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So I ordered the Deano's protector and saw he also has an arm cuff cover which I ordered as well. I really like it, the first day I had my detector in the field the arm cuff pad was peeling up at the edge from taking my arm in and out. Deano's cover is a simple stitched neoprene that slides over both sides of the arm cuff. Comfortable, stays in place, and easy to remove. Really happy with it. As other's have said the cover fits well also, and quick shipping on both.

I bought a Gardforce by Vanguard hard case. Outback series 52C. The size is 31-1/2 X 13-1/4 X 5-3/8. The weight is 7.05 lbs/3.20kg. The foam padding does not have to be cut. It is soft enough to compress around what is laid in the case keeping it protected and the detector or other items do not shift when closed. I like it because it is small and would be easy to carry on a plane or it would not take up a lot of room in a vehicle. It has it own lock and also locks can be added to the hasps. The detector has to be broke down a little more but it can be assembled back together in about two minutes with a little practice. I am not in a race to the field so I don't mind trading a smaller case and security for a couple of minutes of reassembly. The head phones along with the case fits as well. Picture that I took is attached.

I got the first few covers from the production run of Gold Monster Covers I designed. I got a limited amount sent to me before the bulk of them will be shipped. It will take about 30 days to get the bulk of the production run, but I am really happy with the way they have turned out. The Gold Monster cover is made of a tough Green canvas with a neoprene lining to offer protection to the detector. I also designed a cord wrap, that closes with a hook and loop strip. I designed this to protect the coil cable and allow you to secure that cable without using that plastic cable pinch that has been molded into the vertical support. First it is very hard to get the coil cable in and out of that little plastic pinch, and second I am afraid over time you may damage the coil wiring. The wrap allows you to easily change the coil and not be pinch that cable all the time. This thing was a real bear to design because of all the weird angles. I think the testimony to the difficulty of the design is that I don't think anyone else has designed a cover for this machine yet. See the pictures. Doc

Hey gang, I saw this Gladiator wake board bag at Overton's and thought, "That looks like it may be a great metal detector bag." Typically I find that bags made for other sports seem to be much better padded and better made than bags made for metal detecting. So I ordered one. This bag kicks butt. I really like the fact that it has a lot of padding. It is really wide. It has a big zipper mesh see-through pocket for accessories. And a little zippered pocket for bits and bobbs. And it's only like $39.99. I tried to find out who manufactures these but I wonder if this is Overton's own private brand because I couldn't find anyone else that carries them. They were on Amazon, now they say they are no longer available. I don't know if that means they are closing them out or what. https://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Gladiator-Padded-Wakeboard-Bag&i=320417&CAWELAID=120030620000073070&s_kwcid=adwords__&gclid=CjwKCAjwkrrbBRB9EiwAhlN8_ANDn26En6JkGu7SOuRtBNkNY64eVkifk97X0etDJT7TZoitbkVVDBoC2QsQAvD_BwE Doc 

Got mine ordered up last night. Call or email Doc if you want one. Email: docsdetecting@gmail.com Phone: 1-800-477-3211-477-3211 EXT. 14 --3211 EXT. 14 1-800-477-3211 EXT. 14

I got a second Equinox and that gave me a coil I could mess with since I now have a backup. I have not done this before and so can't vouch for this per se until I use it some more to see about longer term durability. I started with Lexan Sheet - Polycarbonate - .030" - 1/32" Thick, Clear, 12" x 12" Nominal from Amazon $6.89 delivered. I was quite tempted to use 1/16" instead but Lexan is tough so on this first go I went with the thinner 1/32" to keep the weight down. Outline with marker to create bottom cover slightly larger than coil itself - side protection for coil. Cut out with fine tooth jig saw.... I chose E6000 as a sealant / glue because I have used this in the past for bonding plastics other glues won't bond. Still, I am not sure this is the best choice, but there you go. Scuff up the smooth plastic surface (after removing protective film) then run a bead over all the coil bottom contact areas. I ran an additional bead around the little shelf created by the skip plate being about 1/8" larger around the exterior than the coil. Extra bonding plus a "bump cushion" against side blows from rocks. Here is is after a little use. Smooth running, light - but does collect debris topside. Happy I did it so far.

