Dream Mat or Miners Moss? Let's Figure This Out!

You're standing at the gold shop counter. Two people are arguing about which mat works better in their sluice boxes. One swears by his old Miners Moss. The other just bought a Dream Mat and thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread.

Sound familiar? Yeah, this happens all the time.

Here's the deal - both work. But they work differently. Let me break it down for you.

Miners Moss - The Old School Choice

My buddy Jake has used Miners Moss for 20 years. It looks like green carpet with really long fuzzy fibers. When water flows through it, gold gets stuck in all those little fibers.

Why Jake loves it:

• Catches tiny gold flakes like crazy

• Cheap to buy

• Easy to put in your sluice

• Works great in fast water or slow water

Why Jake complains about it:

• Takes forever to clean out the gold

• Gets clogged up with mud and junk

• Have to clean it all the time

• Catches black sand too (annoying!)

Jake spends an hour cleaning his moss after every trip. But he finds gold every time.

Dream Mat - The New Kid

My other friend Lisa bought a Dream Mat last year. It's made of rubber with little ridges and bumps. Instead of trapping gold in fibers, it creates little whirlpools where gold settles down.

Why Lisa loves it:

• Super easy cleanup - gold just sits on top

• Doesn't get clogged with mud

• Can see the gold building up while she works

• Way less black sand to deal with

Why Lisa worries:

• Cost her twice as much as moss

• Had to learn the right water speed

• Sometimes wonders if tiny gold washes away

• Hasn't been around as long as moss

Lisa's cleanup takes 10 minutes. She's happy but still learning.

So Which One Should You Get?

Get Miners Moss if:

• You're just starting out

• Money's tight

• Your gold is super fine

• You don't mind longer cleanup

Get Dream Mat if:

• You hate long cleanups

• You prospect in muddy areas

• You want to see your gold pile up

• You don't mind spending more money

What I Actually Do

Want to know a secret? I use both.

I put Dream Mat up front where the water hits hard and carries lots of rocks. Then I put Miners Moss at the back end where things slow down.

Works great. Dream Mat handles the heavy stuff and cleans easy. Miners Moss catches any fine gold that gets past.

The Bottom Line

Look, both mats catch gold. I've seen guys do well with moss. I've seen guys do well with Dream Mat.

The real secret? Learn how your sluice works. Keep your water flow right. Clean your equipment.

Don't get caught up in the gear arguments at the gold shop. Pick one and go prospecting. You'll figure out what works in your area.

And remember - the best gold recovery system is the one you actually use. Whether it's fuzzy green moss or fancy rubber ridges, get out there and run some dirt!

Good luck out there!