Tools of the sport?

[+MN-CACHE-TRACKER]

Just wanted to toss this question out, I know there are new cachers that would use the info.

 

I carry a First Aid Kit

extendable magnet

extendable mirror

cache repair kit

mag light

leatherman multi tool

swag

pen/paper

 

Anyone have any other good suggestions for the new cachers please post here.

[+Tiffany's Slaves]

Just wanted to toss this question out, I know there are new cachers that would use the info.

 

I carry a First Aid Kit

extendable magnet

extendable mirror

cache repair kit

mag light

leatherman multi tool

swag

pen/paper

 

Anyone have any other good suggestions for the new cachers please post here.

 

Binoculars

Bear Whistle

Magnetic Compass

Folding Tree Saw

Small Pruners (for sticker vines)

Small cord/light rope

[+hukilaulau]

small pencils, small log books, baggies for caches that need help

[+MN-CACHE-TRACKER]

small pencils, small log books, baggies for caches that need help

 

cache repair kit..

[+Kealia]

Your eyes and your brain.

 

Seriously. With all the gear that we carry and the time spent watching your GPS, remember to LOOK and use common sense.

 

I've seen too many "lost hikers" in the woods stories lately. We all tend to think that could never happen to us because we carry a GPS - but it does.

 

Don't forget to use the tools you were born with.

[+Airmapper]

I used to take a fanny pack full of stuff, but I only use it for caches I need to hike to.

 

95% of the time, I have a GPS outfitters large belt pack, and it contains:

 

GPS

12v Power cord

Spare batteries

Mini Mag Light

Digital Camera

Spare SD Card

Spare bulb for Mag Light (I have a LED converter, and the original bulbs.)

2-3 Pens/ Pencil

 

All that in one smallish case that goes on my belt.

[+Firefyter00]

In addition to most of the stuff listed above, I also carry a collapsible livestock show stick. The hooked end is great for reaching into holes to retrieve ammo cans and the like, just in case Mr. No-shoulders has taken up residence with the cache.

[+badlands]

Now that it gets dark early, I carry a flashlight....just can't quit at dusk when dusk arrives at 4:30pm.

[+msrubble]

A mechanic's pick-up tool can come in handy. Like the extensible magnet but with little claws on the end. I don't take it with me to every cache, but I keep one in the car. I have not encountered a situation yet where the magnetic version would have been useful. YMMV.

 

Sometimes Channel Locks are useful but, again, not to lug to every cache.

[+Woodlit]

I just read another tread that reminded me just how important it is to carry some sort of fire-starting device. That is if you enjoy going for caches off the beaten path.

[+Aiden's Cachers]

CITO bags

[Johnnykat]

Just wanted to toss this question out, I know there are new cachers that would use the info.

 

I carry a First Aid Kit

extendable magnet

extendable mirror

cache repair kit

mag light

leatherman multi tool

swag

pen/paper

 

Anyone have any other good suggestions for the new cachers please post here.

 

Just want to know where can one obtain this "Swag" thing you speak of and does it realy help?

[+trail hound]

Colt 357

 

 

 

 

 

just kidd'n

[Johnnykat]

Colt 357

 

 

 

 

 

just kidd'n

 

FN 5.7x28, much lighter.

[+emurock]

A backpack full of stuff.

[+MN-CACHE-TRACKER]

Just wanted to toss this question out, I know there are new cachers that would use the info.

 

I carry a First Aid Kit

extendable magnet

extendable mirror

cache repair kit

mag light

leatherman multi tool

swag

pen/paper

 

Anyone have any other good suggestions for the new cachers please post here.

 

Just want to know where can one obtain this "Swag" thing you speak of and does it realy help?

 

SWAG is the items for trade.

[Cloudwalker501]

Fanny pack with the following:

 

GPS

Extra batteries

Cell Phone

Matches

Digital Camera

Notebook and Pen

2 bottles of water

Trashbag

Flashlight

raingear (when needed)

 

...and a new item I'm going to add soon, a compass!

