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Photos/Images of bad cache containers


L0ne.R

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Double AAAAAGGGGGGGG!!!!! Plastic bags attract moisture to the container, not "protect" it. Try it yourself, leave one outside on your sidewalk some night. They are also a perfect breeding ground for slugs, snails, worms, and all sorts of other icky, slimy creatures. They are the second worst idea in the history of Geocaching. The first being writing DRR on the outside of containers without opening them.

 

Okay, I gotta ask: what is "DRR" supposed to mean?

 

I'm so sorry, but with all the World records around here lately, it's actually somewhat topical. Before Power trails were allowed (and they've only been "allowed" for about a year). It was sort of traditional for some people attending a Geowoodstock event to try to set a world record for number of caches found in 24 hours. When Dallas hosted Geowoodstock (2006 I believe, but someone will correct me), a multi-national group set the record, but it was revealed that they signed the outside of most containers "DRR" with sharpie markers, rather than taking the time to open them. DRR being Dallas Record Run.

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100% serious: GC1XZ8W.

 

I will translate it for you:

 

[CAT] "L'he ficat dintre d'una bossa de plàstic perqué no agafi la grip A."

[ENG] "I put it inside a plastic bag so it doesn't get A flu"

 

(unsure of how do you call the last flu "epidemy" ...)

 

I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

 

Some of us started several anti-bag threads on our local forums ... with no success at all. With the exception of micros I would say only three or four of my 150 finds were bag-free :)

 

Any possibility an anti-bag rule is added to guidelines :D ?

 

I'm with you on this! If 99% of the caches in my area were wrapped in plastic bags, I would absolutely dedicate my life to stomping out the practice. I'm still not over them doing it in NE Pa., and that was 5 freaking years ago. :P

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BTW, I'm envisioning this as a learning tool. A place we can point newbies, to visually show what would be considered a poor choice in containers.
For a given location; not all containers are necessarely bad in different climates/locations. A flimsy not watertight cheap container works perfectly well around here (Qatar) if placed out of direct sunlight and slighlty elevated. On the other hand a lock'n'lock in the sun probably won't last very long...

 

Put in other words a bad container is only a bad container for certain locations.

 

Mr. Terratin (who now thinks he is guilty of placing a wrong container for one particulairely location)

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Are Peanut Butter containers recommended? Seen quite a few out there and they seem to work very well. My kids eat a lot of PB, lol.

BTW I'm in Ontario and can vouch for the Glad, Ziploc tupperware containers being easily damaged and NO good. Opinions?

 

I have a peanut butter container with camouflage fabric glued on that I have recently put out as a replacement for a container that was falling apart. Thus far, it seems to be holding out well, though it is somewhat protected. It survived the insane rain that we had in Southern Ontario a week ago or so.

 

I think one of the key concerns with peanut butter containers is the residual odour that may have permeated the plastic. This one has been run through the dishwasher, rinsed with bleach and soaked with a baking soda solution for 2 days or so to remove the odour.

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Are Peanut Butter containers recommended? Seen quite a few out there and they seem to work very well. My kids eat a lot of PB, lol.

BTW I'm in Ontario and can vouch for the Glad, Ziploc tupperware containers being easily damaged and NO good. Opinions?

 

They seem to handle the rain pretty well, but they will break down from UV rays. We have a lot of these in our local Southern California mountains and desserts. Wrap them in duct tape, (you can get brown or camo from Walmart), and they seem to do pretty well. They will not last forever. You can expect to have to replace it in 2-3 years.

 

It seems that only ammo can last forever.

:D

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I found this one today. It was in a burned out hole in the side of an oak tree. The hole angled down about eight inches on a 45 degree angle. The hole was filled with water and the cache was floating on top.

 

99883db7-1ee6-45d3-b941-ab32506d79ec.jpg

 

The CO responded almost instantly and disabled the cache.

The sad truth is that an Altoids tin simply needs to see water in order to get wet.

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They tend to leak. I've found dozens and probably can count the ones with dry contents on one hand.

 

haven't found one yet that leaked, if they are placed with care they make great micros and have a good seal too

Ha! That's a good one. You are kidding, right? Uh oh.

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There used to be a cache near where I went to school that was in a cheap Bic pen! There was also another cache by the same owner that was in a plastic toy container that you get from one of those toy vending machines that can be found in grocery stores. Both were eventually archived for maintenance reasons.

