Steve's Detector Rods Carbon Fiber Upper Shaft for Minelab Equinox 600 and 800

The Steve's Detector Rods Carbon Fiber Upper Shaft (SKU SDEQ-001) is a one-piece carbon fiber upper for the Minelab Equinox 600 and 800. It replaces both the stock upper and middle aluminum sections with a single 34 7/8 in tube, which removes the joint that works loose and wobbles on a used Equinox. At 4.81 oz it is lighter than the two stock sections it replaces, and it keeps the stock cuff and control box hole positions, so your Equinox goes back together exactly as before. It suits any Equinox 600 or 800 owner who swings long sessions or has a stock shaft that has developed play.

Who this shaft is for

Equinox 600 and 800 owners who want a stiffer, lighter detector and plan to keep their stock lower rod. It is the plain version of Steve's upper: a rubber end cap, no threaded insert.

Buy the counterweight-ready version instead if you run a 15 in coil or want to balance the detector with a butt weight later; it has a threaded insert and threaded end cap in place of the rubber cap. Buy the full upper and lower carbon set if you want the lower rod replaced at the same time. Both are in our Steve's Detector Rods collection. This shaft does not fit the Equinox 700 or 900, whose three-piece shaft is a different design; Steve's makes a separate line for those, listed under the Minelab Equinox 700 and Minelab Equinox 900 collections.

Key features and what they mean in use

• One-piece upper: no upper-to-middle joint, so there is nothing to loosen and wobble when you sweep or pinpoint. Target response stays crisp because the coil is not flexing on a sloppy shaft.
• 4.81 oz (136 g) carbon fiber tube: weight comes off the shaft, where it matters least for balance, and your arm feels it by the second hour.
• Heavy-duty injection-molded nylon cam lock: clamps the stock lower rod at any length, not only at the button holes, and is removable for cleaning after sand or mud.
• Stock hole positions: four cuff adjustment holes and one control box handle hole match the Minelab layout, so the armrest and control pod bolt on in their original spots.
• 3K twill carbon with a glossy finish: the finish shrugs off the scuffs that scratch painted aluminum. Four colors: black, red, blue, green.
• Rubber end cap: keeps dirt and water out of the tube and gives the butt end a clean finish.

What is in the box

• Steve's Detector Rods carbon fiber upper shaft with cam lock fitted
• Rubber end cap

Not included: lower rod, control box, armrest cuff and their hardware. Reuse the parts from your stock shaft. If you lose the cap later, a replacement end cap is sold on its own in the Steve's Detector Rods collection.

Compatibility

• Fits: Minelab Equinox 600 and Equinox 800
• Works with: the stock Minelab Equinox lower rod and with Steve's 26 in carbon lower rod
• Does not fit: Minelab Equinox 700, Equinox 900, X-Terra Pro, X-Terra Elite or Vanquish

Where it works well and where it does not

At its best for all-day park, field and beach hunting where arm fatigue and shaft wobble are the complaints. Carbon fiber and the nylon cam lock do not corrode, so saltwater is fine with a fresh water rinse. It does not change the detector's balance much on its own; with a large coil the counterweight-ready shaft is the better buy. The glossy finish shows fine scratches sooner than a matte tube if you lean the detector on rocks.

How it differs from the other Steve's Equinox 600/800 shafts

Counterweight-ready upper shaft: same tube, length, weight, cam lock and colors, but with a threaded aluminum insert in the butt end and a threaded Delrin end cap, so a Steve's counterweight screws straight in. Upper and lower carbon set: this upper plus Steve's 26 in carbon lower rod, which is lighter than the stock lower and sits deeper in the shaft for less flex. Everything Steve's makes for the Equinox, plus metal detector parts and accessories for other machines, is on this site.