I was hunting today with a rain/dust cover on the Nox, in 100-101 degree temps with the sun directly overhead. After 20 minutes my audio starts cutting out and sounding erratic. I notice my screen is looking bizarre, as you can see, every icon was lit up and there was no way to see a VDI at all. My first thought was the cover was acting like a greenhouse and causing the housing to overheat. After about 10-15 minutes of taking it off, things began to look normal once again, within 30 minutes, completely back to normal. I have a Zagg cover on the screen, so, no dust cover for my machine during the summer months.

For those who hunt in low light/wear gloves and don't want to look at the control box everytime you press a button...added these adhesive domed, rubber drawer stops to the control box cover. I used 11mm for the pinpoint button and 8mm for the rest.

Please" what's the best way to keep a Minelab GPX dry while detecting in spring showers! Thanks Ig

I gathered up all the things I needed to complete the Nox for my 10 days of hunting since off from work for annual leave. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate with temps in the upper 60's to lower 70's here in NM. I added a Zagg clear screen protector, a housing cover from the UK, and yes, I did cut the screen on the cover for a reason. I found a padded arm rest cover, it's designed for a Garrett and my Anker power supply velcro'd to the stand when needed. I wrapped the rod and handle with vet tape to keep the dirt and grime from scratching the paint all to hell. I'm headed to my heavily hunted spots to rework them and see what some new technology can produce, if any and to see if the mighty CTX may have missed some stuff in the trash and iron. The wife will be gone for a week, sooooo, no honey do's for me!! Hopefully I'll be able to get a better feel for the machine and the settings by the end of my little vacation.

A empty case I have for my Equinox.

Good deal at Sam's Club: https://www.samsclub.com/sams/24in-protective-case-member-s-mark/prod21372505.ip?xid=plp:product:1:1 Apparently not carried in all brick-and-mortar Sam's Club stores but mine has them on sale for $40. Below is a picture showing it next to my ($150 from Amazon) smaller Pelican case. Note the long lower shaft from a White's TDI (26.75 inch length) which fits diagonally in this larger case. I had to improvise when travelling with my TDI and the Pelican. (Despite what my cat thinks, these are not qualified as a cat carriers!) The Pelican shown is allowed as carry-on although I haven't used it as such. The main value to me is that most cases can be damaged by rough (human) baggage handlers of checked luggage. Both of these came filled with polyfoam blocks. The retractable handle on the Sam's Club case seems a lot cheesier than the one on the Pelican. The Pelican wheel housings are more recessed (so less likely to break off with rough treatment). Other than those they appear to be of similar quality. NOTE: I don't think it is as well made as a Pelican case in the fine details, but I think it would do the job of transporting metal detectors, for example, just as well. I've travelled with both the White's TDI/SPP and Gold Bug Pro simultaneously packed in the Pelican, with two coils each, extra batteries, Lesche hand spade, etc. (Exception being the long lower rod section of the TDI as mentioned above.) I'm thinking I may be able to get three detectors into this larger case. ("How many detectors do you need??" I'll answer that when I have enough!)

So rather than spend $200 for the XP branded case I thought I could do better. So first I bought the Plano model 108442 gun rifle case for $70 shipped on Amazon

First, let me say I am new to this forum and this is actually my first post. I've been detecting for 15 years. I started as a coin hunter and while I still enjoy hunting for old silver and copper coins, I've evolved into more of a Relic hunter and water hunter. Now I don't have any gold fields near me, but I do own the GPX 4800 for Civil War relic hunting in extremely mineralized soil in Northern Virginia. It's main weakness, to me, is its vulnerability to rain and moisture. So after the first few relic hunts and dealing with inclement weather and bagging our GPX's my good friend and hunting partner and myself knew there had to be a better way. We discussed it and kicked around ideas on one of our 5+ hour rides home after a hunt. We both decided to come up with designs and then we would move forward. After a month, we looked at each others ideas and his was clearly the superior design, so we assembled them and have used them for 2 years in all kinds of inclement weather. They have worked flawlessly. See the Video for details, but they protect against rain, snow, mud, dirt and dust and are field deployable in less than 1 minute. They stay on your machine all the time and can be deployed or rolled up out of the way. They are super light weight and do not add any noticeable weight to the machine. They work with the Goldscreamer set up as well as the stock battery when it's used in a pouch on the side of the GPX. Please watch the video for details. Since these have worked so well, we have decided to make these for sale. The price is $132.99 for the Goldscreamer setup and $142.99 for the stock battery setup and shipping is $9.99 in the ConUs. Don't trust a $4000 detector to a .50 cent freezer bag. The best part about these is you put it on 1 time then you never have to fool with it again, it will be there when you need it, no matter what the forecast or what weather actually occurs. You can email orders to sjstewartkfd@yahoo.com put GPX WRS Order in the subject line and I will contact you about payment. Orders will be filled only when payment is received. A good chunk of the cost is materials. You can see the video here:

