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Sand Shark users Pros / Cons
- Thread starter scrooge
- Start date
Stable performance.
Balances very well and is easy to swing for long periods.
A good set of alkaline batteries last longer than advertised battery life.
The more time I spend with the Sand Shark the deeper I am hearing and digging targets.
If the beach is real trashy or has a lot of big iron, you may want a detector with discrimination and not the Sand Shark. You will dig pretty much everything with the Sand Shark.
Most beaches I have been to, I am now leaning towards the Sand Shark as my preferred detector for the wet sand and in the water hunting.
tvr
Balances very well and is easy to swing for long periods.
A good set of alkaline batteries last longer than advertised battery life.
The more time I spend with the Sand Shark the deeper I am hearing and digging targets.
If the beach is real trashy or has a lot of big iron, you may want a detector with discrimination and not the Sand Shark. You will dig pretty much everything with the Sand Shark.
Most beaches I have been to, I am now leaning towards the Sand Shark as my preferred detector for the wet sand and in the water hunting.
tvr
grumpyolman
New member
One is a VLF and the other is a PI. Sort of like comparing a car with a truck. They both do the job but one is designed for a different job than the other. Both are good quality units and both find stuff. You wanna dig everything? Go with the PI and have a long shovel. You need to discriminate the iron because of your hunting site, use the VLF. An easy solution is to get them both. I am becoming a believer that every serious detectorist need both a PI and a VLF, and needs to know how to use both with equal skill. Jim
AUDuke said:
Just purchased the "Sand Shark" it is a PI machine that is well built and a good price. I'm thinking of going to the ocean tomorrow evening to give it a test run.
Tesoro make another water detector that is VLF and it is the "Tiger Shark", a little more expensive.
The Detector Pro PI machine is called the Headhunter Pulse. I like the concept of all the electronics in the headphones and I like the look of the 11 inch coil. Coil looks streamlined and like it may not have a lot of drag through the water.
I have not used one; but it sure looks promising.
Detector Pro is only rated for 6 feet deep in the water ... Sand Shark rated for 200 feet water depth; that implies a significant difference in resistance between the two to water getting into the circuits. For anyone who just walks into the water and doesn't dive, it may not present much of a real difference.
I got a great price on a used Sand Shark a while back and it has not disappointed. Some day I would like to try out the Detector Pro; of course there are a lot of detectors I would like to try.
Cheers,
tvr
I have not used one; but it sure looks promising.
Detector Pro is only rated for 6 feet deep in the water ... Sand Shark rated for 200 feet water depth; that implies a significant difference in resistance between the two to water getting into the circuits. For anyone who just walks into the water and doesn't dive, it may not present much of a real difference.
I got a great price on a used Sand Shark a while back and it has not disappointed. Some day I would like to try out the Detector Pro; of course there are a lot of detectors I would like to try.
Cheers,
tvr
offgridman
New member
My Tesoro Sand Shark arrived today. I am heading to the water in the AM.
I will let you know how it works out. I have had three cheapo detectors and just recently got a Garrett Ace 250 while I was waiting on the Sand Shark to arrive.
The Garrett I am really pleased with so far. Seems to have been perfect for what I wanted it for - The dry sand areas and some land use. I am thrilled with the discrimination function of it. I am having to use the pinpoint button and that is different but not a big deal. I dug several targets with it already and even when I don't use the pinpoint feature I am off only a inch or two at most.
I plan on having the wife dry beach hunt while I surf hunt. She is excited to try it. God I hope she finds something. I have even considered salting her hunts.. Just kidding.
Back to the Sand Shark. I am pretty much pleased with it so far remember I have only used it for a total of ten minutes.
There is a small issue of the control box not lining up with the mounting pins(4) properly under my arm. I will have to take another look at that. I have to exert upward pressure to force the last pin to fit and pop through the hole. I am worried the control box may fall off in the surf. I will keep and eye on that.
As far as the drop in battery pack of the S.S. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have a old whites 2900 pro that has never worked 100% right because of the &*&^
drop in battery pack making a poor connection most of the time. I even have to shake or slap the thing around sometimes.
I would have reconsidered the SS detector had I known it was a drop in pack. Using a friction connection like this for a power source are a no no in my one experience.
They just don't hold up over time. In all fairness the Whites had pointed connectors contacting a small flat square pad and this one has 1/4inch square ones on both sides with lots more surface area so it may be OK.
Time will tell. It was nice that both of these detectors ACE & S.S came with battery's already installed. A nice touch.
