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I Forgot How Heavy this Thing Is

C

Capphd

Active member
I hunted for two years with the XS before trading it. I relic hunt most of the time and it just wasn't my favorite relic machine. On the other hand, I have missed it terribly for coin/jewelry hunting. NOTHING I've ever hunted with did better on deep silver. Well, I have settled on a relic machine but still missed the Explorer. So today, I took delivery of an SE. Man, that thing is heavy. When you're used to swinging an F75, this thing is like a railroad iron. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to get used to it again.

Why can't Minelab decrease the weight on the Explorer?
 
I just took my XS out for a walk on the beach and add the weight of the X-1 probe and a gigantic coil, very heavy, but I finally figured out the swingy thingy you can buy off Doc on this forum, it is amazing harness. You got to find a the perfect fit , the way the D ring sits on your front chest and it is great. I swung the 10lb. pengalum for 4 hrs. with no problem. I did find it to be a problem without putting my arm in the arm strap of the XS, but made it good when I used it. If you are in the woods and have to walk up and down hills it can be a pain, just alot of adjusting but it is worth it I think.
 
Heavy is heavy but the balance can be improved..It starts with proper positioning of the armcup for your particuliar dimensions and ends with proper positioning of the front rod so your arm hangs straight out so the coil just skims the ground which serves two purposes as the unit is nose heavy and doing so the ground itself takes some of the weight improving the nose heavy situation and explorers just hate air between the coil and the ground so you are going to get greater depth.. Heck I am Seventy years young and surely no weight lifter and I can go for hours..As far as the Sunray pinpointer attachment which makes the unit heavier and bulkier its up to the hunter if the pain is worth the gain as its much deeper and discrminates compared to handheld pinpointers. Many swear by swingy thing like slings as it takes the weight off the arm and transfers the weight to the larger back muscles but again if you have a bad back not a good idea so again up to the individuals..hope I am not being too critical but just calling a spade a spade and many prefer a lightweight unit and that is their preference.
 
No offense taken. I got used to the XS weight and will get used to this one. And I will because I like how it performs. I just wondered with all the upper end detectors getting so light, why this one hasn't. Not a big deal.
 
Make a lighter weight Explorer and they will sell like hotcakes as many abandoned them for lightweight models not that they were not excellent units once learned..
Wish I had an answer for you as many would like to know also but two remakes after the initial Explorer with no weight taken off or ergonomics improved leaves me to believe never going to be a lightweight one.My theory is retooling is cost prohibitive and not having any mechanical or electrical background feel in doing so may hinder their excellent
guts for lack of better words..Come to think of it its baby brother the Sovereign along with its gold machines are all heavy and new Minelab lightweight machines are just not an Explorer or would feel are not meant to be one..Question might be better answered by a call to Minelab where they give excellent after the sale services...as I still feel a lightweight Explorer would emerge to send shock waves down the industry and really be top of class of metal detectors..
 
Give me that one again in laymans terms as along with many forum members we just don't understand your post although it sounded very good and we would all like to share even though we don't have the expertise of the English language to comprehend...
 
It's the coil weight, for the most part that makes the Explorer feel heavy. I picked up a used 8" ML coil not long ago and it seems to me to be heavier than the stock coil, feels like they poured lead into this one.
I have a 5" coil too and it is light, can swing it a long time before tiring out so the coil weight is the issue for the most part.
 
I also have the 8" ML and you're not kidding, it feels just as heavy as the stock coil. I do think that's where all the weight is.
 
another words, as humans we will learn to adapt to things, when we are young and strong we will pick up the explorer with the x-1 attached and a Wot on the end of it and swing cause we can...then as time goes on we get older and don't have the strength, we drag coil on ground to lessen the weight or we come up with a swingy thingy to take the weight off the arm....and if we have a bad back we toss the explorer and by a swifter swinger and less weight detector, so we evolve and resolve.....as time goes on but we will always metal detect till we drop! :crylol: I want to be buried with my Explorer XS in my casket....is that legal? :blink:
 
OK I will bury it with you but supply no batteries and I counter with yep you can have the carton of cigarettes but(no matches or lighter) thought this would bring a smile to the forum..Honestly I feel if you take your time with an Explorer never found it to be extremely hard to learn if you keep it simple and a local mentor really helps and as far as weight can't change the weight but if we alter the ergonomics the unit sure is workable. Gosh those blokes down under must have Popeye arms as many of their top of the line units are heavy..
 
I just added the X-1 probe and it is much heavier. I did believe what others said in this forum before I got the machine and got a swingy thingy. It connects to your pants, using a suspender closer, right above your left pocket. I feel some pressure where the strap goes over the top of my shoulder but never have felt anything in the back. Pants sometimes tend to give one a 'wedgy' as they are pulled up by the suspender attachement but the machine just hangs in the air and all you do is drive it. Ever see a man on the ground guide a 5 ton load suspended from a crane? Same difference. I too am an old fart but do what others have suggested and IMHO the weight is not an issue.
 
If you can get it adjusted right, Took me three tries; you can lean the end of your battery pack (on the back of the machine) against your hip and the machine should just hang with the coil barely, almost touching the ground, sort of nearly balanced like a pendulum. Taking little or no effort to move. It is also necessary to lengthen your lower rod longer than usual or you will be fighting the bungee cord to bring the machine back from swinging right or left if you are left handed. Little hard on the wrist, so take less broad sweeps and pivot your hips. And when using a larger coil, always use the arm strap that came with your Explorer, it attaches to your arm cuff. ML made it a little on the small side and although the way the black clips snap into the arm cups and quick release is kind of cool, better would have been two pieces of Velcro overlapping your forearm from two directions. It's a little difficult getting one of those snaps back in with just one hand especially if you are wearing a coat and have gloves on. Like zipping a coat with frozen fingers:lol: With this thing set up right, I can swing any size coil, even the 16.5" in corn stubble all day. Sure couldn't do it otherwise.
 
Well some say it is legal to metal detect in a cemetery, others say it's immoral, I think it should be left to personal choice:thumbup: The Ancient Egyptians believed in taking their possessions with them into their after life. If they were correct, then we are all going to end up in heaven in a cheap suit with nothing to do. Bet there is a Double Eagle under every tree too. Think I could fit my 15 or so coils in my casket as well as the SE, or do you think it would be to heavy for the people carrying it??
 
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