Garrett AT series
Garrett AT Series Weight Comparison: What You Actually Swing
Quick answer
Garrett publishes the same body weight for the Garrett AT Pro, Garrett AT Max and Garrett AT Gold, at roughly 3 lb with the stock coil and batteries fitted. The lighter Garrett ACE Apex is published at 2.5 lb and the Garrett Vortex VX9 at 2.9 lb, or 3.05 lb with its coil cover.
Weight is the specification that decides whether you hunt for two hours or five, and it is the one most people ignore until their elbow tells them about it. The AT line shares a single body across all three machines, so the choice between an Garrett AT Pro, an Garrett AT Max and an Garrett AT Gold is not a weight decision. The choice between the AT line and Garrett's newer machines is.
The more important point is that swing weight is not mass. A machine that balances well at the grip feels lighter than a lighter machine that does not, and the coil on the end of the shaft has more effect on that than anything in the control box.
Top pick
Garrett AT Pro
The same body and balance as the rest of the AT line, with the stock 8.5 by 11 coil that these published weights assume.
Price was accurate when this page was compiled and changes often.
On this page
What do these machines weigh?
Published manufacturer figures where they exist. Where a manufacturer does not state a weight in its own specification, the cell says so rather than guessing at a number.
The Garrett AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold share one body at roughly 3 lb with the stock coil, while the Apex is published at 2.5 lb, the Vortex VX9 at 2.9 lb and the Minelab Equinox 900 at 2.8 lb.
| Machine | Published weight | Power source | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett AT Pro | About 3 lb with stock coil | 4 x AA | Cells are part of the weight on every AT machine |
| Garrett AT Max | About 3 lb with stock coil | 4 x AA | Same body and balance as the AT Pro |
| Garrett AT Gold | About 3 lb with stock coil | 4 x AA | Same body again, tuned to 18 kHz |
| Garrett ACE 300 | Under 3 lb, per Garrett ACE listing | 4 x AA | Lighter body, not waterproof at the control box |
| Garrett ACE 400 | Under 3 lb, per Garrett ACE listing | 4 x AA | Same ACE body as the 300 |
| Garrett ACE Apex | 2.5 lb, published | Internal lithium ion | The lightest current Garrett in this group |
| Garrett Vortex VX9 | 2.9 lb, or 3.05 lb with coil cover | Internal lithium ion | Collapses to 24.75 in for transport |
| Minelab Equinox 900 | 2.8 lb, published | Internal battery | Carbon fibre shafts, packs to 24 in |
| Nokta The Legend Pro Pack | Not stated in this listing | Internal battery | Check Nokta published specification for the Pro Pack |
Apex, Vortex VX9 and Equinox 900 figures come from manufacturer listing specifications. The AT series figure is the approximate all-up weight Garrett publishes for the line with the stock coil and batteries fitted. Where no manufacturer figure was available, no number has been invented.
Why does a 3 lb detector feel heavy after two hours?
Because you are not holding 3 lb, you are holding a lever. The mass sits out at the end of a shaft and your forearm resists the moment arm, not the weight. That is why two machines of identical mass can feel completely different, and why fitting a heavier coil is felt far more than adding the same mass at the grip.
It is also why the injury detectorists actually get is a forearm and elbow complaint rather than a back one. A sling such as the LimbSaver Comfort-Tech Metal Detector Sling moves part of that load onto your shoulders and upper body, and for anybody swinging more than an hour at a time it is a cheaper fix than a lighter machine.
How much does the coil change the swing weight?
More than the control box does. Going from the stock 8.5 by 11 to the larger NEL Hunter 12.5 by 8.5 adds mass at the worst possible place, and a full day with a big coil is noticeably harder work. Going the other way, the 5 by 8 DD is a genuine relief on a long session, which is an underrated reason to fit it beyond its separation advantage.
The Mars Sniper 10 by 6 sits between the two. If you are choosing a coil partly on fatigue, the fitment details are on the coil compatibility chart, and the coil coverage calculator will tell you how many hours you are committing to with each width.
Should weight decide which AT machine you buy?
No, because they weigh the same. The AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold share a body, so choose on frequency, features and price instead: 18 kHz and a ground balance window for mineralised ground and small gold, 13.6 kHz with Z-Lynk wireless for convenience and a small edge on low conductors, or the AT Pro for the proportional audio that made the line popular in the first place.
Weight becomes a real factor when comparing the AT line against newer machines. The Garrett ACE Apex at a published 2.5 lb is a noticeably lighter machine, and both it and the Garrett Vortex VX9 use internal lithium packs, which is part of how that weight is achieved. The trade there is the AA field serviceability covered on the battery life and specs page.
What else reduces fatigue on a long hunt?
Carrying less on your belt, for one. A heavy pouch full of a day's trash pulls at your hips, and something compact like the Garrett Camo Digger's Pouch keeps it honest. Keeping the pinpointer holstered on the belt rather than in a pocket means you are not bending twice for every target, and a Garrett Pro-Pointer AT with its moulded ruler keeps the recovery quick.
After that it is technique. Slow, low, overlapping sweeps are less tiring than fast ones and find more, and taking a break every hour beats pushing through. If you are planning the day rather than wandering, the search grid planner turns a site into lanes and total walking distance, which is a useful reality check before you start.
Sources
- Garrett AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold published specification sheets
- Garrett ACE Apex and Vortex VX9 listing specifications, 2.5 lb and 2.9 lb figures
- Minelab Equinox 900 listing specification, 2.8 lb and 24 inch packed length
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Garrett AT Pro weigh?
Garrett publishes an all-up weight of roughly 3 lb for the AT Pro with its stock 8.5 by 11 coil and four AA cells fitted. The AT Max and AT Gold share the same body and the same figure. What you feel is not the mass but the leverage of the coil out at the end of the shaft, which is why coil choice affects perceived weight more than the control box does.
Is the AT Max heavier than the AT Pro?
No. Garrett builds all three AT machines on the same body with the same shaft and the same four AA cells, so there is no meaningful weight difference between the AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold. Choose between them on frequency, wireless audio and ground balance features. If weight is your priority, the comparison that matters is against Garrett newer lithium powered machines.
Is a lighter detector always better for long sessions?
Balance matters more than mass. A well balanced 3 lb machine can feel easier than a nose heavy 2.5 lb one, because your forearm is resisting leverage rather than weight. Shaft length, arm cup fit and coil size all change the feel. Try the setup adjustments and a sling before concluding that the answer is a different detector.
Does a bigger coil make much difference to fatigue?
A noticeable one, because the extra mass sits at the far end of the lever. A 12.5 by 8.5 coil on a full day is real work compared with the stock coil, and a 5 by 8 is a genuine relief. That is worth weighing against the coverage you gain, particularly if you are already managing a sore elbow or shoulder.
Will a harness or sling actually help?
For most people swinging more than about an hour at a time, yes. A sling distributes the load across your shoulders and upper body instead of leaving your forearm to resist it, which targets the exact complaint detectorists tend to develop. It costs a fraction of a lighter machine and can be moved between detectors, so it is the sensible first step.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Target ID numbers, depth figures and settings vary with soil chemistry, moisture, target size, depth, orientation and firmware version, so treat every figure here as a starting point and verify it against your own machine's manual and your own ground. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.