Having the right equipment when heading out prospecting is essential. And while you might be tempted to spend your money on fancy and expensive equipment, that’s usually far from a necessity. On this page, I’ve gathered my top picks for those wishing to get started prospecting, as well as for those looking to up their game and get some more advanced equipment!
Best Gold Panning Kits
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If you’re completely new to prospecting I would instead recommend getting a gold panning kit. By choosing one of kits I link to below, you will be ready to get started right away.
Most gold panning kits contain the following:
- A gold pan
- A classifier: A really important piece of equipment used to sift out large rocks and debris before panning
- A snuffer bottle: Used to suck up gold and black sand concentrates for further processing.
- Vials: Perfect for storing any gold you find
- A second gold pan: some kits also include a second smaller gold pan. Usually, they come with smaller riffles that make it easier to capture the really fine gold. While it could a good thing to have, you certainly will do just fine without one!
My Pick: Prospector´s Choice Gold Pan Kit
Prospector’s Choice is a renowned manufacturer not only when it comes to gold pans, but also a wide range of prospecting gear.
Prospector’s Choice is known for making quality gear, and I have personally had good experiences with their gold pans, including the ones that come with this kit.
This kit comes with two gold pans; one smaller for fine gold, and one larger for dealing with larger quantities of material. You also get a suction bottle, tweezers with magnifiers, a classifier, and two vials.
In my opinion, this is the perfect kit for anybody looking to getting started. It’s cheap and doesn’t leave you awash with tools and pans that will just lie around to no good.
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Are you looking for a more extensive kit with more tools? Then my article listing the best gold panning kits has you covered!
Best Gold Pans
The gold pan is perhaps the most basic yet essential piece of equipment for any gold prospector. You will be using it regardless of whether it’s your only prospecting tool, or if you’re processing the concentrates from a sluice box or highbanker.
When picking a pan I recommend you go with a plastic one over a metal pan. Plastic pans are really durable and won’t bend. In addition, they won’t rust, and the gold is much easier to spot than in a metal pan.