Well I for one, and possibly a few others here in the States, am looking forward towards a new gold season down under. I know this subject has come up in the forum before, Taking your detector with you overseas, but its not been a stand alone topic and I have been unable to dig it out of the old topics where this issue has been discussed easily. So I've brought it up this way so maybe it'll be easier for others to find in the future when the concern comes up. Our detectors and associated gear are rather a pricey point of pride regardless of whether your just coin shooting or going bush. I am asking all with experience in this arena to pitch a comment so as that future traveler can find a comfortable accommodation on how to carry their gear. My way is not the best way but it works well and I understand the risks. Having taken my gear, both prospecting and coin shooter, overseas many times now~ primarily to Australia but also Japan and Europe~ I simply break it down and pack it well in the suit case as check bags. I carry the control box with me on-board with my carry on and in the case of the Zed I tape off the contacts of the batteries and carry them as well and declare them at the check in, present them for inspection *sometimes they re-tape them*, and go on about my business. With the advent of lithium batteries its important that you do check with the air carriers you plan to use on any limitations and I suggest strongly that you discharge the batteries to at least 50% prior to travel. This lessens the chance of any problems with the batteries and its a feel good you can tell the front desk if asked. Lead acid batteries like the old Humpy for ML's older SD/GP series should just be purchased on the other side as they are cheap enough however I have gotten them thru in check bags as well in the past. Other power supplies can be treated similarly. Now having said that there is the type of luggage to look for when traveling. First off measure the longest and widest parts of your detector or other gear, like a small pick, so you can obtain the right size bag. Look for one that has a solid back frame, soft frame luggage will not do, or if you have the cash a hard case. Bear in mind that you want to keep all bags under 50 lbs or you will run into fees and in some cases not be allowed to take them at all. Hard cases and Otter boxes are heavy. Due to weight I've had to repack a few times right at the counter just to get things thru even wear extra coats and put socks in my pockets to get thru. In the case of Australia you will want two cases however one can be smaller. Also look for something with solidly mounted wheels and collapsible drag handle. Expect to transfer planes~ those wheels will be important. I also pack an extra belt into the outer pocket of one so I can strap them together at the soft handles for transport, notch it to fit ahead of time as you wont have your pocket knife with you when the time comes. The solid frame back is needed to protect from flexure and impacts as the baggage is handled~ and it will be~ and your cloths will be the packing. Got bags, ok, so lets pack. A towel, pants or jacket is the first layer about an inch of padding off the rear frame. Now the coil/coils with clothes between them. Rods go in towards the middle. Use socks and shirts around the outter sides of the bag and between gear pieces. If you are taking a pick tuck it to the side and wrap it with jeans. *Just stick it down a leg and wrap the top well*. Your last layer will be mostly cloths about 4 inches thick and when I carry my pan it sits on top. As I said with Australia I carry two bags. I split my detector assemblies/gear and coil between them. Someone get nosy or a bag gets lost its only a partial loss and cheaper to replace than if a whole bag goes for walk about. Having stuff stolen is the Risk and should never be taken lightly. I know you wont like I wont.... its a pricey point of pride. The risk is also why I carry the control box. In the case of thieves they wont want the bits.... usually. Lost bags are in the next paragraph. Last point. Use those identity tags at the front desk and mark your bags with a distinctive bit of something ( ribbon, bungie, spray paint, ect). I have never lost a bag but they have wandered. That tag and bit of distinctive something, in my case its a chunk of black and white bungie knotted very securely to the handle, aid greatly in tracking down your wandering luggage. On the carousel at the airport all that luggage looks the same as well. Also TAKE A PICTURE of your bags and keep it on your camera or phone. Again if you have ever lost a bag when you go to report it they are going to give you a placard with a whole bunch of luggage and ask you what it looks like... if your bags are new then its confusing. Always expect to stay a day or so at your final destination. Why? Because if that bag(s) wander you'll need to stick around for them to catch up. Airlines have always been good about getting my stuff to me even if I have had to wait a day or so... dont get frustrated~ just keep it in stride, I know your tired and its been a long flight~ if you end up having to track you bags back to you. Its not the person at the kiosk who needs to be your lightning rod if things go poorly. Remember they work for a living too. Now having said all that there apparently are some new restrictions for carry on electronics so I will add this : Check your route and avoid any legs that go thru the middle east or Africa. Lately I've been flying Quantus out of Dallas to get to Sydney but there are alternate routes that take one thru Dubia and a couple of other spots. The A380 aircraft is a good ride, I kinda miss the 747, so plan appropriately as with the new restrictions you may be forced to pack everything in your check bags. Keep your self informed and pack well. All will be good ;) Thanks for reading. DD

