Finally, the digging season is in full swing and we have the opportunity to test out the new product from Garrett – the AT MAX metal detector! During our testing and verification of the capabilities and performance of this metal detector, we subjected it to all kinds of tests, which sometimes took place in quite extreme conditions. If you are going to check a metal detector, then you need to do it thoroughly and according to all the rules of our harsh northern climate and conditions. Which is exactly what we did. So, are you ready? Let's begin!
Metal detector design
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The Garrett AT MAX is built according to a completely standard design – an S-shaped rod, which has a certain reserve for folding, where the block is attached to the rod, the coil is attached to the lower rod, and a fairly wide armrest with mini-legs under it for a stand is located at the upper end of the rod. The most classic metal detector circuit, which has already proven itself over several decades.
The detector is perfectly balanced despite its weight of 1.4 kg. Yes, there are lighter detectors, but 300-400 grams does not make much difference for a metal detector if the entire set (MD + coil) does not exceed 1.7-1.8 kg. Tested in practice. This means the detector is in the optimal weight category. With a standard coil, it does not fall forward, nor does it pull on the armrest; no, it is comfortable to walk and wave with it throughout the day. When I dig with heavy metal detectors (Minelab E-Trac, for example) or with a device + a third-party coil (NEL Big, for example), I periodically change hands – sometimes I hold it with my left, sometimes with my right, but with the AT MAX I haven’t changed my hand even once . For me this is an indicator.
The armrest is quite strong and comfortable. I dig in a Gorka suit, which is sometimes worn over several layers of clothing (if I dig in the cold), the armrest from the AT MAX has never been uncomfortable. Ergonomically, this is a very well thought out metal detector.
The new handle, which Garrett only introduced on the AT MAX, was also pleasing. Your hand does not slip in it, even if you are digging without gloves, it gives a good grip on the palm, the handle itself is very comfortable, the width was just right for me, and my palm is quite wide. Definitely a plus.
Garrett has its own connector and coil mount, which are not found in other metal detectors. The connector fits in rather tight, but fits well and tightly. It is clear that such tightness of the entrance is caused by the need to maintain water tightness. You can lubricate the connector on the outside (along the threads) with silicone, it will go through quickly and easily.
The battery compartment is hidden in the metal detector unit. AT MAX is powered as standard by 4 AA batteries (finger-type, standard), and also accepts rechargeable batteries. An interesting feature that I saw in this device is that now, when the battery charge drops, the device works stably and without a decrease in volume or loss of depth. AT PRO had a similar problem and I wrote about it back in 2016! By the way, the battery charge lasts for a very long time – the battery lasts two daylight hours freely.
The collet clamps have also been significantly redesigned; they have become stronger and better. I twisted them tighter to check, and realized for myself that they would not break so easily now. For Garrett AT PRO this was a key problem.
The AT MAX coil is made in a standard form factor for Garrett. This is a standard PROformance DD coil 11″x8.5″. An excellent universal option for all types of searches! Of course, sometimes I missed a large 13″ reel and a 7″ or even 5″ sniper rifle. Unfortunately, there was only a standard set, but the performance and characteristics of the AT MAX will be discussed below and there I will also touch on the topic of coils for this device.
On the other side of the block, the AT MAX metal detector has a headphone jack if you need to connect wired ones to search underwater, for example. I didn't dive with it, so I never unscrewed this lid. It is better to keep it closed, of course, this is additional protection from water.
Features of the Garrett AT MAX metal detector
This device has two features that set it apart from other classmates. In terms of performance, the AT MAX is not inferior to other professional metal detectors, because the device is very good in depth (ICQ+Tornado coil level, that is, the maximum for VLF metal detectors), excellent metal separation and a good discriminator – if the AT MAX shows that there is black matter in the ground, then this is definitely black stuff. I rechecked dubious signals and often they turned out to be pretty good finds. But there are several key factors that make this metal detector stand out from others:
Waterproof
The device works great in any weather – cold, rain, and snow. I checked and lowered the metal detector into the water; the device’s speaker worked even after swimming.
