TurboPan

TurboPan Spiral-Design Gold Pans in This Collection

A TurboPan is a riffle-free gold pan that uses a molded spiral ramp instead of traditional cross riffles to trap fine gold while black sand and lighter material wash away. The spiral grooves create a controlled, continuous flow that guides heavies toward the center of the pan, so you finish concentrate faster and with less hand fatigue than a standard riffled pan. This collection carries the TurboPan lineup in the common 10 inch and larger sizes, each molded from impact-resistant polymer that resists rust, UV, and warping in the field. Many prospectors use a TurboPan as the final cleanup step after running a sluice or after locating pay streaks with gold detectors and other metal detectors.

From the Field: Our Experience With TurboPan

We have run TurboPans across a range of conditions, from wet mountain streams to high-desert drywashing setups. The advantage we keep coming back to is how forgiving the spiral design is. A traditional riffled pan rewards a very specific shaking cadence, and new prospectors often lose fine gold when that timing is off. The TurboPan spiral channels heavy material toward the center with a steady, fluid motion, which lowers the risk of flushing color during the final stages of panning. In side-by-side cleanup tests against a deep-riffle pan, we found the TurboPan let us process a batch of black sand concentrate in fewer passes, which matters at the end of a long day. The flat, riffle-free surface also makes it easy to see and pick out flakes and small pickers before you snuffer them up.

Building a Complete Prospecting Kit

A TurboPan handles final recovery, but it is one piece of a working setup. To dig and move material efficiently in the field, pair your pan with durable digging tools such as picks, hand shovels, and crevice tools. If you prospect shorelines or hunt jewelry and coins in the surf, our range of waterproof beach detectors pairs well with heavy-duty sand scoops and diving tools built for mineralized beach sand. For classifying material before you pan and for sluices, riffle pans, and snuffer bottles, browse the full gold prospecting equipment range. If you are new to the process, our gold panning guide walks through the foundational techniques that get the most out of every pan.

Durability and Care

TurboPan units are molded from high-density polymer that resists UV degradation, temperature swings, and the abrasion of rock and grit. Because the material does not rust or corrode, a TurboPan is a long-term tool that holds its shape season after season. Maintenance is simple. Rinse the pan thoroughly with fresh water after each session to clear sand and silt from the spiral grooves, avoid harsh solvents that can leave a slick film on the surface, and store it out of direct sun when possible. Cared for this way, a single pan will serve through many seasons of heavy prospecting.

Who the TurboPan Is For

The TurboPan suits beginners who want a faster learning curve than a riffled pan, and experienced prospectors who want a quick, reliable finishing pan for cleanup at camp. It is a strong fit for anyone working fine gold and stubborn black sand, whether you are panning a creek, finishing sluice concentrate, or processing drywasher catch. Ready to choose a size? Compare the TurboPan models above, and add the matching digging tools and classifiers so your kit is ready for the next trip.