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What do you take while geocaching?


jpeter1093

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We found that water is a MUST, some really good wipes work great also. Not like diaper wipes, but the industrial kind from grainger or somebody, maybe even the auto parts store. Pitch is our culprit, but the underside of bridges can get pretty skunky too. I'm new at this, so don't take my advice too serious.

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I use a fanny pack, and it has:

Swag

pens

first aid stuff

leather gloves

chapstick

tp

Palm

GPS

bug spray

head net

flashlight

little bottles of water in the side pockets

sometimes a camera

You wouldn't think a fanny pack could hold all of that, but it does! Tonight at LL Bean's I saw an even bigger one, as big as a backpack but still worn around the waist. I'm considering it!

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What I take while caching will very depending on the cache.

Least-GPSer and pen/pencil

Most-weeks worth of camp gear and all the rest.

 

What I take after varies depending on the cache hunting.

Some of the tougher one require a couple of aspirin.

Now if I do something stupid, it depends on the resulting injury.

 

If I spend way too much time on the hunt I usually take a trip to the flower shop.

Keeps me married AND caching. :anibad:

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Small first aid kit

Bee sting vials

Bug repellent wipes

Pens

Swag

Spare batteries

Water

Flashlight

one of those tiny fold up emergency blankets

Pocket knife

Bear bell - attached to back pack

Camera

extra pair of socks

a whistle

 

We live in a very rural area and have seen coyotes, foxes, bobcats, mountain lion, deer, rabbits, etc., on our own property, and very nearby a small bear. So, when we head out to the hills to cache we're pretty careful.

 

What we take on each trip varies, depending upon where we're heading.

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Urban micros: I bring the GPSr and a dog. Oh, and my wife to actually find it :anibad:

 

Rural, near the road: Aforementioned items, plus a camera and swag bag

 

Rural, elsewhere: Aforementioned items, plus a hiking stick, first aid kit, flashlight, compass and water

 

I have all of the "gear" in a fanny pack kind of thing that has two water bottle holders, so I just snag that out of the back of the truck along with the hiking stick.

 

I've always carried a compass, and now that I've had one for a while, I'd never do a wilderness cache without the hiking stick. Even in places I didn't think I'd need it, it came in handy.

 

When we think of it, we bring two-way radios, cause Patti will bail out on a ridiculous cache once in a while and it's nice to stay in touch. Of course, we usually think of it once we're ready to separate, and the radios are sitting in a cabinet back at the house ;)

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Emergency kit with poncho, space blanket, whistle, compass, matches, and a flashlight

A Leatherman Micro

Swag

Pen

Palm Zire (I go paperless)

Water

Bug spray

 

I also carry a collapsible aluminum walking stick/pole ... helps with my trick knee and makes me feel better should I run into anyone or thing with bad intentions.

 

I think the emergency kit is a little excessive, but better safe than sorry--I know how easy it is to turn an ankle and get stuck someplace you'd rather not be.

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Assuming it's a nature cache when I need to take my pack, this is my list:


  1. Electronics
  2. GPSr
  3. PDA
  4. Camera
  5. Cell phone
  6. Spare batteries
    Safety
  7. Bug repellant with Deet
  8. Flashlight
  9. First Aid kit
  10. Epipen
  11. Water
  12. A power bar or two
    Other
  13. Two or three swag items
  14. Any TBs or Geocoins
  15. Pens
  16. A plastic bag for CITO

Edited by ThePropers
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definitely bring a pen/pencil. I personally log everything into a journal. Pencil beats pen, as it can be sharpened, wont freeze, works when wet, etc.

Also, bring a knife. Not a huge Rambo style one, but a small pocketknife. Never know when you need to cut/pry something. Or, clean your fingernails :rolleyes:

Lastly, extra batteries. You think you will do fine with only 2 bars of battery left, until you get within 500' of the cache. Then, guaranteed, your GPS will die. Better to be prepared...

