Ladies, how do you carry your gear in urban areas?

[+trickortreat]

I am in need of a more efficient way to carry the stuff I need while caching in suburbia: the geo-info on paper, my GPSr, my purse with wallet and keys and pens and sunglasses, trinkets to put in caches, my reading glasses, TOTT, etc.

 

How do you manage all this gear and still blend into urban environments?

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Backpack with pockets

[+AuntieWeasel]

Big canvas shoulder bag. Okay, it's military surplus. I'm not very girly.

[beatrixkiddo]

I have a back pack with my gym's logo on it. People probably just think that it's workout gear. But honestly lots of people carry backpacks for various reasons. I rarely even notice them and most people don't either.

[+e-bird67]

Large black Healthy Back bag. I'm sure it's not glamorous, but it can pass as a backpack or a gigantic purse. Perhaps an invention is in order? Someone should invent a fashionable ladies' geocaching gear bag or something.

[+Ambrosia]

I have a wonderful small backpack.

[+trickortreat]

Thanks for your answers. I suppose I'll start noticing backpacks everywhere, now. I'm not exactly slender so I think people would avoid whatever gym whose logo might be on my pack! The thing I worry about with backpacks is that they make me look like Dolly Parton on steroids, but without the little middle.

[+trickortreat]

Large black Healthy Back bag. I'm sure it's not glamorous, but it can pass as a backpack or a gigantic purse. Perhaps an invention is in order? Someone should invent a fashionable ladies' geocaching gear bag or something.

 

Yesss! A bag with zippered compartments for regular items and geocaching items would be nice.

 

I just checked Healthy Back bags online. The one-strap style would avoid creating the Dolly Partonization, so that would be good. Does it slide off your shoulder when using your hands to do searches?

[+Nitro Blast]

Thanks for your answers. I suppose I'll start noticing backpacks everywhere, now. I'm not exactly slender so I think people would avoid whatever gym whose logo might be on my pack! The thing I worry about with backpacks is that they make me look like Dolly Parton on steroids, but without the little middle.

 

This thing rocks:

 

www.cyclegear.com ogio 450 waist pack

[+dorqie]

I have a purse with a long shoulder strap. So I can carry it hands free.

I geocache wherever I go, so my purse must also include a geocaching section.

Edited May 17, 2010 by dorqie

[+trickortreat]

 

This thing rocks:

 

www.cyclegear.com ogio 450 waist pack

 

I was caching a few feet outside the open back door of a cycle shop yesterday, maybe I should have gone inside. Agree that fanny packs are the best for hands-free caching, they're just not seen much around my area anymore. I do like the zippered pockets though, too.

[+trickortreat]

I have a purse with a long shoulder strap. So I can carry it hands free.

I geocache wherever I go, so my purse must also include a geocaching section.

 

You wear it diagonally? My cute designer handbag has a short strap and barely holds my day-to-day essentials. But I would like to be able to cache spontaneously.

[+JJball]

I have a Magellan lumbar pack that I got from Academy a month ago for $19.99. It has one big zipper pouch, one small zipper pouch, one small Velcro pouch, one open hanging pouch, 2 d rings and 2 spots for water bottles (bottles included). It is what I carried up until I got a fly fishing vest a couple weeks ago. It has 10 million pockets and I love it. Now my husband carries the lumbar pack.

 

It very much resembles this:

 

 

I guess I don't make much of an effort to blend in that much. If I'm in the city, chances are the car is near and we are driving from cache to cache so most of my small things will fit in the cargo pockets in my pants. If we are doing several caches before coming back to the car, I have my vest on and/or he has the lumbar pack on.

[+trickortreat]

JJball, sounds like you have a very effective wardrobe for caching. I will look into getting some cargo pants for sure. My pens like to pop out of the back pockets on my jeans when I'm crouched down searching. I tell ya I keep dropping stuff!

[+trickortreat]

Just got a suggestion from someone else who uses a large camera bag, the kind with many pockets for different lenses and a zip top. Says this gives her the excuse of telling people she's looking for her lens cap, LOL. A camera bag is actually a great suggestion too!

[+e-bird67]

Large black Healthy Back bag. I'm sure it's not glamorous, but it can pass as a backpack or a gigantic purse. Perhaps an invention is in order? Someone should invent a fashionable ladies' geocaching gear bag or something.

 

Yesss! A bag with zippered compartments for regular items and geocaching items would be nice.

 

I just checked Healthy Back bags online. The one-strap style would avoid creating the Dolly Partonization, so that would be good. Does it slide off your shoulder when using your hands to do searches?

