Underwater metal detecting with the XP Deus didn’t stand much of a chance here in Maryland and we weren’t the only ones on the east coast who had the same rainy summer. This past summer saw record breaking rain up and down the Mid-Atlantic. Unfortunately, most of rivers and streams were too high to even think about underwater metal detecting. However, I was able to sneak in a few underwater hunts with the XP Deus. Yes, I dare to say. I actually I took the XP Deus underwater and metal detected with it. But how did it perform? Read on.
Metal Detecting Underwater With The XP Deus.
This past summer I decided to give the Deus a chance to see what it could do underwater. Typically, you don’t see too many XP owners using their Deus underwater so I had my doubts but I’ll have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the machine perform above my expectations, I really enjoyed using it in the water and because the Deus is so adaptable to almost any condition it really does smack those underwater targets. The machine especially loves those homemade fishing weights (I love finding those) and bullets which includes civil war bullets!
The Smaller The Coil The Better.
I found the XP easy to swing through the water with the smaller 9 inch High Frequency Coil. I never tried the stock 11 inch coil because I knew pushing that coil through the water would present some challenges. The smaller the coil, the easier it is push through the water current. Unfortunately, the Deus has a few limitations underwater. But make sure you watch the video that is included at the end that I made with the XP Deus metal detecting in the water.
The Underwater Limitations.
- The XP Deus was never designed to be a waterproof machine so to get it waterproof you have to purchase their water kit. At the time I purchased my XP, the water kit was an additional cost and can fluctuate depending on where you buy it.
- The water kit looks complicated to install but really only takes about 5-10 minutes to setup. It took me 2 years before I considered taking the kit out of the package. It just looked overwhelming and turned me off from even considering it.
- While the water kit does make the Deus waterproof, it doesn’t provide the full functionality of a “true” underwater metal detector. For instance, the Deus can’t be submerged completely underwater. In fact, I found that when the water level gets close to within a few inches of submersing the wire (provided via the water kit) the signal drops from the control box.
- Also, attention must be given to the distance between the control box and the shaft. I’m right handed and I swing the coil with my right hand while wearing the control box around my upper left arm. I noticed connection issues between the coil and my control box so I had to wear the control box around my neck to get the control box closer to the wire. This solution resolved my connection issues but wearing the control box around my neck was not ideal.
- The water kit comes with a waterproof bag for the control box. The bag itself is a pain to get opened and closed but it does keep the water out. I’m still a little nervous about the bag. How long will the bag last before it isn’t waterproof anymore?
- Spending as much as you do for the Deus most owners won’t consider taking it in the water. I’ll admit that I was very apprehensive taking my XP in the water and I still worry about getting the control box wet. The control box is probably the most expensive component to replace and you don’t want to make a mistake. There are too many risk factors with the water kit that will turn off most owners from giving it a try.
- The water kit feels like an after thought to me. I don’t think the intent was to ever make the Deus usable in the water so I think someone from XP figured out a way to make it work and It does work. But the limitations force most of us who enjoy water detecting to take 2 machines which most of us won’t do. Instead, most of us would probably just stick with a machine that is 100% submersible and 100% waterproof.
Will There Ever Be a Waterproof XP Metal Detector?
If XP could figure out a way to make the Deus fully submersible by removing the need for an extra wire and a bag for the control box, I think more users would consider using the Deus in the water. I know I would based on what I experienced using it the shallow water over the summer. Is it worth XP’s investment to make a waterproof machine with the right price point and will consumers buy it? That’s a good question and one for XP to answer.
Hopefully you found this useful. If you are just wading around small streams (knee deep) then the water kit and the Deus will work fine as long as you take into account my lessons learned from above. I was pretty amazed at how well the Deus performed given the water kit and its limitations. If you want to see the Deus in action using the Deus in the water check out the video below.
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