Ronk, if you need convincing that you ought to buy the F70, then probably you shouldn't buy it. It's been said many times on these forums that what is a good machine to one person, is not necessarily good to another. It's not just soil conditions and hot rocks and such....most higher range detectors from reputable manufacturers will handle soil conditions if, as many here have said, the detector is set up properly, and how well the detector handles the conditions often depends on the operator. I believe that to enjoy using a detector and to do well with a detector, it has to be "right" for you, not someone else. If a detector has operating features which are desired by the purchaser, is well-balanced and physically comfortable to use and is within the price range which the purchaser is prepared to meet, then it is going a long way to being the "right" detector for many, but perhaps not all. Sure, we can pick up hints and opinions from others, and we can read up on the features of a given machine, and these help in our decision-making process. But the ultimate decisions whould be the purchaser's..because it is the purchaser who needs to be happy with the machine, not the person who recommended it. Good luck with your decisions. Of the three detectors you mentioned, all are very good, and all will serve you well, so long as you're happy with the one you get. HH, Pete.