Good trade items

[ryan8474]

How often have you gone caching and opened up a cache and all that was in it was junk?

 

it has happened to me so i would like to here your stories and what you think are good items to put in a cache.

 

Happy Caching

 

[+gof1]

I it has a dry log and isn't hidden in a pile of trash I'm happy. Lots of things that I prefer in a cache but those two are what I'd consider the minimum I want to find in a cache.

[+Jackalgirl]

I'm currently stationed in Japan, so I get my swag from Japanese vending machines and from 100 Yen stores. You'd be surprised at the cool and quirky stuff you can get out here -- the 100 Yen stores are MUCH BETTER than dollar stores in the States.

 

Most of the time, I don't find very interesting swag. Sometimes I find military patches and coins, which are cool, but for the most part it really is junk. I don't mind.

 

I recently found a cache that had some really nice swag in it -- an "amethyst" necklace set among other good stuff. I left one of my unactivated Year of the Ox AEs in that one (as well as a bunch of other stuff).

 

I have to say that good swag in a cache really inspires me to leave good swag, and crappy swag inspires me to find the least-interesting or -valuable stuff in my bag and leave that. I really shouldn't do that -- if everyone traded up, the caches would be stuffed with good stuff in no time. I think that should be part of cache maintenance -- replacing bad swag with good -- but I often just can't bring myself to do it.

[+ernbob]

I'm not into the swag stuff, but I do carry a few small slinky's that I picked up at Target for $1 each. I only drop those if I'm picking up a TB or coin and don't have a coin or TB to drop.

 

Coins and TBs are the stuff I enjoy finding and moving on.

[+MTGeoPirates]

We're happy (and usually surprised) if the swag is at least relatively new. Mostly it's just the little pirates who trade, and they're happy with about anything. We always have brand new toys that we trade, out of consideration for those who find the cache after us. We haven't found many caches where the swag really interested mom and dad, and that's fine. For us at least, it's about the find and the time we spend together, not anything that might be in the container.

[+Happy Bubbles]

I don't like finding good swag in caches because I've given up on trading and often don't bother to carry any trade items with me. So when I find that rare cache that has something I might actually want, I'm all bummed out because I've got nothing of value to exchange for it.

[+Sol seaker]

I've found caches muggled and empty lying out on the ground. I'm trying to declutter my house, so collecting anything geo-sized was part of that. I filled an empty (clean) plastic cat litter box and keep it in the back of my car for caching. When I've found empty caches or bad ones I've tried to refil them with a number of items. I've got a lot of stuff that's really nice stuff that I don't have any use for anymore.

My favorite to find is foreign coins. I've also found those nice heavy duty clips that have a magnet in them you can put on your fridge or where ever and clip papers in them. I like useful stuff like that.

I left a nice amethyst the other day. I've got some other crystals I'll be leaving soon.

My geo-partner says his favorite find was a clock he could use.

Actually, come to think of it, my very favorite has been AAA batteries. I was just out. That was really nice.

I left a few pocket knives before I found out you weren't supposed to. I left them in far off hiking spots so kids wouldn't get them. I left some nice folding scissors too.

Carabiners are always good to find and leave.

I try to leave stuff that I would like to find.

Whatever it is, it pretty much has to be waterproof here in the pacific northwest. Most caches are leaking by the end of winter. (if it does ever end this year)

My partner says his ideal cache would have $100,000 in it. I still wouldn't mind keys to a new car myself.

[+joranda]

How often have you gone caching and opened up a cache and all that was in it was junk?

 

it has happened to me so i would like to here your stories and what you think are good items to put in a cache.

 

Happy Caching

 

 

 

It that your coin? I think it's pretty cool.

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

How often have you gone caching and opened up a cache and all that was in it was junk?

 

it has happened to me so i would like to here your stories and what you think are good items to put in a cache.

 

Happy Caching

 

Whenever we hide a cache such as an ammo box we try to fill it with nice trade ables. On average we spend 20 to 25 bucks on the initial swag. Small compasses, flashlights, kid toys, first-aid kits and our KK & M pins and pathtags are generally what we use. It is sad to say that within 20 or 30 visits the swag is reduced to erasers, paper c__p and other totally valueless junk!

