Minelab Explorer XS
Price: $800
Avg. Score: 
4.14
Based on 36 reviews
4.14Based on 36 reviews
Avg. Durability:
3.80
Avg. Ease of use:
3.40
Explorer XS
March 04, 2004
The Explorer XS is a great machine and I have
found more with it in the last few years of use than I have found with
other machines combined. The Explorer has a huge learning curve and you absloutely MUST give it the time and patience it deserves or you will never be happy with it. This machine functions unlike anything else out there and you have to be willing to forget everything you know about MD'ing and approach it with an open mind. If you're not willing to do this then don't bother buying one. Get one of those "Brand W" machines that big schmedrik has on the TV commercial. Just be sure and email me after you get done hunting an area with it so I can go over it with my Explorer and get all the goodies you missed.
I give the Explorer XS 4 stars because it has a few issue besides the learning curve such as weighing a ton and also being tricky to pinpoint with by virtue of employing a Double-D style coil.
I highly recommend it but only as long as you are willing to take plenty of time to learn it.
NOTE: at the time of this review (3-4-2004), Minelab not longer produces either the Explorer S or XS models. The Explorer II is the current offering from Minelab but I haven't used one very much....I hear it's nice though.
Overall Rating
SgtSki from
MI
100
Explorer XS
April 19, 2003
i have owned a minelab explorer xs for a year
now. it is a deep machine, but in a trashy area, it's not worth the junk
your digging. you have to hunt too
slow, and your still left with the doubt whether or not to dig. the values
on the display are NOT consistant
by any means. i have hunted for years and i was lured into the minelab
explorer xs by what i consider to
be reviews by minelab representatives. it had to be because this machine
does not discriminate as good
as some 300 dollar machines. the depth meter works somewhat ok i guess. the
only reason i gave it 3
stars is because i have found coins at great depths. if you generally hunt
in trashy places, pass up the
explorer xs. if you hunt in fields where you may get a hit every 5 feet, it's a good machine. just not good for allround hunting. i have a whites classic idx, and it will run circles around the minelab explorer. 3 days ago, i went to an older house that was still standing. i first went around it with the minelab and found 2 pennies. i then pulled out my old classic idx, and went around it and dug 6 pennies and 1 dime that the minelab wouldn't get because it was a trashy area. don't take my word on it, be your own judge if you got around 1000 dollars to throw away.
Overall Rating
Jason james from
USA
124
Explorer XS
April 06, 2003
XS GOOD: Excellent depth, found the point of a copper funriture tack at near 12". The ID works great, I can distinguish between styles of pull tabs and also between types of pennies.
Some are afraid but I say it's very easy to use. I can recharge battery in my car. I have friends with Whites and Garretts, I always find more. My friend sold his unit after 2 months, bought a XS and now he finds equal with me. He has an 8" coil and can pinpoint better than me but I find deeper items with the 10". I'd get the 8" coil if I were to do it again.
Bad: Heavy. The coil stand gets in the way in tall grass.
Overall Rating
Sluggo from
USA
80
Minelab Explorer XS
March 10, 2003
The Minelab Explorer XS is not for
someone that is just wanting to casual hunt. It is a very complicated unit
and requires alot of reading and
understanding of what you are reading and most definitley the help of
someone who has one to work
side by side with you to reduce the amount of time it takes for the
learning curve.I would not give it a 5 star rating because there are some flaws with this unit. Number one thing is it is so sensitive that it just doesnt do good in high trash areas with lots of iron around. The the XS just doesn't seem to lock in very well even with the 7 3/8" coil. When you get into an area as such you must and I mean must go so slow an just moved it a 1/4" when you think you have something the target ID is almost useless in this situation, I know I have tried every setting (not really but the logical ones) and it is not meant for the trashy areas I am hunting.
I do admit there might be a problem with mine and it is brand new and this is another reason it is getting a 4. The pin pointing on this unit sucks and requires you to purchase a SunRay Probe another $179, you would think that if you payed $1,000 the thing would pinpoint.
the meter is never right, mine always says 6" and it is more like three to four. I do agree though if you take alot of time to learn this unit and its potential capabilities it is for sure a real winner.
I believe everyone that I have talked to give it a year and you should have it down pretty darn good,but OH! what a frustrating year that will be, Thank God I have a Compass Gold Scanner Pro (now called the Relic and Coin Finder) it makes it fun to just turn it on and go, very deep seeker too which is real nice.
Conclusion do not think you can buy this unit and go out and just nail everything down you truly learn this unit by failing in the field and hunting and rehunting the same areas until you learned to make it work to its best abilities by trial and error.I am reworking areas I have hunted and still finding coins.
Overall Rating
Rick Vann from
USA
201
Explorer XS
January 22, 2003
once you master it it the tops Overall Rating
Dave
viner from
USA
50
Minelab Explorer XS
July 15, 2002
I have owned an Explorer XS for just over
a year now and I do not believe there is another detector on the market
that can consistently reach the
depths that Minelab does. I have owned about every detector made and have
been detecting for over 30
years. The Explorer is definitely the one that I prefer. Overall Rating
James Palmeno from
USA
163