DetectingWales.com

Can anyone recommend a good beach detector please ? It needs to be light as I am now ancient and needs to be able to take wet sand. I don't want a PI as I can't manage the amount of digging any more but the beach is still producing massively. I use a Tesoro Hawkeye and its brilliant but it can't manage the wet sand. I can spend up to £500 and quite happy with second hand.
             Would appreciate anyone's thoughts/knowledge and experience.

Although it maybe a little heavier than you want you will not beat a Minelab Sovereign, any model on the wet sand.
You should be able to pick up a pre-used model for around the £300 mark and you will not be sorry....PaulB.

As Paul says the Sov is second to none, but very heavy, but u can buy hip mount bag for it, which is Great and makes sov easy to use weight wise, also if u can get one on a straight shaft makes balance evan better...
Goodluck

You didnt give any idea of budget win ! Any of the Minelabs but they are all a bit heavy.  They can all be picked up at a reasonable price. The Sovereign is usualy harder to find.
The all out current favourite is the Equinox. Either the 600 at £679  or the 800 at
£879. Either will do you proud wherever you want to use.
No doubt you’ve heard many good reports on them and they will do everything you want and they are realy light weight.

He put budget up to £500 val... :)

So he did. Memory retention of a goldfish these days and that’s assuming it registered in the first place ::)

Hmmm that narrows it down a bit win. I’ve got an ExTerra 705 doing nothing, nice and light but I only took it to the beach once so can’t comment on beach proficiency as I didn’t use enough to get the settings sorted.
If anyone knows if it’s any good on the beach you’re welcome to it at a budget price.

Thanks for all your comments and recommendations. I think the Minelabs would be too heavy for me though. Thanks for the offer of your  ExTerra Val, I might be interested if it can cope with wet sand.

Makro Racer are supposed to be very capable on the wet sand Win, and well balanced ,lighter than most, take a look on you tube beach reviews...

                             If it's wet saline beach sand you are going to be detecting I suggest that you steer clear of any of the Quest detectors. Although reasonably light and ergonomically designed my Quest Q40 hates wet sand, even in beach mode and now wish that I had perhaps gone for a Racer. 

I have a Makro Racer II that I don't use, with 5", standard and Goliath coils.

When I've remembered who I lent it to, then I'll probably be selling it. I used it 6 times myself.

How was it on wet sand and what price would you be thinking of?

Hey ! :)

Im sure u would get first offer on it win, as it was your post to begin with  ;)

I was thinking of Win when I asked the price!

 ;)

No idea on wet sand - I bought it because I really liked the T2 (I'll get mine back one day!) - and it should be the same but better.

It's much lighter than the Minelabs I have :)

It did get used on a beach in Norfolk once - but I can't remember if I used it or my boy used it - as I took my ETRAC as well (I think!) - I found 5p - but it was a flint pebble beach mainly.

As to price - I don't know really - haven't researched that yet. I was bought with standard and 5" coil - that cost me £420, and the Goliath coil cost me £165 and was used once.

I've just put a shout out on GDC to ask who I lent it too - they used it for (as far as I know) one rally, with the standard coil.

btw I live in Cardiff, but postage - for my last detector was about £15 insured.

Sensible and fair offers would be welcomed - but bear in mind it might be a few weeks before I can get it back :)

Its OK, thanks for your interest and advice. I think for the price I want to pay I couldn't do better than an X-Terra 705, probably what I'll go for.

Win, as the beach is your main interest and I can’t say one way or the other about how good it is, would you like me to ask around and see what response I get ?
I’d hate you to buy a bum steer from anyone, especially me  :o

thanks Val. I have sent you a message.