Fossicker Pyramid pan vs GoldHog Pan

[G-bone]

I'm thinking a Pan like one of these is becoming more necessary to my equipment arsenal....Especially in Cali.
So I am here asking if anyone on T-net has used both or know of friends who have tried either one of them.

I don't think there is any question of the Hog pan construction/strength.
But the Fossicker does use Polymer basin (lighter) and riveted riffles, so there is a breaking point to all that.

Also the Fossicker has no way to place it on the ground flat (from what I can see).
It has that Plug at the bottom but no flat area to set on the ground to shovel material into it.
All vids and photos are showing it placed in a bucket.....I don't want to bring a bucket when out sampling.

price:
The Fossicker is around $90.
The Hog pan $279

Anyone have any comparative info?

Thanks

G

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Terry Soloman]

Garrett Pro Panner kit - $45.00

 

[Underburden]

G-Bone
I wouldn't use the Pyramid Pro Pan for sampling. It's not a one-and-done type of pan. It's made to work many shovels of gravel down to concentrates. I sample one conventional pan at a time to get a true reading of pay gravel. I use the PPP when I can't use a sluice. I modified mine a little... Pyramid Pro Pan Mod
If you use it as intended, you'll really like it.
Bob

 

[G-bone]

Thanks guys.
Maybe "sampling" was not the right term as they are "production" pans.

I did like the video that Doc from GoldHog did, using the HogPan for sampling.
He was sampling a good buckets worth of material from any given area, which made sense to me.

Cheers.

G

 

[goldog]

What is your need for this tool? Maybe there are hands and pans areas where high production panning is the only way. Or an area with water but no flow?

I'm a thrifty sort. Ok downright cheap. Unless you can pin down a specific need I would stick with the super-sluice pan you have. $100-300 buys a lot of (gas, food, meds etc... fill in the blank). The sniper weighs less than these assuming water is flowing. Why not use that.

 

[G-bone]

All very good points Goldog.
I guess it's the "pitching wedge" or new "putter" I'm missing from my bag......but I don't really need it.
Thanks for the reality check

 

[Hard Prospector]

I've had my pyramid pro pan for several years now and its been well worth the $90. Creeks that are too low to effectively sluice (So Cal most of the year) are where this thing has been of most use to me. I bring down to the stream bank a 40 gal plastic tub and using a 12volt-500gph pump place it into creek and fill it up for later. Now I start crevicing and high grading under boulders (usually classify down to 1/2") and when I've got a couple buckets full of material its back to my new "pyramid pro panning station" complete with stool that came down in the tub. I can go through that material in about 10-15 min and thats no kidding. I'll use a small pan to finish up the cup or two of cons. When done for the day, I use one of those large feed scoops to remove the debris at bottom of tub at throw up high onto the bank. Installed a ice chest drain plug in the tub to make water removal even easier (sometimes a quick dunk before draining if hotter than Hell out) Anyways, this set up works well for me, you fellas might want to give it a try.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Good, creative problem solving HP!

 

[Hard Prospector]

Good, creative problem solving HP!

Thanks Kevin, hope your summer prospecting is going well

 

[Hamfist]

The Pyramid Pro Pan sits nicely atop a one or two gallon plastic pail. Both can be strapped to a backpack. You don't really need a full-size bucket.

The Pyramid Pro was the first piece of equipment I bought (after a cheapo pan). I didn't really use it much until last year and now I'm glad I didn't give it away. My favorite little canyon has shallow standing water fed from below for 5-6 months out of the year and I have tubs stashed there in which I also pump water to get some depth in order to use the P-pan. If the ground is too damp to drywash and I don't feel like messing with a highbanker, the Pyramid pan still lets me get my fix. It's not as fast as shoveling into a river sluice, mainly because it gets fatiguing after continued use, but that's true of any pan.

Skip the Maverick pan and buy a Garrett Super Sluice if you don't already own one. If you do, buy a second!

