Bought a $60 rock hammer for a weekend trip and it was the best call

I was in Sedona last month and wanted to get a closer look at some of the red sandstone layers off the main trails. The cheap hardware store chisel I had just snapped on the first decent whack, so I drove into town and grabbed a proper geology hammer. That thing let me cleanly pop off a few small samples without shattering them, which made identifying the cross-bedding way easier. What's the one piece of gear you've bought that totally changed a field day for you?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee.diana15d ago

Sixty bucks for a rock hammer?!

grace_fox315d ago

Ever wonder why a good rock hammer costs so much? I used to think like you, @lee.diana, until I tried using a cheap one on some hard granite. The head flew off on the third swing. A proper one has a forged steel head and a handle that absorbs shock. That quality control and safety costs more, but it's worth it when you're not dodging flying metal.