fire tacks

[+Mbomber33]

I see there are 3D and 4D versions of the fire tack. i know one is triangular and the other is square.

what i don't know is

 

What's the difference?

why would you select one over the other?

 

thanks in advance

Edited May 27, 2010 by Mbomber33

[+Kry102001]

Hmmm, not sure about this as I have never done night caching, all I can think of is that it is to do with the amount of reflection you get, one having more sides than the other, a pyramid one would have only 3 sides visible to a torch light whereas the cube one would have 5 sides (four around the sides and one on top).

 

I might be wrong though and it could be for another reason.

[+tango501]

more sides = more directions for detection

but also the more sides mean less space of reflective

material on each side

I prefer using the triangle fire tacks as I believe they

show up the best, especially when lit using an LED

flashlight

[+The Jester]

The advantage of the 4D is that when placed on the edge of the tree (as seen from the trail) it can be seen from both directions as easily - a flat side is facing both ways. It can be seen from the "top" also.

[+Geonerding]

Triangles for the Tetraphobes

Squares for the Triskaidekaphobes

[+hukilaulau]

I got a set of each type when I set up my first night cache. I put them out randomly and when I checked them after dark, I really couldn't see any difference, they both worked great! I placed both the triangles and the squares on the sides of the trees and they were equally brilliant. I would have thought that the squares might be more visible if you were coming at it straight on, but actually they both were great from any angle!

The only thing that made any difference in visibility was this: you REALLY have to hold your light at eye level. If you hold your flashlight at your waist, you can barely pick them out. Move your flashlight up to eye level and it's like...well... turning on the lights! But again, it was equally true for both designs.

[+Crafty Turtle]

I have found either type works just as well. The prism nature of the surface means you (in theory) can reflect back from any angle, although I have found there is a limit. You are better off directing a face towards the oncoming cacher.

The triangle ones are a bigger on a single surface.

If you intend to use the same fire-tack for the return journey, the square ones might be better, because they have a "front" and a "back" which are parallel.

The real decision however, is the colour. The orange ones blend so well with trees in daylight, you'll have trouble finding them yourself. But the reflective colour is not as bright as other colours.

The bright white is really bright reflecting - so much so that you can use less of them - they can be seen from much further away. However, the drawback is that in daylight they stick out like a sore thumb. Probably a bad idea for an area with lots of muggles during the day.

My suggestion is to purchase a mixed bag with several colours and both shapes, so you can experiment for yourself and see what suits your own needs.

Also consider reflective tape - this could prove to be a cheaper method of laying out a longer trail. This is available in boating/camping/fishing stores.

I hope this helps.

Edited May 28, 2010 by Crafty Turtle

[+pissedfish]

Can anyone tell me if a firetack would work submerged under 18"-24" water? Would it be relective enough to show up at night? How well would it hold up?

[+LukeTrocity]

It wouldn't hold up well under water I'd imagine. It's basically 3m reflective tape stuck onto a cube.

[Clan Riffster]

I would think the reflective tape would peel off after some time being submerged... maybe? Another concern would be the small size of the reflector. You'll lose a lot of reflectivity through the water. Perhaps you could buy some small plexiglass sheets? Adhere some 3M reflective tape to one surface? Glue another sheet of plexiglass over the tape? You can buy the tape at Home Depot, near the mailboxes. A 36"x2" roll runs about $5.