Headphones have lots of adjustment and seem to fit OK. I would have liked a speaker option just so I could take the them off sometimes. I think the heat build up under them will be bad.
Time will tell. I am on Mon Louis island and it Is a real jungle here. I am worried about skin rashes using headphones all the time. Head rot would not be nice
I wonder why Tesoro does not have a speaker box accessory that screws in like the coil connector does? Then I could unscrew headphones & connect a speaker box, when I wanted a speaker?
Heck it could even have a water proof switch and another head phone connector on it so I could switch back and forth on the go. Hmmmmm. Easily would be worth $50 more to me. Oh well.
Wish in one hand *(&* in the other I guess.
The balance feels right and the weight of the thing is pretty light. After I swing it four or five hours I will report back on this.
It came with some very small single use grease packs about five of them for the control box seal. Nice, touch.
The Velcro ties provided for the coil wire are too few and to short. (2ea) should have been 1/2 inch longer and I need at least four of them. Walmart here I come.
Now the function. Adjusting the frequency as they call it, I call it the Pitch or what it SOUNDS like.
This was a piece of cake and takes all of a couple of minutes to do and is only need one time unless you change it.
Turn on knob to "F" position and then us the threshold knob to set it to what ever sound you like.
It only took two minutes because I was trying several settings and air testing the coil with gold, iron and silver to see what it sounded like.
Making the sound to be something I like Is a big plus. I think this feature will be one I really like.
Once frequency (sound) was set where I wanted it readjusting the threshold took but a quick twist of the Threshold setting knob after returning the "F" knob to normal setting.
Now, I really like how it sounds when I am air testing. I am amazed at the distance it is sounding off at, at least twice that of the Ace 250.
I am going to beach hunt or brackish water ( about 1 mile off the gulf ) swimming hole hunt tomorrow depending on the storm possibility in the morning.
I just finished power washing and bleaching the mildew off my pontoon boat so I am set for the river this weekend.
Wish me luck,
More later
Offgridman
I will let you know how it works out. I have had three cheapo detectors and just recently got a Garrett Ace 250 while I was waiting on the Sand Shark to arrive.
The Garrett I am really pleased with so far. Seems to have been perfect for what I wanted it for - The dry sand areas and some land use. I am thrilled with the discrimination function of it. I am having to use the pinpoint button and that is different but not a big deal. I dug several targets with it already and even when I don't use the pinpoint feature I am off only a inch or two at most.
I plan on having the wife dry beach hunt while I surf hunt. She is excited to try it. God I hope she finds something. I have even considered salting her hunts.. Just kidding.
Back to the Sand Shark. I am pretty much pleased with it so far remember I have only used it for a total of ten minutes.
There is a small issue of the control box not lining up with the mounting pins(4) properly under my arm. I will have to take another look at that. I have to exert upward pressure to force the last pin to fit and pop through the hole. I am worried the control box may fall off in the surf. I will keep and eye on that.
As far as the drop in battery pack of the S.S. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have a old whites 2900 pro that has never worked 100% right because of the &*&^
drop in battery pack making a poor connection most of the time. I even have to shake or slap the thing around sometimes.
I would have reconsidered the SS detector had I known it was a drop in pack. Using a friction connection like this for a power source are a no no in my one experience.
They just don't hold up over time. In all fairness the Whites had pointed connectors contacting a small flat square pad and this one has 1/4inch square ones on both sides with lots more surface area so it may be OK.
Time will tell. It was nice that both of these detectors ACE & S.S came with battery's already installed. A nice touch.
Headphones have lots of adjustment and seem to fit OK. I would have liked a speaker option just so I could take the them off sometimes. I think the heat build up under them will be bad.
Time will tell. I am on Mon Louis island and it Is a real jungle here. I am worried about skin rashes using headphones all the time. Head rot would not be nice
I wonder why Tesoro does not have a speaker box accessory that screws in like the coil connector does? Then I could unscrew headphones & connect a speaker box, when I wanted a speaker?
Heck it could even have a water proof switch and another head phone connector on it so I could switch back and forth on the go. Hmmmmm. Easily would be worth $50 more to me. Oh well.
Wish in one hand *(&* in the other I guess.
The balance feels right and the weight of the thing is pretty light. After I swing it four or five hours I will report back on this.
It came with some very small single use grease packs about five of them for the control box seal. Nice, touch.