The Hog Pan seems cool but you can accomplish nearly the same thing with a classifier and a bucket, which you probably already have.

 

[HardHatMatt]

The Hog Pan is nearly $300?

 

[G-bone]

Thanks all.

I hear you on the Super Sluices, got 3.
By far my favorite pan!

And a couple of those and a 1/2" classifier will completely suffice.
Also those will fit in the panniers of my adventure bike! LOL!

 

[Hard Prospector]

The Pyramid Pro, the Super Sluice and the Gold Grabber Mini are by far my favorite pans

 

[johnedoe]

I still like this one....It will catch the fines and it is actually faster than he is showing in the video with very little practice.

 

[Capt Nemo]

The Hog Pan is nearly $300? That's actually so ridiculous, it's hilarious..."Doc" has sure got a set of stones on im.

Have you seen the prices on aluminium sheet lately? 2'x4'x0.125" 6061 T6 around $130. The gas companies also want your firstborn for the helium to heliarc weld it.

 

[wildminer]

Have you seen the prices on aluminium sheet lately? 2'x4'x0.125" 6061 T6 around $130. The gas companies also want your firstborn for the helium to heliarc weld it.

That's the truth. Then throw in the the labor for experienced fitters and welders.

 

[HardHatMatt]

Nm nm

 

[russau]

Have you seen the prices on aluminium sheet lately? 2'x4'x0.125" 6061 T6 around $130. The gas companies also want your firstborn for the helium to heliarc weld it.

Ive decided to sell my TIG welder because most people cant or don't want to pay the price for this type of welding. and price the tungsten and cones needed for this welding............EVERYTHING has gone up! this is another reason Ive started using ABS plastic for my equipment. Lighter and cheaper than alumn.!!!!!

 

[GoldWiz]

I have a PPP and like it. I don't have a Hog Pan but I think the two would be used in different ways. The PPP needs classified material or you are slowed way down. I don't classify but I am not trying to break any records for digging dirt either. It catches all the gold you put in it. The Hog Pan I can see being used to move lots of unclassified material for sampling and with that it better be able to hold up to abuse. I also recently got one of the pans show in a previous post video, gray not black. I like it a lot and pretty much that is the only thing I take to the creek with me to sample. I pan down unclassified material to the heavies, look to see if I have anything then dump it in a small plastic container to take home to my home built miller table. I can do about the same amount of material in this pan as I can the PPP but much faster, takes me about 90 to 120 seconds per pan, depending on how many of the big rocks I need to wash before pitching them. The other advantage is that it fits in my bookbag backpack so I have my hands free hiking to the creek. My grandson, 11 years old, cannot pan a regular pan at all but he can sure go to town with the PPP so when he goes with me I always take the PPP.

Depending on what your needs are and what your budget is any of these will get the job done and the gold caught.

 

[Hard Prospector]

I have a PPP and like it. I don't have a Hog Pan but I think the two would be used in different ways. The PPP needs classified material or you are slowed way down. I don't classify but I am not trying to break any records for digging dirt either. It catches all the gold you put in it. The Hog Pan I can see being used to move lots of unclassified material for sampling and with that it better be able to hold up to abuse. I also recently got one of the pans show in a previous post video, gray not black. I like it a lot and pretty much that is the only thing I take to the creek with me to sample. I pan down unclassified material to the heavies, look to see if I have anything then dump it in a small plastic container to take home to my home built miller table. I can do about the same amount of material in this pan as I can the PPP but much faster, takes me about 90 to 120 seconds per pan, depending on how many of the big rocks I need to wash before pitching them. The other advantage is that it fits in my bookbag backpack so I have my hands free hiking to the creek. My grandson, 11 years old, cannot pan a regular pan at all but he can sure go to town with the PPP so when he goes with me I always take the PPP.

Depending on what your needs are and what your budget is any of these will get the job done and the gold caught.

The most compelling reason I've heard as of yet to buy a Hog Pan......OK I'm in.