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Things to bring while Geocaching


targetw

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Learnt a valuble lesson today about things to have with us while out driving the back roads of Ontario geocaching. I tool box with screw drivers and pliers for example. We got a flat tire in the middle of no where and had a heck of a time getting the tire changed over just before dark. I know better now.

 

What types of things do other cacher's bring besides the basics that might help us all???

 

Thanks

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Oh wow. I do need to throw some toilet paper in the bag... that is a good idea.

 

I always bring my gerber multi-tool and a flashlight on my belt.

 

The compass is a great thing for a kid not holding the GPSr

 

cell phone

 

my walking stick and a backpack for everything else to fit in.

 

but I am a neophyte and I haven't ventured much more than 2 miles from the vehicle. I think it depends a lot on where you are planning to go. bear country would demand different equipment than here in the middle of a lot of farms

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I always have

my letherman pocket tool

Water

Food if I'm in a remote area

bug spray is a must!

Batteries

lighter

flashlight

Cell phone loaded with Cachemate

my primary GPSr Etrex vista HCx and a Back up Garmin etrex H just in case.

some swag to trade

I fit it all in a large camera bag..I tried a backpack..it's just not for me.

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Make sure you bring plenty of water, that is essential. Here in Southern Arizona, we've had to turn around because we were getting low even though the cache was a few hundred yards away (although a few hundred yards scrambling over 50 foot boulders is much further than it seems!) We always bring a snake bite kit as well, the rattlers are out in full swing right now. I also tend to bring a gun as there are many large critters that are very aggressive out here in the desert wilds (Mountain Lions, Javelinas and Drug Smugglers). Haven't had to use it yet, nor will I if a confrontation can be avoided, but it brings peace of mind. If you're in bear country, that would be a really good idea.

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I carry a backpack that always has the following:

 

compass

whistle

first aid kit/bug spray/sunscreen

baby wipes

water (well, everyone carries their own)

flashlight

lighter

pen/pencil

a bag of swag

my gerber

food of some sort, even we don't plan on being gone long, because you never know

a couple plastic bags for trash

I always carry my cell on me

 

eta: I also carry an extra pair of socks

Edited by jennyofthemoon
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Only been caching about a week now. I'm jealous. So far around my area in urban SoCal I haven't had to venture much further than my car to find a cache. No need to bring all those supplies, as there is a convienence store on every corner.

 

Really, a backup GPSr? Extra socks?

 

You guys are having all the fun!

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Only been caching about a week now. I'm jealous. So far around my area in urban SoCal I haven't had to venture much further than my car to find a cache. No need to bring all those supplies, as there is a convienence store on every corner.

 

Really, a backup GPSr? Extra socks?

 

You guys are having all the fun!

Welcome to the forums and to geocaching! We still do the same sort of caches as you, and venture into the woods also.

A fanny pack is great for leaving the hands free and mine holds swag, pens, batteries, spare ziplock bags, and there is even room for my cellphone. It also contains flashlights (2), dental tweezers, mirror on telescoping wand, telescoping light/magnet and hand sanitizer. I also have spare bisons and nanos and R&R logsheets "just in case." I found I was putting too much in my backpack - the weight had me tipping over on my back on a couple of occasions!

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It totally depends on where we are going. If we're going into the woods we have a backpack w/ the following:

- Water bladder w/ water :o

- Flashlight

- Swag

- Travel bugs/coins/etc

- Bug spray

- Various tools, tweezers, magnetic telescope thingy, mirror, etc

- First AID kit

- Snake bit kit (well we should have one, but we don't, are planning on getting on though)

- More water

- Snacks, granola bars and the like

- Extra batteries

- all kinds of different sizes ziploc bags

- all sizes of extra log sheets

 

We're also of course carrying a GPS (60CSx) each and a cell phone.

Edited by The Wandering Stars
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eta: I also carry an extra pair of socks

yep. I keep an old pair of running shoes and extra socks in the truck. I am inclined to muck my way through swamps from time to time and it can be unpleasant if I have to go to work or something directly from caching if I have to wear the same shoes and socks.

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I hit a particularly soft spot in a bog last weekend and got moist (or at least that's how I explained it to my mom). Glad I had extra socks.

 

Basically if I'm doing a day trip I have my cache bag which holds a travel bug I'm holding on to for now, baggies, some paper, a pen, swag to put in caches, batteries, my camera, phone, and if I'm not carrying it my GPSr. I'll carry this back and forth with me.

 

So then in another bag in the car I usually have my "after caching clothes" (and have become quite good at changing in secluded parking lots), extra socks, extra hoodie, and after caching shoes (flip flops for dealing with sweaty and/or wet feet). Sometimes I'll toss some band aids or reloads for my mini swag bag in my cache pack.

 

And I also have water somewhere near by either on me for longer ventures or in the car for shorter ones.

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Wow! No one has said a camera yet. An essential I have kicked myself for not bringing on occasion.

 

Oh yes, I ALWAYS carry my camera with me, but that is for most everything so I never even think of it!

 

 

eta: I also carry an extra pair of socks

yep. I keep an old pair of running shoes and extra socks in the truck. I am inclined to muck my way through swamps from time to time and it can be unpleasant if I have to go to work or something directly from caching if I have to wear the same shoes and socks.

 

I will tell you, if there is swapiness within a mile of me, you can be sure that *I* am the one it ends up in. There have been plenty of times I have gone home shoeless with the extra socks on to warm my feet LOL

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I haven't embarked on any caches that require a camel and sherpa, but I really want to.

 

But, Here is a list of stuff I take even though we rarely get more than a mile from the car.

 

Extra Batteries.

Water and snacks, especially with kids.

Writing Utensil

Sun screen

Bug Spray

and Extra Batteries

 

I always carry a swiss army knife and cell phone..which is actually a better camera than my camera. So I don't really list them as things to take, because If I'm outside the house I have those things anyway.

 

I should really reclaim more North Face backpack from my daughter and make a Cache Go Bag with extra notebooks, pens, swag and some of the other mentioned items like First Aid Kit and extra socks.

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Make sure you bring plenty of water, that is essential. Here in Southern Arizona, we've had to turn around because we were getting low even though the cache was a few hundred yards away (although a few hundred yards scrambling over 50 foot boulders is much further than it seems!) We always bring a snake bite kit as well, the rattlers are out in full swing right now. I also tend to bring a gun as there are many large critters that are very aggressive out here in the desert wilds (Mountain Lions, Javelinas and Drug Smugglers). Haven't had to use it yet, nor will I if a confrontation can be avoided, but it brings peace of mind. If you're in bear country, that would be a really good idea.

 

Always water! I went through a liter of water today.

Hmm... I am in bear country. I've met thirty or forty of them. You respect them and they respect you. If they stare at you, you go a different way. If they follow you, (only had one do that) you wander off into a different area, and leave the bear behind. The closest I've come to having a problem with a bear was a cub sunning him/herself on the rocks. S/he heard me coming, and took off like a bat out of somewhere. Sweet little cub almost ran me over! We got lots of bear in Jersey, but I don't think we have to worry about drug smugglers...

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Mini pencil. I was always forgetting to bring a pencil until I got a half-size mechanical pencil. Now I can keep it in my pocket all the time, so I actually have it when I need it.

 

Gardening or work gloves for handling wet or muddy stuff.

 

Rain poncho.

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