I found that I have more scratches and rub marks on the Zed after covering it. Anyone have anything on this topic I'd like to hear.

I'm not one prone to rant but I think it is time. My wife and I use Minelab products. Between us we have an SE Pro, E-trac, 3030 (6, 12, 17), 5000 (4 Commander coils), 2300 and a 7000 (14 and 19). I'd say that Minelab has a bit of our budget. We go to the southern California beaches for jewelry and the states of California, Arizona, Alaska and Nevada for gold nuggets. (I hope to get to Australia before all the nuggets are gone.) We are more successful on the beaches than in the deserts and mountains. My recent purchase of the 19" GPZ coil is the straw that breaks the camel's back (so to say)! I am embarrassed (and saddened) by the cheap and practically unusable out of the box coil cover included with this coil. It is light, flimsy, captures dirt and will not last more than a few bumps into our local bushes and rocks. How can we pay so much for a good product and get such shoddy protection for the coils inside? Now that it has me going ... this same problem exists with the coil covers for the 3030 and SE Pro. Years ago I removed them because it traps water, sand and salt which causes falsing. Those coils seem to be more sealed than the 19". I haven't found an aftermarket coil cover for these. I have found effective aftermarket coil covers for the 2300 and 7000/14. I had to because the soft material for the 2300 coil cover was almost as bad as this new 19" cover. Holes appeared in the cover within the first few weeks my wife used it and scratches began to appear on the coil itself. Our aftermarket coil cover is thicker (not much heavier) and more durable. I've begun to spray it with an automotive truck bed liner. It is sealed from the salt and sand with silicon. It now works great. I had to buy a similar cover for the 14" coil and seal it but there is not a similar way for this new 19" and there is not another solution yet other than the 'snowshoe' plastic some are making but our volcanic ash and sand will collect on top but I haven't heard of a better solution. (What is anyone else doing?) Would it take that much time for Minelab to design and supply a legitimate coil cover for the price? I remember when I used the GPX covers that now seem to be light years ahead of the latest covers. We just had to tape them to seal them and keep the elements out. They fit pretty snug and you didn't feel like you couldn't or shouldn't use the coil cover that came with the coil. It was good to go out of the box. Minelab is my preferred detector company. I own others. Their detectors satisfy my need to find. Many of their coil covers suck. Mitchel

I have the Miner John (Razorback) skid plate or scuff cover for the Minelab GPZ 7000. This is a much longer lasting cover than the skid plate that comes stock with the GPZ 7000. http://razorbackcoils.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/5908106 I recommend the product highly if you need a replacement scuff cover for your GPZ. I was not aware however that Miner John also makes a cover for the SDC 2300, which I have to assume is also a better cover than the one that comes with the detector. I no longer have the SDC 2300 myself but just wanted to pass this along for those that do. http://razorbackcoils.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2562506

I got to see one of these recently and it is the best cover for the GPZ 7000 I have seen and at a very reasonable price. Retail is $129 but most everyone seems to have it for US$109 which is a really great price in my opinion. Cheap insurance for a 10K detector! According to Doc: • Covers are made of durable heavy duty green canvas like material with a neoprene lining to cushion your expensive metal detector. • The kit includes the control box cover, the control head screen cover, and a cover for your Wireless module. • Easy access drop down rear panel to easily change the battery without having to take the entire cover off. • Easy access flap to plug your headphones directly in to the detector secured by hook and loop. • The bottom of the cover is made with single ply conveyor belt material. This makes the bottom tough as nails and easy to wipe the dirt and dust off with just a damp cloth. If anyone has one on their GPZ now would be a great time to post a photo!