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Dollar-store containers:

Not always. I have started to use them more. The ones I buy seal up like lock & locks and they do work. The pros are obviously price. The only con I can find is that the plastic is more brittle so it could get punctured or cracked if abused.

 

Fortunately we keep a close eye on our caches because we never want a cache with water.

 

I started using them after our lock & locks and Farberware started to go missing. Farberware works great but still $1 is better than spending the $2 on the Farberware.

 

I do not like that I cannot get them in large size although I just bought a Tupperware type that is really big and it seals up so tightly I can barely get the lid on. I'd like to find a big place to put it!

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Are Peanut Butter containers recommended? Seen quite a few out there and they seem to work very well. My kids eat a lot of PB, lol.

BTW I'm in Ontario and can vouch for the Glad, Ziploc tupperware containers being easily damaged and NO good. Opinions?

 

They seem to handle the rain pretty well, but they will break down from UV rays. We have a lot of these in our local Southern California mountains and desserts. Wrap them in duct tape, (you can get brown or camo from Walmart), and they seem to do pretty well. They will not last forever. You can expect to have to replace it in 2-3 years.

 

It seems that only ammo can last forever.

;)

ammo can get wet too if not closed right. i found one here in mountains that had an inch of water in the bottom because someone set a rock on top without closing it. I poured it out, checked the lid and nothing was wrong with the latch mechanism. just pure laziness i guess :laughing:

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I found a plastic Easter egg hide the log was dry but it was in the weather on the coast. So I do not think it will last long.

UV will attack the plastic. it'll become brittle and eventually crack.

 

Yeah, a local cacher here placed about 5 easter egg caches on Easter. No baggie for the log inside, either. We're dry here for the most part, but not in the spring. I figured the logs would be wet pretty quickly. I heard from another cacher that at least one was wet within a couple days. :laughing:

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I thought it might be fun to visually demonstrate examples of bad cache containers. It has to be container types that you've actually found. I'll start.....

 

The classic bad container, the black and grey film canister:

 

667220_film_canister.jpg

 

I actually found this type of container a couple of times in the wild......the airline travel pouch:

 

TAM035.jpg

 

I found one tonight that was fun...

 

It was a magnetic Key Holder and it was full of wood ants. Eating the log sheet.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...78-ad626bc2ae48

 

I hope that link works... You have to see pics and I cant figure hoe to post them in the message :laughing:

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To me the most often seen is just a clear plastic zip bag under a rock - ready to dissentigrate at any moment!

 

Thankfully I've only found hides like this (bare ziploc baggie) a few times in my area.

 

I can't believe any hider could possibly think that is going to hold up as an outdoor container. They generally don't last very long without getting poked full of holes inside a decent cache container for crying out loud.

The only time I have found a cache like this is when some one took the Ammo can it was in. There was a Can theif around Decatur Texas. Nice National Grassland there with a lot of ammo can caches that went missing. But that starts a hole new topic.

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A tin can:

 

4528180647_2b37e8d087.jpg

 

The lid to this bucket was rusted to the container, numerous finders including me couldn't open it.

Another example of tin being a poor container (unless placed where it will not come in contact with moisture).

 

The other problem with tin buckets, even when not rusty, the lid is really hard to get off using your fingers. Getting the lid off usually requires some type of prying device. I once found a tin bucket where the CO anticipated the problem and attached a paint bucket opener on a string to the bucket.

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I don't have photos, and I can't find any on the interweb...

but, how about a plastic 'happy-meal' lunch container from Sea World?

Hinged plastic clam-shell in the shape of Shamu.

No seal what-so-ever.

Kudos to the cache owner (who put out several of these) for trying to make use of something that would normally go into a landfill, but let's get real.

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one cache around here is a pringles can. it hasn't been out for long yet and when we found it, it was still in good shape, but i think it's a disaster waiting to happen...

 

There used to be a small pringles can cache nearby. That was back when they were still cardboard. I'm amazed at how long it lasted, but that's probably because we're in the desert. :laughing:

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one cache around here is a pringles can. it hasn't been out for long yet and when we found it, it was still in good shape, but i think it's a disaster waiting to happen...

