What To Take List

[+Paddybear]

Just a suggestion to have a "What to take with you list" on the Geocaching page for us newcomers. I took my daughter out for our first trip searching and discovered that there were a few things that we should have brought with us. Things like: spare pencil, first aid kit, Bear Bell (especially in our area), binoculars (for those beautiful sights), camera etc... It would be beneficial for those of us who may head out with only the GPS and our exchange items.

[+dkwolf]

I *NEVER* head into the woods without at the very least a stout knife--specifically one that can be accessed, opened, and used with only one hand. Either a fixed-blade knife, or a folder that clips to my pocket with a thumb stud to open.

 

Oftentimes, a leatherman mult-tool will ride along on my belt as well. Beyond that, the GPS and trade items (and a spare pen) is usually all that goes with me.

[+briansnat]

Just a suggestion to have a "What to take with you list" on the Geocaching page for us newcomers. I took my daughter out for our first trip searching and discovered that there were a few things that we should have brought with us. Things like: spare pencil, first aid kit, Bear Bell (especially in our area), binoculars (for those beautiful sights), camera etc... It would be beneficial for those of us who may head out with only the GPS and our exchange items.

 

 

Well the list can vary widely depending on what kinds of caches you are doing. A list for an urban micro hunt will be quite different from one for hunting a cache in the Rocky Mountains. So posting a one size fits all list would be practically useless.

 

There have been numerous forum threads (and I mean numerous) addressing this, so all a novice has to do is search the forums.

[+StarBrand]

Depends on where I am caching. In a city park - just me, the gps, a pencil. In the woods in an out of the way place I have a nice day pack with emergency supplies including first aid kit, waterproof matches etc.... FOr somewhere in between I have an oversized fanny pack with trade items, water, batteries and a few other items. I also alwasy try to bring one of my digital cameras.

[+Renegade Knight]

In my pack for most outings.

 

Waterproof Pen,

First Aid Kit.

Pocket Survival Kit

Flashlight.

compact mirror

Compass

Water.

 

I tend to carry a pocket knife, lighter, bottle opener and can opener with me. I seldom need the can opener but the p-38 doesn't take much space on a keychain and when I was living in my truck it was a god send. The bottle opener is very handy.

 

Other items get added depending on the trip but that's the minimum.

[+Jhwk]

Be careful what you ask for: "stolen from so many other cachers"

 

First aid kit:

Instant ice pack

Smelling salts

Ace bandage

Band-aids

Tylenol

Aspirin

Motrin

Butterfly closures

Gauze

Chapstick

Adhesive tape

Moleskin

Antiseptic

Snakebite kit

Bug bite swabs

Alcohol pads

Iodine swabs

CPR mask

Cotton balls/swabs

Eye wash

 

Other:

Rain poncho

Roll of TP

Mylar survival blanket

Washrag

Soap

Light sticks

Small flashlight

Hand warmers

Bug repellant

Compass

Signal mirror

Sunscreen

Pocket knife

Leatherman

Whistle

Cable saw

Fire starters

Duct tape

Waterproof matches

Rope (50 ft, 1/4 in. nylon)

Sweat shirt/jacket

 

For Geocaching:

Ziploc bags

Trash bag

Logbook/pencils

Map/cache notes/PDA

Small calculator

Batteries

SWAG

Pedometer

Cell phone

Camera/mini-tripod

FRS radios

Beef jerky

Granola bars

Trail mix

Water

GPSr!

[GlfWrVt]

Be careful what you ask for: "stolen from so many other cachers"

 

First aid kit:

Instant ice pack

Smelling salts

Ace bandage

Band-aids

Tylenol

Aspirin

Motrin

Butterfly closures

Gauze

Chapstick

Adhesive tape

Moleskin

Antiseptic

Snakebite kit

Bug bite swabs

Alcohol pads

Iodine swabs

CPR mask

Cotton balls/swabs

Eye wash

 

Other:

Rain poncho

Roll of TP

Mylar survival blanket

Washrag

Soap

Light sticks

Small flashlight

Hand warmers

Bug repellant

Compass

Signal mirror

Sunscreen

Pocket knife

Leatherman

Whistle

Cable saw

Fire starters

Duct tape

Waterproof matches

Rope (50 ft, 1/4 in. nylon)

Sweat shirt/jacket

 

For Geocaching:

Ziploc bags

Trash bag

Logbook/pencils

Map/cache notes/PDA

Small calculator

Batteries

SWAG

Pedometer

Cell phone

Camera/mini-tripod

FRS radios

Beef jerky

Granola bars

Trail mix

Water

GPSr!

 

I know of some that carry firearms while caching. Protection from predators of most kinds.

 

Mark.

[+niraD]

My geocaching kit includes:

• pens (ballpoint, fine Sharpie, ultrafine Sharpie)
  
• LED flashlight
  
• mechanic's telescoping inspection mirror
  
• assorted trade items
  
• blank stash notes/log sheets and small ziplock bags
  

I also use my Palm m500 (which I always carry with me). If I ever get around to figuring out what's wrong with my wife's ancient GPSr, I'll start carrying (and using) it. Or maybe I'll break down and buy a GPSr.

 

The trade items include stuff I buy just to leave in caches, my own sig tokens, other cachers' trackable sig tokens, and random stuff I've taken from other caches. I collect other cachers' sig tokens, but I keep the trackable ones with me. When I find another trackable sig token like one I already have, then I swap the two sig tokens. That way, they still move around, but I also keep one for my collection.

 

But this does not include the stuff I take for the trip itself, which depends on where I'm going. Most of my geocaching is suburban caching near my home, my office, or one of my commute routes, so my monthly train pass is usually more important than bug spray, sunscreen, or bear bells. :-)

[+Geckolovers]

I frequently go out with another cacher, and he has two items that I keep thinking I HAVE to get. One is a LED flashlight and the other is this 2-3 inch round mirror on a telescoping rod that he purchased at an auto parts store. That mirror has spied a lot of sneaky micros and the telescoping rod was especially nice over the winter, when searching by eye or with a handheld mirror would have had us crawling in snow/slush/mud.