Sting Ray II, Diver, Wader, Pirate, 1280x, is there a Best water detector among them?

[MIssouri Secessionist]

Read the posts in Mezrein's thread about WATERPROOF detectors, just wondered if I could get some additional input.

I have pretty much decided that I would like an older, $200-$275 used water machine to try around southern Missouri, in swimming holes and a couple of Corps of Engineers lakes. Don't want to get in too deep, pardon the pun.

The trouble is, whenever I see a Pirate, or, 1280x, Tiger Shark, Wader, or, Sting Ray II listed, I go and re-read the reviews of the detector online and get even more confused than when I read them the first time. I know that the Tiger Shark is one that has been recommended to Mezrein, but I think that I read that someone had a Sting Ray, then got the Tiger Shark and was disappointed, etc. I understand that it;s different strokes for different folks, and that opinions vary. What happens to me, is that I hesitate. Should I buy this Pirate, or, should I wait for a WADER to come up? Is the Sting Ray II, a good detector, but old tech, so, should I wait and get the "XXXX". While $250, or, so is not a major commitment to most, to me, it is a bit of money, that I could put on a 12 gauge.

I realize that online interviews could be peppered by comments and fake reviews by a dealer, or, company wanting to dissuade use of a competitors detector, or, may be that of someone not proficient in the use of that detector, and who is offering a biased, or, uninformed opinion due to lack of operator skill. So, in reading these reviews, my head begins to swim, I get dizzy and I fall down.

Recently, I have been leaning toward the Fisher 1280x, or, the DetectorPro Headhunter WADER.

Advice and counse, postingsl and PM's are welcome.

 

[mudpuppy]

Aquachigger swings an ATPRO and hunts the old river crossings...he just hit a huge mother lode of silver coins last week at an old ford..I used to live in Neosho and spent some time up in the Ozarks as a kid, lots of indian artifacts and swimming holes and old mills and whatnot. Your price range might need to get pushed up a little, but if you get something quality, and are committed to using it, it will pay for itself real soon. Good Luck,
Mud

 

[MIssouri Secessionist]

Mudpuppy,

Thanks for the suggestion on a higher priced detector. Money is a little tight right now, that is why I thought of something in the under $300 price range. I have seen a couple Excal 1000's and an 800 or two on the boards for about $750, but that is what I paid for my Safari, and Xterra-705, and didn't want to get up there in those dollars if I didn't have too.

Unfortunately, many of those fords, swimming holes and old mills are in the Mark Twain, forest in my area, and they won't let you did an inch down, period. If you find something, like your friend did on the silver coins, they forget the treasure motto, "finders keepers<" they look at it as what is in the ground belongs to the government, and unlike you learned in civics class in school, YOU ain't the government as far as they are concerned.

Is Aquachigger in MIssouri?

Thanks again,

Dex