 

A couple of caches near my home were in tennis ball containers. One has since been archived--when I found it, the lid had fallen off, and even though it was up in a tree, water had still gotten in.

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...

 

I do not like that I cannot get them in large size although I just bought a Tupperware type that is really big and it seals up so tightly I can barely get the lid on. I'd like to find a big place to put it!

 

Aren't you worried the lazy cacher might not get it back on as good if its that hard?

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Sounds like I need to just throw all the 35mm film cans away!

Why would these be handed out by other cachers as seed cache containers…. :D

Must be a wise guy! :D

I have six that I was getting ready to hide!

 

I have over 50. They WILL end up as cache containers.

It's all about where and how you hide them.

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Sounds like I need to just throw all the 35mm film cans away!

Why would these be handed out by other cachers as seed cache containers…. :D

Must be a wise guy! :D

I have six that I was getting ready to hide!

 

I have over 50. They WILL end up as cache containers.

It's all about where and how you hide them.

 

Is good constructive criticism only good when it's what you wanted to hear?

So many choices so little time! :D

I've said this before I'll say it again, If you need a good laugh go to the forums!

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Sounds like I need to just throw all the 35mm film cans away!

Why would these be handed out by other cachers as seed cache containers…. :D

Must be a wise guy! :D

I have six that I was getting ready to hide!

 

I have over 50. They WILL end up as cache containers.

It's all about where and how you hide them.

 

Is good constructive criticism only good when it's what you wanted to hear?

So many choices so little time! :D

I've said this before I'll say it again, If you need a good laugh go to the forums!

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I've said this before I'll say it again, If you need a good laugh go to the forums!

 

Even better when you come to the forums and encourage the same thing you speak of. :D

 

Everyone knows film canisters are a hot button topic. Too bad it hasn't erupted into a free for all yet. You may have to prod a little more.

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one cache around here is a pringles can. it hasn't been out for long yet and when we found it, it was still in good shape, but i think it's a disaster waiting to happen...

 

There used to be a small pringles can cache nearby. That was back when they were still cardboard. I'm amazed at how long it lasted, but that's probably because we're in the desert. :)

 

I've found one of these. The cardboard was so coated in gorilla tape that it was holding up rather well. The plastic lid, not so much.

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Dollar-store containers:

ea961471-1d53-478f-8bc3-3cfdbbd36b4b.jpg

 

This is my own cache, in a location which tends to be underwater several months of the year. I placed it on impulse and I only had a cheapie $1 container with me - a lapse of judgment I'll never repeat.

 

I've since re-engineered the hide to be much more submersible.

 

I'll qualify this post. The referenced container here is the 'reusable' yet 'disposable' food container (such as Gladware).

 

Many dollar stores sell $1.00 Lock n Locks, that with a coat camo paint can serve well in many conditions. I've got two that are approaching the 1 year mark that still stay dry and are in great condition (in Kentucky, wooded area that gets plenty of rain, some sun (shaded in the summer), snow/freezing conditions in winter). I've been pleased so far.

 

But I'll also qualify that once these containers fail (most likely at the lock snaps) they'll be replaced with ammo cans since the cache locations are proving to be muggle resistant :)

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"I don´t have enough money to buy a waterproof container" should not be a legitimate complaint. I just found these small waterproof containers for less than 2$ a pop.

 

I have 4 of these right now and I wnat to place them, but haven't yet because of a concern.

 

Recently I held a special closed event (leadership/teambuilding) for some college students. I used one of these containers as a hide. Unfortunately during the event it became a casualty. The latch on the side broke off. Upon inspection the latching mechanisim doesn't have much durability to it. The plastic on these is also fairly brittle.

 

I suspect that with a nice camo paint (read: Krylon Fusion) that they may not get more brittle or fall apart, but I don't think the latch will hold up long term. I may still deploy mine (since I still have 2 that are camoed, and one bright yellow) but do worry about durability.

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"I don´t have enough money to buy a waterproof container" should not be a legitimate complaint. I just found these small waterproof containers for less than 2$ a pop.

 

I have 4 of these right now and I wnat to place them, but haven't yet because of a concern.

 

Recently I held a special closed event (leadership/teambuilding) for some college students. I used one of these containers as a hide. Unfortunately during the event it became a casualty. The latch on the side broke off. Upon inspection the latching mechanisim doesn't have much durability to it. The plastic on these is also fairly brittle.

