Geo "Treasures"

[+simscachers]

Hi,

 

My family was just introduced to geocaching not too long ago by g-cachers. They mention the many wonderful items they have traded for in the past. So far, in the caches we've found(and the ones they took us too), we have seen alot of McJunk. Anyone feel that the "treasures" my daughter wants to hunt for are declining in quality?

 

Second part to my question: we are getting our 1st GPS for Christmas and want to make up our geo bag...what sort of "treasures" do you like to find? Anything I need to make sure is in my bag?

 

Thanks!!

[+briansnat]

The quality of cache contents has been a frequent gripe since the early days of the sport. Some people stock their caches with lots of nice stuff and they eventually become filled with junk and others start them off with junk and they stay filled with junk. The longer a cache is out there, the more likely it is to be filled with

broken McToys and rusty key rings.

 

I think for most geocachers though, the real treasure is the hunt and if there is anything nice in the cache, that's just gravy.

 

As for your geo bag, you probably want some basic cache repair items like a few extra logbooks (some micro, some regular), some duct tape, extra pencils and some Ziploc bags.

 

As far as trade items, anything inexpensive but useful is a good idea. I go to Walmart and buy some cheap items in bulk and use them. My bag will usually have a few emergency rain ponchos (89 cents), some waterproof matchboxes (89 cents), packs of Post It notes and similar items. One of my favorite items to carry and leave are the individually wrapped packets of Off! insect repellent wipes. I buy a few boxes of them when they are on sale and will leave a packet or two in a cache. I've seen more than one log from appreciative cachers who were overjoyed to find them because they were being attacked by mosquitoes.

[+Sandy Hams]

A few things to keep in your bag, that have nothing to do with "swag", include extra pen, flashlight, plastic bags and/or CITO bag, leatherman tool or similar multifunction tool, compass. small calculator for calculating coordinates to multi-caches. And much, much more I am sure.

 

Now to the swag -- signature trade items are always popular with adult cachers and treasures for the smaller ones would include any small handheld toy that a young child likes -- my girl granddaughter likes key chains, jewelery, small stuffed animals ( beanie size and smaller), animals, etc.

[+StarBrand]

Best we can all do is lead by example. I stock all my caches with nice stuff and when I run across caches with nothing but junk - I try to leave something nice for the next visitor.

 

I buy mostly new dollar store stuff or sale items at the local superstores for trade items. I have used playing cards, screwdrivers ($20 for a set of 30), small rolls of duck tape, matchbox cars, tape measures, fancy bookmarks etc.

[+J-Way]

The quality of cache contents has been a frequent gripe since the early days of the sport....

Yeah, the first ever cache had a rusty can of beans and a broken slingshot in it, and swag has just gotten worse ever since!

 

But seriously, the best swag is usually found in hard-to-get-to caches. The type of cacher who'll walk 2 miles over moderate to hard terrain to find a cache isn't in it to make a profit, they're in it to have nice hike. That type of person usually trades even or trades up. Unfortunately, people who are stuck with caches that are easy to get to and find have to deal with whatever the masses leave behind, which usually isn't much. My first cache was stocked with about $20 worth of stuff and placed in a popular park. Within a month it was reduced to about $2 worth of McJunk.

 

Ultimately, you'll have more fun if you make the cache the destination and the swag a bonus.

[sdarken]

If the quality of the swag is important to you then try and focus on large, new caches. Large new caches will usually contain something of interest to the kids. Pretty much anything from the dollar store would be better than 90% of what you will find in the average cache.

 

My kids lost interest when they began to realize that it wasn't really a treasure hunt. It's important to play up the finding aspect if you want to maintain their interest unless you have kids that just enjoy getting outside (a rarity IMO).

[+CanadaKate]

Caching with an 8 year old and a 10 year old they're all about the swag. Sometime they've been disappointed. As a family, we've taken the approach that we'll try to improve the swag in any cache we find ... so even if we're disappointed, we try to make sure the next finder won't be.

[+Grigorii Rasputin]

Oh, I hear ya!

 

Broken McToys, inside wet, leaky caches, littered with dirt, leaves, etc. Not a pretty picture, eh? Sadly, there are too many of these out there. Oftentimes, someone gets into geocaching, puts out a few substandard caches, then loses interest. It all goes downhill from there. It's a great day when you DO find a great cache. They are out there.

 

I've gotten to the point where I'm happy if the cache container itself is anything more than a disposable tupperware container under a bush. I get the biggest kick out of a really ingenious hide! As the father of a 10-year-old, I absolutely understand what you're saying about trying to keep a kid's interest. If the swag isn't there, neither will their interest.