So this morning my plan was to replace coil cover on the zed and then do the software upgrade. Last time I had the detector out it was slightly sprinkling rain and the coil had some dirt stuck to it. I grabbed the garden hose and just waved the spray over the coil. and wiped it down with a dry cloth. Then I saw water dripping out from under the coil cover and was a little shocked at how much water had gotten between the coil and cover so fast. This is what I found when I pulled off the cover. I can say this is the first time I'm glad I've worn out a coil cover

Been thinking how I could make a protective cover for my ZED. So I cut the arm off a old wetsuit I had. And fitted it around the body of the ZED. Kind of crude, but will give it some protection. You have to take the ZED apart to fit it on. I first cut a small slit, just big enough to stretch over the screen. Then stretched the big end of the wetsuit over where the front shaft slides into. Then pulled it back and re-hooked the 2 cable's back up and locked it together. Then cut a slit to slide the armrest back on. Then cut off the excess neoprene near the battery. Should work well enough until I can get a proper made cover.

A few weeks ago I had this grandiose idea of designing and selling a cover for the new 7000. During this time of working on it and shelling out $, I've learned there are 2 others working on a cover as well. The company I had do the sewing felt it would cost $85/ unit so I gave them the go ahead to make one then decide if I like it, and if they truly could produce them for $85 each. Well after it was done she charged me $110 and said she can't beat that price. So I really don't think I'm going to try to compete with the other guys and produce these. Oh well, at least I have a cover. The back was left open to let heat out. I do have another idea, about producing a real high end cover. It would be a real high quality fit, have a rubber foot sewn to the bottom, have a "tactical/ military" look and quality, a more heavy duty cordura nylon material, just plain "cool". It would also have a velcro removable pouch for the wireless module to be stored- either when in use or for just when its not in use. But it would cost over $200. I know most people would buy the less expensive covers but I'm wondering if there might be a smaller but decent market for this higher end cover? I mean this is a $10,000 machine. I would appreciate your thoughts...

After my first outing with the GPZ I realized this machine is going to look pretty beat up in a few months. I pondered some different ideas to protect the top of the coil like stick on shelving paper or some kind of self adhering protection. I ended up testing a spray on rubber product called Plasti Dip. I first tested it on plastic and wood before blasting it on my precious and expensive new GPZ coil. After multiple coats and letting it dry you have a rubber coating that is pretty durable. When you want to later remove it, it just starts pealing and stretching like balloon rubber as it comes off, and it stays in one piece. Application is a little bit of a pain though. What I did was undo the coil fasteners and suspended the detector from the ceiling with the coil (cover off) sitting on a bench covered with cardboard. I retracted the shaft so the coil wire extended past the shaft knuckle. Then used masking tape over the coil wire where it meets the coil and masking tape over the coil eyelets so there's no build up there. After spraying each coat I had to remove the tape right away, and 30 minutes later re-tape before applying the next coat, for a total of 5 fairly thick coats. It has proven to be quite durable and I will definitely continue to protect my coil with this method. Next time I'll spray it with the white color. Oh..., the nozzle of the spray can wants to clog between coats. Pull it off right after spraying and let it soak in mineral spirits until you need it. The product instantly dissolves in mineral spirits. Another protective product I use is this self fusing rubber splicing tape. The picture is pretty much self explanatory. This product has to be redone more often. The warmer the temp. the more the rubber wants to kind of roll off. I don't know why some of the pics rotate when I attach them.

I have asked this question to many very good detectorists and have got varied answers. Some say yes on the tiny stuff and some say the protective cover isn't thick enough to ever be a concern. I have heard it said that its more likely to reduce depth / sensitivity on a VLF but not a PI. It would be nice to get some kind of consensus on this subject and thanks.......Rob

If your not wearing out a coil cover once a month your doing something Wrong. So Yes I'm a scraper detectorist that rarely lifts the coil. Well true to form. Not more than a month of owning my GPZ 7000 the Coil cover ( skid plate ) Was in need of urgent repair with heaps of holes worn towards the front edge.I can not buy a replacement for love or $$$$ down here in Australia so I did what I always do and used a two part secret mix we use in my business http://www.suresealshowers.com.au/ to patch it while a replacement is on order. however long that takes who knows. Below is what I have done ( first stage )before sanding. Works well with beach coils so cant see why it wont this time. ad...