How Do You Carry?

[+Jhwk]

Have waited a while to ask this question. Have searched the threads and haven't been able to find a similar topic so...

 

How do you carry your "geocaching machine" while out caching?

 

I normally just carry it in my hand and have a hiking stick in the other, but this becomes more difficult on some of the higher difficulty caches. If I attach it to my backpack strap it hangs at belt level and constantly swings around and bounces against my tummy. I would like to find a way to carry it around my neck or on my backpack that keeps it from bouncing around on my prodigious girth ( ) So far I haven't really found a good solution. My ultimate solution would be hands free - just look down when I need to check my progress. Kind of like a vehicle mount for the human, I guess. Any thoughts or tools that you use while hunting the harder caches?

[+briansnat]

My 60CS I just use the belt clip that it comes with and I also clip the laynard to a carabiner on my belt loop, in case the clip fails (the button sometimes falls off).

 

My eTrex Vista is in the neoprene carrying case and I clip it tothe top pf my pack's shoulder strap so its face up to the sky for best reception.

 

60CS]

 

Vista

Edited August 28, 2005 by briansnat

[+bear&fox]

I am with briansnat on this: I also use the belt clip that comes with the GPS 60. Mine snaps onto the backpack's shoulder strap - this way I can just twist the unit and see the numbers and dials. When I am within the last couple of meters, I unclip and hold it in my hand.

 

I want to add a cross-strap on my backpack's shoulder strap that will allow me to mount the GPS a fraction higher - thereby gaining slightly better satellite exposure (what difference can 5 centimeters make!)

 

Cheers

[+Anonymous']

I either carry my GPS in my pocket or in my hand, you can ask joinsmith97 how he carries his and he'll tell you he carries his by the lanyard when he's leaving a cache. He swings it around by the lanyard. And if I'm not mistaken the little plastic piece that the lanyard attaches to broke off and his GPS went flying.

[+Team Neos]

I usually carry mine in hand, but I have a soft case for it with a see-through window so I can view the screen and the case has a clip. When I need both hands, I slip the lanyard over my neck and clip the GPS to my shoulder strap or jacket collar (depending on what I am wearing).

 

I saw a nifty set-up once. A woman had someone mount a bracket to her trekking pole. The GPS rode just a few inches from her wrist near the top of the pole in plain view. Someone asked about shock vibrations, but she hadn't had it mounted long so she couldn't say if that was going to cause problems or not. Looked good, though.

[+reveritt]

I carry mine in a pocket of my coat in cold weather, or in a pocket of my geocaching bag that I can reach easily.

[+Thrak]

I carry mine in my hand when I need to look at it. When I have a longer way to go or when I'm near the cache and need to look around I slip it into the Garmin case I bought. It's just a carrying case - no plastic window. I have the case hooked to my "Indiana Jones Bag" (what I jokingly call my caching bag) using a carabiner I got from a cache. I just slip the unit into the case and half zip it. The unit is securly held in place and protected. I considered one of the cases with the plastic window but didn't really want to have to push buttons and use the rocker through a layer of plastic.

[+Team Neos]

The case that I bought has cut-outs on the sides that allow me to access all the buttons and the click-stick. The velcro on the top doesn't secure as well as I would like though--but the fit is snug enough and has enough friction that the GPS doesn't slide out anyway.

[+bigdog999]

I found that I don't like cases, so I use a detachable lanyard.

[+Kai Team]

I bought the GARMIN eTrex Holster (010-10309-00) for my eTrex Vista - it clips to a belt and has a flap opening at the top secured by Velcro. I carry the GPSr in my hand when needed and easily slip it in and out of the holster on my belt when navigating difficult terrain or when logging a cache. The holster did come off one time when I was jumping a stream (hard to believe given the belt clip they use), so you have to watch out for that.

 

When I upgraded to the 60CS, I found that the belt clip that came with the unit works just fine in the same way - easy attach and detach. I bought a case for the 60CS, but haven't used it!

Edited August 27, 2005 by Kai Team

[+Miragee]

I use the Neoprene cover on my new Vista C and I usually carry the GPSr in my hand, with the lanyard secured around my wrist,.

 

[+MO-GEO]

Most of the time one of my little cachers will carry the GPS as we make our way. If I'm holding it, I have a mini carabineer to clip it onto my belt and I just stick it in my bag/pocket if I need to use my hands for anything.

[+sbeng]

I like to record tracks to the caches so I used to hold it in my hand at just the right angle or clip it to the shoulder strap if I have my backpack. I still do that for short distance cache (sadly most of them,) but for the few longer hikes I break out the Gilsson antenna and attach it to my baseball hat. That way the GPSr can ride anywhere - vest pocket, pants pocket, backpack - it doesn't matter, I still have excellent tracks and sat lock when I pull it out. I don't trust the belt clip that came with my 60cs, I jammed it on a fence post once, didn't hurt it, but I don't think it would have taken much more to snap it right off. Also, whenever I can, I try to have that second point of attachment with the lanyard clipped to a belt loop or somewhere - extra security..

[+PassingWind]

I use the Neoprene cover on my new Vista C and I usually carry the GPSr in my hand, with the lanyard secured around my wrist,.