 

Ha Ha! Yes, I notice when I am a victim of Dolly Partonization!

 

It never slides off my shoulder when I am searching, but if I am taking a long hike in a wilder area and have a bunch of water bottles in it, I do feel a little achy in that one shoulder later. It's great for city caching, though. My bag has a ton of awesome compartments. This is the one I use...

 

[+Team Cotati]

I am in need of a more efficient way to carry the stuff I need while caching in suburbia: the geo-info on paper, my GPSr, my purse with wallet and keys and pens and sunglasses, trinkets to put in caches, my reading glasses, TOTT, etc.

 

How do you manage all this gear and still blend into urban environments?

 

Get a larger purse.

[FaithCacher22]

I made a bag, and then later decided to use it for geocaching. I love it, and it works great.

 

 

It goes over one shoulder and diagonal, one big pocket with flap, that covers the smaller pockets on front, one for pen, one for smaller things (fits my phone), and one for larger-smaller things (fits my gps or a small log book/notebook).

[+roziecakes]

I just use a backpack, but I don't attempt to be fashion conscious when I'm geocaching. I'm a jeans and tee-shirts kinda gal when I'm out caching. I love the "Dolly Parton-ization" comments though... ha ha! I totally get that. And wearing sports bras doesn't help that much.

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

We have several different bags for different areas, but I found a bad that was at a swim shop (or even Target/Walmart would probably have something like this) and it is very large. But that's in fashion right now! It opens from the top, so it is easy to get inside, and has several pockets inside (one with a zipper.)

 

As a staple item, we keep a Quart-size Ziplock freezer bag (because they are heavier weight), and we have it always ready to grab and go! It has:

 

Tweezers

small led flashlight

several good writing pens

a good variety of small swag items

a separate smaller ziplock bag for trackables

several pairs of fresh batteries

a small selection of little ziplocks for cleaning up the inside of a neglected cache

a few small pencils to leave if a cache is out of one

a few extra log sheets in tiny ziplocks in case a cache log is full

 

Other than this little bag, we only need to carry our GPSr, a larger flashlight if it is night, gloves (if we are bushwacking) and the printouts of the caches we are looking for that outing. We even have a little box of WetOnes in there to clean our hands when we get them dirty, digging around. Those things fit easy into our large bag. It has two long, wide straps and can be worn over the shoulder or diagonally. Even though it is a beach bag, it looks just like a big purse.

 

With the ziplock ready to go all the time, and a new cache comes up, we can just grab it, and go for a FTF!

 

Good luck

[+dorqie]

I have a purse with a long shoulder strap. So I can carry it hands free.

I geocache wherever I go, so my purse must also include a geocaching section.

 

You wear it diagonally? My cute designer handbag has a short strap and barely holds my day-to-day essentials. But I would like to be able to cache spontaneously.

yes, diagonally. this particular one is canvas, with beading and a floral pattern, it's about as girly as a geocahcing bag gets.

[+trickortreat]

I made a bag, and then later decided to use it for geocaching. I love it, and it works great.

 

 

It goes over one shoulder and diagonal, one big pocket with flap, that covers the smaller pockets on front, one for pen, one for smaller things (fits my phone), and one for larger-smaller things (fits my gps or a small log book/notebook).

 

You made that? So pretty! Looks comfy, too.

[+trickortreat]

We have several different bags for different areas, but I found a bad that was at a swim shop (or even Target/Walmart would probably have something like this) and it is very large. But that's in fashion right now! It opens from the top, so it is easy to get inside, and has several pockets inside (one with a zipper.)

 

As a staple item, we keep a Quart-size Ziplock freezer bag (because they are heavier weight), and we have it always ready to grab and go! It has:

 

Tweezers

small led flashlight

several good writing pens

a good variety of small swag items

a separate smaller ziplock bag for trackables

several pairs of fresh batteries

a small selection of little ziplocks for cleaning up the inside of a neglected cache

a few small pencils to leave if a cache is out of one

a few extra log sheets in tiny ziplocks in case a cache log is full

 

Other than this little bag, we only need to carry our GPSr, a larger flashlight if it is night, gloves (if we are bushwacking) and the printouts of the caches we are looking for that outing. We even have a little box of WetOnes in there to clean our hands when we get them dirty, digging around. Those things fit easy into our large bag. It has two long, wide straps and can be worn over the shoulder or diagonally. Even though it is a beach bag, it looks just like a big purse.

 

With the ziplock ready to go all the time, and a new cache comes up, we can just grab it, and go for a FTF!

