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13 Best Gifts for Rockhounds You Should Buy (2023 Update)

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It can be challenging to buy a hobbyist a gift they would like if you’re not into that pastime yourself. If you hate giving generic presents like socks and soaps, you’ll likely have spent some time asking your friend, spouse, or family member about their passion.

Rockhounds are always delighted to show their specimens and discuss them with those interested.

Rockhounds use UV lights, sand scoops, hammer holders, test kits, and tote bags that are relatively inexpensive but likely to be gratefully received. You could also give a geologist T-shirt, agate bookends, or a geologist coffee mug. There are geology games, moon lamps, and geode sets for kids.

Rockhounds are typically citizen scientists or amateur geologists who study rocks and minerals for enjoyment rather than as a career. Useful gifts for a rockhound may include various gadgets, tools, or containers to assist in their hobby.

Best Rockhounding Gifts for Adult & Young Rockhounds
Best Rockhounding Gifts for Adult & Young Rockhounds

If you want to check out the random but often-bought gifts for rockhounds, you can find them by clicking here (Amazon link).

Best Gifts For Adult Rockhounds

The best gift for your adult rockhound depends on whether they are a novice or a fully-fledged rockhound with gear up to their eyeballs.

The objects on our list are things that all rockhounds will enjoy, but we’ll tell you if we think it’s something an experienced rockhound might already have.

If the gift is meant to be a surprise, you can always make discreet inquiries about items they still need without giving the game away.

Fortunately, many gifts are suitable for a rockhound if you take a little time and effort to find out what they are, which is why we’ve created this handy list.

You can pick something from the list and order it online if you don’t feel like trapping around hardware or rockhound stores. If you know a bit about why your family member is collecting rocks and what they intend to do with them, this helps.

UV Light For Rockhounding

A portable ultra-violet (UV) light (Amazon link) is helpful because many minerals fluoresce under its beam. The light helps spot these rocks out in the field or test one’s collection at home to see if they glow.

Convoy C8 + 365nm UV LED Flashlight (Amazon link) with Patented Glass Filter is among the best UV lights for rockhounding and is recommended by many rockhounds.

The key feature of this UV light is that a high percentage of UV passes through because of a 365nm long wave UV LED with a patented glass filter.

If your rockhound is into night hunting or wants to explore their favorite stone further, they will be delighted with this gift.

Yooperlites are rocks rich in sodalite, which fluoresce beautifully under UV light. For field use, a rockhound will love a UV light that can illuminate far-away objects.

An experienced rockhound will likely have a UV light already, but a new one may still be welcome. A UV light is unsuitable for kids because looking into one can damage your eyes.

In some cases, UV lights, sometimes called black lights, can also be used to identify gemstones. If your rockhound collects rocks to make jewelry, they may be thrilled with a UV light gift.

If they already have an extensive rock collection on display, they can switch on their UV light and see how many of them fluoresce in the darkened room with sometimes spectacular results.

TIP: Have you ever tried rockhounding with UV light? I recommend doing so; it is amazing! If you do not know where to start, check out the article below:
GUIDE: Rockhounding with UV Light & 3 Best UV Lights (2021)

Agate Bookends

Some of the first things all rockhounds collect are books and maps that teach them more about the different rock types and where they can be found.

A pair of agate bookends (Amazon link) may be just the thing to manage their growing number of books, guides, pamphlets, and maps and keep them all in one place. 

They can be purchased online, and each set is unique because they are made from natural rock dyed for some added color. An experienced rockhound may not have these, so they are suitable for beginners and old hands.

Mohs’ Hardness Test Kit

The hardness of rock is measured using the Mohs scale, and your rockhound must test the hardness of various specimens for cleaning and polishing purposes.

The Mohs’ Hardness Test Kit (Amazon link) comes with eight hardness test points, two at the end of each pen tool made of nickel-plated brass. It includes a sharpening stone and comes in a molded plastic carry case.

Several of these kits are on the market, some of which have industrial applications. The Deluxe Hardness Pick Set and Mineral Identification Kit (Amazon link) are recommended for rockhounds and mineral collectors.

