On the S-bent stock shaft the lower rod only slides up so far before it dead ends. If a person gets an upper straight shaft(costs extra for the non-metallic carbon fiber one) like those available from Anderson detector shafts, the lower rod will slide up further to make the X-Terra more compact. The same goes for my Musky with the upper straight shaft, the lower rod slides about all the way up.
I wish Minelab made a hard shelled case with a foam interior for the X-Terra's. My Garrett 2500 had a nylon type soft case with foam interior from the factory.
Also for a grab and run detector set-up, keeping the detector all in one piece for quick access. The detector & coil can be strapped or put on on top of alot of deep foam(about 3" to 4" or more) and/or a vehicle seat is also soft. I put mine on the back car seat with the control box on an extra piece of foam all covered by a darker colored(like a shade of brown-beige and not bright white) bed sheet(poly-cotton blend is best). It keeps it out of prying eyes(sight) and also shaded from the sun. A soft place in the trunk(completely out of sight from theft) is also a good idea. Maybe line your car trunk with deep foam.
The best cases at Pelican for a metal detectors are models 1700, 1720, 1730, and 1750...get olive green or beige but not black because of the direct sunlight...you will be very please with these waterproof cases...
http://www.pelican.com/case_category.php?pageNum_RecordsetCase=6&totalRows_RecordsetCase=58&CaseSize=%&New=%
UK cases: http://www.customcaseco.com/ukcases.html
I like this Hardigg case:
http://www.stormcase.com/StormCaseSizes/StormiM3220.htm
http://www.zerohalliburton.com/index.jsp
Someone told me to use a bow case, also maybe a gun case but these are usually too thin and a person needs a thicker one.
A person can also make his own long sized metal detector case at home if you are handy, out of about 3/8" to 1/2" plywood, piano hinges, and with foam. (A person could get foam from a bedding shop, buy foam used for under sleeping bags, or the 'waffled' foam used for putting over a bed mattress, then cut this to fit.)
Hope this helps.
P.S. I also forgot to mention an 'old suitcase' you have kicking around at home or get at a second-hand shop, 'either soft or hard sided' with deep foam you can put inside yourself, makes a good inexpensive metal detector case. You can cut out the shape of the detector in the foam with a box cutter knife if need be. A foam lined 'duffle bag' may not be good enough. I have a Texas Grapefruit box that is made of very strong-rigid cardboard. A person could make a detector case out of something like this(thick cardboard box, deep foam lined) by cutting, using a tape gun, and modifying this too.
