I just ordered a Minelab Xterra 705 GoldPack yesterday.

[Kevin B.]

I currently have a Deus and an AT Pro. But I have always wanted an Xterra. It ALMOST was my second machine. My first was an Garrett ACE 250. But when I started finding some cool stuff and was ready to move up in the world of detectors, I ALMOST pushed the button on an XTerra. I have already registered with Minelab and downloaded Diggers E-Book and have been studying it. I owned an Etrac for a while but I was still wet behind the ears and didn't give myself a chance to figure it out. So I sold it. Of all the detectors I have owned (and I have owned most of the top of the line VLF's but never took the time to learn ANY of them) the Minelab has the coolest sounds. I like those flute/oboe/ piccolo type sounds. The reason I have bought and sold so many good detectors is merely a fault of mine. A defect of character. I just LOVE knowing that I'll get a visit from the UPS truck, I reckon.
But I love detecting as well and have started to amass a fair collection of Civil War and period relics and coins. I hope that the new Xterra can add to the fun. I look forward to learning it.

 

[7centsworth]

I civil war relic hunt mostly with my xterra and if you learn it good will dig you some real deep minnies.

 

[DirtAngler]

As I said before, it is probably the most under-rated detector made. Don't know about the Coiltek coils, but the 10.5" DD coils, though heavier, make it a deep machine.

 

[Kevin B.]

As I said before, it is probably the most under-rated detector made. Don't know about the Coiltek coils, but the 10.5" DD coils, though heavier, make it a deep machine.

Dirt Angler, the machine is coming with a 10inch by 5 inch elliptical DD coil. Would it fall in the category of a good deep seeking coil. Or is there a 10 inch (like I'm getting with the machine) AND a 10.5 inch DD coil??? And if so....Is the 10 inch as deep as the 10.5 inch??? Thanks......kevin

 

[Old Longhair]

Welcome to the Xterra!
If you take the time to learn it, it will prove itself to be one of the best decisions you could have made.

Either of the 10.5" DD round coils will see deeper than the 5X10" HF eliptical, but share the same limitation in that none of those three are waterproof. They are only water resistant, as is the new Coiltek 6" 3kHz. Of the eleven coils available for Xterra's, those four are the only ones that are not waterproof.

If you're looking for the deepest seeker, the 3kHz Coiltek All-Terrain 15" is it for high conductors like copper and silver. For gold, lead, and other low conductors it would be their 18.75kHz All-Terrain for all but the smallest finds like flakes and tiny gold.

 

[DirtAngler]

Kevin, Old Longhair knows about the Coiltek coils, I don't. I can tell you that the 5x10" coil your getting is a very good coil with adequate depth and has good separation. The 10.5" DD coils are deeper but also for me, made the machine heavier and unbalanced. The coiltek coils would be too much for me with my physical problems because the 10.5" DD coils were too heavy, plus in my areas I don't have the need for a coil that large.

 

[Old Longhair]

I don't want to give a mis-impression. The 5x10" HF coil that comes with the Gold pack is a very good coil, but it is a compromise between depth and separation. It will hit on smaller targets than the 10.5" or the new 15", and separates well in cluttered ground. It will not see as small a target as the 6", nor will it go as deep as the bigger round coils, but it still has it's place.

 

[Kevin B.]

First thing that I am going to do is buy some black toned silicon for caulking around the seams like I read about Digger doing. I little bead of silicon should keep it any moisture although I NEVER detect in pools of water. But I often detect in wet grass. I jts wonder how water resistant it is. I mean....if you take a walk through dew covered grass...your feet will be soaked in minutes. I wonder how these Water Resistant coils will do in dew.

 

[Old Longhair]

They are fine in wet grass, they just can't take the pressure of submersion. In order for them to be considered "waterproof", they must be able to withstand submersion to 1 meter for an extended period.