Quest AIR

The Quest Air is a 7.5 kHz VLF metal detector that uses your smartphone as its control box. The phone sits in a detachable tilting holder on the shaft and shows target ID, depth, search modes and battery status through the Quest app. The smartphone is not included. The Air suits casual hunters and anyone who wants a light, simple detector to take on a trip without a separate screen to carry.

The Quest Air a prefect everyday coins and relics detector, and it is a good fit for  parks, yards and fields as well as wet places such as damp grass and the waterline. 

How the Quest Air works

  • Phone as the display: the Quest app shows a large target ID, a depth indicator, the mode icons, the menu and battery status. The holder tilts so you can set the screen angle while you sweep.
  • Stealth mode: the phone can stay in your pocket while you hunt.
  • Magnetic rod switch: pulling out the lower rod activates the coil through a magnetic sensor.
  • USB-C charging: the Quest Air charges from a standard USB-C cable through a port with a protective cap.
  • Frame: the Quest Air folds flat, with an adjustable armrest and handle, square rods and no control box on the shaft.

Where the Quest Air works well and where it does not

  • Coins and relics in parks, yards and fields: Quest describes the 7.5 kHz frequency with the 9 x 5 in coil as an everyday coins and relics platform. In our view the small coil is easy to work between trash and around obstacles.
  • Travel and short outings: the flat fold and the missing control box are the main reasons to pick the Air over a conventional detector.
  • Wet grass, rain and the waterline: the Quest Air is rated submersible to 50 cm (about 20 in). The rating is for the detector, not your phone. We suggest switching to stealth mode and keeping the phone in a pocket when the coil goes in water.
  • Wading and snorkeling: not the Air. Look at our waterproof metal detectors.
  • Wet saltwater sand: a 7.5 kHz VLF detector is not our pick for the wet salt zone. For regular saltwater hunting we recommend a multi-frequency machine from our beach metal detectors.

Terms you will see with the Quest Air

  • VLF: very low frequency, the common technology for coin, jewelry and relic detectors. See all VLF metal detectors.
  • Target ID: the number the app shows to suggest what the target is before you dig.
  • Stealth mode: hunting with the phone pocketed instead of mounted in the holder.

Accessories for the Quest Air

  • Coils: as of October 2026 Quest lists no alternate coil for the Air. Quest matches coils to their own platform and advises against mixing coils between series, so a coil from another Quest detector is not a safe swap.
  • Headphones: Quest does not list a headphone option for the Air. Ask us before buying headphones for it.
  • Pinpointer: a handheld probe finds the target in the hole faster. See Quest pinpointers.
  • Digging and carrying: see digging tools and Quest carry bags and pouches.

When a Quest X IDMAXX is the better buy

Choose a detector from the Quest X IDMAXX line if you would rather not depend on your phone, or want to wade. Quest rates the X IDMAXX series to 3 m (about 9.8 ft), and the X5 IDMAXX sits in the same price band as the Air. The Air is the pick when packing size matters more than water depth. See every Quest metal detector we carry, or compare across brands in metal detectors under $200.

Customer Questions & Expert Answers

Get real answers from outdoor explorers and our product experts. Browse questions about performance, features, and setup —or ask your own to make sure this gear fits your next adventure.

Does the Quest Air come with a smartphone?

The Quest Air does not come with a smartphone. You use your own phone, which sits in the included tilting holder and runs the Quest app as the detector's display. Charge the phone before each hunt, since it is your screen. Compare detectors with their own screen in our Quest metal detectors collection.

Answered by Richard T. · October 2026

How deep can the Quest Air go in water?

The Quest Air can go about 20 in (50 cm) under water, which is Quest's submersible rating for the detector. That covers wet grass, rain and a quick dunk at the waterline, not wading. The rating does not cover your phone, so we suggest stealth mode with the phone in a pocket near water. For deeper work, see our waterproof metal detectors.

Answered by Dan P. · October 2026

How do you turn on the Quest Air?

You turn on the Quest Air by pulling out the lower rod. A magnetic sensor detects the rod and activates the coil. Then open the Quest app on your phone to see target ID and depth. See every Quest metal detector we carry.

Answered by John W. · October 2026

How do you charge the Quest Air?

You charge the Quest Air with a standard USB-C cable, which comes in the box. The charging port sits under a protective cap; close it before the detector gets wet. Spare cables and chargers are in our metal detector parts and accessories.

Answered by Richard T. · October 2026

Can I use the Quest Air on a saltwater beach?

You can use the Quest Air on a saltwater beach, mostly on the dry sand. It is a 7.5 kHz VLF detector, and wet salt sand is hard ground for that kind of machine. If the wet salt zone is where you plan to hunt, look at the multi-frequency models in our beach metal detectors.

Answered by Dan P. · October 2026

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