To answer your question another way, we like to find personal cacher items such as poker chips, pins, pathtags and other items that are associated with an individual geocacher.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Konnarock Kid & Marge

[+nekom]

I really never got into the trading thing myself, I'm more of a TNLN man myself, though I do enjoy moving coins and bugs. I do always carry some nice mechanical pencils though, they are the perfect writing implements, not subject to freezing or rupturing from the heat. If I see a cache that lacks one, I leave one in there.

 

The phrase "Trade even, trade up or don't trade" is the criteria we should all strive for, it's a shame not everybody does. For me, if it's an interesting location it's a good cache, even if it's full of golf balls and broken mctoys.

[+BrrrMo]

How often have you gone caching and opened up a cache and all that was in it was junk?

 

it has happened to me so i would like to here your stories and what you think are good items to put in a cache.

 

Happy Caching

 

 

 

It that your coin? I think it's pretty cool.

 

Just saw one of these on Ebay.

[darkfenix]

I tend to leave foreign coins in the caches i visit usually just 1 or 2 if i'm trading. I like finding the iron on patches, cool key chains, other coins, and of course the geocoins and travel bugs

[+TwoSox Trekkers]

I have to say that good swag in a cache really inspires me to leave good swag, and crappy swag inspires me to find the least-interesting or -valuable stuff in my bag and leave that. I really shouldn't do that -- if everyone traded up, the caches would be stuffed with good stuff in no time. I think that should be part of cache maintenance -- replacing bad swag with good -- but I often just can't bring myself to do it.

 

This. I'm new to caching but have been very disappointed with the quality of swag, overall. However, I kind of view it as an opportunity to 'cache by example' and leave good swag wherever I go. I know the economy plays a part in what people choose to leave right now, so I don't mind. I see some intriguing items, but I'd love to see more travel bugs, geocoins, and whatnot. I collected coins as a kid so I am just loving all the cool geocoin designs out there!

[Clan Riffster]

I am a collector of antique foreign coins, specifically those which have travelled so far and so long that they've lost their numismatic value. I like to take three of them, put them in a micro baggie, along with a slip of paper describing the coins. I save the silver ones for FTF prizes. I also make "Geocaching" keychains out of alphabeads, leather thongs and key rings. I'll leave a coin baggie and a keychain in every cache I visit, assuming they'll fit. I generally don't take anything, however I can still appreciate the fun of pawing through the swag.

[ryan8474]

no that is not mine but you can buy one from this address

 

http://shop.geoswag.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/gccoins.html

[+Knight2000]

I'm not into the swag stuff, but I do carry a few small slinky's that I picked up at Target for $1 each. I only drop those if I'm picking up a TB or coin and don't have a coin or TB to drop.

 

Coins and TBs are the stuff I enjoy finding and moving on.

You do not need to trade for coins or travel bugs as they are not trade items.

 

I rarely ever trade. My kids do though.

 

Besides various dollar store crap, we like to leave foreign coins. I also recently started leaving buffalo nickels. I put them in a plastic bag with a note about who left it.

 

In the past we left carabiners although our supply has almost dried up.

 

My wife got the idea to leave baggies with office supplies in them- rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips. We have also left replacement logs in a baggie. They have a sticker covering the opening explaining that this is not the log but a replacement log to carry in your bag or just a notebook if you want one. It also has a geocaching sticker on it.

[+TwoSox Trekkers]

I am a collector of antique foreign coins, specifically those which have travelled so far and so long that they've lost their numismatic value. I like to take three of them, put them in a micro baggie, along with a slip of paper describing the coins. I save the silver ones for FTF prizes. I also make "Geocaching" keychains out of alphabeads, leather thongs and key rings. I'll leave a coin baggie and a keychain in every cache I visit, assuming they'll fit. I generally don't take anything, however I can still appreciate the fun of pawing through the swag.

 

Those are some cool ideas, Clan. I love the idea of the baggie & leaflet with the coin info. I think there are a million ideas out there for unique swag that doesn't cost a lot of time or money- it's just hitting on the one that brings the most enjoyment.

