Empty Cache.

[+Airmapper]

What is the opinion on placing a cache with only a logbook and pen, when it is a cache that can accept swag?

 

For example: (I haven't done this so don't flame me.) You have a small cache and want to place it, but don't have any small trinkets to put in. So you place it hoping the next cachers that find it all put a little something in till it has good trade items for everyone.

[+Miragee]

I think that would be okay, especially if the cache location was a really good one, like at the end of a long hike or near a waterfall or near an interesting historical site.

 

I have found small caches that have items in them and don't think the person who placed the cache left any trinkets in the beginning. I think the finders left something, like a State quarter, because they appreciated the cache.

[+yumitori]

So essentially you want someone else to stock your cache for you?

[+martinell]

You could make it a "leave something that tells me about you" cache. Of course the items could later be traded out by other cachers. Or just put in one item and the next person has to try to put in or trade out an item that somehow relates to the first item - and explain their reasoning no matter how stretched.

[+denali7]

one like this was placed near me recently. the cheerful description even stated something to the effect that the container contained a logbook and a pencil, and was eagerly awaiting trinkets from cachers. pretty cheesy, if you ask me.

[+Jester2112]

From the Hiding Your First Geocache section on geocaching.com:

 

"Lastly, you can put goodies in the cache. It's recommended, but not necessary!"

 

Just hope there aren't kids like my 4 year old who find it first. She might be a little bummed if there wasn't any "treasure" to be found.

[+Jeep_Dog]

Some may think such a practice is in poor taste, but there is nothing against the guidelines in regards to such a practice.

 

I have seen several caches consisting of empty ammo cans placed. Believe it or not, they have all filled up with swag! Cachers bring along items and stock them up, and the early trades usually involve taking one item, and leaving two. This is probably a great testament of the super cachers we have in my area. It is fun to see the generosity, group spirit, and even the interesting collection of swag build up from nothing. Personally, I would not advocate an abundance of caches placed like this, but it can be fun to place a few of these and watch how the swag evolves.

 

I noted several early logs on a couple of these of "hey, there was no goodies in this darn cache!" Yeah, no kidding, read the cache page. The owners responsibly noted that fact on their listing, which would definately be the right thing to do if you placed such a cache. The ammo can I put out I filled, and will continue to due so on future regular caches, but it was fun to visit an "empty" cache. Plus, it allowed a lesson to my 2 year old in "community spirit" and contributions...

[+mtn-man]

I did a cache a couple of years back with a reporter. We got there, found it, opened it and found nothing but a logbook, a pencil and a couple cheap items. It seems this cacher started all of his ammo boxes with nothing but a logbook and pencil.

 

It was somewhat embarrasing.

 

I ended up leaving a bunch of stuff so the photo of the cache looked like something was in there at least. As said, there is nothing in the guidelines about it, but I would not put a traditional cache out without some kind of goodies in it. For kids, that is a lot of the fun -- looking at the goodies inside.

[+Night Stalker]

Renegade Knight is famous for caching without being prepared. A couple of years ago he decided to place a cache near a waterfall above Stanley Idaho. He never found the waterfall and after placing it realized that it was empty. He added a request on his log page to provide items for the cache. Cachers not only filled the cache, they provided the logbook and writing utensil, and one cacher took it the rest of the way to the waterfall and gave him the updated coordinates. Now that's what I call teamwork.

[+Thrak]

What is the opinion on placing a cache with only a logbook and pen, when it is a cache that can accept swag?

 

For example: (I haven't done this so don't flame me.) You have a small cache and want to place it, but don't have any small trinkets to put in. So you place it hoping the next cachers that find it all put a little something in till it has good trade items for everyone.

Why not go GET some small trinkets to place in the cache? The Dollar Store has stuff for a buck - there are other places where you can get small items. It's not really very difficult or expensive to obtain small swag to stock your cache with so I don't understand why you wouldn't do so. /shrug

[+StarBrand]

I wouldn't leave it empty but that is just me.

 

Wal-mart, Dollar stores, sale items - homemade stuff - whatever. Just put a deck of cards in it if nothing else.