The Velcro ties provided for the coil wire are too few and to short. (2ea) should have been 1/2 inch longer and I need at least four of them. Walmart here I come.
Now the function. Adjusting the frequency as they call it, I call it the Pitch or what it SOUNDS like.
This was a piece of cake and takes all of a couple of minutes to do and is only need one time unless you change it.
Turn on knob to "F" position and then us the threshold knob to set it to what ever sound you like.
It only took two minutes because I was trying several settings and air testing the coil with gold, iron and silver to see what it sounded like.
Making the sound to be something I like Is a big plus. I think this feature will be one I really like.
Once frequency (sound) was set where I wanted it readjusting the threshold took but a quick twist of the Threshold setting knob after returning the "F" knob to normal setting.
Now, I really like how it sounds when I am air testing. I am amazed at the distance it is sounding off at, at least twice that of the Ace 250.
I am going to beach hunt or brackish water ( about 1 mile off the gulf ) swimming hole hunt tomorrow depending on the storm possibility in the morning.
I just finished power washing and bleaching the mildew off my pontoon boat so I am set for the river this weekend.
Wish me luck,
More later
Offgridman
grumpyolman
New member
You are right. Must have been drifiting somewhere other than here. Sorry about that. Don't have a clue, originally, why I was thinking the comparison was between a Sand and Tiger. Jim
offgridman
New member
Yes, I spent about three hours of it in the water.
I really really like the Sand Shark, I don't know if I just got lucky but I dug very little trash in the water. I found a hoop earring, a pair of Rayban sunglasses which came up folded up without damage in the scoop from about 8 or more inches down in the sand. I also found a ring, not a valuable one but my first ring. Also dug about three bucks in change.
Nothing to brag about for you guys but a raging success for me.
My overall opinion of the Sand Shark so far is it has great electronics and the deepest scanning detector I have ever used.
It was clean crisp and a pleasure to use. I only got a little chatter at all during the day and was able to get rid of 99% of it by making a quick adjustment.( End of day I was exhausted so It could have been me)
I cannot wait to get a day off and get back in the water with it.
I would not recommend anyone ever buy this detector, as a matter of fact I insist you never ever get one.
The darn thing is just too good at what it does and I want to find some treasure so please do not get one.
Now after working it a couple hours the coil was floating up a little on me just enough so I would notice it, but I had the control box mounted under my arm.
I have since moved it to the normal under the bar position. Best for in the water usage place for it I think.
I love the VCO mode it is great when you hit a target and the surf is knocking me around and I know the target is over there somewhere. VCO really sounds off to find it easier.
It does get old listening to it for a long time and I found I was switching normal mode on, locating target and then activating VCO mode to pinpoint.
I dug targets deeper than I thought possible, the ring was pretty deep.not exactly sure how deep but I took three scoops out of the hole to get it. The last one was vertical with the scoop and I have the large pro aluminum Reilly's scoop with the stainless lip.
More when I go on my next dig with it.
Offgridman
I really really like the Sand Shark, I don't know if I just got lucky but I dug very little trash in the water. I found a hoop earring, a pair of Rayban sunglasses which came up folded up without damage in the scoop from about 8 or more inches down in the sand. I also found a ring, not a valuable one but my first ring. Also dug about three bucks in change.
Nothing to brag about for you guys but a raging success for me.
My overall opinion of the Sand Shark so far is it has great electronics and the deepest scanning detector I have ever used.
It was clean crisp and a pleasure to use. I only got a little chatter at all during the day and was able to get rid of 99% of it by making a quick adjustment.( End of day I was exhausted so It could have been me)
I cannot wait to get a day off and get back in the water with it.
I would not recommend anyone ever buy this detector, as a matter of fact I insist you never ever get one.
The darn thing is just too good at what it does and I want to find some treasure so please do not get one.
Now after working it a couple hours the coil was floating up a little on me just enough so I would notice it, but I had the control box mounted under my arm.
I have since moved it to the normal under the bar position. Best for in the water usage place for it I think.
I love the VCO mode it is great when you hit a target and the surf is knocking me around and I know the target is over there somewhere. VCO really sounds off to find it easier.
It does get old listening to it for a long time and I found I was switching normal mode on, locating target and then activating VCO mode to pinpoint.
I dug targets deeper than I thought possible, the ring was pretty deep.not exactly sure how deep but I took three scoops out of the hole to get it. The last one was vertical with the scoop and I have the large pro aluminum Reilly's scoop with the stainless lip.
More when I go on my next dig with it.
Offgridman