Should I Buy An XLT - Yes or No ?

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Hi Guy's, A friend of mine that I go hunting with wants to upgrade from his Titan 3000.
He just got started coin & jewelry hunting last summer - we mainly hunt on old foundations for coins and state park beaches for coins & jewelery - here in Ohio.

He's considering a White's machine and I told him that I read a lot of good things about the White's XLT.
He likes the fact that the XLT comes with a rechargeable battery and a back light display - (he wants to do some night hunting this season).


My questions are ...
Is the XLT the right detector for someone that has 50 to 100 hrs. experience - be a machine he won't out grow - and be good for foundation and beach hunting ?
Or are there any other machines that you think would be better for him ?

Thanks in advance for your opinions ! --- Mark

 

[fyrffytr1]

I bought an XLT when they first came out and still have it as a back-up to my DFX. I am well pleased with the performance and ease of use. It has several programs already installed so you can turn it on and start hunting. You can also install custom programs.
I don't think he will outgrow this machine.

 

[ohio fred]

He wont out grow the machine.The xlt is fully adjustable it works well in ohio not so good for the lake erie beach here.The coils for the xlt are kind of limted and would hunt on ebay for them.It is not a depth monster but i say again it is fully adjustable but also it is programmable and comes with programs in stalled it is a fun machine to use.He might want to look at mxt which is not fully adjustable but will get the job done and has a wide variety of coils.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

XLT has many settings and a bunch of acc. searcoils so should do well for you hunting needs as 1993 technology offers a lot of plus features. Remember the XLT started in 1993 and over the years has had some cosmetic changes but only one internal change which was minor rel the relic mode and went from a 1 to 1.1 model so certainly stood the test of time over the last 17 years but indeed do expect a learning period.Low amount of hours detecting and how well he learns comes into play and perhaps a more user friendly unit ( Whites has several) may be the answer but again he won't outgrow this unit and usually wouldn't recommend an XLT for a relative newbie but guess that depends on the indivdual and won't find a more resilent unit in the hands of an experienced operator.
In addendum I like the idea of a MXT under these circumstances as its sort of a user friendly XLT...Might go to a Whites dealer and try them on for size...

 

[ohio fred]

Also it is a fast swing machine and if you want go to u tube and type in whites xlt and you will find video on the machine. hope this helps

 

[Monte]

Naturally there are three things you must keep in mind with regard to this post and the reply.:

A.. This IS a White's Forum and therefore anybodies response can be biased.
B.. The XLT, while a truely time=proven favorite for amny, isn't a detector for all.
C.. One of my two current main-use detectors IS an XLT which means MY reply will be a bit biased.

He just got started coin & jewelry hunting last summer - we mainly hunt on old foundations for coins and state park beaches for coins & jewelery - here in Ohio.

He's considering a White's machine and I told him that I read a lot of good things about the White's XLT.
He likes the fact that the XLT comes with a rechargeable battery and a back light display - (he wants to do some night hunting this season).

Working foundations and other old sites that are typically trashy (especially iron) are part of my regular destinations, and while I don't beach hunt all that often, most of what I do is fresh-water beach hunting rather than coastal salt water conditions.

I use my rechargeable battery more as a "back-up" preferring the much monger run-time I get from quality AA alkaline batteries as well as the longer heads-up that they are weakening compared with the frequently abrupt attitude of a rechargeable. I am a BIG fan of back-lights which is one reason I like my XLT and one reason why I might replace my MXT soon. When I make it into Eastern Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and other ghost towns and encampment locations in the heat of summer, the bulk of my hunting is during the night when it is more comfortable.

Back-lights are wonderful! I also make use of them for urban hunting when it can be more comfortable and there are fewer people.

My questions are ...
Is the XLT the right detector for someone that has 50 to 100 hrs. experience?

