Best metal detector for kids?

[Goldfreak]

I got one of those gold finds for my 6 yr old last year. It's not a bad unit. You will find most six year olds including my son don't have much patience with bottle tops so to make up for it I sneak coins into the sand when he is not looking and let him find them. Nice to see the excitement on his face.

 

[mudgee hunter]

OMG! You newbies amaze me! Dont waste their talent, at that age... you can sling a harness around them and drop them down a mine soo easily. Then drop a hammer down it, be safe and give the kid a hard hat with a miners headlamp, a rope with a bucket..... then give them some daylight activities like crushing the ore up top!
You guys will catch on. Romania has it all figured out for you.

 

[purplealster]

Good evening!

My son was given some cash from his two grandmothers for Xmas and has his heart set on a metal detector. He really wants to use it mainly on the beach - is there a specific beginner detector that we should be looking at that can withstand being in the water? We don't want anything too expensive as he is paying for it himself however we will put some money towards it if it is more expensive than what his funds will allow. Would prefer something that has no more than 3 numbers in the price.
There are a few that I have seen for e.g the bounty hunter, the Garrett Ace 150 and the Garret Ace 250 - my husband says just buy one, anyone one. Seeing as it is one of my boy's first independent purchases, I don't want to see him wasting his money on something that isn't that great and I am trying to get him to learn the art of research instead of impulsive buying.

The Garret Ace 250 is probably something that we would consider the most and it has good reviews but is it waterproof enough for the beach?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Adrienne

 

[7.62marksman]

hi and welcome to the forum
just give the guys and girls some time to come online and i am sure they will help you out
i wont recommend any as i do panning and such ] ]

 

[7.62marksman]

 

[DetectingSA]

The ace 250 is from the old ace series, the new ones are 300 400 however they're not designed for the beach. I have a 400 and while I can use it on the beach for the dry sand, it requires some tweaking to do so on the wet sand. And I've heard from other forum users that perhaps it misses some signals due to not being designed for the beach.

There are some detectors specifically designed for beach I can't remember heir names at the moment and I don't know their price range but someone will.

For a youngster I'd suggest a go find 20, 40 or 60. It folds down to a small size and is light, while it doesn't do good on the wet sand it does fine on the dry stuff but the coil is waterproof

 

[silver]

I have one of these
(The middle one)
But they do seem to only last so long and are heavy on land (even for me) after a while.

heres a review site for underwater detectors
https://www.metaldetector.com/learn...reviewing-the-best-underwater-metal-detectors
That garrett at pro says it is waterproof to 10 feet, so even if he takes a tumble into the surf it'll survive.
Here's that part of the above link
(Cheeky shortcut :lol: )
https://www.metaldetector.com/garrett-at-pro-metal-detector

 

[Maldon Gold Centre]

my husband says just buy one, anyone one. Seeing as it is one of my boy's first independent purchases, I don't want to see him wasting his money on something that isn't that great and I am trying to get him to learn the art of research instead of impulsive buying.

One of the problems with buying any detector is that on certain marketplaces like eBay there are thousands of cheap, nasty, copycat detectors that just wont work.

There are also fake Garrett, Fisher and other detectors and plenty of them get sold to people who end up out of pocket on junk.

Whatever you buy, buy from a dealer located in Australia. If you need after sales service you'll be able to get it.

As for detectors meeting your requirements I would recommend the Garrett AT Pro or the Makro Racer.

 

[Nakan]

Hi,

If your son is not in a desperate rush to buy, I'd hold out for the release of the Minelab Equinox 600. It is fully submersible to 3m, comes with wired headphones (many people believe headphones are a must), in built battery which is usb rechargeable, should just keep you in 3 numbers on price and most of all, the latest tech which should see your son with an excellent detector for years to come.

 

[Jaros]

Just spotted this - nice kids gift.
http://news.mydeal.com.au/t/i-l-blkuikk-chrbjrjj-tk/

 

[user 4485]

Along the same lines as an Aldi I'd reckon Jaros

 

[Jaros]

Sure looks like it.

 

[silver]

You should start off with a cheapie anyway ]

 

[purplealster]

Thanks everyone for your input - it is much appreciated.

Some of the suggestions look great however just a little out of his price range. I think for now, he will have to stick to dry sand and if he is desperate for one that can do beach water, he can spend the next few years saving for one.

