Garrett AT Max Metal Detector with MS-3 Wireless Headphones

The Garrett AT Max is Garrett's most powerful all terrain, single-frequency detector, built for experienced detectorists who want a waterproof general-purpose machine with built-in Z-Lynk wireless audio and advanced ground adjustments. It runs at 13.6 kHz with a true All Metal mode, iron discrimination from 0 to 44, 175-point ground balance resolution and a backlit display, and Garrett rates it waterproof to 10 feet (3 meters). Garrett's box includes the 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD searchcoil and Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless headphones.

What is in the box with the Garrett AT Max

Garrett's standard contents for the AT Max (Garrett part 1142060)

• Garrett AT Max control housing with built-in Z-Lynk wireless transmitter, grip and S-shaped stem
• Upper and lower stem with push-pin locks and camlocks
• Adjustable arm strap and cuff
• 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD searchcoil with coil cover and the cable that connects it to the control housing
• Searchcoil mounting hardware: nut, bolt and mounting washers
• Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless headphones
• USB charging cable for the headphones
• Four AA batteries, installed
• Owner's manual

About the Garrett AT Max

The Garrett AT Max combines the familiar AT series design with extra convenience and ground handling features. Garrett calls it its most powerful all terrain, single-frequency detector: it runs at 13.6 kHz, with built-in Z-Lynk wireless audio, a backlit display, adjustable ground balance and a housing Garrett rates fully waterproof to 10 feet (3 meters).

What we like most about the AT Max is its true All Metal mode, together with the waterproof build, built-in Z-Lynk wireless audio and the extra ground handling features it adds over the 15 kHz Garrett AT Pro. We would choose it for serious all-terrain detecting when wireless audio and All Metal operation matter.

Garrett AT Max search modes and key settings

• Four search modes, all with Pro audio: a true All Metal mode plus three discrimination modes (Custom, Coins and Zero), with three audio tone levels. All Metal responds to both ferrous and non-ferrous targets, so you hear iron and junk as well as good targets.
• Iron discrimination and Iron Audio: iron discrimination adjusts from 0 to 44, and Iron Audio works in all four modes, including All Metal. Some iron discrimination must be set for Iron Audio to work.
• Ground balance: automatic and manual, with 175 points of resolution and an automatic Ground Balance Window that accommodates a broader range of ground around the selected balance point.
• Sensitivity, threshold and frequency adjust: eight sensitivity levels, an adjustable audio threshold and four minor frequency adjustments (F1 to F4).
• Display: a 0 to 99 digital target ID on a backlit screen.

Z-Lynk wireless audio on the Garrett AT Max

The AT Max has a built-in Z-Lynk wireless transmitter that syncs to the Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless headphones in the box. Z-Lynk is designed for low-latency audio, and Garrett lists the delay between the detector and the headphones at 17 milliseconds. If the link drops, the AT Max searches for the receiver for 30 seconds. Expect 15 to 25 hours from four AA batteries without wireless headphones and 10 to 20 hours with them.

Water and beach hunting with the Garrett AT Max

Garrett rates the AT Max fully waterproof to 10 feet (3 meters). The wireless headphones are not waterproof: Garrett rates its MS-3 Z-Lynk headphones for protection against light rain and says they should never be submerged, and for underwater detecting Garrett specifies its waterproof headphones. For someone who mainly searches saltwater beaches, we would recommend the Garrett Vortex VX7 or Garrett Vortex VX9 instead. See our waterproof metal detectors.

Where the Garrett AT Max works well, and where it does not

Coin and relic hunting suits the AT Max best, for experienced detectorists who want a waterproof detector with wireless audio and substantial control. See our relic and treasure metal detectors. For dedicated small-gold prospecting, we would point you to the Garrett Goldmaster 24K instead.

Garrett AT Max coil, batteries and build

Garrett pairs the AT Max with an 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance Double-D searchcoil. Garrett lists the detector at 3.03 lbs (1.4 kg) with a stem adjusting from 43 to 56 inches (1.09 to 1.4 m). It runs on four AA batteries, installed at the factory; alkaline or rechargeable cells work, and lithium cells are fine only at 1.5 V per cell, because Garrett warns that 3.7 V lithium cells damage the detector. Our coil guide explains what coil size and shape change.

Getting started with the Garrett AT Max

On an older farm field where targets may be relatively deep, we begin with a stable ground balance and sensitivity, then use All Metal mode to investigate faint responses. The settings worth learning first are ground balance, the Ground Balance Window, All Metal mode, threshold and Iron Audio. A common mistake is assuming maximum sensitivity always gives better usable depth: in difficult ground, excessive sensitivity can make faint signals harder to interpret.

Who we would recommend the Garrett AT Max to

We recommend the AT Max to experienced coin and relic hunters who want a waterproof detector with wireless audio and substantial control. The true All Metal mode, Z-Lynk wireless audio and the ground handling features, including the automatic Ground Balance Window, are the reasons to choose it.

Garrett AT Pro, AT Max and AT Gold compared

All three AT detectors share the all-terrain build and the 10 foot (3 meter) rating; these are the differences that decide between them, from Garrett's published specifications. Our Garrett AT Max vs AT Pro comparison goes deeper on the two coin and relic models, and our best metal detectors for coins guide and VLF metal detectors cover more choices.

Garrett AT Max specifications

Garrett covers the AT Max with a 3-year warranty; Garrett's MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless headphones carry their own 2-year limited parts and labor warranty.

See all our Garrett metal detectors.

Every AT Max package and accessory we carry is in our Garrett AT Max collection.