Rockhounding tools can cost quite a bit, and a new rock hound is unlikely to have one of these test kits, so it will be a welcome addition to their arsenal.

Some rocks are softer and have to be cleaned using different methods to hard rocks. Knowing the hardness of a stone can also help to identify it more easily. Even an intermediate-level rockhound may not have one of these kits.

Heavy-duty Hammer Holder

One essential tool for most rockhounds is a rock hammer. These can be a bit heavy to carry by hand all day, so a heavy-duty hammer holder (Amazon link) that clips it to one’s trouser belt will be much appreciated.

It must be sturdy with a design that keeps the hammer at a sufficient distance from the body to not dig into your anatomy as you move around.

Also, if your rockhound is always misplacing its hammer or losing it in the field, this can be a big help.

For those who don’t know, a rock hammer has a sharp end for digging and prising rocks out of their beds and a blunt end for breaking rocks open. It is also used by geologists.

TIP: Are you looking for a new hammer or chisel? A new hammer can be a great gift, too, so check out my picks in the article below:
Recommended Rock Hammers, Picks, Chisels & Bars For Rockhounding

Geologist T-Shirt

A T-shirt with a rockhounding theme (Amazon link) is always a good idea. You can find a wide range online in various colors with a decal of a rock hammer, a spade, and the statement “Just one more rock, I promise” around the outside.

I like this one the most, but you can check out more funny rockhounding t-shirts here (Amazon link).

If you are a rockhound’s spouse or family member, this phrase is probably all too familiar when you’re on an outing and making moves to go home.

You can also get a hoodie, sweatshirt, long-sleeved T-shirt, or tank top in this range. Other T-shirts for rockhounds say things like “Minerals Rock” and “It’s not hoarding if it’s agates.”

People’s creativity on this subject is endless, and there is a lot to be said for searching the internet using the term “rockhound.”

Rockhound Tote Bag

Rockhounds will always need a handy, hardy bag to keep their treasures while collecting in the field.

You can buy a small or medium canvas rockhound tote bag (Amazon link) with an amusing printed design saying “eat, sleep, rockhound” that can be washed and reused many times. It is durable and robust and can also be used as a shopping or book bag.

Multiple bag styles and designs online with various logos and witty sayings printed on them. A small bag may suit a child’s hobby, while even a seasoned rockhound may appreciate another bag.

Sand scoops

Sand scoops scoop up sand and gravel containing rocks and sift out the larger ones. They have filter holes punched into them and are ideal for hunting rocks on the beach or in rivers and streambeds.

A sand scoop is a bit like a hand-held spade and has a sturdy handle attached to its upper surface. It should be made of heavy-duty metal that is water-resistant.

You can find one here (Amazon link). An experienced rock hound may already have one, but a newbie may not. They are also available at hardware stores and metal detector shops.

TIP: The beaches are one of the places where you can sand scoops. You can find the list of the most common rocks on beaches in the article below:
25 Most Common Rocks on the Beach: How & Where to Find Them?

Rockhounding Retro Stickers

A funny vinyl sticker for a rockhound’s toolbox, truck, car window, or locker is also a good gift idea that doesn’t cost that much. Any paraphernalia that humorously proclaims the rockhound’s hobby will likely be well received.

A sticker with some mountains in the background and “Wait, I see a Rock” (Amazon link) in the foreground is fun.  You can also buy a facemask, mug, and T-shirt with the same design.

Other funny, punning stickers say, “If something is gneiss, don’t take it for granted,” “Multiple Rock Disorder,” and “Come to the Rock Hound Café and bring your apatite.” Apatite is a kind of rock, as are gneiss and granite.

Ceramic Coffee Mug

For another less technical gift, you could consider a ceramic coffee mug (Amazon link) with an amusing graphic or phrase related to rockhounding.

Mugs with sayings like “Geologists know their Schist,” “I dig rocks,” or “Beware of the Rockhound,” or pictures of rockhounding tools or stones are bound to be a hit. 

