Jump to content

Garrett Infinium Discontinued


Recommended Posts

Well, if you go to the link for the Garrett Infinium on the Garrett website it is gone and not to be found any more. Looks like it finally bit the dust.

The Infinium was released to vast amounts of hype in Australia that served to backfire on the detector when it finally came out. It was however the very first detector from a major manufacturer to try and challenge Minelab in the ground balancing PI department. I love what Minelab has given us over the years but at the same time I have always hoped for more vigorous competition in that area. That being the case I was on board early with the Infinium and did what I could to actually play it down in the face of the self defeating hype of the time, while yet emphasizing what it could do well.

The reality is the Infinium never caught on much in the prospecting world for the same reason the ATX has not. Saddling machines with extra weight and extra expense to make them waterproof when most prospectors are desert players only works if you have cutting edge performance and so people will put up with it. In the case of the Infinium and ATX with second tier performance levels they needed to concentrate on pure desert dry land prospecting ergonomic needs and desires and unfortunately did not and have not. That being the case the Infinium found its niche in the area for which it seems best designed for, and that is a water environment. In the end it was more a beach detector or even a relic detector than a prospecting detector.

The ATX clearly outperforms the Infinium but I actually preferred the Infinium case and wish the ATX were in it. Easy to hip or chest mount, largely eliminating the weight issues. Maybe the Infinium going away means a lighter weight ATX in the wings? No, I have no inside knowledge there, just on going wishful thinking on my part.

Rest in peace Garrett Infinium 2002 - 2016

post-1-0-61897300-1455215713_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Chris

 I do believe that is true in the USA MFG. I'd say that don't hold true for Makro company so far away.

Is what you call seeing is believing with Makro.

 

It's good to see White's new MX Sport waterproof. I just wonder why it took so long.

Chuck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had an Infinium. Never did like it. It rode around in my RV for quite a while lonely, unused and unloved,until I found it a new home.

RIP Infinium.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And to think that within 2 years of release, Garrett would have known all of the problems with the Infinium - bad ground balance, horrible Audio sound and height, terrible shaft, useless coils and size range, stupid headphone set up.

This could all have been fixed and a new model to replace it.

But no, they chose to sit with their hands under their arse and take the money.

No tears in seeing this detector disappear.

Not so sure about the Nokta/Makro company listen intently. I think they know precisely what they will produce, and suck in those that think they've had an input.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is what makes us all crazy. OK, come out with something, and maybe it is lacking, fine. But then sit on it for 14 years! The excuse with gold detectors was always that it is a niche market, but that has flat out not been the case for a very long time now. Huge sums being made worldwide selling prospecting machine the last decade. Yet a Lobo is still a Lobo, and a GMT still a GMT. Every White's dealer went berserk when the White's bean counters made them stuff the GM4/B into a coin detector box. Many still use a GM3 to this day. Then the GMT is put in the same coin detector box and then........ nothing forever!

I do think those days are coming to an end thankfully. Or maybe just wishful thinking on my part - check back in a couple years.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go ahead, knock the Infinium. Let the elitist expose themselves - go ahead!

The Infinium is, hands down, one of the best mid priced detectors out there. Don't matter where you go, wet or dry, it does a good job - unless you want to dwell on the minutia.

Give me any mid priced VLF and I will beat it, without a doubt, with my Infinium.

So, all you  Zed waving elitist, who have forgotten what detecting is all about - take up my challenge - try to beat my Infinium with any VLF you chose. Ya, I thought so......

One more thing, have you paid for that Zed yet, I mean with gold recovered?

So there, the next time you want to start bashing machines just remember, people love what they hunt with and have confidence just as large as the Zed collective.......probably a better day not kicking themselves because of the sky high price. In the end it's all about the end of the day and the experience of the great outdoors.

I have confidence in my Infinium -

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beardog, I am glad you love your Infinium so. I could never connect with mine. More likely a statement of my deficiencies as a detectorist than the detectors fault. I wonder how long Garrett will repair this machine now that it has passed on. Will they pull a Minelab and leave those Infinium owners without factory support?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tad defensive there beardog? Plenty of people do not like the GPZ either, not least for the price. The Infinium was good to me and I had no huge issues with it, more the minutiae you refer to. It is (was) a solid little machine for the price. The key there being price. When you consider that an Infinium could be had brand new from a dealer for under $1000 it was a bang for the buck bargain. It is unfair to compare it to machines costing orders of magnitude more.

That still does not excuse Garrett not working to make it even better. There could have easily been a lighter weight even less expensive dry land version just for prospectors. Instead of foisting the ATX housing on us I would rather have seen an Infinium II that maybe retailed for $1499 or even $1699 before discounts. I would much rather have Infinium style coils than ATX coils that cost three time as much because they come with a heavy telescoping rod attached. But even more than that a properly designed from the ground up dry land version with standard headphone jack, standard coils, etc. is something Garrett with its history really owes prospectors, and have failed to deliver.

The only reason Minelab gets away with charging what they do for their machines is companies like Garrett not stepping up and offering strong enough competition, and that does frustrate me.

Yes, my GPZ has paid for itself in gold and then some. I in turn dislike being called an elitist for needing performance. Much as I liked my Infinium I can't afford to use one. Owning one would cost me money, not save me money.

Posting finds you make with your Infinium on a regular basis would go a long way in helping dispel negative thoughts about the machine. People like seeing success and if Infinium users are not showing that success you can't blame people for thinking it just ain't happening. Seems like most the gold ever found by Infiniums got showed by me personally!

ganes-creek-ak-gold-garrett-infinium.jpg

5-oz-gold-specimens-garrett-infinium-moo

I had four Infiniums I put into service at my mine at Moore Creek as loaner machines for visitors. The were perfect because they were easy to use and waterproof which was good with our continual rain. Those machines found plenty of gold, including everything in this photo below. Yes, this is over two pounds of gold nuggets and specimens found with the lowly Garrett Infinium - by a guy who previously had never used a metal detector in his life! The big one alone is 24.79 ounces.

post-1-0-07106800-1455291074_thumb.jpg

post-1-0-72555700-1455291446_thumb.jpg

post-1-0-99384500-1455291571_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...