+Larth's Clan Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Sorry, this probably has been covered many a time. I'm setting up a backpack to take with us on our first official, spend the whole day, GPS packed full of waypoints, geocaching experience tomorrow. The only thing I can think of is flashlights and baby wipes for dirty fingers... oh and a pen and pencil. Soooooooooo, what do you take with you or what is just essential? Quote Link to comment
+Kai Team Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 (edited) Several pens or pencils. A compass. Extra batteries for the GPSr. A small notebook (for solving multi or puzzle caches, creating a make shift log sheet if the one in the cache is full, or making random notes). Swag (to trade, if you choose to trade). A rubber stamp (if you're going to do any "letterbox hybrid" geocaches) A small first aid kit (at least a few bandaids). Bug spray (if it's the season where you are). Sunscreen (if it's sunny where you are). A few "tall kitchen" sized trash bags (for CITO). A few quart sized ziploc bags (for cache maintenance). Added at the last minute: a good sized bottle of cold water. Enjoy! Edited January 28, 2006 by Kai Team Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Camera, digital if you have it. Sting Eeze or something like it. Quote Link to comment
+Larth's Clan Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Kai, you have great suggestions. I like how you've listed things to repair or maintain the caches too. Quote Link to comment
+DaemonLee Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Knife Backpack Air Pump (frame pump) $5 in bus fare $20 in cash (just in case, emergency) School ID Insurance Card (It's bound to happen) Pen/Pencil Swag Batteries Ziploc bags (zip close, I'm lazy. ) Helmet and of course, the Bike. You didn't think I just carried around a bike pump for the hell of it, right? Heh. Quote Link to comment
+Kai Team Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Kai, you have great suggestions. I like how you've listed things to repair or maintain the caches too. Thanks - going on three years of learning the hard way! Quote Link to comment
+Larth's Clan Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Kai, you're making it too easy for me then Another geocacher that made the mistake on emailing me about finding his cache that I'm now pestering, suggested wire, gloves tape and magnet also. Quote Link to comment
+Kai Team Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 (edited) You can carry a huge number of things depending on the terrain, your climate, your commitment to the environment and maintaining others' caches, and how much weight you can carry. I started out with a minimalist approach and added things over time as the need arose, although I must confess that I sometimes leave my backpack in the car now (exceeding the last criteria above). Other things in my current collection include: A good trekking stick (Leki collapsible, purchased through LLBean), both for hiking and for poking around in places I don't want to reach into. An extra baseball cap (for the one all too often left on the kitchen counter). A extra pair of winter gloves (for when the first pair get wet) A cell phone (especially if caching alone) A signal whistle (in the event of injury, or just to round up members of your party who've wandered off). Walky-Talkies (my wife has one and I have the other, given her tendency to wander off while I'm pursuing a cache that she's had the good judgment to let me retrieve). A cheap rain poncho (for unexpected downpours). A blaze orange vest for both me and my dog (that's him to the left), for caching during hunting season... And probably a few other things I'm forgetting. I don't use most of the stuff on most outings, but when you need/want it, it's very nice to have! Edited January 28, 2006 by Kai Team Quote Link to comment
+humanloofa Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 never forget a roll of the two ply. It has lots of uses. and tweezers didn't see them on a previous list. Quote Link to comment
+humanloofa Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Are you setting this up for around town or in the woods? I have two different ones depending on where I'm going caching. Quote Link to comment
+Larth's Clan Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 Kai, again, thanks for the great list. I don't have any plans at this moment to do anything that I'll need anything special for but am going to plan an outing like that really soon. My goal is to eventually become someone that can and will hike a bit to get to caches... assuming they exist in hikable areas and I'm sure they do. And yes, it would be nice to have these things in the car and ready if we should need them. As far as who gets to tote the oversized Coleman backpacks we have, it will be the older two of my boys. That's why you have children in the first place I believe, lol. Plus they like doing it too. Quote Link to comment
+Poidawg Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I pack depending upon how far I am going, and if I am caching in town or out in the woods. I have had issues with spiders, and some caches have debri on them so a pair of gloves. A small flashlight, some of the cachers are in dark places. A couple of pens to write in the log with. A notepad - I like to make notes. A cell phone - in case I get into trouble. A platypus water bottle (and collapsable water dish for the dog) A couple of zip lock baggies, a little container of trade items. Digital or film camera if you want to take photos. A PDA if you want to auto route or whatever. Extra batteries. I designated one of my backpacks for a geocaching bag, and I leave everything in there so I can just grab it and go...Good luck. Take care. Quote Link to comment
+Sioneva Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I'm pretty new at this still, but I bought a fanny pack at Walmart that carries two water bottles (since I live in Vegas, water is THE essential thing to take along!). It's currently holding trail mix, extra batteries, a compass, small bits of swag, extra pens, usually my wallet, and the GPS unit when it's not in my hand. Leaves the hands free for hiking and climbing, and it's not as bulky as a backpack. Course, it doesn't hold as much... Quote Link to comment
johndmann Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I'm sure there are other things I should take, but here's my current backpack setup: For Cache Repair: 1 pack of 10 cheap pens 10 25 cent note pads for log replacers 10 homemade micro logs for replacements a pair of scissors a mini-stapler roll of scotch tape small and normal size ziploc baggies (usually about 20 assorted) For Survival: 1-liter bottle of water highway map of the state a normal magnetic compass first aid kit (just tweezers, bandaids, and a snake bite kit since i live in texas and all we have is cacti, trees, rocks, and snakes ) a printout of the "what is geocaching" page for presentations with muggles who pester) For Seeding: 1 magnetic micro cache - preloaded with log 2 micro caches - preloaded with log 1 small cache - preloaded with items and log For Trading: cache trinkets/swag/items (of various values) My Electronics: my GPS digital camera camcorder for video mp3 player (in case i'm in the mood) and an ungodly amount of spare batteries 3 pairs of rechargable AA's and two 10-packs of regular energizer AA's. Quote Link to comment
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