TOTT aka What should I bring?

[DaBigKahuna]

I haven't found a good FAQ about what I should be carrying as I go GeoCaching.

 

It seems that every time I go out, I find a cache but can't log it because I don't have a needed "Tool of the Trade" to retrieve it. Last week it was a set of grabbers... today it was a pair of tweezers.

 

So what do you guys carry with you? I know this will vary a lot depending on where you're caching and what time of the year it is.

 

Thanks

[+simpjkee]

I carry:

 

- Minimag flashlight

- GPS

- Pen and backups

- Spare AA batteries

- Spare minimag flashlight bulbs

- Tweezers

- Camera

- Pocket notebook

 

Thats more than I've ever needed to find a cache. However, there were some that necessitated some Macgyver like creativity to create TOTT from what was lying around the cache.

 

Of course, when out hiking I carry all necessary survival stuff as well.

[+jopasm]

I've never needed anything beyond a pair of tweezers. I keep a mini-leatherman (one of the Squirt models, I think it's an E4) in my pocket most of the time (caching or not). It has needle nose pliers, tweezers, and various screwdrivers and such.

 

Most of my finds are rural caches, I usually carry a backpack with a few trade items, a flashlight, spare pens and pencils, water, first aid kit, snacks, rain gear, and other things depending on the season and weather.

 

Oh, and spare batteries. I keep a pack in the car and one in my backpack.

[+HawkLawless1]

Ditto what everyone has said. I also have a couple extra logs and pencils to drop in a cache if necessary. Also a whistle.

[+Isonzo Karst]

There's a link to the Knowledge Books at the bottom of every page on Geocaching.com

There you will find an article Well Stocked Geocaching Bag (links a bit out of date....not that caching has changed much since 07)

[+popokiiti]

In my fanny/bum bag I have the following -

pens

lanyard

lip balm

hand sanitizer

dental tweezers

flashlights x 2

mirror on telescopic handle

magnetic grabber with light

asst. swag

spare micros/nanos

spare rite in the rain logsheets

[+birder428]

I too have a mirror on a telescoping handle, which is great for checking out nooks and crannies for those nanos. Also useful is a hiking stick which is handy for poking into holes looking for caches.

[+Chrysalides]

hand sanitizer

I found wet wipes to be very nice to have around as well.

 

Oops, I guess this thread is about retrieval tools. I have a Gerber multi-tool and a Leatherman Skeletool, the Skeletool is nice but overkill for just geocaching. A rubber glove or something that gives grip when opening some containers is also useful. A paper clip or safety pin - you never know when a thin piece of metal can be useful. I've also improvised with branches and twigs when I have to.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+ventura_kids]

spare batteries is the most important thing.

We also bring a NUT on a string, and a magnet.

There are a lot of fishing type hides around town that require you to bring your own tott.

[+roziecakes]

From another post (so some might see it twice)

 

Two water bottles

Tecnu (for Poison Oak)

a small first aid kit

Duct Tape

Extra logbook paper

Extra Pens

Extra baggies

TP

Hand Sanitizer

washcloths for drying out the inside of wet caches

SWAG

batteries

a couple of snacks

a pair of dry socks or two

small notebook for noting trackables

geotools: magnets, tweezers, paperclips

flashlight

gloves and CITO bags

 

That's what we carry in our bag, also we bring a camera and our cell phones. Husband has a leatherman.

[+Trav'lin Two]

In addition to the above:

 

String

Duct Tape

Some kind of magnet

A ferrous nut or bolt in case you have to retrieve something magnetic (use the string)

Skinny pokey stick

Comb (to remove cholla cactus)

Needle pliers in case the comb doesn't get then all

[DaBigKahuna]

A belated thank you to all that responded... Looks like I'm gonna need a bigger bag!