 

I suspect that with a nice camo paint (read: Krylon Fusion) that they may not get more brittle or fall apart, but I don't think the latch will hold up long term. I may still deploy mine (since I still have 2 that are camoed, and one bright yellow) but do worry about durability.

 

The caches in that link are not waterproof. I bought 2 of them and the one I placed began filling with water from rain within a few months (I say fill with water versus damp logs as a point of their poor quality). I did not even bother to put the other one out as a cache.

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I was going to buy some of the dollar store lock n locks. I took the lid off of one and put it back on. The first latch that I tried to hook back on snapped right off just as easy as bustin' a potato chip in two. I looked around the shelves and there were several others in the same condition. I bought other lock n locks from wally world a couple years back and they're still going strong. Then the last batch I bought from wally world was crap. Not even a full season and I need to replace one. test them before you buy them.

 

As far as film cans go. Look on ebay you can buy the white fuji film cans rather cheap or I suppose you can go ask at wally world and get a bunch for free. I just asked last week and got close to 30 of the white ones. Swiz

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Sounds like I need to just throw all the 35mm film cans away!

Why would these be handed out by other cachers as seed cache containers…. ;)

Must be a wise guy! ;)

I have six that I was getting ready to hide!

 

I have over 50. They WILL end up as cache containers.

It's all about where and how you hide them.

 

Oh Bittsen!!

You should know better than to encourage the noobs!!

They don't know where to hide them, so we'll get hundreds of wet soggy unsignable logs.

 

If you are going to do something that you know is not a good idea except under rare conditions, just keep it to yourself! OK?

We all know there is nothing waterproof about film cans.

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Dollar-store containers:

ea961471-1d53-478f-8bc3-3cfdbbd36b4b.jpg

 

This is my own cache, in a location which tends to be underwater several months of the year. I placed it on impulse and I only had a cheapie $1 container with me - a lapse of judgment I'll never repeat.

 

I've since re-engineered the hide to be much more submersible.

 

I'll qualify this post. The referenced container here is the 'reusable' yet 'disposable' food container (such as Gladware).

 

Many dollar stores sell $1.00 Lock n Locks, that with a coat camo paint can serve well in many conditions

Correction: The container in the picture is a "generic" rubbermaid-style container from Dollarama. They're about as waterproof as Rubbermaid®, but not up to several months underwater. Gladware wouldn't be up to several minutes in a drizzle, and I never buy 'em.

 

BTW, dollar stores never sell Lock & Lock brand containers; they're too expensive. The branded ones are the quality stuff. The knock-offs, well, I've never seen one I'd trust with my own logbook.

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Well, I could live to be, and cache until 100 and never see one again, but I did see someone use a collapsible water cup as a cache once:

 

FP101_dt.jpg

 

Funny thing is, it was in an absolutely outstanding location. One of the nicest locations I ever found a cache in, as a matter of fact.

 

Right in my back yard actually. Too bad that owner is long gone. I have cleaned that one up numerous times. Next time out it is getting a new L & L container. As you said the confluence area is too nice to not have a cache.

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But if you're going to place a micro, your logsheet is going to stay dry in a matchstick waterproof container or a bison tube (but they're not free, so many micro hiders shy away from the expense).

 

I have found even these with wet logs, they only work if the quad ring remains in place and CACHERS tighten the cap properly.

I replace the stock o-rings in my bisons before I place them. Go to the faucet repair section in your local home improvement store and get a packet or #4 o-rings. They last a long time and make the container truely waterproof. They also have o-rings for matchstick containers but I don't know the size off hand.

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I replace the stock o-rings in my bisons before I place them. Go to the faucet repair section in your local home improvement store and get a packet or #4 o-rings. They last a long time and make the container truely waterproof. They also have o-rings for matchstick containers but I don't know the size off hand.

 

At my local hardware store the oring that fits a matchstick container cost more $ than the container.

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Found one that was hidden in one of these containers. Of course it didn't look as new as in the picture. The label was all ripped up and half hanging on and had a big "geocache" written on it in sharpie. Of course it was all wet inside. To top it all off it was a "one-stage multi"... i know... I have no idea how the reviewer let a one-stage multi go by.

stax.jpg

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