrot would still be kicking if I had put on a tip protector. I think the only reason the sound cut down was after I wore the holes in the tip I used it in wet environments and got moisture inside. The pointer still works, but the sound is really low. If I could open it up it could just be the speaker has dislodged.
 
I've had my carrot at least 10 years, stopped using it a few years ago and started using other pinpointers. It still works, but, to be honest, it is NOT a pin pointer, it is an area locator, which is what I have always hated about it. I always end up making my hole larger than it need to be, in order to find the target.
then I found a quest pinpointer, it was Okay, but took two men and a boy to turn it on and off, I'm old, my hands have arthritis, this thing is made for someone in their 20's.
Last year I bought the Nokta, love it, it is a pinpointer. Not an area locator.
The MI6 is also a Pinpointer, but I sold my Deus and the MI6. the carrot is an area locator. I swing an area locator, but need a pinpointer to find targets.

If you guys ever try a real pinpointer you will understand.
 
I own 3 and everyone has issues. Light staying on. Sound quit vibrate only. Water inside. Could've sent back while under warranty but didn't. Not abused just faulty.
 
BobOso said:
I've had my carrot at least 10 years, stopped using it a few years ago and started using other pinpointers. It still works, but, to be honest, it is NOT a pin pointer, it is an area locator, which is what I have always hated about it. I always end up making my hole larger than it need to be, in order to find the target.
then I found a quest pinpointer, it was Okay, but took two men and a boy to turn it on and off, I'm old, my hands have arthritis, this thing is made for someone in their 20's.
Last year I bought the Nokta, love it, it is a pinpointer. Not an area locator.
The MI6 is also a Pinpointer, but I sold my Deus and the MI6. the carrot is an area locator. I swing an area locator, but need a pinpointer to find targets.

If you guys ever try a real pinpointer you will understand.
Click to expand...
I think, like detectors, the preference for pinpointers varies by individual use. I have tried many including all the top-named pointers and still prefer the Carrot for my hunting. Area locator? The tip works as the pointer, the sides are the area locator.
 
I'll stick with my Vibra-Probe. It doesn't play well with the Equinox 800 but it's still less of a PITA than the Pro Find 35. AND It detects from the tip the way a pin pointer should. No on off buttons no adjustments, one handed use.
 
Coin-Saver said:
I'll stick with my Vibra-Probe. It doesn't play well with the Equinox 800 but it's still less of a PITA than the Pro Find 35. AND It detects from the tip the way a pin pointer should. No on off buttons no adjustments, one handed use.
Click to expand...
The biggest pointer issue I ever had was between the Carrot & the Nokta Simplex+. I had to change the default frequency on my Simplex+ every time I turned it on. It would make my Carrot unusable.
 
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