Edited December 9, 2006 by cloudwalker_at

[+team lagonda]

cell phone an a 6 pack..ive never been disapointed..

[+NightPilot]

I try to always have a pen, usually one of the Tanks, cheap knockoff of a Space Pen, which writes on just about anything, from a pressurized ink tank. It's amazing how many caches don't have a pen in them, or the one there doesn't work. I generally just take my gps, Palm, and cell phone. There aren't that many caches here that require much of a hike, and it's never more than a mile from a major road.

[FlagFinder]

i would cary a 2-way radio or a HAM radio or a cell phone just incase you need help its happened and it always will but also bring your favorite partner

[+NightPilot]

There are some things I ALWAYS have with me. A cell phone, a knife, some money, my Palm, a pocket multi-tool. I don't consider those caching tools, because I use them for everything.

[+tomfuller & Quill]

As of yesterday, I added a 6-in-1 SafetyLight from SafetyCross. It has a signal flasher, LED flashlight, 130 Db siren, FM radio (to listen to where they might be looking for you), a mini compass and cell phone charger.

Hand crank for 60-90 seconds and it's good for an hour. Before this I just had the cheap whistle,compass, thermometer, magnifying lens sold in Wallyworld.

On November 9 I went out the road that Mr. Kim tragically turned off on about 3 weeks later. I left the road at 8:30AM 1.0 mi horizontal and 1700 feet vertical from the Rogue River. I reached the river at 2:05PM, found 'Just Clowning Around' at 2:20, started back up the mountain at 2:30, got back to my 4WD truck at 9:30PM.

I was wet and exhausted but felt much better after the truck warmed up and I got my dry clothes on.

I called my wife at 2:30AM from about 3 miles West of Merlin, OR which is the first place I had any cell service.

The other thing that saved my life that night was remembering to pack my 6V lantern, just in case.

Doing 10 star caches alone in areas of no cell coverage is only for the well prepared.

I'm really glad the BLM didn't lock me in. You may ask why I chose such a difficult cache to do. Check out "Counting Counties in Oregon" (GCR9XY). Check out the bookmark lists of the participants to see how crazy we really are

[+stoneswivel]

This is a good thread, and as I expected before opening it, people tend to be falling into those who want to travel light, with only the things they tend to need most often, and those who want to be loaded for bear. It's a great illustration of how this is a game we can pretty much play any way we want.

 

I am at the latter extreme, carrying a pack with 3 days' survival gear to virtually every cache (OK, I leave it in the truck at P&Gs, but I rarely do those). My truck also contains additional food, water, and equipment. I've taken some ribbing about it in the past, but tend to be the type to solo into remote places, and to turn afternoon hikes into weekend affairs, so I try to balance that riskier behavior with some extra preparedness. Going ultra-light keeps the weight down, and I want to think that hefting that pack everywhere has got to have some benefit.

 

One item I saw mentioned often above is a multi-tool. I used to carry a Leatheman with needle-nosed pliers, but it grew legs at some point in the past. Something like that is one item I'd like to add to my pack, as the pliers would be handy for everything from extracting micro logs to field repair of caches and equipment. Thanks for the reminder to take care of that detail.

 

Speaking of details, one that bothered me in one of the postings above was this:

Folding Tree Saw

Small Pruners (for sticker vines)

I want to think I'm misinterpreting their intended use, because I hope all of us try our best to Leave No Trace when we're out in the field. Doing otherwise would just contribute (rightfully) to a negative public image of geocachers.

[+NightPilot]

There is certainly going to be a wide variance in what people carry. Caching in the mountains of Oregon and Idaho, miles from nowhere, is very different from caching in the Houston, TX area. The important thing is to know the area, and its requirements. When you're never a mile from a major road in an urban area, and always in cell range, it's useless to carry 3 days' worth of food and water. But it's also idiotic to go into remote mountains without at least some basic stuff. You should never leave your common sense at home.

[+michigansnorkelers]

Pencil Sharpeners!

 

I have visited many caches with pencils broken or dulled beyond use, with no sharpener in the cache. I pick up packs of 30 sharpeners for a buck at the local dollar store.