 

I used to have one of those, but the screen got cloudy and it was bulky...I moved to the stretch holster with a carbiner so I could work "hands free" when hiking.

 

http://shop.garmin.com/accessory.jsp?sku=010%2D10480%2D00

[+1500chief]

I found a cell phone case at Big Lots for about 2 bucks that has a clear cover and soft sides that still allow me to use the controls. It has a belt clip and a whole in the bottom for the lanyard. I clip it on my sholder when I need both hands and it also adds some protection to my unit if I drop it.

[+WhatsRNutts]

do far all of the caches I have done didn't reqire a huge walk to get to. usually with my etrex legend I use the really long lanyard that it came with and wrap it around my wrist a few times then I hold the unit in my hand. So if I drop it it isn't going hit the ground.

[+JohnnyVegas]

In my pocket, that is what pockets were designed. I do not trust clip on pouches they break.

[+deimos444]

In my pocket when walking and in my hand when approaching a cache.

Since I use an Etrex Legend it has to be parallel to the ground and face up if the internal antenna is being used.

When I use the reradiating antenna I can carry it any old way I please.

[+Team Wildebeest]

I also hook mine to my pack. The GPS goes in it's case, which is clipped to the sternum strap, and the lanyard loops around a plastic d-ring on the shoulder strap just in case the clip breaks or gets snagged. Anything that get close enough to hit the GPS will also whack me in the face so I'll know about it right away.

[+tirediron]

The case is clipped onto the shoulder stap of my bag so that it hangs vertical (76CS) but normall it's in my hand..

[+Team Lazarus]

I have a Magellan Meridian and use a blue London Fog camera case that I found on sale ($3.94) at Ritz Camera. I use the case to protect the unit when not in use. When in the field, I simply hold the unit. It is blue Marine model and does not work too well when pretending to use as a cell phone if someone not in the game gets curious.

[+Greymane]

I use a PDA, so I carry mine in an Aquapac bag. It keeps the dust and water out and I can put the lanyard over my neck when I need my hands. It is totally waterproof, but I can use the PDA through the bag, so no need to open it.

[+CompassCollector]

I added a couple of cross-straps to my old backpack's shoulder straps, and I clip the GPS and PDA to those (similar to Briansnat's setup). They ride high, and out of the way of snags and brush.

[+WhatsRNutts]

In my pocket when walking and in my hand when approaching a cache.

Since I use an Etrex Legend it has to be parallel to the ground and face up if the internal antenna is being used.

When I use the reradiating antenna I can carry it any old way I please.

you can attach an antenna to the legend?!?

[+Jeep_Dog]

I use the "official" geocaching.com lanyard. I love it, since I can easily detach the GPSr from the lanyard if required. I usually loop the lanyard through a belt loop, from a loop on my outdoor shirt, around my wrist, or hang it around my neck. I use a Garmin that works best parallel to the ground, so the looping part is necessary.

 

Plus, it is the only thing that is on my body (other than the obvious GPSr, of course) that marks me as a geocacher. My Jeep is marked with a GC sticker and a "got GPS?" sticker, but it usually doesn't go all the way to the caches (sniff sniff).

[darwinmay]

In my pocket when walking and in my hand when approaching a cache.

Since I use an Etrex Legend it has to be parallel to the ground and face up if the internal antenna is being used.

When I use the reradiating antenna I can carry it any old way I please.

you can attach an antenna to the legend?!?

Yes and no. You cannot DIRECTLY use an external antenna with an etrex, but they wsell reradiating antennas that receive a signal and retransmit it at low power (signal only goes a few feet) so you can hold the GPSr any which way and get good accuracy.

[+WhatsRNutts]

that is great news.....that is the only down fall I hae seen with my legend....as soon as I go under 1 tree my accuracy goes from 15ft to 35ft

[+deimos444]

In my pocket when walking and in my hand when approaching a cache.

Since I use an Etrex Legend it has to be parallel to the ground and face up if the internal antenna is being used.

When I use the reradiating antenna I can carry it any old way I please.

you can attach an antenna to the legend?!?

Yes and no. You cannot DIRECTLY use an external antenna with an etrex, but they wsell reradiating antennas that receive a signal and retransmit it at low power (signal only goes a few feet) so you can hold the GPSr any which way and get good accuracy.

I attach the reradiating loop to the front of the Legend with a rubber band.

It also lets the GPSr acquire more satellites a heckofa lot faster.

Sometimes I put the magnetic back antenna/sensor on my hat.

No problems with muggles then.

[+CondorTrax]

I use an over the shoulder satchel-type pack. The GPSr is in a canvas case which is then clipped to the front strap. The strap itslef is wide enough that it prevents the GPSr from swiveling.

[Major Catastrophe]

I carrys it in my hand, with the wrist strap thingy around my wrist. If'n I needs to use both hands (4WD) I puts the GPSr in my pocket. It don't work worth a hoot when it's in my pocket, but since I can't see the screen it don't make no difference.

[+Team Teuton]

I got the RAM mount that is intended for bicycle /motorcycle handlebars and mounted it to my hiking stick.

 

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