New item for a well stocked Geocaching backpack.

[+ROOKIE49]

I suppose most of you use a backpack?. I have a vest that I have had for some time with about a dozen pockets. I have been using that for the last few weeks and it works out great. Not as restricting as a pack. I just got one for my nephew at Bass Pro Shops.

[+Hobo2]

I just found something in a cache yesterday that I thought would be a great addition to my Geocaching backpack, so I thought I should share it with you.

 

It is a small box of “Cutter” insect repellent… they come in individually wrapped packets of wipes. I have been trying to think of different items (because I’m a newbe) I may need with me while out in the field, and thought this was a good one. I have not seen the wipes before, but what a great idea. They will not freeze, or expand with the heat and leek, as I have had the spray do. They will also make putting insect repellent on the grandkids easier.

 

I also would like some suggestions you may have that I haven’t thought of yet.

 

My backpack contains:

 

GPS unit

Small 10x25 binoculars

Insect repellent (wipes)

Bear spray-(when needed)

Small first-aid kit

Small notepad & pen

Camera

Small flint & steel

Extra fine steel wool-(good for starting fires)

Small tin cup-(for drinking & cooking if needed)

Multi tool

Mountain Money

Benedryl

Iodine pills-(for purification)

Pocket knife

Small flashlight

Extra batteries-(AA for flashlight & GPS)

Tweezers

Trading items

Replacement zip-lock baggies-(for the caches that need help)

 

I have added the new items others have suggested here, plus the tin cup came to mind. Can you think of anything else?

Forgot multi tool and Mountain Money, two other good ideas.

Edited May 20, 2007 by Hobo2

[+Team LaLonde]

3.75 oz. camp stove

 

We just added this to our back pack for our South Dakota camping/caching trip in June.

[+Tmarkert]

Alot of my hiking / caching area here is also hunting land. So I purchased an orange hunters vest.

Got it for $1 at the end of hunting season and I got it WAY to big for me. Why?

Sprayed it with water repelent and it fits around me while covering my pack! This is the way I wear it so that I dont get any bullets in my pack!

I also carry prunning shears that I got at a dollar store. GREAT for snipping off a little picker bush thats imbedded in your scalp, or just a small path clearing with out making a large hole in the woods!

[+Kryten]

I carry a tool designed to find live electric cables buried under plaster but use it to check if electric cattle fences are live.

[+briansnat]

I carry a tool designed to find live electric cables buried under plaster but use it to check if electric cattle fences are live.

 

Just touch your tongue to them.

[+murfster]

i think the best new tool i've added to my bag since the git would be a sturdy pair of tweezers. there are some local caches that the hider recommends you bring some tweezers with you, and since we did a few that day, i will never take them out of the bag. you can pull splinters, micros, squish bugs...and they easily collapse to fit almost anywhere!!! and no, i don't work for the tweezer industry.

 

I get them from a friend who works in a hospital.. they throw away many unused ones as they are not needed but no longer sterile.

 

Murfster

[+Kit Fox]

Two items that I now carry are:

 

Vet wrap or "conforming bandage." http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000283.php My wife and I own four horses, and we couldn't do without this stuff.

 

And at least 5 trioxane fuel bars (added to my fire starting gear.)

[GPS-Hermit]

Almost all of us have pushed or exceeded darkness and learn to not repeat the problem. I highly recommend an Led type headlight that works with lots of hours on 3 AAA batteries. Mine is a Petzel and works 160 hours or so. Your hands are free and you can see about 20-30 feet which is good enough for accurrate footing and reading you GPS or Compass. It is very light and never a bother to take along. Gettin caught out in the darkness is a big problem under tree cover. Don't let it be you. That light is also usefull in a million other ways. Great Camping aid when you need relief in the middle of the night. Mine is not water proof but it worked in the rain.

[+Hobo2]

 

Thank you Fox & The Hound

[imcfly]

You guys are GOOD!! I can't get MY VW down those trails between those darn trees to carry all this stuff!! You DON'T mean you CARRY all this do you???? I started carrying a backpack and it hurt my shoulders so am now down to my GPS case, pencil, whistle and gloves. Oh, since my husband likes to 'man' the car and take a nap while I hunt for tupperware in the woods I do carry a walkie talkie in case I need a helicopter rescue!

[+fox-and-the-hound]

You guys are GOOD!! I can't get MY VW down those trails between those darn trees to carry all this stuff!! You DON'T mean you CARRY all this do you???? I started carrying a backpack and it hurt my shoulders so am now down to my GPS case, pencil, whistle and gloves. Oh, since my husband likes to 'man' the car and take a nap while I hunt for tupperware in the woods I do carry a walkie talkie in case I need a helicopter rescue!

 

Routinely carry between 10-25lbs depending on whether I've tossed in a loaded ammo can as well, but then I've lost about 25lbs and a few pant sizes since I started carrrying the gear.

 

(it's also great training to carry the weight on shorter steeper hikes for those long, long hikes later in the year )

[+Hose502]

I also include what doesn't seem to be mentioned here is an extra pair of laces for my boots. During a hike (way back in the day) I took off my boots to let my feet get some fresh air and snapped a lace when putting them back on. It was an uncomfortable walk back.

[+geocacheniagara]

i think the best new tool i've added to my bag since the git would be a sturdy pair of tweezers. there are some local caches that the hider recommends you bring some tweezers with you, and since we did a few that day, i will never take them out of the bag. you can pull splinters, micros, squish bugs...and they easily collapse to fit almost anywhere!!! and no, i don't work for the tweezer industry.

 

Tweezers, outstanding idea! This is one of the things my bag needs, THANKS!

 

All make a list with all these ideas and post it after a while... just for us Geocachers that want to pack light.

 

I am sure there are a lot more things I could include, but my aim/want was to keep it lightweight, tweezers are just the ticket.

 

Another great use......removing ticks! I noticed one on my son's neck at a soccer game 3 hrs after we returned home. I pulled and pulled to get it off not realizing till I spoke with the Dr. that tweezers is the ONLY way to remove them properly. (Side note: contrary to belief that you should burn/suffocate them you run a higher risk of lime disease as they are likely to regurgitate their stomach contants onto your skin and infect you) Just a tip.