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The Garrett AT Pro ships with an 8.5×11″ DD coil that covers most general detecting well, but swapping coils is one of the most effective upgrades you can make — a smaller coil for trashy, tight sites, or a larger one for open-field depth. All of these are real coils, either genuine Garrett or established third-party makers (NEL, Detech) building specifically for the AT Pro’s connector.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garrett 8.5×11″ PROformance DD Coil (stock) | $144.95-$164.99 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Garrett 5×8″ DD Coil | $154.99-$164.99 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | NEL Hunter 12.5×8.5″ DD Coil | ~$149 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | NEL Tornado DD Coil | ~$169 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | NEL Storm 13×14″ DD Coil | ~$199 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | NEL Attack 15×15″ DD Coil | ~$219 | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | NEL Big 15×17″ DD Coil | ~$229 | Amazon |
| 8 | Detech 13″ Ultimate Search Coil | ~$150-$190 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Detech 15″ Ultimate Search Coil | ~$170-$210 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Garrett 8.5×11″ PROformance DD Coil (stock)
The coil the AT Pro actually ships with — a genuinely solid general-purpose all-rounder that most detectorists never need to replace unless they want to specialize.
- 8.5×11″ DD design
- Waterproof to the AT Pro’s full submersible depth rating
- Genuine Garrett OEM part
- Balanced depth and sensitivity for general-purpose hunting
- The reference point every aftermarket coil below gets compared to
- A jack-of-all-trades design — the specialized coils below beat it at their specific job
Garrett 5×8″ DD Coil
Garrett’s own smaller coil, built for tight, trashy sites and closer target separation rather than raw depth.
- 5×8″ DD design
- Genuine Garrett OEM part
- Waterproof, submersible
- Best target separation in trashy or cluttered ground of any coil on this list
- Lighter and easier to swing all day
- Gives up depth range compared to the larger coils here
NEL Hunter 12.5×8.5″ DD Coil
A mid-size aftermarket coil from NEL, one of the most established third-party coil makers building specifically for the Garrett AT connector.
- 12.5×8.5″ DD design
- Built specifically for the Garrett AT Pro connector
- Waterproof construction
- Solid step up in coverage over the stock coil without going to full-size
- NEL’s Hunter is one of their most popular general-purpose AT coils
- Not as deep as NEL’s larger Storm or Big models below
NEL Tornado DD Coil
A compact, lightweight NEL coil aimed at all-day comfort and tight-site precision rather than maximum depth.
- Compact DD design
- Lightweight for extended swing sessions
- Built for the Garrett AT connector
- Noticeably lighter for long detecting sessions
- Good pinpointing precision in cluttered sites
- Trades some depth for the lighter, more compact build
NEL Storm 13×14″ DD Coil
A larger NEL coil built for open-field depth, giving up some target separation for wider ground coverage per sweep.
- 13×14″ DD design
- Increased depth over the stock 8.5×11 coil
- Built for the Garrett AT connector
- Meaningful depth increase for open, low-trash sites
- Wider sweep width covers ground faster
- Larger size makes it more fatiguing over long sessions
NEL Attack 15×15″ DD Coil
One of NEL’s larger depth-focused coils, aimed squarely at open-field relic and coin hunting where trash density is low.
- 15×15″ DD design
- Built for maximum ground coverage per sweep
- Built for the Garrett AT connector
- Strong depth performance for open-field hunting
- Covers wide ground efficiently
- Not the right choice for trashy or tightly packed sites
NEL Big 15×17″ DD Coil
NEL’s largest AT-compatible coil, built purely for maximum depth on open ground where target separation isn’t a concern.
- 15×17″ DD design, the largest on this list
- Maximum depth-focused design
- Built for the Garrett AT connector
- Deepest coil on this list for open-field work
- Best choice for large, low-trash search areas
- Heaviest and most fatiguing coil here, and the worst choice for cluttered sites
Detech 13″ Ultimate Search Coil
Detech’s patented “Ultimate” coil design, sold specifically for the Garrett AT Pro/AT Gold/AT Max, aimed at more stable ground balancing than a standard DD coil.
- 13″ round Ultimate coil design
- Patented technology for more stable ground balance
- Built for Garrett AT Pro, AT Gold, and AT Max
- Different coil geometry than NEL’s DD-style lineup, worth trying if DD performance plateaus for you
- Well-regarded for accurate target ID in mineralized soil
- Round coil shape covers ground differently than DD-style coils — some adjustment to sweep technique
Detech 15″ Ultimate Search Coil
The larger version of Detech’s Ultimate coil line, trading some maneuverability for extra depth while keeping the same stable ground-balance design.
- 15″ round Ultimate coil design
- Same patented ground-balance technology as the 13″ version
- Built for Garrett AT Pro, AT Gold, and AT Max
- More depth than the 13″ Ultimate while keeping the same ground-balance stability
- Good middle ground between NEL’s DD coils and a compact round design
- Heavier and less maneuverable than the 13″ Ultimate in tight spots
Buying tips
- Go smaller (Garrett 5×8″ or NEL Tornado) for trashy urban sites and old home sites; go larger (NEL Attack, NEL Big) for open fields and beaches where depth matters more than target separation.
- Detech’s round “Ultimate” coils use a different ground-balance approach than the DD-style coils from Garrett and NEL — worth trying specifically if you detect in heavily mineralized soil.
- Any aftermarket coil needs a firmware-compatible AT Pro (all standard units are), but always confirm the listing is built for the Garrett AT connector specifically, not the different Ace-series connector.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.