F350Platinum

The only way to know is to get out there and use it. The Equinox is a really good detector. Of late I'm seeing more people moving to it than away.

Can't wait to see what you find. Good luck!

Best of luck to you. I'm pretty sure you will find something. 🍀🤞

I'm at an RV resort on the outer fringes of North Carolina this week, since metal detecting is both allowed and encouraged here I brought the Equinox with the 10x5. I've only been out there for a few hours. The first beach I went to is kinda remote. It's huge and doesn't have a lot of visitors. Got out there early, and searched the rock/shell line. In a couple of hours and about a mile of walking I found one Roosevelt Dime (2014) and a 3oz "frog" sinker, popular for surf fishing on the east coast. People come to this beach mostly for shells and to fish. Last week we had Tropical Storm Elsa that not only kept people out of the water, but because it came from land and went out to sea it seemed to have covered more than it uncovered. There were double red flags that kept everyone out of the water for over a week. They put up the yellow flags yesterday. If you swim or even go in the water on the double red you will be arrested. This morning was a little better, I went to the beach here at the park. Walked again about a mile. There are some hotels up here and a pier, from research this place gets hit pretty hard. I saw one other person with a Garrett AT at one of the hotels just hunting the upper beach. I've been going out at low tide and walking one way at chest height to high tide, (the rock line) and back at knee height, the idea being that most people will just go to the waters' edge. Haven't gone in the water as yet, and haven't searched the areas that people sit. There is a pretty high tide here, but not as bad as Savannah. Probably about 5 feet or so. Finds were all deep. Anyone who says the Coiltek 10x5 doesn't go deep should probably rethink their settings. Almost every coin I dug took 3 or more scoops, and pinpoint with a composite trowel to retrieve. This one was one of the easiest, a nickel about 10" down. This trip I've been alternating between Park 1 and Beach 1. The beach is so clean I don't have to worry about much trash. Sensitivity cranked to 24, no EMI. Ground balance runs from 1 to about 18, I change it as soon as I hear any noise, there is some black sand. I can use Park 1 where the sand is dry. Iron balance is F2=3 so there goes the myth that IB reduces depth 😀 on the 600 that's max. I tested it because of something Chase wrote saying it pushed bottle caps out of the "Digem" range and indeed it does. You get about a 12/13 with a loud iron tone. I dug 2 for fun and proof, I knew what they were. This is the trash I didn't toss. There were some cans but not many, and some large pieces of metal that gave 30s tones that were too heavy to carry. There are trash cans everywhere. Here are the finds so far, all modern clad and a fishing lure that was probably over 12" deep. Should have photographed the hole. The clean quarters were dug at chest height, the cruddy stuff all at knee height to the high tide line. I'm not finding that I have to swing much more with the 10x5, I have my 11" with me but may not bother to use it. This coil is like a razor and ground balances really well. Hope to find some gold!

Great stuff, how deep was the $20 😀 it's great to find cash on the ground. Found $300 once in a parking lot. Heckuva ring too. 👍

If you'd photographed that marble alone I'd swear it was a bowling ball. 😀 Great finds, that ring is really nice! 👍

This is a good guess, could be that the single blade was a point for some sort of centerline. Weighing stuff was very common. All I got with Lens was bows and stuff. 😵

There is a shaft made for the Equinox, it's called the Stork Leg by Owl Engineering. It's carbon fiber and a lot thinner than most available. It's supposed to be great in water. I considered it but Steve came out with camo. I had him put a hole on the shaft and it fills with water and equalizes, works good. Much better than the DetectEd shaft I bought. https://www.kellycodetectors.com/owl-engineering-stork-leg-carbon-fiber-shaft-for-equinox-series

Love me some good relics-n-coins. 👍 Old lamp parts are loud hits. Can you do a pic of the dividers (compass) standalone on a piece of paper or something?

Nice one! Cool that you pulled it from a heavily hit spot. 👍

Well you could... 😀

Brilliant job there Cap'n! Thanks! Jumped right on it using Lens and... Nothing. 😵 That is some great graphic work tho. 👍

If you can get clearer photos with few shadows that would help. 🙂

It's probably a topic for another thread, but it's my understanding that a good percentage of detectorists are prior military, including me. I would caution that dissuading others from repurposing military gear for metal detecting because it's "playing army" seems a bit derisive, no? I have had the police called on me when beach hunting, problem was I had already visited them, so the caller got no satisfaction. The officer responded to the call but didn't say a word to me. There are those who are so imbued with the desire to feel superior! 😵 I'd much rather wear some ripstop BDU-like clothing when I'm mucking about in the fields and woods than any of the latest fashion from REI. I've bought from there for my trips to visit Mayan temples, and I gotta say a poncho would have been preferable, but yes there it wouldnt be "de rigueur". Military gear lasts and is far tougher. If you saw me hunting where I live it might terrify you, but here is is standard issue. 😉 Know your destination Gear up accordingly Be as respectful of the destination and those in it as honor dictates.