[+Cordillera]

I agree. For a cache I recently placed, I went out to the dollar store to get some swag worth finding, because of the degree of difficulty of the cache. I bought a keychain, compass, carabiner, and FTF prize for under $5. I also added a few things I already had.

It doesn't take much to put together some good trading items.

 

- ClanBlakley #3

[+WRASTRO]

I can't remember ever hunting a cache because of the swag I expected. Unless you think a blank log book is swag. I have placed waaay more swag than I have ever taken. My Daughter likes devil ducks so those come home but many geopack loads of swag have gone out over the years.

[K-9Patrol]

I'll admit it, I love trading swag! I usually go caching with my girlfriend and toddler, so between the three of us, we can almost always find something to trade. I like pathtags and anything unusual. My girlfriend goes for unique keychains and cute knick-knacks. The little one is happy with just about any toy. Especially cars and rubber balls. We even enjoy Mctoys as long as they are not broken. Even though they seemed to be frowned upon and subject to ridicule here, the quality of fast-food toys has gone up over the years and are just as good, if not better, than dollar-store toys. The swag I leave is just as important as what I take. I always try to trade up in quality and quantity. If I'm shopping for swag at a dollar-store, I'm picky about what I buy and alway consider if a child, or adult, would actually want this thing. Even though $1.00 per item is the usual, I've picked up many $3.00-$5.00 items if I thought they were cool to leave. I can get away with spending a little more on some items by having access to a large stock of Police giveaway items from work. I keep dozens of Highway Safety keychains with me to leave in caches. They're free to me, but by looking back on subsequent logs, they seem to be quite popular for people to pick up. I've traded up to a dozen of these, in one cache, just for picking up one trade item if I feel that the cache is lacking on swag. I recently bought several Geocaching buttons from Bumble Buttons I am awaiting their arrival and feel that both adults and children will enjoy them. Yes, simply finding the cache and signing the logbook is a lot of fun, especially if it's in a nice area, but the swag is the icing on the cake.

[+duboisfamily]

I it has a dry log and isn't hidden in a pile of trash I'm happy. Lots of things that I prefer in a cache but those two are what I'd consider the minimum I want to find in a cache.

I agree, dry logs seem to be a rarity. We have a TM item we like to drop in reg+ sized caches, and I really get a kick out of trackables, have around 10 out there myself, and I always grab them so I can move them along, even if it is only a few km's. I really enjoy seeing the posts on my items, and don't really care how far they move, as much as how often. We do keep a supply of batteries, log books, baggies, pens/pencils, kiddie toys, and swag we buy form landsharkz,(our local supplier). To us, it isn't about finding cool stuff, but places, and being outdoors. The swag we carry is for just in case we come across something WORTH trading for, and the other things, are just to help fellow cacher's in maintaining there hides. To us, its not about the material things, but more about the experience.

[+brainandbraun]

We like exchanging t.b.s', most swag is fast food toys...

[+AFweatherguy]

Man, I have had a bag full of Korean coins laying around the house. Of course I have no idea where they are since I finally have a potential use for them.

[+Water-Rats]

We love to trade swag. Found a nice pedometer the other day and left a couple of pendants in trade (brand new and in their original wrappers), a little baggie of dice today and we left a toy metal car (new) and something else, I forget now.

We always trade even or up, its half the fun. The other week we found some paperclips! What a godsend, just what we needed. Can't remember what we left but we do try to look for nice things to swap.

Our real enjoyment comes from moving the TB's and coins from cache to cache.

[+Tequila]

I don't like finding good swag in caches because I've given up on trading and often don't bother to carry any trade items with me. So when I find that rare cache that has something I might actually want, I'm all bummed out because I've got nothing of value to exchange for it.

 

Canada to the rescue. We have Loonies ($1 coin) and Twoonies ($2 coin) and they are great for swapping for that rare incident when you find something cool you really want. And if you don't use them as swag, they work for coffee.

[+choclabnut]

Went to the geoswag.com website to get this coin and DNF

[trifoldhat]

I am brand new to all this.