 

Good luck

 

Great tips, there Desert Trailblazers! So nice of you to help others with the maintenance. What about your TOTT? I keep extendable magnets, an extendable mirror, and long handled tweezers on hand, but recently I had to use duct tape (which was supplied) to retrieve a cache. I had not one like that before.

Edited May 18, 2010 by trickortreat

[+trickortreat]

Thanks everybody for your great answers. It's helping me refine what I want: I'm just looking to find something practical to use while caching in local parking lots, city parks, along the sidewalk... that sort of urban area, without appearing too hard-core. I want to be able to cache spontaneously, so it should be versatile enough to be an everyday accessory...something that fits in when going to work. I want some way to have quick access to several categories of things (the most important being TOTT, swag, pens, camera, keys), and yet not have them spill out on the ground if I bend and twist while searching.

 

Taking your answers, I've concluded it should be a large bag in a material suitable for work, that has a long shoulder strap so I can wear it diagonally and search with my hands free. There should be many pockets inside, hopefully secured with zippers or Velcro to keep things from falling out, and it would be good to keep some geocaching necessities in a smaller zippered bag that can fit inside the large bag, then it can be moved easily to a backpack for when I'm hiking in a more rural situation.

 

And if I were a designer, I might design a long black vest that has many secured pockets on the inside and be somewhat plain on the outside…so it would function for caching as well as a fly-fishing vest, but would look elegant enough to go to the PTA in!

 

Thanks again for your contributions!

[+carleenp]

I have a Fossil canvas handbag that is generally cute, but fairly rugged, with several pockets, and on the larger side. After I tired of using it as an actual handbag, I took to carrying caching stuff in it.

[+Proud Soccer Mom]

I use my camera bag.

[Hazelette]

I was at Target today, killing time while waiting for an Rx refill. I looked at the purses/handbags, and there were a few lightweight canvas totes with shoulder straps. Nice bright summer colors and roomy. They were a little retro, in a style reminiscent of the 80's. Of course, I'd killed my iPhone battery, and it was charging in the car. I wish I could've snapped a few pics to share.

[+JesandTodd]

Depends. If I'm urban caching, everything fits in my mini coach purse Really, only my iPhone matters and it fits in my back pocket.

 

For desert or mountain caches, I have a cheap, durable military surplus bag that carries my swag and TBs. The iPhone remains in my back right pocket, along with my colored sharpie de jour...

[+trickortreat]

Depends. If I'm urban caching, everything fits in my mini coach purse Really, only my iPhone matters and it fits in my back pocket.

 

For desert or mountain caches, I have a cheap, durable military surplus bag that carries my swag and TBs. The iPhone remains in my back right pocket, along with my colored sharpie de jour...

 

 

Soooo "Need to blend in while urban caching? There's an app for that!" You iPhone cachers are so lucky. It's like a GPSr, paper instructions, pen, and camera all rolled into one. Definitely would lighten the load, and help eliminate the need for 8 arms just to juggle everything.

 

When I cache with my iPhone-owning boyfriend, he's certainly a lot less encumbered. He's used to having his wallet, coins and keys in his pockets, and caching with just the iPhone in his hand. I'm envious.

 

You know, part of the problem seems to be Ladies' wallets with their built-in coin purses don't fit in jean or trouser pockets so well. So for me the choice has been either bring the whole purse along or clumsily hand-carry the wallet. I*must* have my wallet with me. (Long story: my friend Esther had her purse stolen from her car while jogging and the ensuing problems of identity theft were just hellacious and a big lesson to the rest of us. Example: even though she filed all the proper reports, as she was about to leave for work one morning, the police came and searched her house (!!) because the thieves had used her ID to establish a checking account and the went and bought expensive electronics. The checks bounced, so the store filed a theft report and a request for a search of Esther's home to recover their stolen electronics. The judge somehow didn't see Esther's ID theft reports in the system, and so a search warrant was issued. This kind of accusation nightmare went on for 2 years. I now keep a close eye on my wallet.)

[+Crafty Turtle]

I have a backpack I use specifically for caching. It has swag, pens, etc all the time in there. Also carry extra notepads, magnets, tape, etc if 1st aid is required on caches. All this stuff live in my geo-backpack.

 

However, when travelling - ie flying, luggage weight restrictions dictate swapless caching, and the time-factor means no repeat visits, no puzzle caches, and usually no multis (although I have slipped in the odd Earth cache) so my caching style is very different.

I have a small shoulder bag, carried Indiana Jones style, with loose-ish pockets for easy access to grab what I need.

Of course, when travelling, I'm also carrying wallet, camera, water bottle, extra batteries, guidebook, maps, etc.