I sort of agree, but doesn't metal detecting in any public place draw unwanted attention? 😀 It sure has for me. Yeah you don't want to look like Johnny Tactical, but some things can be a real asset. These belts are comfortable, hold a ton of gear, and keep it from shifting around. 2,500 reviewers can't be wrong. 😉 When I feel I am good enough at it (I'll admit I'm kinda snarky) maybe a post on how to effectively (and briefly) deal with the public might be a good one. It would be a great gathering of ideas and probably be amusing.

Great stuff, Joe! "Watching the tropics", as the weather people say, maybe Elsa will churn the East Coast a bit as a tropical depression. 👍 the only good thing about a storm.

Speaking of shovels, I am intrigued by the idea of carrying a titanium shovel. The ones I find all seem to come from the USSR, the masters of the planets' titanium. A couple are available on eBay: This one is $20 with $20 shipping. Guess we'd have to talk @steveg into a carbon fiber shaft 😀 This one is $45 with $25 shipping: I know how tough this stuff is, but would it hold up to what we put our steel through?

Thanks for posting! Really like that shovel. Looks like that pack can hold a fair amount of stuff. I take it you travel off the beaten path so to speak.

I loved those belts, used the web gear too. They use MOLLE now, possibly something even newer. The belt has a well padded Velcro - attached insert that makes it extremely comfortable and also serves to hold your tools in place if they just go around it rather than a MOLLE attachment in the loops. The price is what got me, they claim to be a Veteran owned company FWIW. $25 is cheap for a belt of that quality, most if not all of the reviews are glowing. 3 colors ! 😀 Sizing is important, I have 2 of them. One for when I'm wearing heavy clothes. Get the size closest to your belt, not the next one up. Each has 4" of leeway.

Here's a really good belt for attaching gear, most metal detecting stuff comes with MOLLE straps or snap straps. It's $25, and has a Cobra style buckle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08FFC82V3

Happy that you found it GB! The thing I lose the most is cleaning brushes. I found USA made brushes on Amazon for $5 a pack, typically I use the nylon and brass brushes. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EUZSM6A These are great, and 3 fit well in a Glock 9mm double stack mag pouch for those that wear MOLLE or wide belts.

It didn't take much force to get my original bolt to go through, despite the fact that I don't like the Minelab bolt for anything other than how it looks. It's a pain to tighten it. The tolerance is very tight, but there is no wobble. It seemed like it wouldn't go, and then did. Try some soap if necessary but don't force it.

Looking forward to your impression of the coil. I am dumbfounded by the thing, going to have to wait until fall to hit some areas I previously grid searched. Not only will it be handy because they planted corn this year, but I'm now positive I will find stuff I missed even in my grid search areas. The hill behind my house showed me that.

Doggo, I have dug one Trime. I hardly find any silver, and that seated half dime would sure make me dance a jig. Might even post it. I didn't know what it was until I got back home and looked it up. You... will... find one. A Trime is as difficult to pick out as a half Real, and it's even smaller. It's gonna be a 16/17 at best. Great stuff. I woulda been happy with the Civil war IHPs and the button! 👍

Gotta get my RV ready for a trip to the beach, this month going to Emerald Isle for my annual "Wife's Birthday" trip. It was hot and humid this morning, the deer flies are nearing the end of their parasitic lifespan, so they were ravenous. Despite lots of bug spray they hit me over and over. The trick is to let 'em land and bite, they are reluctant to let go so you can kill them. Left quite a few in the dirt today. Unlike ticks, mosquitoes and chiggers, they don't leave an itchy welt. Went back to the hill for about 4 hours, it's not that big an area but I wanted to get one more dig in before spending the rest of the week doing chores. The hill is about 60 feet above the river, what is behind me is about the same size. There was a house here by old records. The evidence is brick and lots - lots - of nails and junk. Dug quite a bit of trash, some of it masking the good stuff. Didn't find much but it was surprising, due to the fact that I have been over this area a lot of times with the standard Equinox coil. Only dug 4 keepers. Silver plated spoon, 1930 wheat, 1936 dog tag and the biggest surprise, a gold plated mid 1800s to 1900s button (I think). Even the shank was plated, the back says "EXTRA RICH" and the company name. I should mention that it was a 12 in a pile of iron nails, the Coiltek 10x5 "sniffed" it out. I haven't found a button in a while so this made my day. It's the best gold plated button I have found. Next up: Beach Road Trip! 😀