 

Having said that - I have found 1 that was an ammo box and was empty. I left 5 nice items in it to get started.

[+briansnat]

If you're having a problem with cache theft in your area then I can see not bothering to stock it, but otherwise I think you should. I know many people don't trade and don't care about anything other than the logbook and pencil, but newbies and families with kids expect to find a "treasure". I recall the look on my 4 year old nephews face both when he opened a cache filled with goodies and one with a few pieces of garbage. The disappointment on his face in the latter case was obvious.

 

Nobody is asking you to caash in your 401K to stock the cache, but its easy enough to leave a few decent, interesting, inexpensive items inside.

 

If you're just expecting others to stock your cache for you, that screams cheap-cheap louder than a sparrow.

[Hugh Jazz]

GCHC66 - Virtual Reality by The Outlaw

 

In Austin there's this cache that's an Ammo can cache that was placed empty (except for log/pen) and is designed to remain empty. You trade humorous imaginary items and post what you took/left on the online log.

Edited October 20, 2005 by Hugh Jazz

[+sept1c_tank]

You could call it, "Crappy Swag;" start it out empty and encourage cachers to leave whatever crappy item they might have found in another cache. To spice it up a bit, you could also encourage them to trade--down.

[+Miragee]

"The Trading Post" is another idea.

 

I have it on my watchlist because I love to read the logs of what people have left and traded for.

[+tozainamboku]

You could call it, "Crappy Swag;" start it out empty and encourage cachers to leave whatever crappy item they might have found in another cache. To spice it up a bit, you could also encourage them to trade--down.

Like this one.

[+Bandit & Magna]

Not something I would do - but that is just me. we are collecting goodies as we speak so the first cache we set is great fun.

 

It would not be as much fun for us to set it if it were empty. Half the anticipation is seeing what people take and leave. Or it is for me anyway.

[+sept1c_tank]

You could call it, "Crappy Swag;" start it out empty and encourage cachers to leave whatever crappy item they might have found in another cache.  To spice it up a bit, you could also encourage them to trade--down.     

Like this one.

Great minds think alike (I've concluded that there really is no such thing as a new idea; I keep trying anyhow). :D

[+Airmapper]

What is the opinion on placing a cache with only a logbook and pen, when it is a cache that can accept swag?

 

For example: (I haven't done this so don't flame me.) You have a small cache and want to place it, but don't have any small trinkets to put in. So you place it hoping the next cachers that find it all put a little something in till it has good trade items for everyone.

Why not go GET some small trinkets to place in the cache? The Dollar Store has stuff for a buck - there are other places where you can get small items. It's not really very difficult or expensive to obtain small swag to stock your cache with so I don't understand why you wouldn't do so. /shrug

(To all who posted, or will post.)

 

I am posing this as a hypothetical question, I do not place caches without swag, nor have I found any caches like this. This thought crossed my mind from things I have read here in the forums, and from trying to put items in a small container that wouldn't fit. In my personal opinion I think it is cheap to place one without anything to trade.

 

I CAN and DO, get my own swag. I would appreciate it greatly if I would not be accused of anything in subsequent posts. These forums are for discussion, and I thought this was an interesting situation to discuss. I did not aim to come across as wanting to place empty caches, but since I may have made it sound that way I'll let everyone know I'm not considering it.

Edited October 20, 2005 by Airmapper

[+Miragee]

I cache for the exercise and the fresh air. If someone placed an ammo can at the end of a wonderful hike and it was empty, except for the log book, I wouldn't care, as long as I knew about it ahead of time and didn't think someone else had emptied it out since its placement.

 

It's fun to look through the stuff in a container, but it is about the whole caching experience for me.

 

We found two five-gallon buckets used as cache containers yesterday and TNLNSL on both of them. But, what a wonderful hike it was to the top of that peak.

 

[+MountainMudbug]

I recently placed a small cache with log only (no trade items). In the descriptoin I mentioned that it would have room for very small trades such as coins or charms - I say this only for those who seem to feel they need to/have to trade something. I could care less if they do or not. I don't consider by that wording that I am asking others to "stock my cache" for me.