A great way to clean your metal detector is to simply soak it in water. Which I sometimes did, since there was no cover for it, unfortunately.
But water resistance won’t surprise anyone now, so let’s move on to two other more important points.
Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones
I bought myself a set with MS-3 wireless headphones. And honestly, this is something! The headphones are very comfortable and fit well on the head, do not interfere with movement, and provide excellent sound quality and fast transmission. In addition, they are wireless, and the sound transmitter for these headphones is already built into the metal detector.
The headphones have an on/off button and two indicator lights – battery charge and wireless connection to the metal detector. You press the button, put it on your head and go ahead – dig!
In such open fields, a fairly strong wind usually blows, and therefore the headphones must fit tightly around your head and not blow out, otherwise there is a risk of losing and not hearing the useful signal! Moreover, weak and from the depths.
Now a new AT MAX metal detector kit without headphones has appeared on sale, which costs about 6,000 rubles cheaper, but I would not recommend saving on headphones. With headphones, all signals can be heard much better and the cop’s productivity is much higher, which means there is a risk of losing an expensive and small find.
The volume control is very convenient; you can turn the volume to the desired level right with gloves on. I liked this solution more than the presence of buttons for adjusting the volume on the headphones; this allows you to work directly with gloves on and not be distracted while digging by such trifles as adjusting the volume or turning the headphones on/off.
Garrett's MS-3 is one of the best headphones you can find right now for cops. They are very comfortable and perfectly transmit sound, even the weakest, and this is exactly what we, treasure hunters, need!
Single frequency
Now that it’s 2018, for some reason the creation of metal detectors with multiple frequencies has become a trend. It would seem that this is the future and advantage, but there are several “BUTs” here.
A single-frequency metal detector will always be more in demand. At the moment, multi-frequency technology is not yet developed enough to give the best result and be head and shoulders above single-frequency technology. No. It would be much better if each manufacturer created a single-frequency device that could be tuned to any, even the most difficult (beach, wet soil, salty sand) soil, and would have a greater detection depth not only for large and medium-sized metal objects, but also for a trifle.
Let's just ask ourselves a question – with a metal detector with three frequencies, will we go through the same spot at different frequencies? The answer is simple. 🙂 In the vast majority of cases, this answer is negative. So why do we need several frequencies when one, but the most optimal one, is enough? Garrett AT MAX operates at a frequency of 13.6 kHz, which is quite enough to detect both small and large/medium objects. Yes, maybe the small links of the golden chain will be better visible with a frequency of 25+ kHz, but will you dig such signals yourself? And the usual chain takes 13.6 kHz. The same result applies to a thin gold ring. And with scales – a small silver ancient Russian coin.
Due to the fact that the AT MAX is a single-frequency device, it can tune out even from a puddle to the most difficult wet soil, and not lose depth on such soil, as happens with other metal detectors. The conclusion suggests itself.
Menu and settings
In terms of settings and menu, the Garrett AT MAX is one of the simplest, and to be precise, the simplest professional metal detector. Simplicity, convenience, reliability and high search performance are what make you simply be confident in this metal detector. And these are not empty words.
All the necessary and important settings are immediately and at hand – this is the ground balance, which the device performs very quickly and accurately (there have never been problems with balancing, in automatic mode it makes no mistakes), and the threshold tone level, and the rest of the settings can be touched and it's not necessary. We set the sensitivity to maximum, the volume in the headphones and go ahead – dig. After AT MAX there will be nothing left to raise on the field, except perhaps as a depth player.
I always dug in ZERO mode. I like to hear the quack of black, I always set discrimination to 00. Threshold (threshold tone) to 1-2. Maximum sensitivity. The sound of iron was not included, and no cutting of the metal segment was carried out.
Yes, you can dig in other modes, depending on the task. If the field is completely empty, then you can put ALL METAL – then there will be the maximum possible depth, but the ZERO mode for an ordinary cop is the most effective, in my opinion. We hear both black and various dubious signals that bring good finds – thanks to the excellent discriminator, the AT MAX rarely makes mistakes in determining the type of metal in an object lying in the ground.
