Estwing GP100: Geo-Paleo hoe pick: ‘Big Blue’, as this pick is affectionately called, is the gold standard in excavating. At 1.8 kg (4 lbs) and 66 cm (26") in length, the GP100 is a modernised version of the classic Marsh Pick. The original Marsh Pick was designed specifically for fossil hunting in the early 1930’s by a former curator of the American Museum of Natural History, Dr. Barnum Brown. At the time, Brown recognised that there was no tool on the market that satisfied the need of the active palaeontologist or archaeologist. The original pick consisted of a short wooden handle with a metal pick-head / flat-blade combination… a model that was the standard amongst professionals and amateurs alike until the next millennium. It would still be around today except for the fact that the Big Blue came along. The Big Blue is a definite improvement on the original, with the wooden handle replaced by a durable powder-coated steel construction – great for adding strength and stability, plus it’s resistant to rust and tarnish. The blade-end is perfect for digging, while the pick-end is designed for prying up rocks and breaking through hard dirt. They’re built to last and come with a decent textured vinyl grip that extends two-thirds the length of the handle.