Rockpegs - which hammer?

My preference is for a steel handled claw hammer for driving pegs and extracting them

I use a Footprint 4 lb Lump hammer to drive them in, using its flanks with low amplitude "taps" if the under van space is too restricted to use as intended.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/262848009893?chn=ps&adgroupid=43920634520&rlsatarget=pla-359427365517&abcId=1063846&adtype=pla&merchantid=9770564&poi=&googleloc=9045740&device=c&campaignid=797602469&crdt=0

To extract them I knowingly abuse an old heavy pair of cable stripper pliers. A now long defunct manufactures pair somewhat like these but of a lot more rugged design. Their jaws grip well to apply a releasing twisting torque then you can straight pull them.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Draper-79BSUN/1512928862?iid=361097005383

In both cases not the best practice use of these tools, but effective enough and the best solution I know.

 Another vote for the 4lb lump hammer ..... a smaller claw hammer doesn't have enough clout for my home made storm strap anchor pegs.

Claw hammer for me but if I was using a lump hammer it would have to be a 21/2 lb one not a wrist damaging 4lb!

I use a plastic shafted lump hammer (probably a 2.5 pound one) I picked up very cheaply in a 'pound shop'.  As said before, the weight is handy for the awkward pegs that end up under the van - the large head means it's hard to miss the peg too.  I'd have to had swung really hard with a claw hammer to drive pegs in on some stony hardstandings over the years.  I always use a 'tap and strike' technique when driving pegs into hard ground - first stroke just tap the peg then hit it hard with the second and repeat - try it and you'll very rarely have a mis-hit.

Having tried both a lump hammer and a claw hammer I much preferred a claw hammer. I found the lump hammers far harder on the wrists. Using the length of the handle on a claw hammer although the weight of the head was lighter the impact speed was far greater. 

To extract a peg put claw under peg head and tread on the impact side of the hammer head and voila peg comes loose with little effort.

I could never understand some using a rubber headed mallet to drive a steel peg though?

I always carried a hard rubber mallet for grass pitches and a 2lb ball peen engineer's hammer for gravel pitches... Never needed anything else even for the storm guys. I used rock pegs on both grass and gravel. 

K

Thor soft faced hammer heavy enough for driving rock pegs into the hardest of hard stands and also "quiet" in use and takes shock through "nylon?"handle have had it for about  40yrs still on original replaceable heads,they are still available (screw fix)

and to get rock pegs out always twist first  with pliers which normally breaks grip of the ground and then they can be withdrawn with comparative ease  

Tsk. Obviously being doing things incorrectly last 30 odd years......

Never to old to learn