Yes .. I think it can be because with only 50-100 hours under their belt they haven't really mastered any particular make or model, but they might have gained enough field experience to have a general idea of what a detector can and can't do, or what they might or might not be able to do well and therefore can maybe appreciate some of the useful functions the XLT provides.

- be a machine he won't out grow?

Possibly .. because it take an ample amount of field time and trial and error to really learn and master the XLT. By the time someone does, they will know the strengths and weaknesses of the XLT, what to expect from using a couple of search coils in various applications, will have pretty much settled on a custom program or two and will realize that there is no such thing as a 'perfect' detector. thus, they will make the XLT one they want in their own detector arsenal and will have figured out what other model might provide a good "compliment" to the XLT.

- and be good for foundation and beach hunting?

as I frequently state, there is no single, 'perfect' detector, but I started using the XLT when it was released almost 16 years ago and I have had some very good success when hunting foundation sites and similar challenges, such as sidewalk and road tear-up and repair, homesteads, ghost towns, mining and lumber camps and towns, pioneer and military encampment sites, etc., etc. The key to success with any make or model is knowing the detectors limitations and capabilities, proper control function settings, and search coil selection as well as coil presentation. By coil presentation I am referring to coil-to-ground position, sweep speed, and over-lapping.

The same applies to hunting beaches, which can be smaller areas with a lot of modern (or older) litter or more open beaches that are worked more like open plowed fields, so coil size and presentation combined with detector settings are the keys to success.

Or are there any other machines that you think would be better for him?

Yes .. there might well be some models that would be better. A lot will depend on an individuals patience level and their desire to put in the time to learn a lot about metal detector performance, how and why they work, and when to, and NOT to, use certain adjustment features. This is quite true with the XLT.

Some folks just like simplicity and prefer turning a knob and having fewer options to have to learn and adjust. Thus, the XLT might not be the right pick. I will tell you, however, that the XLT will be much easier to learn and master and get good results from if a person only uses a few of the adjustments provided. There are many functions that ought to be left alone, and either turned Off or never adjusted from a factory setting and this means less tinkering, less frustration, and quicker good results afield.

I have three custom programs in my XLT. These take care of virtually all my detecting needs for it with the two search coils I rely on (the 6

 

[nw1886]

When I hear the "considering an XLT" one memory of detecting comes to mind. I had just upgraded from the XLT to the DFX and went hunting with a good bud who was still running with his. He was finding stuff that I was just passing up! It took me a while to get the settings right to get not be totally schooled by the XLT bearing friend! (I had the new big gun and eating crow was a little difficult for a bit!) That XLT is one of the most stable and nice machines to use period.

This is a Whites forum. Whites fans are here in force and of course you are going to get "biased" opinions. There is one fact though that is irrefutable. The XLT is one of the reasons that White's is in the enviable position they are now. Sweet Home's XLT is going to be seen as one of the most innovative boxes (of all time) that set industry standards. The MXT is another one and the V is in the process of earning the same "stripes". (IMHO) The XLT is solid, solid,solid.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Thanks for all your replies - I'll print out your posts and give them to my friend.

HH --- Mark

 

[DELTA196]

If you also want a beach machine would a DFX not be better??

 

[Monte]

It might be, for some, especially if hunting a salt water ocean beach, but I got the impression Mark hunting inland fresh-water sites near Ohio.

Besides, I have owned 4 DFX's and, even though I am not an avid beach hunter (coastal, as I mentioned), I never got performance that would make me favor it over the XLT or especially the modified Classic III SL or IDX Pro's I owned and used at the same period, or the 6000 Pro XL/XL Pro. I used all of these models as well as an MXT and XLT when I had the DFX's. Yes, there were times I could work the DFX and it was slightly quieter than the MXT and XLT, but I usually got equal or better depth and performance on coins and rings with most of the other models.

I mainly hunt fresh-water beaches only a couple of major rivers in late summer when they get low. Highly mineralized and not a low-conductive salty challenge.

Monte