minelab e trac or 3030 which is better? xp deus

[Jason73]

Hey all
I'm lookin at adding another detector to my equipment.
This is what i want help with--- I am looking for a machine that I can use on salt water beaches here in the South. I also relic hunt. Besides the waterproofing of the 3030 what does it have that is a must over the e trac? Are the numbers the same? Can I use my mac for making my own programs and setting? Is the weight really an issue? swinging a 8 LBS sledge hammer? Is the wireless any good-- whats battery life? New vs used? Some 3030 had some issues when put into production. (speakers not working-- leaks.) Is it well balanced?
I generally go to the beach twice a year and mostly in the winter months--- out of 5 days it usually rains 2.
Does the etrac leak easily if a little rain hits it. and what is the recovery speed like? Does it compare to my AT PRO?
I was also thinking about the xp deus but is it any good on my southern beaches? ANY known issues I should know?
I want to hear from actual users of these machines and people not committed to a brand name.....I'm 5-9 and 160lbs and dislike only detecting 1 hour before the weight tears my arms off. (bad shoulders) and ready don't want to buy extra gear to hold the coil up.
Thanks for helping me out on this.
God Bless
Jason73​

 

[mudpuppy]

Jason,

I carefully read your post to try to determine how you hunt and your personal situation....Have a look at the DetectorPro UW....theres some recent posts regarding its strengths you may be interested in..Written by a guy who hunts salt with multifreq rigs...(Seahunter34)
I do not have one...YET...But I sure am thinking about it for all the reasons you mentioned...
Mud

 

[Jason73]

I just checked out the DP W UW ... Interesting.. Thanks mudpuppy.​

 

[mrwilburino]

I own both the CTX and Deus. A lot of questions there but I'll give it a shot:

Besides the waterproofing of the 3030 what does it have that is a must over the e trac?.......... Performance-wise, nothing that is a must
Are the numbers the same?.......... Yes
Can I use my mac for making my own programs and setting?.......... Don't know
Is the weight really an issue?.......... The 5.2lb CTX actually feels lighter and is easier to swing (IMO) than the poorly balanced 4.8lb Etrac; however, if you're having serious shoulder issues, then I wouldn't recommend either of these machines without using some type of detector sling
swinging a 8 LBS sledge hammer?.......... Never tried that
Is the wireless any good-- whats battery life?.......... Wireless is great on both CTX and Deus. Not sure about battery life on the CTX; usually don't hunt more than about 5 hours or so and always re-charge after a hunt. After 3 years with the Deus, still getting 13 hours on a full charge.
New vs used?.......... Used
Some 3030 had some issues when put into production. (speakers not working-- leaks.) Is it well balanced?.......... 0 issues with mine, although never used it in the water. Perfectly balanced.
I generally go to the beach twice a year and mostly in the winter months--- out of 5 days it usually rains 2........... Salt beaches? Multifrequency is a must. Just twice a year? Borrow or rent a machine, or pick up an old, used CZ.
Does the etrac leak easily if a little rain hits it. and what is the recovery speed like?.......... Don't know. Slow.
Does it compare to my AT PRO?.......... Never used the AT
I was also thinking about the xp deus but is it any good on my southern beaches?.......... Since it only uses one frequency at a time, probably not the best for a salt beach.
ANY known issues I should know?.......... No
I'm 5-9 and 160lbs and dislike only detecting 1 hour before the weight tears my arms off. (bad shoulders) and ready don't want to buy extra gear to hold the coil up........... Get the Deus

 

[Jason73]

Thank you for your comments​