 

On the other hand, I did a cache not too long ago that was sponsored by a major university. It was a multi-stage. The final stage included BRAND NEW college t-shirts, stickers, and keychains, etc. Having attended this school in my younger years, I just had to have one of the t-shirts. Now THAT was a great day!!!!!

 

Grigorii Rasputin

http://grigoriirasputin.wordpress.com

http://www.glass-cockpit.org

[+briansnat]

But seriously, the best swag is usually found in hard-to-get-to caches. The type of cacher who'll walk 2 miles over moderate to hard terrain to find a cache isn't in it to make a profit, they're in it to have nice hike. That type of person usually trades even or trades up.

 

It's true that the hard to get to caches tend to have nicer stuff, but I think that's more because of the lack of finders, rather than the kind of people who find them. The more finds, the more likely a cache is to degrade.

 

I have caches that have been out there for years and actually still have some of the original trade items inside (decent stuff) when I check on them. These caches aren't found very often though. A few times a year. My more popular caches on the other hand are emptied of anything nice within a few months.

 

I think most novice geocachers start out looking for the "pot of gold", but quickly learn that it's the rainbow they are after. A dry logbook is all most veteran geocachers ask for.

[barnabasbenn]

But seriously, the best swag is usually found in hard-to-get-to caches. The type of cacher who'll walk 2 miles over moderate to hard terrain to find a cache isn't in it to make a profit, they're in it to have nice hike. That type of person usually trades even or trades up.

 

It's true that the hard to get to caches tend to have nicer stuff, but I think that's more because of the lack of finders, rather than the kind of people who find them. The more finds, the more likely a cache is to degrade.

 

I have caches that have been out there for years and actually still have some of the original trade items inside (decent stuff) when I check on them. These caches aren't found very often though. A few times a year. My more popular caches on the other hand are emptied of anything nice within a few months.

 

I think most novice geocachers start out looking for the "pot of gold", but quickly learn that it's the rainbow they are after. A dry logbook is all most veteran geocachers ask for.

 

Dry log books are SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[+SandboxGang]

I think the true treausres/cache are the photos, memories, and family time we spend Geocaching. My family looks for superballs (we have an antique bell jar we've filled half way) and everytime I look at it I'm reminded of how much fun we've had finding them. My 7 year old also loves key chains he proudly hangs them off his school backpack. We try to look for similar items and start a collection! Not every cache has what we want in it, but it is the hunt that is fun!

[+The Hipster]

Swag/Treasure:

I purchase keychain light/whistle combos, compasses & travel alarm clock radios at a local surplus store. My lady puts together Farkle dice games by printing up the instructions & combining them with 6 dice purchased in bulk from dollar stores, all of which go into a small Ziploc bag. She also purchases pretty polished rocks in bulk (Amethysts, Agates, Tiger-Eyes, etc… – very popular with the kids). As has been mentioned, surplus stores, dollar stores, anyplace small useful or interesting items are on sale are great resources. In the Bemidji, Minnesota area there are several savvy cache hiders (“Kellyart”, “Momandson2006”, “Fargnot” & “Family Circus” to name a few) that not only place very interesting caches, they also make sure to put in special FTF, 2ndTF & even 3rdTF prizes. (Examples: artwork, powerful little flashlights & geocoins) My personal FTF prizes are now going to be Lithium AA batteries & GeoGems. The quality of their caches & prizes set the tone. It also seems to raise the bar on all future area hides & finds.

 

Geocaching Kit Bag:

I am using a camera bag purchased at an electronic big box store. It has many useful pouches, dividers & compartments. I carry swag, extra batteries, an extra gps, several flashlights & a headlamp, packets of OFF wipes, surgical gloves, my calling cards in two sizes, a letter box stamp, my log book, cache repair items (extra pens, pencils, Ziploc bags, small & large log books), CITO bags, a couple of good quality compasses, small binoculars & survival items (such as a loud whistle, waterproof matches, a lighter, fruit/nut bars & light poncho). I carry the bag into remote areas. For cache & dash or urban areas I just grab whatever I think I will need for that cache out of the bag. It is sure handy to have everything needed for caching in one location. I also carry a few different size spare cache containers in the truck to make sure a damaged cache is in good shape for the next finder!

Edited December 5, 2008 by The Hipster

[+vw_k]

As an adult who doesn't usually cache with kids the toy type swag doesn't interest me much, I tend to leave small items that will be of use to walkers and hikers, especially if the cache is in mountainous areas. things like replacement trekking pole tips, backpack clips in case someone gets a broken one, toggles for zip pullers on jackets and something everyone should carry in the mountains that is cheap and effective, a plastic orange emergency whistle.