Metal detecting is an amazing hobby. There are countless benefits that come with being a metal detectorist, such as being able to find valuable items, learning history, exploring, and even getting good exercise. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t get complicated at times. One of the things that quite a few people seem to have a bit of issue with wrapping their heads around is detector coils. There are quite a few of them on the market, and many of them can be significantly different. Understanding their usage and benefits is key for having a fruitful adventure, which is why we’ve compiled this handy list for you.
Why Do You Need an Additional Coil
While many detectorists may go their entire lives treasure hunting with a stock coil, many others will find an additional search coil that complements their hunting style and habits in one way or another. There are a variety of reasons that someone might choose to invest an additional search coil, with these ranging from performance to area-specific issues. A coil has the potential to improve your metal detector’s performance in a significant way. This improvement of performance is one of the most common reasons that people purchase a new search coil. This is why a lot of detectorists will look for either a search coil or a concentric search coil that can find targets and larger depths.
For example, if you’re looking for gold nuggets, which are significantly deep, then you’ll most likely need nugget finder coils to be able to reliably find them. This is incredibly important to note, as many small objects can be deep enough in the ground that a normal coil would not pick them up. An important reason for getting an additional coil is area-specific problems. These can range from high soil mineralization to high trash areas. Finding the proper search coil for issues like these can help you be more efficient and will keep your hunts going smoothly. It is very hard to metal detect in areas with high trash volume if you are using a large search coil, and that is where the smaller coils come into play. Area-specific issues are always important to consider if you are deciding whether or not you should purchase a new coil.
Coil Size
One of the biggest positive attributes of large search coils is their ability to cover a lot of ground with each swing. You will cover far more ground at the end of the day with a large DD coil compared to a smaller concentric coil. This benefit really shines in wide-open areas where there is not a ton of trash you have to contend with. As a general rule of thumb, the deeper an object is, the older it is in most cases. This increased detention depth is great for finding valuable relics, coins, and jewellery that other detectorists before you have missed, which is arguably the biggest benefit of larger coils. Just keep in mind that larger coils tend to be on the heavy side. It’s a significant disadvantage to keep in mind because carrying it around with you all day will tire you out quite sooner.
DD Coils vs. Concentric Coils
One of the more common questions that metal detectorists have is about the differences between DD coils and concentric coils. Choosing between a DD coil and a concentric may seem like a difficult choice, but the short answer is that both will perform very well. With that being said, there are a couple of differences. One reason many prefer the DD coil is the increased depth you can get out of it. In addition to the increase in depth, there is also a wider detection range and better target separation in many cases. With all that being said, concentric coils can be better in trashy areas or many other scenarios. The debate between DD and concentric is essentially based on personal preference and experience.
Search Coil Compatibility
Obviously, one of the more important considerations you will have to take into account is whether or not the search coil is compatible with your metal detector make and model. While most of the options available for each specific model will come from the manufacturer of that model, this is not always the case. Companies like Detech, Coiltek, and NEL also produce a wide variety of aftermarket search coils that are compatible with companies like Garrett, Minelab, Fisher, Bounty Hunter, Teknetics, and White’s metal detectors. At the end of the day, there are tons of options from a variety of manufacturers out there.
Affordability
One of the most important considerations for most hobbyists is the price of the search coil. Buying a metal detector already represents a large investment in some cases. Forking over more money for a search coil can seem like a bad move. For this reason, many detectorists look for options that are within their price range. While these additional search coils might not have all the features of a more expensive one, they will still get the job done in whatever scenario you need them for. It helps to keep in mind that an additional search coil or two is an investment, as you will find many objects that will eventually pay it off. That’s arguably the biggest draw of getting an extra coil because, in the end, it largely pays for itself.