Thanks again - Adrienne

 

[silver]

He might find enough money for one. :Y:

 

[PhaseTech]

Yep, one decent ring and bam, water machine

 

[Graybeard]

It's hard getting a rolls royce for holden prices. I could sell you my old aldi detector for $75 (postage not included) It would be ok for the beach, just don't take it swimming.

 

[Tiezto]

The Garrett Ace 300i will work on the dry sand and the coil is submersible. Great for coins and jewelry on dry land too. Easy to use and under $500. Comes with headphones, enviro cover and coil protector too which many of them dont. It might be a good start. Plenty of stuff in the dry sand to find too. As said above, wont be the best in the wet stuff but will keep the youngen interested enough.

*i have recently purchased one myself.

 

[Secret Squirrels]

Hi Adrienne, Everyone will tell you that their detector is the best, including me. This is because so many detectors are really good. The best advice i can give is to inform your son that no matter what detector (or equipment) he intends to sink his hard earned into, the most reassuring way to purchase, and cheaper in the long run, is to find a local dealer and have a chat to them. Tell them what your requirements are and let them know you will become a loyal customer in exchange for the right/best advice on the detector that fits your criteria.

Secondly, and most importantly, an honest assessment of your son is required. Does he have patience, perseverance, problem solving skills and determination. If the answer to this is no or not yet then a cheaper quality detector such as a go find will be an ideal trial (see if i like the hobby) machine without wasting valuable coin on something that gets discarded when he realises the commitment involved. If the answer is yes, then he needs to get the best detector that his available cash can buy, then save the money from selling his finds to upgrade when affordable.

Feel free to have a look at my thread (or any other members) to see the finds we make with the machines we use. I always say "proof is in the pudding" or "a picture say's a thousand words". But, please remember, those of us that find the good stuff, put a lot of time into research, machine intimacy, learning and time on ground. They say there is a lot of luck involved, but i am a firm believer that the consistently lucky are the hardest workers.

Whether your son wants to just have some fun detecting, or whether he wants to have a serious go, will ultimately be the deciding factor on the type of machine suitable. Either way it is a a great hobby and i wish you many happy days swinging and the best of luck (skills). :Y: arty: :rainbow:

Regards, Reg.

Thanks everyone for your input - it is much appreciated.

Some of the suggestions look great however just a little out of his price range. I think for now, he will have to stick to dry sand and if he is desperate for one that can do beach water, he can spend the next few years saving for one.

Thanks again - Adrienne

 

[Tiezto]

Hi Adrienne, Everyone will tell you that their detector is the best, including me. This is because so many detectors are really good. The best advice i can give is to inform your son that no matter what detector (or equipment) he intends to sink his hard earned into, the most reassuring way to purchase, and cheaper in the long run, is to find a local dealer and have a chat to them. Tell them what your requirements are and let them know you will become a loyal customer in exchange for the right/best advice on the detector that fits your criteria.

Secondly, and most importantly, an honest assessment of your son is required. Does he have patience, perseverance, problem solving skills and determination. If the answer to this is no or not yet then a cheaper quality detector such as a go find will be an ideal trial (see if i like the hobby) machine without wasting valuable coin on something that gets discarded when he realises the commitment involved. If the answer is yes, then he needs to get the best detector that his available cash can buy, then save the money from selling his finds to upgrade when affordable.

Feel free to have a look at my thread (or any other members) to see the finds we make with the machines we use. I always say "proof is in the pudding" or "a picture say's a thousand words". But, please remember, those of us that find the good stuff, put a lot of time into research, machine intimacy, learning and time on ground. They say there is a lot of luck involved, but i am a firm believer that the consistently lucky are the hardest workers.

Whether your son wants to just have some fun detecting, or whether he wants to have a serious go, will ultimately be the deciding factor on the type of machine suitable. Either way it is a a great hobby and i wish you many happy days swinging and the best of luck (skills). :Y: arty: :rainbow:

Regards, Reg.

Thanks everyone for your input - it is much appreciated.

Some of the suggestions look great however just a little out of his price range. I think for now, he will have to stick to dry sand and if he is desperate for one that can do beach water, he can spend the next few years saving for one.

Thanks again - Adrienne

Very well said Reg. Solid advice.