what DO you want to see in a cache?

[kimnbair]

I'm a newbie and want to find something good to leave in the caches I find, any suggestions?

[+team moxiepup]

Dog toys are always good. Moxie once marched a squeaky toy all the way from the cache, back to the car.

[+9Key]

There's a guy in Pennsylvania that leaves hamsters in caches. You might try that, or use something smaller like mice.

[+The Cheeseheads]

I tend to only trade items when I have my kids along with me, so something cool that kids would like (not McToys) would be neat.

[+Renegade Knight]

I like coins and tokens.

[+emurock]

I'm a newbie and want to find something good to leave in the caches I find, any suggestions?

geocoins

[+KY MOOSE]

Horse pins from Bybee Pottery Co.

(http://www.bybeepottery.com/history.htm)

[+briansnat]

Tape measures. If I see a tape measure I always trade for it. Can never have enough tape measures. Even with all the tape measures I've taken from caches I still can't find one when I need it.

Edited October 23, 2006 by briansnat

[+GRANPA ALEX]

A LOG is all I need . . . other than that, cash is kinda nice!

[+PoledraDog]

Well, items useful to hiking/caching are kind of nice. Batteries, carrying cases, sunscreen (unused), bug repellent, for example.

 

I like to place items that kids would like, but could be fun for adults, too. For example, I recently placed 2 keychains: one with a carabiner clip and one with a whistle (metal like the carabiner clip, not cheap plastic kind). Another group came up on us while we were at the cache. We saw them again when they got back to the trailhead, as we had stopped for lunch. 2 of the kids had picked up the keychains I had left. Pencils are cool, too; you can place cool ones that kids would like to collect, and that adults could use if they needed them.

 

Anything geocaching related (stickers, etc.)

 

I like to see things that the kids like; of course I'm biased 'cause I cache with my kids. Not cheapie McToys, though. That doesn't mean they have to be expensive; some recent things my kids got and liked include:

marbles

cool rocks/stones

a bell thing to put on your bicycle

a waterproof container you wear around your neck that you can put small things like keys, spare change, or other small cache finds in

 

Things that tell about the people who visit...I've been thinking lately about purchasing postcards from places we visit to place in the caches. I may even fill them out with a message to the "finder" that tells something interesting/cool about the place we went. I know I think it would be neat to find something like that. I think doing the same for my home area would be fun (for placing in caches we visit; not so interesting for placing in local caches).

 

*Good* coupons/gift certificates for places to eat, things to do.

 

Things for the girls: pretty hair clips, earrings, bracelets.

[+edscott]

A LOG is all I need . . . other than that, cash is kinda nice!

 

Yes a DRY log.

[+BlueDeuce]

I'm a newbie and want to find something good to leave in the caches I find, any suggestions?

 

hmmmm........

 

Sorry, can't think of anything.

 

Oh wait!

 

ah, no...nevermind.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I always take the compasses from BrianSnat caches. I seem to keep losing them... But, then again, I leave tape measures...

What have I really loved finding in caches? A great little duck decoy. A Moose Swill Beer jigger. (Who drinks beer from a jigger?!?) Superballs! I give them to a lady at work. But, they have to be nice ones. Like the eye ball, or the one that lights up when you bounce it. Or smiley faces. I don't generally take too many things from caches. Usually I leave small plastic frogs. Oddly, kids seem to love them.

[+viking66]

Honestly Harry,

It is I who collects the cache frogs. There, I admit it! AND ILL DO IT AGAIN TOO, BWAHAHAHA

Anyway, I like to see a dry log book most of all. As for geoswag, since coins are rarely found in the wild, I rarely take anything ( I was kidding with Harry Dolphin ). I do like to see usefull things like a tube of Tecnu poison ivy 'cure'. or a travel pack of TP or something that I need in a pinch Im none too sure what that maybe.

[+Team JSAM]

I cache with kids 85% of the time so I love it when a good toy is in there it gets them all pumped up to go find another 10 caches, I dont do much trading I just love the hunt, but when my kids luck out and get a kewl toy that makes it really fun for them.

[+BlueDeuce]

I cache with kids 85% of the time so I love it when a good toy is in there it gets them all pumped up to go find another 10 caches, I dont do much trading I just love the hunt, but when my kids luck out and get a kewl toy that makes it really fun for them.

 

Yep, I leave far more often than I take. And it's usually kid's stuff.

 

Some adults hate it, but I don't care. No, I'm not kidding.

[+Matthew19:21]

The wife and I are new to this also. However, after 44 caches found, I can tell you I see way too much geotrash. And, it looks like the trade equal or up is mostly ignored. We leave a small compass or button. (new, not old and nasty). I like the earlier idea of batteries. Most GPS units run on AA, how cool would it be for a cacher who forgot GPS food to find a cache with fresh nutrition for his/her unit!

 

Whatever you choose to leave, I would suggest it be new or in excellent condition, something another cacher may find fun.