I am currently assembling a bunch of caches.

I am trying to put some kind of either carved stone, or other item in each cache.

The Stones basically are about 3 inches, and have the G geocache symbol on them.

I am just wondering if that kind of stuff is acceptable for a stash?

[+wvjeepr]

I'm new to all of this too and have found a couple nice swag items I have traded for. I am now going to start leaving a signature item for trades. I have purchased some P 38 can openers at a reasonable price (39 cents ea) I am engraving my username into them. I carry one of these on my keyring every day and it is quite handy at times. I also on a recent trip to wal mart found mechanical technical drawing pencils in a 2 pack for .25 on clearance these were $6 originally. I think these will be nice to leave too.

 

WV J

[trifoldhat]

I'm new to all of this too and have found a couple nice swag items I have traded for. I am now going to start leaving a signature item for trades. I have purchased some P 38 can openers at a reasonable price (39 cents ea) I am engraving my username into them. I carry one of these on my keyring every day and it is quite handy at times. I also on a recent trip to wal mart found mechanical technical drawing pencils in a 2 pack for .25 on clearance these were $6 originally. I think these will be nice to leave too.

 

WV J

 

We must be like minded. I have carried on of those P 38's on my keyring for 16 years now.

I like your moves!

[+azurecrayon]

we just started caching this past weekend, and before our first find i hit the local walmart to stock up trading swag. i got a plastic container to keep in the car and filled it up with mostly kid type stuff since we have 3 boys that will be doing most of the trading. silly putty, playdoh, stencils, bubbles, girly hair stuff, card games. i also threw in some more adult toys like carbiners, magnets, little notebooks. we dont have pets but i know lots of people bring their dogs along, so we stocked up on some tennis balls too. i think total it was about $30 for the swag kit to keep in the car.

 

we are new, but trying to keep with the spirit of the game. we did find some caches this weekend, unfortunately they were too small for swag anyway.

 

i like the idea of the batteries, think ill put those in the kit next time i restock.

 

currently we are trying to come up with some kind of signature item to leave behind wherever we go. i wouldnt mind some ideas on these!

[knowschad]

Canada to the rescue. We have Loonies ($1 coin) and Twoonies ($2 coin) and they are great for swapping for that rare incident when you find something cool you really want. And if you don't use them as swag, they work for coffee.

 

No no no no no no no!! Trading swag for money is buying the swag. This is not about purchacing swag from a cache! I personally HATE finding money in a cache. Even foreign and/or old coins. Take large swag, swap for small coin = empty ammo box very quickly.

[+tennisgirl42]

I'm new to Geocaching, too, just starting this past weekend and quickly becoming addicted. For me, it's not about the swag, it's the hunt. Now yes, I REALLY love finding TBs and geocoins and moving them along, and I will drop in something "cool" for the next person (especially since so many kids love to get swag). So far bracelets, a ring, a whistle and such. I got some little penlight led lights that are cute and were inexpensive, as well as disney princess ink pens. My sons love to trade swag so I need to have those along. And like I said, it's fun to toss in something that someone else might enjoy.

 

I made a signature poker chip using bumpersticker paper & my printer and poker chips, of course. I'll be tossing those in each one, just to say I was there. :-)

 

Like I mentioned, though, it's the hunt. There's nothing greater than yelling "Ah ha! I found it!!!"

[+webdlost3]

Our family just returned to geocaching after a few years out of it. The first thing I noticed was the difference in items left in the caches... when we started in 2003, everyone was leaving neat stuff.. small toys, coins, various hiking goodies, batteries etc. People really thought about what was going in and made an effort to leave quality swag. Now, we have noticed alot of junk.. and I mean junk... candy wrappers/garbage.. stacks of business cards (thought advertising was against the rules here!), half way disintegrated trading cards (it rains peeps!!), broken toys...etc. Now, we have decided that our best swag will go in the members-only caches because there seems to be a bit more care in them. We've left kinder-toys, Starbucks cards, compasses, hot wheels etc. and are about to have some coins made... we think it's alot more fun to find something cool.. especially if there's little ones caching with you, and isn't life about having fun?