For garbage places, of course, it will be necessary to close the discrimination and even cut out some segments so that the head does not go crazy from the constant trill and ringing of the metal detector. But if you take the AT MAX, a professional metal detector, then you already have experience working in trash cans and I don’t need to teach you.
Metal detector performance and discovery experience
The most interesting and difficult part, probably. Any metal detector that costs more than 400 euros (30,000 rubles) by default is obliged to bring finds, both deep and not so deep, to distinguish the type of metals at maximum depth and to please its owner. However, sometimes the opposite happens, but not in the case of the Garrett AT MAX.
AT MAX is simply incredibly sensitive to any metal in the ground, no matter whether it is a large or small object. He picks everything out of the ground! Now, if you travel outside of big cities, it becomes difficult to find something useful in the fields and forests, but that’s what a professional metal detector is for – after all, we are looking for something that other diggers haven’t picked up at their digging spots.
So it was with me. I already wrote about the first cop with AT MAX (click on the title and go to the page), where on a broken field we managed to raise even 5 kopecks of Catherine the Great! And this is a very simple find that any digging stick can detect! How I myself missed this find during two years of digging this field is an open and big question.
The AT MAX also performed well in forest digging. In the forest, the finds do not lie deep, they are almost on the surface, or at a shallow depth, no deeper than 20-30 cm. Here AT MAX did an excellent job of practicing the military commissariat:
I got cartridges and cartridges in places where hundreds of diggers had walked (a famous place in our area). But he also picked up that little thing that others didn’t pick up either, for example, small buttons of the Red Army, most likely from under a tunic:
It barely even fits in the palm of your hand. 🙂 AT MAX also worked well in the fields. On a broken field right next to the road, where hundreds of diggers had walked, the device began to calmly drag in antiquities and coins, as well as other non-ferrous metal.
The head from the shell came out completely freely (it had already been fired, and therefore did not pose a danger), apparently the shell exploded in 1941 somewhere nearby, and the head was carried out onto this field.
Coins also came out. Coins are always a joy, especially on broken fields.
Even if it is the late Empire and the Soviets.
There were also some very small finds, such as this small decoration from the 10th century (approximately):
How can such good goals be missed? You won't miss this with the AT MAX. That’s the whole advantage of a single-frequency metal detector with simple settings – you don’t need to bother yourself with settings and frequencies, you need to dig for signals and recover finds.
And, for example, the usual result of a cop in a beaten field where crowds of cops have walked over the past twenty years:
Whether this is a lot or a little in our time, but I will say that not every coin you can find so many antiques now.
I’ll say right away about the coils – if you install a third-party coil, for example NEL or CORS, size 13″/15″, and take a 7″ or 5″ sniper in addition, then with this set you can cover all your tasks for a cop for the next many years and change the device will not be needed.
Summary of Garrett AT MAX
The result will be simple – the device is professional, easy to set up, convenient and reliable, waterproof, adaptable to any soil and even a puddle, and will bring a mountain of finds out of the blue. There is only one conclusion – take it. Yes, it is expensive, but not more expensive than Deus and CTX3030, although it will not be inferior in terms of finds. Wireless headphones are included, and the simplicity and ease of use is simply excellent, there are no worries about “have you set the right settings?”, “Is the frequency needed?” The device should be simple – turn it on and go, go and find it. All. The rest is nothing more than marketing tricks or the need to stand out in front of the public, which is also not bad, but in our business the main thing is the result and the Garrett AT MAX gives this result to the maximum of its capabilities.
Very often, when choosing our metal detector, we are afraid of a future mistake – “what if I take it and it turns out to be bad?”, “what if it doesn’t find anything? Or will another seeker be better? No, in this case all doubts must be left, the device is worthwhile and Garrett turned out to be truly unique and I am sure that you will see this for yourself when you start digging with it!