Geocaching tools

[+silksmybaby]

Do you have any additional tools you take with you when you go out caching? Such as hiking sticks, cache retrieval tools, or any other handy items you cannot leave home without? (not including cache repair kits since that is already another topic) And what is the brand you use if something specific?

[+scout_toujours]

My compass and duct tape! You never know!

[knowschad]

Most important: A mirror on a telescoping handle, and NOT one of those small ones that are commonly found in auto sections. Get one that is about 3" in diameter (or a similar sized rectangular one). You will be very glad that you did.

[+silksmybaby]

A fellow geocacher told me about something that you can reach the stick in and it will take coordinates when you press the button on the end.. does that sound familiar? Like it records the coordinates only or something, like a built in gps into a walking stick maybe?

[GOF and Bacall]

I always take a good knife along.

 

And my towel. Never forget your towel.

[+Twitch Hugs Trees]

I've taken to carrying a metal crowbar. It's not too heavy, I can use it to beat bushes with, and I can use the hooked end to drag stuff out or down so I can reach it.

 

I really like the idea of a mirror on a handle, I definitely have experienced situations when that could come in handy.

[+Cache O'Plenty]

One of those reacher/grabber tools for getting items off higher shelves (or caches above your reach).

 

And one of those retrieval tools used by auto mechanics to retrieve bolts/nuts that have the fingers on the end that open/close when you push the plunger.

 

Extendable retrieval tool with a magnet on the end. The best ones are those that are shielded from attracting to the side. Helps in retrieval in steel posts.

 

Tweezers for micro logs.

 

Flashlight.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Cache O'Plenty

[+power69]

magnet on string.

magnet on tv antenna.

tweezers

paperclips

[+DragonflyTotem]

I trolled through the forum for ideas and suggestions before putting my bag of tricks together and here are some of the things that I carry in my Tamrac bag (camera type bag that I can sling or carry):

- Leatherman 831104

- grabbing thing (3' long, small grab claw at the end) (ebay)

- magnetic TOTT (extendable to 36") (ebay)

- 20" American Science & Surplus telescoping mini-rake (amazon)

- GearWrench double-x 45 degree 10" hemostat (amazon)

- GearWrench double-x straight 10" hemostat (amazon)

- Tweezerman 4" stainless steel splinter remover (amazon)

- Sheffield 14-1 hammer multi tool (home depot)

- hiking stick (3 pieces, screws together) (ebay)

- gloves (1 set generic heavy leather, 1 set "Firm Grip" water resistant, 1 set "Performance Select" with rough fingers for wet grabbing)

- Ullman 2.25x3.5 LED Lighted Telescoping 6-30" Inspection Mirror HTK2LT (ebay)

Other misc. stuff includes a lot of what everyone else would mention -- nylon braided line, magnets, bandaids, deet spray, maglight, log rolling tools, spare logs, zip lock bags.

 

Edited to add one I forgot

Edited May 31, 2010 by drdan01

[+Team Gilo]

I always have my trusty Leatherman Tool (multitool) with me. Handy for all those ziplocs stuffed down in containers that are impossible to get out without help.

[+BikeBill]

One thing that was already mentioned but I'll bring it up again because I think it's important - A hiking pole. I have a pair of lightweight, telescoping Leki's and I always cache with one of them (not both). It's ideal for pushing away thorns, branches, brambles, barbed wire, cobwebs and larger poison ivy plants. Also, it's great for digging around under stumps and other dark spots where you may not want to use your hands, and sticking into soft soil/leaves to listen for the 'thunk' of an ammo box. Also, it's kept me from falling on my butt on numerous occasions.

 

I was out caching with a friend a few days ago and while I was using the pole to poke around under a stump he said "I can see why you carry that thing!".

[+Team Cotati]

Hiking stick, small knife, first aid kit. Depending upon the location/destination, more from there.

[Andronicus]

Well, since no one mentioned it yet:

 

A writing instrument (pen or pencel). A lot of caches don't have one.

