Best Diving Detector?

[57buick]

Whats a good detector to try out for diving 20 to 30 feet in rivers in swim holes etc....... Maybe something I could pick up used? I was thinking maybe an Excaliber II or Garrett Infinium?

[MontAmmie]

8 hours ago, 57buick said:

Whats a good detector to try out for diving 20 to 30 feet in rivers in swim holes etc....... Maybe something I could pick up used? I was thinking maybe an Excaliber II or Garrett Infinium?

I've never used an Excal, but I do have an Infinium that I use in the ocean at least 2-3 times a week.  There's not as much trash in the seawater and the wet sand, but I still dig every tiny piece of it.  For rivers and lakes that are probably full of bottle caps and pull tabs-I'd pick the Excal every time. 

[johnedoe]

You might check out White's.

The Beach hunter 300 is a dual freq. 3 & 15 kHz VLF good to 25 feet...

Or the White's Surf Master dual field PI detector. It is a pulse induction machine good to 100 feet. 

 

[Steve Herschbach]

The big names for brand new in VLF for water depths exceeding ten feet are Fisher CZ-21 and Minelab Excalibur and for PI the Tesoro Sand Shark or White’s Surf PI. http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/3106-what-is-the-simplest-good-beach-detector/?do=findComment&comment=34839

The Infinium and Beachhunter ID are discontinued models but would be available used. I normally have no problem buying used but would advise extra caution with water detectors. Machines that spend a lot of time in the water almost always develop service issues and so be careful not to buy somebody else’s problem.

 

[Au4Gold2]

I have enjoyed the Tesoro Sand Shark. turn on and go, built tough..Plus with the lifetime warranty it's a no brainer... great detector. 

[Swampstomper Al]

On 10/1/2017 at 1:09 AM, 57buick said:

Whats a good detector to try out for diving 20 to 30 feet in rivers in swim holes etc....... <snip>

What Steve said..

Neither do I dive, nor do I have much interest in oozing and squooshing my way around the vast majority of fresh water repositories central FL has on hand.. I currently use an Infinium as my primary salt water hunter because at the time of purchase I got a detector that is equally at home and effective in the desert southwest as it is along southeastern USA ocean shorelines at a price un-matchable then by any one or two other detectors capable of producing the same results..

Recently I've made the statement if I was to get another water detector it would be a Tesoro Sand Shark.. But in all honesty, as far as currently mfg'd detectors go, and among the four machines Steve notes, it pretty much all boils down to nearly 100% of one's personal taste in design / aesthetics.. During diving I suppose there may be occasion where either a PI or VLF might be slightly more advantageous.. And while walking shallow water I personally like the fact I could "push" a concentric coil if I felt like it as opposed to continuously needing to "swing" a Double-D.. But beyond that... ??

If someone was to gift me today any one of the four above mentioned detectors, you wouldn't catch me tomorrow trying to trade it for one of the other's..

Hope this helps rather than making the decision more confusing..

Swamp

[MontAmmie]

48 minutes ago, Swampstomper Al said:

What Steve said..

Neither do I dive, nor do I have much interest in oozing and squooshing my way around the vast majority of fresh water repositories central FL has on hand..

Swamp

Neither do I, Swamp.  I've seen too many large, hungry-looking reptiles lurking around the edges of said repositories.

[Swampstomper Al]

33 minutes ago, MontAmmie said:

Neither do I, Swamp.  I've seen too many large, hungry-looking reptiles lurking around the edges of said repositories.

I was wonderin' who was gonna be the first to pick up on that.. Congrats.. 

Swamp

[57buick]

Here in Oregon it's nice crystal clear water and rarely any kind of vegetation just gravel and no crocodiles lol Heck even snakes are almost non existent here in Western Oregon. But these swim holes not only have jewelry from the summer swimmers but are also in gold country in the mountains so could be some gold down there too

I have read about all these detectors before was just curious to see if one was significantly better than the others but sounds like it just comes down to price and preference.

I also have to get some kind of Hookah setup for diving in the river. I don't know how long it will take me to buy all this stuff lol

[MontAmmie]

2 hours ago, 57buick said:

Here in Oregon it's nice crystal clear water and rarely any kind of vegetation just gravel and no crocodiles lol Heck even snakes are almost non existent here in Western Oregon. But these swim holes not only have jewelry from the summer swimmers but are also in gold country in the mountains so could be some gold down there too

I have read about all these detectors before was just curious to see if one was significantly better than the others but sounds like it just comes down to price and preference.

I also have to get some kind of Hookah setup for diving in the river. I don't know how long it will take me to buy all this stuff lol

If those swim holes are anything like the ones in Montana, I hope you've got a nice, thick wet suit.  I do, and that snow melt still takes my breath away!  My only advice about your choice of detectors is to read everything you can find about PI vs VLF.  I have one of each, and they are vastly different beasts. Also, please be careful with that Hooka river diving and never go alone!