After careful research and comparison I made the big plunge and ordered an Equinox 800, a 6" coil with lower rod and a power pack. I wanted to have a detector that I could use to hunt in shallow water in lakes and at the beach. I also decided that I wanted a multifrequency detector. I noticed that the people in my metal detecting club who seemed to do the best were the ones who used Minelabs. The Equinox 800 filled all these requirements. Right now, I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas to arrive. Tomorrow my detector is supposed to arrive (keeping my fingers crossed). The suspense is killing me. Do you know the feeling?