[+kati3l3unny]

my kids will take those high bounce balls or pingpong balls, (they have been known to leave $1 bills and take balls that they havn't got yet) they have a nice collection of them going right now, i like to find the handmade stuff, there are several caches around here that have signature items, (as soon as you see it you know they were there) simple bead pins, stuff like that. they only thing i've ever seen hubby take was some zip ties.

 

we usually DO carry some mc toys with us, they come in really handy, if a cache is pretty much empty or gross after waters gotten in and ruined everything, they are good enough to restock with. i figure the next person would rather see some ziplocked mc toys, instead of something moldy or rusted.

 

kate

[4wheelin_fool]

There's a guy in Pennsylvania that leaves hamsters in caches. You might try that, or use something smaller like mice.

Guinea pigs are better, although they have a tendency to shred the logbook.

[kimnbair]

I actually found some really good stuff on orientaltrading.com I like that site cause you can get a dozen of one item for less then 10 bucks and they have pencils and notepads and bounding balls! thanks for the tips guys!

[+ThePropers]

Most GPS units run on AA, how cool would it be for a cacher who forgot GPS food to find a cache with fresh nutrition for his/her unit!

 

Please don't do this. They leak and rust and ruin caches. I guess that is OT since that's what I don't want to see.

 

Back on topic, I like to find signature items (unless it's a business card sig item).

[+halffast]

Ive noticed that most of the caches I have found have the same swag in them.Put in a mixture for kids and adult stuff and it will be good.

[+ghost640]

Tires. A set of Michelin Cross-Terrains, in good shape, would be perfect for a northern Minnesota cache.

[+sunrise searcher]

I often cache with my 3-year-old daughter, so I try to have a little bag of toys she would like to find (even McToys make the little ones happy -- as long as they are clean and in working order). She really likes super bounce balls, bracelets, necklaces (just the cheap stuff), a baggie of little foam stickers, etc... I also don't leave anything I wouldn't want MY kid to have -- dirty toys, broken toys, ANYTHING that makes NOISE! I also have my own baggie of things to leave, that are more for the adults -- campers tp, bug repellant wipes, signature items, special coins, compasses, carabiners, key chains (nice ones, not trash), items that are helpful while outdoors -- gloves, orange vests (for those hunting areas), coozies (for your non-alcoholic beverages, of course ), needle and thread, emergency blankets, collapsible cups, etc... I placed one cache that was themed -- for outdoors items only. Pencils are always good -- adults can sharpen them to place in their own caches, put in others' caches, or most kids like a good pencil too -- I would appreciate finding them already sharpened though. Pencil sharpeners! Kids like 'em, most caches (and cachers) can use them.

Edited October 25, 2006 by sunrise searcher

[+Bamboogirl]

I try to leave something that is different or that may show some actual thought - don't much care for the usual range of geo-garbage that appears. It seems to me that if someone is willing to build, hide and care for a cache, leaving some interesting thing is a reasonable thing to do.

 

Playing cards with different themes, odd coins, foreign money (sorry, no big piles of Euros...) flies for fishing, recipies?

 

Any fun stuff that tells the finder that some thought went into the trade items. Sort of like little anonymous presents. (Jeez, that sounded sappy...)

 

I don't usually take anything but travel bugs, but do like to leave fun stuff.

 

Big piles of $$$ is ok to find though......

[bogleman]

Well I have always enjoyed placing different things in my caches. Really the only thing I search for in a cache is the dry logbook and if I'm feeling frisky a bug or a coin or a personal handmade item.

 

Lets see, I've got a 5-gallon bucket in the back of my car which is going wild tonight around O-dark-30. In this lovely bucket I have placed a Crayola tin for a 64 pack of crayons (neat tin), three (3) metal pill containers, a 2-pack of disposable cameras (how old school), a rifle sling, a paint can opener, hospital scissors, a couple of "work" Christmas past presents, the decent contents of an archived cache, deck of Coke cards, some circa 80's figurines (plastic of course), a couple small stuffed critters, a couple of spoon key rings (lovingly made by yours truly), a shotgun choke tube wrench and a couple of other items I am sure I forgot.

[terrible2u]

i have just prepared my first cache to be hidden!

 

since its a family-thing, i thought mostly of the kiddies: a lego-bionicle, a bracelet, earrings, two teddy-bears, some rubber-bracelet-thingy with brasil-flag on it and a set of 4 (fresh!!!) batteries in a ziploc.. of course everything brand-spanking-new in factory-packaging.

 

if i was a kid, thats the stuff i would want to find! stuff between 3 and 6$. all the cache has maybe cost me 30$. i havent cached much, still i would want to "give something back". all in a lock&lock-tupperware so it doesnt get wet or damp. yes, there is a pencil and logbook in it too..

 

still have to figure out where to put it, but i already have a pretty good idea about a very pretty spot. up on a hill, a small restaurant and a wonderful outdoor-chappel. kind of the place where i would love to get married. if, ever!!!