Equinox Ergonomics - The Challenge

[flakmagnet]

I also come from the GPZ and harnesses and Hipsticks - I have no issues with this little Equinox.. It is nose heavy but I'm over that. It works - what more can one ask?

[GB_Amateur]

The reality is, when it comes to ergonomics the bar has been set pretty low.  The Teknetics T2 & Fisher F75 have been on the pedestal many look up to, and their engineers definitely gave ergonomics considerable thought, but even they could be better.

Rather than complain, though, there are some simple tweaks one can do to improve things.  As an example, I saw someone complain about the loose arm cuff on the Eqx compared to the state-of-the-art adjustable width arm cuff of the T2/F75.  I never noticed the issue with either my Gold Bug Pro or X-Terra 705 until I started using the F75.  Then I noticed how, when I wasn't bundled up in sweaters and coats, that those detetctors moved around from side to side a lot when swinging.   So....  I put some single sided adhesive weather strip foam tape in the cuff of my Gold Bug Pro to tighten up the fit.  Not quite as good as the F75, but a lot better.

The Equinox is a great detector but that doesn't mean it can't improve.  To make matters worse it seems as though there has been a history of detector manufacturers not listening to their customers.  And there is always a right way and a wrong way to express one's wishes for improvement.  Still, I hope we don't get in the mode of putting detectors on pedestals that can't be heightened.

[Dusty]

As far as a "challenge" goes the "waterproofness" is irrelevant to me but as to the matter of ergonomics this is the only real improvement the Equinox needs , a decent arm cuff which doesn't require a strap and that allows you to slip your arm in and out with a snug fit as the result. Amazing what you can do with a heat gun a piece  of ABS

[wasatchau]

White's MX Sport has better ergonomics than the NOX800. Too bad it weighs almost 5 pounds. 

[bado1]

Just now, Dusty said:

As far as a "challenge" goes the "waterproofness" is irrelevant to me but as to the matter of ergonomics this is the only real improvement the Equinox needs , a decent arm cuff which doesn't require a strap and that allows you to slip your arm in and out with a snug fit as the result. Amazing what you can do with a heat gun a piece  of ABS

Nice work.

Dean

[mn90403]

1 hour ago, flakmagnet said:

I also come from the GPZ and harnesses and Hipsticks - I have no issues with this little Equinox.. It is nose heavy but I'm over that. It works - what more can one ask?

When the 17" (or larger) coil becomes available for the Nox I expect to start using the hipstick again!

[Chase Goldman]

20 minutes ago, wasatchau said:

White's MX Sport has better ergonomics than the NOX800. Too bad it weighs almost 5 pounds. 

What is better about it ergonomically?  You appeared to take weight and possibly balance off the table.  What's left?  Thanks.

[schoolofhardNox]

Coming off of the CTX, 17" coil, and the GPX, 12.5", 12x15", 17x21"coils, The Equinox is a breeze  9 hour hunts and no issues so far. Haven't had any issues with it being nose heavy, but that is probably because I'm comparing it to that 17x21" snowshoe coil.

[Ringmoney]

Why only compare it to other waterproof detectors? Why not compare it to, lets say the X-Terra? Its totally beyond me why Minelab took a step backwards by putting a straight shaft on the Equinox when they all had the perfect design? In all fairness how much extra would it cost to put a pair of bends in the middle shaft. Its all about aesthetics these days and not ergonomics. They, at least could have made the middle shaft interchangeable with X-Terra middle shaft, bet the sales of X-Terra middles would have gone through the roof.