 

 

After falling and breaking my leg geocaching in July, I now take a cell phone and whistle.

[+Foothills Drifter]

Colt 357

 

 

 

 

 

just kidd'n

 

Howdy......

Sometimes a 45colt single action revolver.... ! Sometimes a 1911........ and I ain't kidin

 

Vern...

Edited December 11, 2006 by Foothills Drifter

[+altosaxplayer]

I suggest a backpack or a fanny pack to keep your things in, especially if you are going to be doing walking/hiking caches. I would also suggest to get a grabber, something like a larger version of a screw holder. If you are going to be doing urban caching, I would suggest a trip to Wal-Mart and get one of their fishing vests to keep everything in. Hope this helps some.

[+Cachanova]

some people might laugh at a compas (well most wouldn't) but in reallity even if your GPS has one built in eventually your batteries will die and so will your backup batteries. If you are stuck in a remote location your best bet for servival is going to be a compas. To me knowing how to use a GPS is a great skill and tool. However knowing how to use a compas and having basic servival skills is way more important.

[+NightPilot]

A compass works. I carry one if I'm going to cache in the woods. My GPS will give a bearing to the cache, but won't tell me which way that bearing is, unless I'm moving, and under heavy tree cover that's not reliable. I read the bearing, use the compass to pick out a target in that direction, and repeat as necessary. It needn't be a survival situation, they're useful for just finding caches.

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

Just wanted to toss this question out, I know there are new cachers that would use the info.

 

I carry a First Aid Kit

extendable magnet

extendable mirror

cache repair kit

mag light

leatherman multi tool

swag

pen/paper

 

Anyone have any other good suggestions for the new cachers please post here.

 

Just want to know where can one obtain this "Swag" thing you speak of and does it realy help?

 

SWAG is the items for trade.

\

 

Here in "the land down under" a swag is a thing that has a sleepingbag and some canvas to sleep in to keep the nasties and weather out!

 

This is what Aussies call a swag

 

And another range of Swag's

[+jcblough]

Another vote for compass.

GPS in my right pocket, compass in my left.

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

This is a good thread, and as I expected before opening it, people tend to be falling into those who want to travel light, with only the things they tend to need most often, and those who want to be loaded for bear. It's a great illustration of how this is a game we can pretty much play any way we want.

 

I am at the latter extreme, carrying a pack with 3 days' survival gear to virtually every cache (OK, I leave it in the truck at P&Gs, but I rarely do those). My truck also contains additional food, water, and equipment. I've taken some ribbing about it in the past, but tend to be the type to solo into remote places, and to turn afternoon hikes into weekend affairs, so I try to balance that riskier behavior with some extra preparedness. Going ultra-light keeps the weight down, and I want to think that hefting that pack everywhere has got to have some benefit.

 

One item I saw mentioned often above is a multi-tool. I used to carry a Leatheman with needle-nosed pliers, but it grew legs at some point in the past. Something like that is one item I'd like to add to my pack, as the pliers would be handy for everything from extracting micro logs to field repair of caches and equipment. Thanks for the reminder to take care of that detail.

 

 

I/we basically travel as light as possible, and are just starting to get into paperless caching.

 

When caching with the family they bring things like waterbottles, rid etc. but the caches are usually not "that" difficult that it is a massive walk.

 

2 of our ducklings and myself did a cache that was almost 1Km into some medium thick scrub, we saw many snakes, a wild pig, and a load of birds. Other logs indicated that they had taken sithes to clear the scrub, but we just walked through it and all that we had was the GPSr, leatherman, boots and long pants, hats, 1 litre drinking water and my mobile phone.

 

I know that I have the survival skills I learnt during my years of boy scouting (both as a scout and as a leader) and also the skills I learnt whilst in the Australian Regular Army. I also impart theses onto our ducklings as often as possible to enable them to be able to survive in the bush if they had to!

 

I can survive very comfortably overnight, or for days on end if I need to! I once had to survive 22 nights in the far west of NSW, 78Km from the nearest civilisation, with only very bare essentials!! Its not THAT hard really, providing you use your brain!!