Using a rockhounding-themed mug at work can spark conversation with colleagues who may also be interested in the hobby. It can also distinguish mom’s or dad’s mugs from the rest of the family.

Best Gifts For Kid Rockhounds

Children are inquisitive and interested in everything other family members get up to. Introducing a young child to rockhounding can be a gift for life that could even turn into a career one day.

Several gifts will pique the exploratory instincts of a budding rockhound.

ROCK ON! Geology Game

The Rock On! Geology Game (Amazon link) contains a STEM-based educational science kit in a tote bag with natural brightly colored rocks to stimulate a young child’s imagination.

The vital need for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has been emphasized throughout all levels of the educational system for some years now. One of the best ways to learn about STEM fields is to play activities and hands-on games.

The kit includes amethyst, rhodonite, unakite, and many others that, together with the game, offer an opportunity for hands-on learning.

The kit has polished rocks and unpolished mineral specimens that could form the basis of a collection, and they come with an identification guide.

There are five levels of play for up to six players, and the game is suitable for pre-schoolers, elementary school kids, and even older.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Break Open 10 Premium Geodes

The National Geographic Geode Pack (Amazon link) offers an exciting activity for kids. It encourages them to break open hollow rocks called geodes to see an amazing variety of crystals inside.

It’s a great hands-on STEM educational activity that makes a beautiful gift for school-age kids (eight years upwards).

The ten geodes with it vary from tennis ball size to ping-pong ball size and are accompanied by a sixteen-page full-color learning guide.

The kit also has safety goggles and two display stands, but you must supply your small rock hammer.

Once the geodes have been cracked open, they can form the beginnings of a rock collection and may stimulate your child’s interest in geodes with all the facts provided.

What looks like a dull, uninteresting grey-brown rock on the outstanding turns into a sparkling delight on the inside.

National Geographic supports nature conservation, exploration research, and education programs, so your money will go to a good cause.

TIP: Do you know the best tools for opening and cutting rocks? Check them out in the article below:
What Can I Use to Cut Rocks? These 5 Tools are the Best!

Learning Rock Bingo Game

The Rock Bingo Game (Amazon link) can also help a child learn about rocks and their properties. The game is a version of bingo using thirty-color bingo cards and seventy-five review cards that cover information on rocks required by school curriculum standards.

The cards bear full-color photos of different rocks with facts about metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks and how to identify them.

The reverse of the card has a question, challenge, or learning statement, and there is a Parent/Teacher Guide with detailed instructions. The game contains enough material for thirty students, and the cards are printed on durable stock that will last for years. 

Moon Lamp

The Moon Lamp (Amazon link) is a beautiful orb that uses 3D technology to reproduce an accurate map of the Moon on its surface.  The manufacturer uses NASA moon topographical maps to ensure that it is realistic.

When the lamp is illuminated, it creates a glow that highlights all the craters, mountains, basins, and other geological features on the Moon.

The Moon Lamp can be used as a night light for kids as it is dimmable and has two modes – a soft yellow light or a bright white light.

It contains a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts up to eight hours after fully charging. Charging takes about 2 hours. 

The Moon Lamp has a USB charging cable and a standard USB charger.

The Moon is one planetary-sized rock, and the lamp can be used as the basis for a family discussion on what kind of rocks have been found on the Moon and where its light comes from.

Anyone into the planets and the solar system may also love this gift, and you could even use the lamp to set up a romantic date with your adult rockhound.

Conclusions

Many items are suitable as gifts for your favorite rockhound, and our list caters to any budget and age group.

Most of the gifts listed here are relatively inexpensive, and the games for kids can be a fun but educational way for the whole family to learn more about rocks.

You can buy technical items such as hammer holders, hardness test kits, and sand scoops that every rockhound will use, or you can buy more common objects with a rockhounding theme, like T-shirts and coffee mugs.

TIP: And now it’s time for rockhounding! Do you know the best rockhounding locations near you? Check out the ultimate guide in the article below:
Rockhounding Near Me: Best Locations State-by-State (Map)