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E-TRAC DEAD OR ALIVE ???????????

S

St Bernard

New member
Is the E-TRAC dead or alive?? I know this detector has been around for quite awhile from when it was released. technology has really advanced in the last few years. Do you think the new E600 and the new E800 will kill the sales for the E-TRAC being a lot cheaper and latest technology from Minelab to buy? The FBS technology has proven it self many times for many people. I am thinking later this year or first of next year getting the E-TRAC because of its proven track record. We know how deep the detector will find coins etc and it will take time to see if the E800 can out do it better than the E-TRAC. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks Bill
 
The Etrac and CTX are in a class by themselves still today. The Equinox is not comparable except by name.
 
All I will say is the CTX 3030 didn't kill the Etrac and I am sure the Equinox will not kill the CTX 3030. They are all great machines. Minelab has some winner's.
 
I think those 2 detectors will still be alive and kicking for years n years.

Proven platform, reliable and those who use them as their primary unit continue to make great finds.

My E and CZ's will be in the arsenal forever.
 
I think it will still be a long time before technology advances far enough to consider the mighty E trac dead. FAKE NEWS. lol
 
IMHO,for what the FBS/FBS2 machines have found for ME....until someone comes up with a video screen SHOWING YOU THE TARGET IN THE GROUND,Explorers,eTracs and CTXs will continue to be at the very pinnacle of deep coin hunting. As with any machine,if you know it very well,you will be successful.
 
I agree. I have an Etrac, and based on a few sessions with the Equinox, while it has some advantages in trashy ground, the Equinox is unlikely to push the Etrac aside. Machines like the Deus and Impact might be another story.
 
Are you kidding???----It will take more than any Equinox to "kill" an Etrac!----Minelab themselves never made that claim--quite the opposite in fact.----Perhaps get an Equinox if you want to "compliment" an Etrac but a Equinox sure isn't going to beat an Etrac at what it does best which is find deep silver/coppers.
 
Just my opinion ...
Technology is advancing rapidly and new machines are being produced at an accelerated rate.
But I believe that when the dust settles the Minelab E-Trac will always be considered on of the best metal detectors that was ever produced.

But whoever manufactures the first machine that can tell the difference between a pop top and gold - will rule the world ! :yo:
 
Yep....E-trac is still Top Dog to me....And lets not forget the Sunray Probe...The feeling when hunting deep coins(That are deep and sound like iron)..to be able to put probe in hole and iron nulls.....No digging for that iron!!! and the Minelab 35 probe..iron disc....Well ..that is not to great...Wish it was at least two tones...instead of a solid noise..........
 
The new technologies like Lipstick on a pig when it comes to comparing to the FBS technology. Until they come out with new technology that is superior stick with what you know
 
One does have to consider the weight issue. The E-trac and CTX can tear your arm to pieces, never mind the harness you can attach yourself to, that just makes the point moot. They are all good machines but there is the health and comfort factor as well.
 
D&P-OR said:
Hey----Wared u git dat piture uf me???:yikes:;)
Click to expand...

:lol: And it’s not even photo shopped Del!

I agree the FBS machines tend to have some weight,it helps ALOT when you’re digging targets every 3-4 minutes and FOR 3-4 minutes, instead of swinging for long periods of time between finds. But for WHAT they find...unless a guy CANNOT physically do it,there are few alternative machines that provide the detail of information they provide via audio AND visually with the Smart Screen/FECO readout. And by “few” I mean “none”. Just my VERY biased 2c...
 
IDXMonster said:
Hey----Wared u git dat piture uf me???:yikes:;)

:lol: And it’s not even photo shopped Del!

I agree the FBS machines tend to have some weight,it helps ALOT when you’re digging targets every 3-4 minutes and FOR 3-4 minutes, instead of swinging for long periods of time between finds. But for WHAT they find...unless a guy CANNOT physically do it,there are few alternative machines that provide the detail of information they provide via audio AND visually with the Smart Screen/FECO readout. And by “few” I mean “none”. Just my VERY biased 2c...
Click to expand...

Agreed IDX. I must be in some kind of minority as I really don't find the E-Trac to be all that heavy. Swung it on Saturday for 8 hours up and down the hills in the woods at a Civil War camp site without any problem. I get it if someone is of an advanced age, has a physical limitation or injury and they think it is a heavy machine but I do not see that being any fault of the actual machine. The Whites V3i which I do not believe has any better balance and weighs 4 1/2 pounds (a full pound heavier than the E-Trac) and I never hear anyone complaining about it's weight.
 
cz70pro said:
Hey----Wared u git dat piture uf me???:yikes:;)

:lol: And it’s not even photo shopped Del!

