DetectingWales.com

So when I first started metal detecting I took me, the detector and a trowel, with a carrier bag for any finds I managed to dig out with the trowel. Soon got fed up with the carrier bag after I discovered that bits of metal are capable of chewing holes in carrier bags. Got fed up with the trowel too and custom-made a fancy, effective digging tool.

This dramatically increased the amount of stuff I could dig out  so I made myself a fancy finds pouch with a waist belt and two compartments - one for rubbish and one for 'desirables . . . ' Discovered then that the rubbish compartment soon overflowed into the 'desirables' compartent, so took to carrying a zip-lok bag for them.

The weather was getting a bit parky by then so I started wearing an ex-work multi-pocketed bodywarmer - had pockets everywhere so I could carry a pinpointer, magnifying glass, a magnet, PDA (GPS-equipped, and with a spreadsheet for programs for the detector) spare gloves - all sorts. And of course a secure pocket for the all-important zip-lok bag.

We extended our territory shortly after that - another 250-acre permission. The furthest reaches were a fair trek from the car so getting back for lunch became a nuisance. It was also part-way into the rainy season by then so when I saw a heavy-duty waterproof jacket at a car boot sale for a fiver it was a no-brainer. Only thing was it was it was ex-Army so naturally it was DPM . . .  :D

The weather was showery - we didn't tend to go out if it was chucking it down first thing - and lugging the coat about while it was dry became an issue. I do a lot of walking so have a few rucksacks around so pressed one into service as a detecting rucksack. Handy for the flask and sandwiches - saved walking back to the car to eat (more detecting time too  ;)) The only fly in the ointment now was that it would have been nice to have somewhere dry to sit whilst eating . . . No problem - I have a couple of roll-up seating mats my wife and I used on walks. Into the rucksack they went.

Then I noticed that my butties were getting squashed in the rucksack's only compartment . . . At a car boot sale last Sunday and Lo! and Behold! - a decent sized rucksack. With pockets big enough for the flask and mats. And a separate zipped compartment in the lid for my dinner. Bargain at a fiver. Genuine ex-British Army - DPM naturally . . .  ::) No more squashed butties, plenty of room for my coat. Oh, and since I've now got space to spare I might as well take the standard polo coil as well as the 10" x 6" DD elliptical . . .

Went detecting yesterday with the flask in one of the outer pockets and found that the control box on the detector catches in the extra-wide rucksack on left-hand swings (I'm a southpaw) exactly where the headphones plug in. The seating mats were in the other side so I swapped them over - no, that doesn't work either . . .

So how do the rest of you guys (and gals . . . ) manage? Do you carry all the rubbish necessities that I do or are you all spartan grass-roots souls who just take the detector and a spade?

'Course, I could always take a golf trolley . . .

PS - I just previewed this before posting and noticed that where it says 'rubbish'  was where I originally put 'c**p . . .'

 Big Brother is watching . . .  :o

Lol ;D

Zen and the art of detecting.
Hi Cymro.
Before I came back to detecting, (after 40 years) my main hobby was Diving (SCUBA).
You start of with the basics, mask, fins, wet suit, cylinder, DV and weight belt, already quite a bit of kit. Then you want to be dry so you get a heavy dry suit, more air a bigger cylinder or twinset another DV, it's dark so you need a big torch, brass portholes need a hammer; chisel; crowbar and lifting bag(s): delayed surface marker buoy and even waterproof flares and a strobe in case they have to search for you after nightfall.
The reason I am rambling on, is that you begin to realise you are not enjoying your hobby as much as you used too, one reason being you are getting older and lugging all this kit around is hard work.
Therefore to cut this long story, short.
Detector, pinpointer, shovel and pouch, go back for drink, food or batteries, if you get wet, so what, you don't get colds and flu from being wet and cold, if you don't like getting cold, go back to the car and call it a day. Most of the stuff you are looking for has been there for over 100 years, another few days or weeks will not make much difference, and if someone else finds it, that's life.
If it gets to the point you are enjoying it not, review what you are doing or find an easier hobby. ???

Hi Greg,

Hmmm - I'm more familiar with Pursig's sister work - 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' where Phaedrus had driven himself mad trying to ponder on one of life's imponderables; 'What is quality . . . ' I can see the parallel you draw though.

So you fall into the KISS camp then? I'm not complaining about the hobby or all the kit I carry, by the way - I'm just wondering what floats everybody else's individual boat.

I've been so wet so many times during 40-odd years on bikes that there is no doubt that I don't like getting wet. So I carry a waterproof coat. The same applies to being cold. I went to the Elephant Rally at the Nurburgring in February 1976 where we were camping in (literally) sub-zero conditions in a couple of feet of snow. I was properly dressed for the occasion in jeans, tee-shirt and a Belstaff jacket and I took everything but the tee-shirt off to sleep. That could have been something to do with the local pear brandy though. . . Never used to feel the cold then but I'm 39 years older now and I really feel the cold so dress accordingly.

If I didn't have a drink with me I probably wouldn't bother going back to the car so would get dehydrated - did it one very hot day (THE very hot day . . . ) in June and paid the price the next day in terms of a banging headache and dark orange pee so I'd rather carry a drink than suffer the consequences. Et cetera.

But that's just me . . .

When I arrive on site I usually eat half my butties and gulp half my drink down..Thats for a starter ...Then I get the wife to carry my heavy spade ;D.. ;D

Toilet paper is a must u never know  ;)

Well,when I started this old detecting game I just couldn't believe just how little I needed,especially having just giving up the very addictive sport of sea angling, I could not believe how little I now needed to pursue this detecting !!!
So,with £30:00 worth of state of the art (bounty hunter ) technology I would gather up,!!! Well nothing really,it was sooo easy!!!
Then,I met up with this detectorist on a local beach who had all the gear!!plus a nice expensive looking detector,(a Garrett something),say to myself,"gotta getone,so,when it arrives,it comes with a pointer thing!!and a finds bag,oh,hang on that bloke had a spade,won't need the trowel then!!so off I go and get a  shovel,OK,get down to the beach,its getting a bit "parky" bigger jumper needed,then,detecting on land..!!first couple a trips out,WELLIES!!OK for a while,got ta get some boots!!,oh everybody else detecting in camo!!
God its now getting bl***y cold,got to get some thermals,+socks,+ gloves,also now a rucksack,small flask,camping stool,
NOW,by this time I have probably changed my detector at least FOUR times,spent money on extra coil covers etc,and now as I've gotten a bit older I find that I need a detecting harness!! And now I look at the amount of Detecting gear i have accumulated,and start totting up how much I have spent in just a few years it astounds me,but you know what? I wouldn't change a thing,and do I have any regrets? well yes actually I do,and thats I dearly wish that I had gotten into metal detecting About twenty five years earlier.
Thanks for looking👍

Myself I started like others, wronge machine, cheap pin probe, baby trowel and steeltoe cap boots, first hole I dug was like a bunker, learnt a lot from a friend, so after a few machines,  a few years learning, I now take two spades, that's after one trip, and one dig, snap, spare gloves, finds bag, headphones and bungee, all in the car, head light for night trips, beach not hawking, a drink or two, some grub, and also carry some bags, for wet weather, tape, utility knife ,and as I go mostly on my own now, I also carry a whistle, just in case I end up on my backside, without a phone signal.

Good tip on the whistle Jon,as you say especially if your on your own and get into difficulties!!!👍