Insaga Enhance T-Post Driver, Heavy Duty Fence Post Driver with Non-Slip Ergonomic Handles, 24LB Post Driver, 23" Post Pounder Or Rammer for Use with T-Posts, Wood or Metal Fence Posts

Needed a larger post driver for a highway sign pole. Smaller ones weren't big enough around and a sledge wouldn't put it in the ground. This baby smacked both poles in no problem. It's heavy so if you're not accustomed to the weight, it may be difficult to use.Side note, it's too large for a standard fence post and will bend it because the post moves around too much. I don't recommend for 2" posts.

If you are looking at this in consideration of purchasing, do it! I've used the old school style of T-post driver with 180* thin metal handles; both heavy 20 pounders and the lighter 8 and 12 pounders. I've also shamefully driven posts with a short ladder, sledge-hammer and 2X4 block when no other options were available. All things being equal, this is the way to go. Cost-wise, there is little difference between this luxurious Insaga enhanced driver and the old-school all metal drivers. I use the term 'luxurious' sort of jokingly, but seriously, the handles on this Insaga driver make a world of difference. The offset angle of the handles put your arms and shoulders slightly closer together allowing for more efficient driving. Granted some of the old-school post drivers have this same angle of handles, but none of those drivers have thick rubber handles that fill your hands for a very comfortable grip. You don't even need gloves with this driver. If you are doing any serious amount of fencing, gloves are recommended, but if you're just out there driving a post or three, bare hands will not suffer in the least bit with this driver.As far as the weight, 12lbs is about as heavy as you'll need these days. Traditional forged t-posts can still be purchased and recommended for very large farm stock, and a 12lb driver is plenty for those. However, I have noticed how the newer stamped t-posts are becoming the new norm everywhere except maybe bull pins. While not as strong as forged posts, the stamped posts are much lighter and easier to drive down. Once in the ground, the stamped posts provide plenty of strength and stability for most fencing applications. I guess that is one of the reasons they are getting more popular. Honestly, a 12lb driver is pretty much overkill for stamped posts, but if you're going to own only one driver, I wouldn't recommend anything lighter than 12 lbs. as you may find the need to drive a forged post from time to time.This driver's weatherproof coating is as tough as any other I've seen on traditional drivers. I wouldn't call that part an upgrade, nor do I have much to say about the way the driver's cap is welded or ported. I can't see either being an issue long term. Your driver will get scratched and dinged and form a little rust here and there, but that just happens with tools like this. It's not made to ride in the front seat with you. It belongs in the bed of your truck, may get rained on, and really shouldn't be given that much thought other than pure utility. Just be aware that when the time comes, your hands, arms and shoulders will thank you for the upgrades that really didn't cost you much more than something you could pick up at the local feed store.Long term, my only concern is the rubber handles. Will the hold up to heavy use and sunlight degradation or dry rot? Only time will tell. Traditional drivers would not suffer this potential problem. However, I will take the obvious benefits now and deal with the potential problems later. Worse case, the rubber could eventually dry rot off, and the bare handles are no less comfortable than a traditional driver's thin bare metal handles.

I have a rather large (and expanding year by year) black raspberry patch that I keep cordoned off with garden stakes and wire fencing, which does a good job of keeping it free of critters. But to put those stakes in, I typically use a dead blow hammer (the biggest one I got) in one hand, and I hold 2x4 over the top of the stake and wack it in. It works, kind of in the same way a knife works as a flat blade screwdriver. As in, not very well, and you'll wish you had something else.Well, this is definitely "something else" compared to my dead blow hammer and chunk of 2x4. I had 3 stakes to put in to finish the east wall of my fence when this came today, and I took this out of the box and was outside like a little kid when I got it.So anyway, I got me a new tool and I'm out in the yard playing (I'm 51, mind you...) and I have to tell you, this made slick work of putting those garden posts in! Hammering those 3 in by hand, probably would have been 10 minutes, maybe 3 minutes per post and some change. How long did it take me to put them in the ground with this? About a minute. Maybe. I shove it in the ground by hand where I want it, put the "whacker" on top of the pole, and WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! It's in to depth. And I didn't even come CLOSE to smacking one of my fingers. Not that I've ever done such a thing, mind you. *ahem*.This literally makes putting those posts in so quick and easy, that it's a little over 80 degrees f here today, and pretty humid, and I didn't even break a sweat, it made it so easy. I'm ready to put in 30 more, if I had to.Folks, if you put those green garden stake things around for your garden fencing, and you're doing what I used to do? Whack em with a hammer and a piece of wood on top? If you're looking at this, and wondering, is it worth $60? When I can get one for, $35? $40 bucks? YES. Every other post driver that I've seen or tried has skinny handles that are uncomfortable to use and hold. Every one. The fat handles on this fit my hands perfectly and make this job SO easy. This is SO worth the cost over those cheaper post drivers. Especially if you're getting a little older and your hands don't grip things quite as strongly as maybe they once did? You'll REALLY appreciate the nice, big handles on this driver. I sure do.I can hardly wait until next year, now. I'm actually excited to move my fence, when I used to absolutely dread it! This is the best post driver (or, as I call it, "whacker") that I've ever used. It's made extremely well, the welds are top notch and the metal gauges used throughout are absolutely adequate for the job and maybe even then some, it's SO much more comfortable to use than any other I've tried. I absolutely recommend it, 5 stars, easily.

Full disclosure, I received this item as part of Amazon's Vine Program in exchange for an honest review, good or bad. When I was younger, I helped my Dad install metal fence post for a dog lot with a sledge hammer. It was a miserable experience. We finally got smart and got on a ladder to swing the sledge hammer at fence post that were as tall as my Dad. Now it became dangerous too. My grandfather showed up with a device neither of us have ever seen- a fence post driver. It was like going from riding a bicycle to driving a car for the first time. It was a huge difference and we finished up in no time.This fence post driver is really well made and durable. It is easy to use and I expect to get a lifetime of service out of it. I have seen some that have foam handles, but that foam wont more than a few years, especially with the impact this type of tool receives. However this post driver has a cushion that is padded for your hands but still feels very durable. It should last a long time.FYI, I choose the 12 lbs model. It is a workout driving it all day. I can't imagine using the 24 lbs model for very long.

I needed a picket pounder and this did the job. I likes the larger handles, its a big step up from the smaller ones that have pretty much been standard on them all forever. Its 9 lbs, which is one less than the 10lb ones I've always used, but the difference wasn't noticable in the effectiveness of the tool for what I was using it for.