I agree the FBS machines tend to have some weight,it helps ALOT when you’re digging targets every 3-4 minutes and FOR 3-4 minutes, instead of swinging for long periods of time between finds. But for WHAT they find...unless a guy CANNOT physically do it,there are few alternative machines that provide the detail of information they provide via audio AND visually with the Smart Screen/FECO readout. And by “few” I mean “none”. Just my VERY biased 2c...

Agreed IDX. I must be in some kind of minority as I really don't find the E-Trac to be all that heavy. Swung it on Saturday for 8 hours up and down the hills in the woods at a Civil War camp site without any problem. I get it if someone is of an advanced age, has a physical limitation or injury and they think it is a heavy machine but I do not see that being any fault of the actual machine. The Whites V3i which I do not believe has any better balance and weighs 4 1/2 pounds (a full pound heavier than the E-Trac) and I never hear anyone complaining about it's weight.
Click to expand...

CZ,you bring up a point that I’ve wondered about. I know the V3i is Whites flagship but I hear very little chatter about people finding a lot of stuff with them. Even in the main detecting forums,there’s just not a whole lot of conversation. Are V3i owners closet hunters or is everything posted on the sub forums? It’s kind of odd,but then again maybe I’m not looking at everything coming across the boards. There seems to be Minelab stuff EVERYWHERE,and a lot of people making good finds.
You have your eTrac in the woods relic hunting? Don’t you know they’re no good for that? You need something lighter,faster,cheaper,more accurate with better depth!;)
 
IDXMonster said:
Hey----Wared u git dat piture uf me???:yikes:;)

:lol: And it’s not even photo shopped Del!

I agree the FBS machines tend to have some weight,it helps ALOT when you’re digging targets every 3-4 minutes and FOR 3-4 minutes, instead of swinging for long periods of time between finds. But for WHAT they find...unless a guy CANNOT physically do it,there are few alternative machines that provide the detail of information they provide via audio AND visually with the Smart Screen/FECO readout. And by “few” I mean “none”. Just my VERY biased 2c...

Agreed IDX. I must be in some kind of minority as I really don't find the E-Trac to be all that heavy. Swung it on Saturday for 8 hours up and down the hills in the woods at a Civil War camp site without any problem. I get it if someone is of an advanced age, has a physical limitation or injury and they think it is a heavy machine but I do not see that being any fault of the actual machine. The Whites V3i which I do not believe has any better balance and weighs 4 1/2 pounds (a full pound heavier than the E-Trac) and I never hear anyone complaining about it's weight.


CZ,you bring up a point that I’ve wondered about. I know the V3i is Whites flagship but I hear very little chatter about people finding a lot of stuff with them. Even in the main detecting forums,there’s just not a whole lot of conversation. Are V3i owners closet hunters or is everything posted on the sub forums? It’s kind of odd,but then again maybe I’m not looking at everything coming across the boards. There seems to be Minelab stuff EVERYWHERE,and a lot of people making good finds.
You have your eTrac in the woods relic hunting? Don’t you know they’re no good for that? You need something lighter,faster,cheaper,more accurate with better depth!;)
Click to expand...

What was I thinking? I wish I had heard from you before venturing into the woods to relic hunt only armed with an E-Trac! Just as well I guess, as I managed to pull 11 bullets from a severely hunted out site. In the first two hours , I found two with the stock coil and then we decided to try and switch to the small coils and see what happened. After putting my X-5 on I was amazed to find 9 more bullets. We don't think the site had ever been hunted with a small coil. I will say it over and over, the E-Trac is a severely under rated relic hunter. I have dug 3 ringers at the 11-12 inch marks several times with my E-Trac.

Speaking of flagships, look at Garrett's sorry excuse for one. I will never understand why they have not brought out a new one all these years. Same tired old tech GTI 2500 machine sits on top year after year. I guess they are bringing enough bacon home with the AT line which is a great machine for the money. (although I think the Nox is cutting into their sales quite a bit right now)

As for the V3i, I have wondered the very same thing. I rarely see them post finds and when I do see them it is usually a silver dime or two. Most of the conversation is about how to tweek the settings. There are a couple of good White's machines out there like the MXT lineup but the last time I swung a White's was when I had my Spectrum XLT. I liked it alright but I never thought I was getting very good depth with it. I was a long time Garrett user with the ADS and Freedom II machines but at the time, Garrett only had it's GTI lineup which I had tried and hated, I decided to move to something else and went to my dealer. Went home with a new CZ-70Pro and CZ-20. Awesome machines with real depth. I only wish I had not listened to people back then saying the Minelabs were too hard to use as I would have gone with an Explorer.
 
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