Cabin Fever...random observations!

[Goldstrike]

Still out of action with my broken foot and suffering from cabin fever real bad!!!! but actively scanning the forums to see what's being found out there!!! My stitches come out today so I'm happy about that, but still frustrated that I have to wear the big boot for awhile. I'm looking at all the pros and cons of detectors. I've viewed a number of video clips touting the bells and whistles of many detectors. I don't want to start a comparison 'war' but I keep coming back to my tried, field (all terrains) tested and trusty Safari!!! The only things I would want to change or add is having a back light and having it submersible. Having just relocated from living just less than 1 hr away from the SoCal beaches for the last 40 years and loving detecting them, I still plan to make regular trips to those beaches for a few days to a week at a time. The Safari has served me very well there. I'm tempted to add either an ETrac....a proven detector with more refinements (and the back light)lol to my collection or go to the dark side, lol and get a White's MX7....we'll see!!

 

[Confetrit]

Here's wishing you a Speedy Recovery. Best of luck to you in your search for a new detector. If you will be hunting beaches have you considered the Equinox?

 

[Goldstrike]

Here's wishing you a Speedy Recovery. Best of luck to you in your search for a new detector. If you will be hunting beaches have you considered the Equinox?

Thanks Confetrit! I may be mistaken but listening to the Equinox 800 tones on various targets (on YouTube test vid's) it seems like the tone range isn't close to what the Safari/ ETrac tone range is? It's an awesome detector but I think I'm spoiled hearing a shrill silver coin tone all the way down to say a pull tab or the low iron tone/s on a Safari. Darn it, I think I've irreversibly programmed my brain and ears to that F.B.S. Safari symphony!!lol...…………...which may not be a bad thing after all!!

 

[GeorgeinSC]

There is a gentleman who I run into on the beach from time to time. He was swinging a Safari the first time I met him. He informed me that I had a good machine (Sovereign GT) but that the Safari was the best machine that Minelab had ever made. I saw him a couple of time swinging an Xcal. But usually the Safari. The last three times I have seen him he is swinging a NOX. It appears that he has fallen in love with the NOX> I wonder what he will tell me the next time we meet and I am swinging the XCAL.

 

[Goldstrike]

There is a gentleman who I run into on the beach from time to time. He was swinging a Safari the first time I met him. He informed me that I had a good machine (Sovereign GT) but that the Safari was the best machine that Minelab had ever made. I saw him a couple of time swinging an Xcal. But usually the Safari. The last three times I have seen him he is swinging a NOX. It appears that he has fallen in love with the NOX> I wonder what he will tell me the next time we meet and I am swinging the XCAL.

Good one George!!! Sometimes, some of us switch machines hoping we can detect something that another machine couldn't detect. Maybe the guy that you met was doing just that? There again, with a detector that's not submersible, you wouldn't want to get too close to the water and risk getting it wet. At the end of the day, it's all about preference and price. I hope your finding lot's of stuff out there!

 

[sasquache]

The Safari is a really nice unit I'm thinking of getting a E-Trac but not because it detects better i would be lying to myself lol its because i detect with a friend that uses one and as you can see with my finds i do well but the thing i like about the E Trac is the ferrous and conductivity numbers it's give the user more info to whats in the ground plus the back light but the down fall is the weight and the way it feels swinging it just feels bulky to me compared to the Safari but I'm sure i can get used to it but I'm still on the fence will it being worth it not sure. But again i do like the Explorer se pro lol.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

This is just my story ...

From what I've read, watched in video's and experienced for myself - the entire line of Minelab metal detectors are great !

I bought a new Safari almost 10 years ago - got lucky - found (3) Large Cents with it in one day - this was less than two weeks after taking it out of the box and I was walking around the woods with the owner's manual in my back pocket !
I really liked the Safari but after a month I decided to sell it and go to an E-Trac.

My personal reasons for going to the E-Trac were ...

I wanted to make sure that I had, what I believed was the best machine out there to help increase my odds of finding good targets.
I really liked the idea of Dual Target ID - I didn't know it when I bought the E-Trac but in my opinion - in time - this one option alone proved to more than justify the higher price of the E-Trac.
Having a Backlit Screen is a huge plus - I really like hunting at night.
As we all know these are very heavy machines - the E-Trac's handle is set at a 15 degree different angle than previous models, Explorers, ( not sure about Safari's) etc.- this subtle angle change really helps reduce operator fatigue and shoulder pain.



Good Hunting !

 

[Happa54]

Hey GS;

I hope that by the time you read this you are out there swinging your coil again.

I had the same issues as you the past couple of months. I was hospitalized twice with diverticulitis. Fortunately, I was able to avoid surgery.

My only relief from MD withdrawals was to watch youtube videos and reading the forums.

I was quite content with my Safari until I developed a bad case of tendonitis due to its weight. I had to either give up MD or get a lighter machine. It's a good thing the lightweight Nox hit the market at this time so I went with the 600 because the 800 was not available at the time.

I have gotten bucket listers and other unexpected finds with the 600. I did well with my Safari but it cannot keep up with the 600 as far as processing speed goes. The 600 is super fast in trash. It has 6 different detecting modes all with the flip of the thumb. The many different settings are interesting and fun to work with and all to simple to move around from one to the other.

The other day I put the battery in my Safari, turned it on and out to the test garden with it. Man, do I miss those Safari tones. It was music to my ears. You don't quite get these sounds with the Nox. I'm thinking that now that my arm has had time to heal, I just may rotate between the two.

Good luck with your decision on a new machine but keep the old faithful Safari in your arsenal.

 

[Goldstrike]

Hey GS;

I hope that by the time you read this you are out there swinging your coil again.

I had the same issues as you the past couple of months. I was hospitalized twice with diverticulitis. Fortunately, I was able to avoid surgery.

My only relief from MD withdrawals was to watch youtube videos and reading the forums.

I was quite content with my Safari until I developed a bad case of tendonitis due to its weight. I had to either give up MD or get a lighter machine. It's a good thing the lightweight Nox hit the market at this time so I went with the 600 because the 800 was not available at the time.

I have gotten bucket listers and other unexpected finds with the 600. I did well with my Safari but it cannot keep up with the 600 as far as processing speed goes. The 600 is super fast in trash. It has 6 different detecting modes all with the flip of the thumb. The many different settings are interesting and fun to work with and all to simple to move around from one to the other.

The other day I put the battery in my Safari, turned it on and out to the test garden with it. Man, do I miss those Safari tones. It was music to my ears. You don't quite get these sounds with the Nox. I'm thinking that now that my arm has had time to heal, I just may rotate between the two.

Good luck with your decision on a new machine but keep the old faithful Safari in your arsenal.

Thanks Happa54! I have another follow up doctor's appt this next week and all being well, I get to discontinue using the 'boot' and finally get to wear a supportive shoe. I should be able to do pretty much anything I could do before the injury which I'm really looking forward to!!! I have a laundry list of things to do before family comes in for Christmas and things get very busy around here!!! I can appreciate the tendonitis you have felt and I'm wondering if you could wear a harness to support the weight of the detector? Swinging a detector side to side usually works on muscles you don't normally use because it's not a usual day to day action (swinging side to side). I haven't had the chance to use a NOX md yet and it sounds like you are impressed with it?!! I'm still undecided but like you mentioned, will still hold on to my Safari but will still look at other's to try and test out in the field!!

 

[Happa54]

Sounds like you'll be back in the saddle soon G.S.

I tried the minelab harness and didn't like it. It's collecting dust now.

Maybe... just maybe... I may see you in the Nox or Etrac forums soon. Haha!!

Take care and feel better soon.