 

I can (and often do) happily travel with out any food or water, only wearing long pants (usually jeans as they protect against snake bite more) a short sleeve shirt, steel capped leather work boots and depending on the day, a hat.

 

Usually the only other stuff that I have with me is the following:

 

GPSr

Leatherman multitool

spare nimh batteries (usually 6-8 x spare AA's)

Wallet with some cash and ALWAYS contains my I.D, including my next of kin details etc

and

sometimes my camera, which 99% of the time I forget to use.......

 

OOh and the obvious, swaps for caches! lol

 

Also depending on how long the cache will take me, the degree of difficulty, terrain etc, I sometimes take other stuff such as a climbing rope, small dish, folding shovel and some plastic (to obtain water from tree leaves).

 

Its all a matter of survival really, pack as light as you can for the conditions, and most of all, USE YOUR BRAIN!

[CooeyMB]

Snacks and a couple of beer go good. A knife to clean my nails with and a plastic grocery bag for the trash I carried in. And oh yeah a roll of Royale - 3 ply.

 

Sheesh ... I guess if one is a bit OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) you might need a program but just think a bit about what the terrain you are going into and what your capabilites are, etc. Part of the fun is learning on your own isn't it?

[+TheCollector]

I ussually have a lighter or matches, mag light, leatherman, knife, compas, swag, Digital Camera, Cell Phone, 2-3 pencils, 2-3 pens,2 sharpis (one thin tip and one regular tip), 12 extra batteries, GPS, atleast 2 water bottles, Extra notebook, My Cache Log book, Scissors, Swag, Garbage bag, work gloves, Hiking Boots, Duct Tape, trail mix, safety pins Thats basiclly it

[+cantuland]

I like to carry a big stick that I find on the trail. Poke it in holes. Push back the thorny vines. Hold it in front of me to keep the spider webs off that I don't see to begin with, because you can't dodge every one of them. Then I take the stick with me most of the way back to the vehicle and leave it there for the next cacher, or termite, or kid who wants to play with it.

[+Wild Thing 73]

Just wanted to toss this question out, I know there are new cachers that would use the info.

 

I carry a First Aid Kit

extendable magnet

extendable mirror

cache repair kit

mag light

leatherman multi tool

swag

pen/paper

 

Anyone have any other good suggestions for the new cachers please post here.

I use the standard equipment, but I have replaced my walking stick with a 2 foot broom handle that I have embedded into one end an 8 inch nail bent 90 degrees to form a hook. This hooked end is great for reaching into holes to retrieve ammo cans and the like. Also, it is used for scratching and poking around where needed. It works better in the brush for fending off branches and briar branches then a walking stick. If you need to defend your self, it will do nicely. I find this instrument very useful, much more then a walking stick. I just don't get out of my geo tracker without it. It's always helpful to carry extra paper logs to provide maintenance for caches that have retained too much moisture, etc....Always carry a fine pointed pen. Never be with out a pen... A flashlite is handy during the day time as well as night time. A Swiss Army Knife or a wal-mart special will be useful at times. After a few caching trips, all this equipment "stuff" will work out for you. Good luck and happy caching.

[+Team Henzlik]

Removal Tool for those micros where the log is jammed in there pretty tight.

 

Edited for typo.

Edited December 19, 2006 by Team Henzlik

[Team-Goonie]

I only have two cache finds under my belt but thanks to the advise I received here I put a little pack together that has things like rubber gloves, batteries, flashlight, digital camera, ziplock bags for cache repair, pens and paper and for now that's it. I think I am going to add some bug repellant, some hand sanitizer and a small first aid kit.

[Relic_Hunter_Finder]

Reply: I agree with my fellow geocachers about good items (tools) for

Geocaching. I would like to add to that list: pair of leather gloves,

tissues, pocketknife, flathead screwdriver, long nose pliers, and a

good thermal of coffee.

[+FourGremlins]

After a cemetary cache, I put wet wipes (to clean hands for those over the pond) in my back pack.

