How USA Rockhounding Evaluates Gear
A transparent system for separating primary-source facts, editorial judgments, hands-on evidence and commercial relationships.
Choose equipment from the material and job first—not from the retailer first.
How does USA Rockhounding evaluate gear?
USA Rockhounding starts with the material and job, verifies technical specifications against primary sources where possible, separates source facts from editorial judgment, labels hands-on testing honestly, records check dates and does not let affiliate commission determine product inclusion.
Material → job → constraints → tool class → product
What the manufacturer or manual actually states
Examples include machine power, listed price, blade class, included equipment and stated workpiece capacity. These facts receive a source and check date.
What the evidence means for a rockhound
Fit, trade-offs, upgrade path, underbuying/overbuying risk and workflow recommendations are editorial conclusions and remain separate from merchant claims.
Commission does not set the ranking.
A commercial relationship can change only whether an approved purchase link is available. It does not change the material requirements, capacity calculation, evidence label or stated limitations.
Dynamic commercial facts are treated as temporary.
Prices, availability, included accessories and model lineups can change. Product cards record a source-check date, and major buying guides should be rechecked before substantive updates or after a manufacturer changes the relevant model.
We intentionally avoid creating a separate public page for every keyword variation. Related phrases are mapped to one canonical page unless the buying decision is materially different.