I carry tons of extra stuff, but do so not so much as a precaution, but more out of habit of carrying some significant weight in a backpack

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Here is what is in my pack in the summer. In the winter I'd probably ditch the headnet, insect repellent and light fleece vest and add a heavy fleece pullover, hat, extra gloves and a down vest.

 

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You da man!

 

I haven't done any caches that require an overnight stay in the wild so I generally just have GPS, camera, swag, extra batteries and something to write with. If the cache is less than 1/5th mile from where I park I generally leave everything other than GPS and swag in the car. Gotta start remembering something to write with though. Too many caches with nothing to write with.

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It depends on what sort of cache I'm hunting.

 

If it's an urban micro or small out in the open, where stealth is needed but I'll be parked close, nothing but the GPS in its belt clip so I can attach it to my front pocket when I need to use my hands. I'll carry the cache back to the car, sign etc., then make a return trip to replace the cache.

If it's an urban micro that's reasonably out of sight, same as above with the GPS, and I stick a pen in my back pocket.

If it's urban but small, same as above, I'll add a couple of small "swag" or trade items in my pockets .

 

For caches requiring actual walking or hiking, I have a small backpack (as small or smaller than many women's pocketbooks.)

Small front pocket accomodates my cell phone & some small notecards. Larger front pocket carries pens, a small Sharpie, the GPS if need be, my car keys, and extra batteries. Inside pocket carries pick-up bags & a tennis ball (I cache with my dogs), a removable water resistant pouch which contains trade items, TBs, geocoins, a few Ziplocs etc.. I also sometimes add my point-and-shoot digital camera.

In a pinch, I can fit my Nikon DSLR in there, but that usually gets carried seperately if I decide it's worth dealing with the weight.

 

If I were going on a hike longer than 2-4 hours, or going into serious terrain, I would probably use a larger backpack and take water and a larger first aid kit.

 

And one of these days I'll get around to getting a better compass than the little one on my car keys.

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GPS

Cell Phone

Small digicam

GMRS radio

Headlamp

Xtra batteries for the above including the phone.

Hiking stick

Gloves

Hat

Small machete that's about 16 inches total

25' of paracord

Fire starting equipment

If there is any chance at all of rain, a poncho

Pen

Nalgeen bottle full of water

GSI stainless cup for the Nalgeen bottle

Svea 123 stove

Coffee singles

Snacks

S&W Chief's Special

Five extra rounds for the S&W

Extra cigars

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Actually, it depends.

 

I have a knapsack, in which I carry: geocaching & letterboxing brochures, compass, sun screen, bug repellant, letterboxing log book, geocaching log book, rubber stamps & inkpad, a couple of extra pens, swag items (and any TBs I am moving), water bottles, extra batteries.

 

I also have: clipboard with prints out caches & letterboxes I am working on that day, park passes if I know I will be hitting parks, small cooler with extra water, hat, telescoping walking stick, umbrella, most of which stays in car.

 

Always have hat, good shoes and cellphone on me, sometimes long pants if I know I will be bushwacking.

 

If the cache is a quick 'park & grab' or in a small park, I'll probably leave most of the stuff in my car and take GPSr & info along with pen and maybe trade items (if its not a micro).

 

If it will be a longer hike, I'll take the knapsack and walking stick.

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4 litres water, 2 x GPSr, compass, 36' machete, saw, axe, rope and hooks, batteries, cellphone,camera, first aid kit, cache repair kit, waterproofs, torch, giveaways, mosquito net, palm Z22, hiking stick,swiss knife, bike spares and puncture outfit, spare housekeys, secateurs..and this is just for the lampost micros.

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After forgetting where a micro was hanging in a tree I made a "place marker". I found an orange fishing float at the store and tied a string to it. When I find a hanging cache I hang the float in its spot. I then sign the log and replace the cache where the float is hanging.

 

A mirror is another must have item. I do not put my hand anywhere I can't see. A friend grabed a wasps nest thinking it was a film canister. Ouch!

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