 

I recommend the shoulder bag - unlike a backpack, you can reach your stuff easily, really good for those high muggle areas when you want to hide what you are doing. A shoulder bag is comfy, and can also be quite stylish - it doesn't have to be army green canvass - go to a handbag shop, they come in every colour and every type of material. (I'm starting to sound like a commercial)

[+Ambrosia]

Depends. If I'm urban caching, everything fits in my mini coach purse Really, only my iPhone matters and it fits in my back pocket.

 

For desert or mountain caches, I have a cheap, durable military surplus bag that carries my swag and TBs. The iPhone remains in my back right pocket, along with my colored sharpie de jour...

 

 

Soooo "Need to blend in while urban caching? There's an app for that!" You iPhone cachers are so lucky. It's like a GPSr, paper instructions, pen, and camera all rolled into one. Definitely would lighten the load, and help eliminate the need for 8 arms just to juggle everything.

 

When I cache with my iPhone-owning boyfriend, he's certainly a lot less encumbered. He's used to having his wallet, coins and keys in his pockets, and caching with just the iPhone in his hand. I'm envious.

 

You know, part of the problem seems to be Ladies' wallets with their built-in coin purses don't fit in jean or trouser pockets so well. So for me the choice has been either bring the whole purse along or clumsily hand-carry the wallet. I*must* have my wallet with me. (Long story: my friend Esther had her purse stolen from her car while jogging and the ensuing problems of identity theft were just hellacious and a big lesson to the rest of us. Example: even though she filed all the proper reports, as she was about to leave for work one morning, the police came and searched her house (!!) because the thieves had used her ID to establish a checking account and the went and bought expensive electronics. The checks bounced, so the store filed a theft report and a request for a search of Esther's home to recover their stolen electronics. The judge somehow didn't see Esther's ID theft reports in the system, and so a search warrant was issued. This kind of accusation nightmare went on for 2 years. I now keep a close eye on my wallet.)

I use a men's wallet (well, I don't think it is advertised as such, just that it's mostly men that buy that kind, I suppose). It's a basic black nylon trifold that I picked up years ago from REI. It fits in my jeans/shorts pocket. Funnily enough, my dad got the same wallet around the same time, without us knowing each other had one. Now, we try not to mix them up when we're around each other.

[Hazelette]

You know, part of the problem seems to be Ladies' wallets with their built-in coin purses don't fit in jean or trouser pockets so well. So for me the choice has been either bring the whole purse along or clumsily hand-carry the wallet.

I used to have a micro purse that I called "my wallet on a string." It was an oversized wallet with a lanyard style wrist strap. It was great for taking to pro sporting events, concerts, etc since it was a small size yet secure. Enough room for ID, cash, change, cards, and 1 small compartment for a cellphone, lip balm, etc.

 

Major format edit on the post...

Edited May 19, 2010 by Hazelette

[+TeamAtlas]

I made a bag, and then later decided to use it for geocaching. I love it, and it works great.

 

 

It goes over one shoulder and diagonal, one big pocket with flap, that covers the smaller pockets on front, one for pen, one for smaller things (fits my phone), and one for larger-smaller things (fits my gps or a small log book/notebook).

 

I love this! Would you mind sharing where you got the pattern and/or dimensions of the bag? Thanks!

[+hidnseek]

Timbuk2 messenger bags, colourful, various sizes. Design your own. Doubles as my everyday bag. Have a few sizes depending on mood. Goes urban to forest.

[+e-bird67]

MuchFaith22, that's a fabulous bag!

 

The funny thing about my giant Healthy Back bag, is that I always have swag falling out at the most inappropriate times, as I have started carrying swag everywhere I go. Usually, I'll fish around for a pen during an important meeting at work, and a bag of squishy robots, a Silly Putty container and a vampire rubber ducky will pop out.

 

You just never know when you'll have the urge to cache, right?

Edited May 19, 2010 by e-bird67

[Hazelette]

Usually, I'll fish around for a pen during an important meeting at work, and a bag of squishy robots, a Silly Putty container and a vampire rubber ducky will pop out.

Blame it on the kids? If not your own, then the uhm... nieces/nephews? neighborhood kids?

Edited May 19, 2010 by Hazelette

[+roziecakes]

 

And if I were a designer, I might design a long black vest that has many secured pockets on the inside and be somewhat plain on the outside…so it would function for caching as well as a fly-fishing vest, but would look elegant enough to go to the PTA in!

 

Thanks again for your contributions!

 

That sounds very cool... make it reversible too!

[+narcissa]

I carry a big purse, or a sling pack. I plan to invest in a fancy camera bag with lots of compartments as soon as I can find one that I like.

