Starting with just opening the box, it was pretty simple. While it might be a device that uses advanced technology, putting it together didn’t even require looking at the user manual — although we highly recommend that you do that before using it. The primary body of the device is the shaft that has an arm brace at one end and a fitting for the Viper DD searchcoil at the other. In between, comfortably placed down from the arm brace is the handle or “pistol grip” with the VORTEX control panel and readout at the top. On the back of the control panel are the connections for the searchcoil, the headphones (also provided) and the power cord for recharging. To prepare the metal detector for use, you unpack the pieces, attach the Viper searchcoil, adjust the length of the shaft, wrap the searchcoil cord around the shaft and connect it to the control panel, charge the unit, and you’re ready to go.

Measuring 6” by 11”, the searchcoil is lighter than it looks like it should be and connects to the readout by way of a cord that you wrap around the shaft — after you’ve adjust the shaft for comfortable use given your height and arm length — unless you want the cord hanging, swinging and potentially causing false signals due to the metal in the cable.

Conversation among the testing team prior to receipt of the unit revolved around its value in finding spent casings at shooting scenes and evidence, such as jewelry, etc., in remote search areas when a body has been dumped (or a similar crime scene). What didn’t occur to us was the (obvious) value of a metal detector when searching for weapons that had been dropped/ditched/buried, or evidence in the water. As a former search and recovery scuba diver, one member of our test team stated he had always assumed underwater searches, no matter how shallow, had to be done by hand. The published material for the VORTEX states that it’s submersible to 16 feet and they have photos of it being used underwater. While our test team didn’t get a chance to test it while diving, we did test it in a variety of other settings. We didn’t have any active crime scenes to test it in or on, but we were able to test it on a beach (in the sand and a foot or two of brackish water), in the woods, in plowed-under cornfields, and in several backyards.

No, we didn’t find any crime evidence during our testing, but we were surprised how easy the unit was to use and the items we did find during the process. Along the water’s edge on the beach where we tested it, we found almost $2 in coins along with several rings and one badly rusted folding knife. In the woods, along the sides of a popular hiking path in a state park, we found pieces of chain and what we’ll call “junk metal” — stuff we couldn’t identify by the metal detector found it under debris or a few inches of dirt/mud.

All in all, we were very impressed by the ease and efficiency of use for the Vortex CSI metal detector. We are pleased to award it the OFFICER Media Group “Tested - Field Rated” Seal of Approval.