Well when this one showed up in the mail I knew it was going to be a big change. I was impressed with the way it fit down inside the bucket and didn't sit up high like the purple and green 5 gallon classifiers. By sitting down deeper the material is always well covered in water. The construction is the usual Lightweight but very strong plastic material. The screen is 1/16" thick punch plate set at 1/4" holes. On close inspection you can see the thermomolding is well done and the plate will not only never come out but can take the abuse of non stop shovels of gravel, very well.
Currently its only available in 1/4" size, and that was my only issue in real use. Let me explain why since its not a fault of the device but my current location. Weather has been bad around here so im staying close to home. (5mi) The type of hard dense concentrate in this portion of the river isnt found higher up or further down by the mouth. It contains several different types of stone that is very dense and fills riffles fast. We have the round garnets, quartz that is still sharp and square, a light baby blue stone that is rectangular and flat and a creamy green colored stone that is triangular for the most part as well as all of the various shapes of black stone. When you mix these shapes together in the riffles they tend to kick out the fine gold because of the way they agitate together. Pretty much a geometric cluster party behind your riffles. The only way I found to stop this was to drop to 1/8" and run the sluice in faster water and with almost no drop so is will pile the black sands and fine gold and push the gravels through. I have never had this problem anywhere else except close to home but you just have to work it properly. Thats my issue and no fault of the device.
Second thing is Im building 2bucket sets, so friends can go. They include a 5 gal bucket and plastic seat/lid. Inside those buckets i'm adding 2 of the 2 gal buckets, the classifier, black gold pan and scoops. as well as a little bag with snuffer, and small vial etc. These small classifiers make the set.
How did it work? being used to filling lots of 5 gal buckets in a day I was clearly shocked at how many 2 gal could be done in such a short amount of time. I ran 6 buckets and every time the screen ended up sitting on top of the material long before i thought it should be full. Very pleased with the product and it will certainly pay off when I get to move up higher to a different river once the weather calms down.
For folks backpacking or climbing up to the source....this is your new little friend. Get one.
All I can say more....... is I want a couple in 1/8" mesh as soon as they come that way!
Replies
As always, If I review a product, I have purchased it with my own money and am under no obligation to slant the opinion good or bad. If I was ever to review a product not purchased and selected on my own, I would state the same and it would get no special treatment. (that must be why my mailbox is empty lol)