[+Crafty Turtle]

I made a bag, and then later decided to use it for geocaching. I love it, and it works great.

 

 

It goes over one shoulder and diagonal, one big pocket with flap, that covers the smaller pockets on front, one for pen, one for smaller things (fits my phone), and one for larger-smaller things (fits my gps or a small log book/notebook).

 

I love this! Would you mind sharing where you got the pattern and/or dimensions of the bag? Thanks!

 

Oh, don't get me started. I adopted geocaching as a hobby to get me and geodog outdoors, away from my other obsession - crafts!

 

So why is it I spend so much time painting camo on boxes, sewing pouches for gear and creating personalised wooden tokens? Not to mention designing logos for caching clubs, and designing geocoins.

 

Sigh. Outdoor hobbies come indoors, and geodog is looking rather bored.

[+leejas72]

Thanks for your answers. I suppose I'll start noticing backpacks everywhere, now. I'm not exactly slender so I think people would avoid whatever gym whose logo might be on my pack! The thing I worry about with backpacks is that they make me look like Dolly Parton on steroids, but without the little middle.

 

This thing rocks:

 

www.cyclegear.com ogio 450 waist pack

 

I have something very similar to this. My kids call it my "Granny Pack" This is where I carry things like my pens and tott and car keys. I also carry a back pack for things like swag, camera, repair supplies and the such.

[+Ambrosia]

I figured I had some photos in cache logs, I was just out of it when I posted earlier.

 

I love this bag to death. It has lots of pockets, zippered and non, it's smallish so it's easy to throw around and light on the back, it's tough, and I don't have to worry about it sliding around when I'm hiking/crawling/climbing around, and after more than five years it hasn't gotten dirty yet.

 

The top pic isn't urban, although the middle one is. I use this bag for all of my caching.

 

The top pic has been my profile picture for about five years now:

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2010 by Ambrosia

[FaithCacher22]

I made a bag, and then later decided to use it for geocaching. I love it, and it works great.

 

 

It goes over one shoulder and diagonal, one big pocket with flap, that covers the smaller pockets on front, one for pen, one for smaller things (fits my phone), and one for larger-smaller things (fits my gps or a small log book/notebook).

 

I love this! Would you mind sharing where you got the pattern and/or dimensions of the bag? Thanks!

 

Here's instructions for the bag, I just did it spontaneously one day, but took measurements and such in case I ever wanted to make another, or someone else wanted it.

 

I cut 2 pieces 14"x36" (main bag), 2 pieces 5"x22" (pocket), 2 pieces 4"x11" (side panels), and 2 pieces 5"x length desired (strap). All seams are 3/8" unless otherwise stated.

 

Sides:

Fold sides lengthwise, right sides out, baste long edges 1/4" seam.

 

Strap:

Pieces right sides together, sew along long edges. Turn right side out and press. Sew 1/2" seam on both edges, and then seam over in zigzag stitch. On each end, fold sides into middle, and sew each side at the center edges 2 inches up. Attach strap ends to the top of sides panels (inside), 2 inches in (the folded ends of strap will be hidden inside). Sew 4 verticle seams to attach straps, 2 over each folded section, and seam over seams again, for reinforcement. (I had attached the straps last, and it's hard to do when the sides are already in the bag...so bonus for you, cause this way will be MUCH easier!! lol)

 

Bag:

With right sides together, fold lengthwise and cut off the corners, making diagonal about 2" long. Seam around the edges 1/2 inch, except for around the top (where cut corners), is 3/8". Leave bottom straight edge open. Turn right side out and press. On bottom edge (where opening), fold in 1/2", and then 1/2" again, seam across. Seam around all edges (but not folded edge) at 6/8", and then seam over in zigzag stitch.

 

Pocket:

Pieces right sides together, seam around the edges 1/2 inch, except for leaving a space on one long side to turn right side out. Turn right side out and press. On the side with the open space, seam across, and then seam over in zigzag stitch. Place pocket, centered, 1 1/2 inches down from the straight edge of bag (with zigzag across top of pocket). Sew around 2 short edges and bottom. Sew vertical seams for pocket sections (I made one for a pen, and phone, which left 1 larger section also).

 

Sides:

Pin side panels (one edge at a time), to bag, right side out, starting with front of bag (where pocket is)...line up the top of the side panel to JUST below folded edge. Seam together, leave 3/8" space at bottom, and then seam over the first seam again. Repeat around the edge of the side panel, and then repeat with the second panel.

 

Turn bag right side out, and TADA!! Hope you like it! If you have any questions, let me know, and I'll try and figure it out.