[Digital_Cowboy]

I'm sure that it varies from person-to-person, but what makes up a cache repair kit?

 

Digital_Cowboy

[+StarBrand]

Paper towels (to dry things out), a new log book, new pencils to leave, duck tape for misc repairs, a new container or 2 for things in real bad shape. Plastic bags etc......

[Digital_Cowboy]

Paper towels (to dry things out), a new log book, new pencils to leave, duck tape for misc repairs, a new container or 2 for things in real bad shape. Plastic bags etc......

 

StarBrand,

 

Thanks for the list, although I think that ya meant duct tape and not duck tape. ;-)

 

Digital_Cowboy

[+StarBrand]

Paper towels (to dry things out), a new log book, new pencils to leave, duck tape for misc repairs, a new container or 2 for things in real bad shape. Plastic bags etc......

 

StarBrand,

 

Thanks for the list, although I think that ya meant duct tape and not duck tape. ;-)

 

Digital_Cowboy

 

No - I meant Duck - see: http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/duckvsduct.html

[+Lee-2]

I also added an Emergency Contact phone number in our GPS.

ICE just like in our cell phone.

ICE

 

Eagle-2

[+NightPilot]

The common 'duct' or 'duck' tape doesn't really work that well on HVAC ducts. Now, technically, duct tape is a metallic tape that really seals the ducts, and doesn't deteriorate with heat and age. If your AC repairman/installer is using the common stuff you see at WalMart, you're getting ripped off.

[+blairt]

I carry a fanny pack that contains swag, a cell phone, batteries, digital camera, cache repair items (ziplock bag, spare notebook, and pens), inexpensive work gloves, hand sanitizer, bug repellant, small first aid kit, and two 1 liter bottles of warter.

 

I take along some FRS two-way radios when going for the caches that require a hike. I don't give up easy on the tough climbs and they are great to keep in contact with others on the trail.

 

Of course I take my wife, she is my "Common Sense Monitor"

[+Outspoken1]

The previously mentioned items cover a very thorough and useful list of geocaching aids. I would point out that what you need depends on your caching area. The basics such as GPSr, PDA or printouts, camera, pen/pencil, swag, and spare batteries will cover most urban and suburban caches. If you are going into more remote areas, such as wilderness, open space, BLM, etc., then additional items much as would a day hiker carry. The various seasons will also determine what one needs. One item I always have on hand are the insect repellent wipes (these make great swag too!).

 

The other thing many overlook is letting people know the area you will be caching in. Suburban and urban caches tend to be clustered and if I have time to try and locate several caches, hey, I'm there! So I will tell my parents I am going to be caching in "this" area just in case the truck breaks down or I take a fall or whatever.

 

Final item - an extra key to my truck. Yes, I locked myself out while gathering up all my geocaching goodies to go hike a bike path. Now I have an extra key in my geocache bag. Kinda embarrassed to tell the story, but if it helps others...

 

Take care,

Outspoken1

[+Firefyter00]

I also added an Emergency Contact phone number in our GPS.

ICE just like in our cell phone.

ICE

 

Eagle-2

 

While ICE may be the going thing overseas, I can almost guarantee that it doesn't get used here in the states. First off, most departments have never heard of it. Secondly, if we grab anything for ID at an accident scene, it will probably be a purse, and we drop it off at the hospital with the patient. We don't spend precious minutes at the scene looking for and going through cell phones, we stabilize and transport as soon as possible. Maybe, if the phone is in your pocket, the hospital can use it to locate family. As far as the GPSr, I can almost assure you that it won't be looked at unless you're a body recovery, then LEO's might look at it during their investigation.

 

I'm not saying that ICE is a bad idea in any way, it's just that it's not utilized here. Any ID is better than none, though, so go ahead and put the info in, just don't count on it being used or rely on it as your only method of ID.

Edited December 26, 2006 by Firefyter00

[+NightPilot]

Geocaching isn't the only activity that can cause you to lock yourself out of your vehicle. I have a spare key in a magnetic holder underneath both mine, learned through hard experience.