[Northwoods Tom]

An item I swapped for in a cache a while back has become a regular part of my kit. It's a smallish mesh bag (about 6X10) with a draw string. I keep it in my pouch and place my trading stuff in it. It keeps the swag from getting jumbled with my other tools. I love it!

[+mwellman]

Small Pen and golf pencil. If the log is wet, you can still write on it with a pencil.

 

Tweezers for getting nanos out of their hidey holes and then to get the log out!

 

Old leather gloves - very useful when you are climbing a hill and the only tree/bush to grab is a rose bush, for examining spruce trees and juniper bushes, for searching the ground cover and they keep your hands warm on a cold day.

 

Hiking stick to poke under trees/bushes and to help get you up the hill.

 

Extra batteries. And more extra batteries.

 

My husband bought a metal detector for those nasty nanos! Also good for ammo cans.

 

Hand/foot warmer gel packs for those colder days. Extra socks/mitts if it is wet.

 

We have to go get one of those magnetic telescopic wands.

 

And our best of all, our GeoDog, Golden Retriever, CharlieDog, most of the time he finds the trail right to the cache and he has found five of them, one by sitting on it! He especially likes ammo cans with tennis balls in them. Now only if we can train him to find the micro in the spruce tree (MIST).

 

Now can you carry all of this in your backpack?

[+brslk]

I carry in my small backpack:

-a few flashlights

-compass

-telescopic magnet / mirror

-small first aid kit

-a cache repair kit (tape, ziplocks etc.)

-pepper spray

-cell phone

-swag

-pen, pencil, gel pen and a felt pen

-gloves

-camera

-Leatherman multi-tool

-batteries

-small flare launcher and flares

-extend able baton

-water

-a cache or three of various sizes ready to place

 

I think that's about all.

[+cr4zybilly]

I carry

 

mini-leatherman (with scissors)

extra logs

zip lock bags

a rag

compass

mini-notebook

water bottle

baby wipes (which I always forget about)

flashlight

tweezers

pen

 

If I had to go out w/o only one thing, it'd be a flashlight. But I find having extra logs and ziplocks is always nice--you can always drop one off in a cache w/ a wet/full log and mark it 'needs maintenance' so the owner can put the kind of log he wants in it, but there's something there till he gets out.

[+kmartcachier]

I carry only three things. The iPhone. A geocaching.com pen (nice because it is on a carribeaner (sp?) so it doesn't get left in the truck on the one cache that's a mile away- something that always used to happen. And a Surefire flashlight- a spotlight in your hand.

[+humboldt flier]

Mountain Money > AKA toilet paper

[+shontaka]

rain poncho

and boots

[+tx_brewer]

magnet on string.

magnet on tv antenna.

tweezers

paperclips

 

whatever, Macgyver.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Well, I always carry a pen and a penknife. If the cache is more than a cache and dash, I bring my hiking stick and backpack, with water and camera.

And, so. I returned to a cache that I DNFed three years ago. It's ten feet up, in a broken off tree (Didn't know that last time. The new hint and past logs gave that away.) There's a three-pound rock on top of the cache. I knocked the rock out, using my hiking stick. Then I managed to dislodge the cache. The problem was: how to get the cache and rock back into place? I had a plastic shopping bag in my pack. Tied it to the end of the hiking stick, and nestled the cache in it. Jiggled the stick, and the cache fell back into its hiding place. Repeated with the three-pound rock. I am very happy that there was no one there taking photos of this endeavor!!! The plastic bag has become a necessary part of my geocaching equipment!

[Allison Wunderland]

I've taken to carrying a metal crowbar. It's not too heavy, I can use it to beat bushes with, and I can use the hooked end to drag stuff out or down so I can reach it.

 

I really like the idea of a mirror on a handle, I definitely have experienced situations when that could come in handy.

 

Let's NOT "beat the bushes" with a crowbar! There's another thread here about negative eco-impacts of cache searching. Destroying ANY sort of ground cover is pretty obnoxious. Let's not leave the area looking like a clear cut!

 

I carry a pair of utility gloves, waterproof. Because you never can tell where you might be reaching into.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Allison Wunderland