Magnetic Micros

[+smilingsteeles]

I've come acrossed a few of the key holder type of micros that are magnetized. I was curious what the geocaching community thinks of these. I've been thinking of placing a magnetic micro near a lake since there is no place to hide a trade container. Your thoughts, like 'em or hate 'em?

[+briansnat]

I don't like 'em because they are not waterproof. I don't think I've ever found a dry logbook inside one. Even if the logbook is placed in a plastic bag, it seems to get pinched when opening and closing the container and becomes useless in short order.

 

I have found a few as part of a multi, where the coors were painted onto the bottom of the container. That seems to work fine.

[+Team Cotati]

I've come acrossed a few of the key holder type of micros that are magnetized. I was curious what the geocaching community thinks of these. I've been thinking of placing a magnetic micro near a lake since there is no place to hide a trade container. Your thoughts, like 'em or hate 'em?

 

So long as they are placed where they don't get wet, they are as good as most any micro I suppose. Lately the Team has been filtering micros out of their PQs for reasons that have nothing to do with the container type. We don't "hate them" but we don't like them very much either. And for sure lots of people seem to be pushing the definition of 'regular' when it comes to sizing their cache.

Edited April 24, 2006 by Team Cotati

[+YuccaPatrol]

I won't bother with micros unless there is a VERY good reason for visiting the site.

 

IWREMOPTHFALM !!!!

[+Team Cotati]

I won't bother with micros unless there is a VERY good reason for visiting the site.

 

IWREMOPTHFALM !!!!

 

Ditto.

[+two left feet]

Obviously I like micros because I place them. But I don't like every micro. Should be something interesting about it. The container, the location, a view, a story, a history, a nice hike, a pretty park or something fun. A keyholder on a guardrail can get pretty boring if there isn't something else that goes with it.

 

I make use of the keyholders as "decoys" or "distractors" because they are cheap and I don't have to put any effort into them. My micros are usually custom made in my shop and designed to complement how it is hidden.

 

Also you can place a micro as the first stage of a multi and then an ammo can as the final so you can have it both ways.

 

Folks seem to enjoy my micros. Just put some time and creativity into them so that they are fun to find.

[+BamaHiker]

A lot of micros are placed in my area. I like them because they are typically more difficult to find. I also place a lot of them. We use bison tubes for the caches, they're small and water proof. The regular size are more fun for my children (and I like them too if they contain travel bugs, or geocoins, or some other unique object). Most of my micro's are magnetic, and I'm fairly new at hiding them, but I do attempt to hide them in places of interest.

[+Ed Rad]

Having used them before, I would suggest trying not to use them. They are a bit of a PIA to maintain over the long haul. If you have to place a micro (cringe ) then a bison tube or plactic tube with a screw on top usually works well. You could tape a nice magnet to the outside of the container so you could make it stick if need be.

[+Icarii]

Obviously I like micros because I place them. But I don't like every micro. Should be something interesting about it. The container, the location, a view, a story, a history, a nice hike, a pretty park or something fun. A keyholder on a guardrail can get pretty boring if there isn't something else that goes with it.

 

I make use of the keyholders as "decoys" or "distractors" because they are cheap and I don't have to put any effort into them. My micros are usually custom made in my shop and designed to complement how it is hidden.

 

Also you can place a micro as the first stage of a multi and then an ammo can as the final so you can have it both ways.

 

Folks seem to enjoy my micros. Just put some time and creativity into them so that they are fun to find.

 

I have done all of their caches and let me tell they are interesting. I actually enjoy their micros, even if I curse them a little bit.

Icarii

[+Isonzo Karst]

Our specialty would be destroying hide-a-keys. Though I will say these have all been more in the nature of inevitable container failure than through some sort of brute strength attack on our part. I've had metal hide-a-keys crumble in my hand (Florida, coast, salt air) I've had the magnet remain on the ferous object and the hide a key release into my hand, I've had the plastic side wall break away as I slid the drawer open (Florida coast, sand in everything, friction excessive to design strength). And I've had hinged plastic hide a keys open only to have the thin plastic hinge tear.

I dont own a hide a key type hide - wonder why?

[+norsehawk]

Our specialty would be destroying hide-a-keys. Though I will say these have all been more in the nature of inevitable container failure than through some sort of brute strength attack on our part. I've had metal hide-a-keys crumble in my hand (Florida, coast, salt air) I've had the magnet remain on the ferous object and the hide a key release into my hand, I've had the plastic side wall break away as I slid the drawer open (Florida coast, sand in everything, friction excessive to design strength). And I've had hinged plastic hide a keys open only to have the thin plastic hinge tear.

I dont own a hide a key type hide - wonder why?

 

Another FL cacher here, I am still a bit new to the game, but the magnetic hide a key ones are usually not in the most scenic locations, and they are rarely ever more than a 1 difficulty hide. However, the dastardely little 'mr magnetos' that we have around here... those are just plain EVIL

 

If you haven't come across one in the field, they are smaller than a dime have a strong magnet on the back, a screw off top that has enough room for a small initial only log (mabye if you fold and roll it really tight, you can get enough to put a name on it. I've found 2 in nature, and both were very tricky to find since they were so tiny

[+smilingsteeles]

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm thinking about doing a multi with the micro at wypt1. The lake is built up and there are no trees big enough to hide a small container. The lake is really nice and I want to bring people to it. Now I just need to find a great spot for wypt 2.

[+DocDiTTo]

 

Another FL cacher here, I am still a bit new to the game, but the magnetic hide a key ones are usually not in the most scenic locations, and they are rarely ever more than a 1 difficulty hide. However, the dastardely little 'mr magnetos' that we have around here... those are just plain EVIL

 

 

Actually, having found roughly 30 or 40 of them, they've become completely cliche and extremely annoying. I have a special bookmark list just for them so that others can be spared the boredom and annoyance of hunting them as well, if they so choose.

[wandat24]

if you can find a place where you can put them upside down it works better i have noticed, where they don't get wet (or as wet), but then you have to worry about the ones (cachers) that look for it then just stick it back in place the way they found them.

[+Freth]

I know this is a little off-topic, but why in the world don't people test their containers before attempting to use them for a cache? In my opinion, if they don't pass a submersion test in a sink or tub then they're not a good cache container. I would never use something like a magnetic key holder unless I figured out a way to seal it properly. Just my opinion.

[+sbell111]

... In my opinion, if they don't pass a submersion test in a sink or tub then they're not a good cache container. I...

The submersion test isn't required of all containers, just those that will placed in locations that will get wet.

 

Personally, I don't use submersion to test any of my containers. I place them in a planter that Cathy has on our rear deck. After a couple weeks or after a good rain, I pop them open and check the log. If it's dry, the container is a keeper.