 

It has been my experience that quite small caches with very little room to hold trade items sometimes become *stuffed* with one or two overly large items (for the cache size) that make it practically impossible to close the container.

 

I actually had someone stuff a business card in my altoids strips cache, totally ruined it (ie: not shut, got rain in it). It had a great run before that event with no problems.

 

On the flipside, I've noticed that large/regular caches that could hold decent-sized items often devolve to a handfull of plastic lizards, army men, quarters, and business cards. Wassup wit dat??

My cache bag contains a small variety of different-sized items and I try to trade or leave things based on size of container for the most part. Since the majority of new caches near me are micros, I don't trade much anymore.

 

My 2 cents

Edited October 20, 2005 by MountainMudbug

[+welch]

For example: (I haven't done this so don't flame me.) You have a small cache and want to place it, but don't have any small trinkets to put in. So you place it hoping the next cachers that find it all put a little something in till it has good trade items for everyone.

I doubt this would happen. Maybe you can make some sort of themed cache, but I still don't think it will work too great.

After it gets something in it, some will trade in theme (a few up, few down), some won't trade in theme (a few up, few down), and some won't trade at all, still a few others will take out but not put in... And it if there wasn't anything to start it won't be long till everythings back to nothing.

[+dogbreathcanada]

In an urban area, a traditional non-micro should contain trade goodies. (Of course, there's no rule for this, it would just be odd to see one.)

 

In non-urban areas, I actually prefer that caches are swag-free or geocoin/pin trade only.

 

All my mountain top caches are logbook/pencil only. Pins and geocoins are welcome, though. And on the page I state this upfront, asking that all the plastic garbage be left for the urban caches. All these caches of mine require at least 3 to 4 hours of hiking (some quite a bit more).

[+dogbreathcanada]

I cache for the exercise and the fresh air. If someone placed an ammo can at the end of a wonderful hike and it was empty, except for the log book, I wouldn't care, as long as I knew about it ahead of time and didn't think someone else had emptied it out since its placement.

Exactly. I couldn't agree with you more.

 

Of course, I don't hike with heavy ammo cans. I leave small lock & locks. I do state that trade items aren't welcome, unless they're pins or geocoins or very small travel bugs

[+Miragee]

Now you tell me. I did haul two heavy ammo cans up a mountain.

 

link to log

 

Also, some of the posts in this thread are the antithesis to the purpose of this cache that was placed to prove Geocaching wasn't a greedy activity . . .

[+Airmapper]

I don't trade much, but then again, what does a guy my age want with Mctoys and plastic lizards. If I see something I like, I'll trade for it (even or up of course.)

 

I cache for the enjoyment of getting out to places I wouldn't normally go, seeing things I normally wouldn't see, and the challenge of finding where the cache is. (Plus I get to use that GPS I'm so obsessed with. )

[+EcoPit]

I don't trade at all, so whether or not a cache is described as 'log only' would not deter me. It is partly peoples' expectations that a cache-placer include items that has kept me from placing more caches (laziness plays a part as well ). I have decided I don't care what others think though, and that a non-trading cache is better than no cache, so I have a few micros and small caches in the works. I don't think I would ever specifically ask people to stock my cache though.

[+Lil Devil]

Some caches start empty and are meant to stay empty. 0

[OttoLund]

A geocacher is sporty by nature, can optionally give something without receiving anything back.

The geocacher allways receives sómething, the cache experience.

Edited October 22, 2005 by OttoLund

[+NomadVW]

I've thought about this too. I think I'll call it the TNLNSL Cache. Ahh.. drats.. 10 of them out there already.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...SL&submit4=Find

[+QDman]

I've always "pre-swagged" my ammo cans, until my last. It's actually a series of puzzle caches (in ammo cans) that each give a portion of the coords for the final cache. They are listed as "log-only macros." The final ammo can had many goodies, including a themed DVD for the FTF.

[+clearpath]

I see nothing wrong with it ... call it a large micro cache.