Good Hides/ Containers

[ocinnico01]

I'm pretty new to Geocaching (first week) its pretty fun so far, but I would like to start hiding some caches. What are some good hiding places for regular sized caches? And what would make a good regular/small cache? Could an oatmeal can be used? I would like something waterproof... Thanks in advance!

[M.TEX]

The Oatmeal conteiner will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something diferent...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

[+YooperSnowman]

I'm pretty new to Geocaching (first week) its pretty fun so far, but I would like to start hiding some caches. What are some good hiding places for regular sized caches? And what would make a good regular/small cache? Could an oatmeal can be used? I would like something waterproof... Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to Geocaching and its great that you are thinking about hiding some of your own. It might be wise to get some more experience before hiding your first cache. That way you will see what kind of containers work well for caches. Perhaps wait until you have found 50-100 to give you a good idea of the creativity and cleverness that you will find in container types and hiding places. Also start with finding easier, larger caches with low difficulty/terrain ratings.

 

Again welcome and best wishes as you immerse yourself in the madness of geocaching

[+StarBrand]

Any container that will be exposed to the elements should have some kind of gasket seal ideally. Some other containers will work but are few and far between.

 

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus militry ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

[+42at42]

Get some experience in finding different kinds of caches. After a short while you will start questioning "why would you hide it there" or "why would you use that for a container, it leaks". You will also say " wow that was a fun cache" or " that is a a cool container".

 

When youv'e got to that point you will be able to make a good decision on making a hide.

 

Like others have said, take people to places with a great view, historical significance or just down a nice trail.

 

Have fun!

[+tango501]

just an idea

 

but for my hides I try to take seeker to a cool area and not just a place to dump a container

I also try to match container to location, makes it more interesting for seeker and it usually ends

up being more popular due to word of mouth etc

 

have fun, be safe and happy hunting

[+L0ne.R]

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus military ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

Fantastic list. All beginners need this list. Here they are in pictures:

 

5 gallon bucket with gasket lid:

 

 

Military ammo can:

 

 

Lock-n-lock:

 

*note: the real thing, not the dollar store knock-offs

 

Match containers:

 

 

Bison tube:

 

[+L0ne.R]

For what not to use see...

 

Photos/Images of bad containers:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=244760

[ocinnico01]

Any container that will be exposed to the elements should have some kind of gasket seal ideally. Some other containers will work but are few and far between.

 

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus militry ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

 

Where could I get said ammo can?

[+briansnat]

Any container that will be exposed to the elements should have some kind of gasket seal ideally. Some other containers will work but are few and far between.

 

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus militry ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

 

Where could I get said ammo can?

 

You can find them in Army-Navy stores, at flea markets, gun shows and sold by many online retailers.

 

The trick is finding them at a reasonable price. Reasonable is $5 and under. The prices have seemed to skyrocket the past few years and I'm seeing them going for $10 and more.

 

Some regional geocaching organizations have been known to buy pallets of them at auction and sell them at cost (or at a very small markup) to the local geocaching community. They are usually only a couple of bucks each when bought in bulk.

[ocinnico01]

The Oatmeal conteiner will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something diferent...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

[+briansnat]

The Oatmeal conteiner will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something diferent...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

 

You're asking for a maintenance nightmare. If you want to have to go back and replace wet logbooks every two weeks, go for it.

 

As a joke I placed what I named "NJ's Worst Geocache" and used the worst possible container I could think of, which happened to be an oatmeal container.

 

Here are excerpts from a few of the logs:

When we first pulled into the parking lot I thought "what's everyone talking about, this isn't so bad". I headed in and everything made more sense. After dodging my way around the garbage, I spotted the soggy cache container. Could that be it, yaaagh! Luckily after reading some previous logs, I brought a pair of rubber gloves with me. Forceps would have been a better idea, but I managed. I signed the log, but now I'll be watching for strange rashes for the next six weeks or so. THANKS!!!

 

 

...I did wonder however about the cache container. I still can't quite decide if BrianSnat actually brought it with him to GZ, or if he just found it among the trash there and then pulled out his Sharpie! One thing I can tell you is that it's about as waterproof as a sponge. The CO claims that the FTF prize was the only thing worth anything in the container. I would take umbrage with that - I found a perfectly fine 12" long piece of fishing line, and something fuzzy in there. While the logbook looked like it was carelessly torn out of my daughter's homework notebook, it was however placed inside of a nice new food storage bag - maybe even a freezer bag. Plus - the pages were actually stapled together!

 

Here is the infamous container:

 

 

Edited June 11, 2010 by briansnat

[+StarBrand]

The Oatmeal conteiner will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something diferent...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

 

That would work fine -------------------------------------> if you then placed it in an ammo can.

[Trader Rick & Rosie]

 

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

[/quote

Uh, actually, in the real world, Bison Tubes make HORRIBLE geocaches. Anyone who thinks they do, doesn't understand the definition of the word "Cache".

[+L0ne.R]

The Oatmeal container will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something different...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

 

Sounds like you really want to use a free container that you already have. Duct tape will not waterproof the oatmeal container. There's no pressure to hide a cache if you can't afford a watertight container (a sandwich size lock n lock costs about $3). Save up and plant when you can plant a quality hide, which includes a good water tight container (as listed by Star Brand).

[+NYPaddleCacher]

The Oatmeal conteiner will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something diferent...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

 

I have found a couple of caches that were constructed entirely out of duct tape. In both cases I found them shortly after they were placed so I have no idea what they look like now. The first one I encountered gave me a bit of difficulty as it was on a guard rail so I assumed I'd be looking for a hide a key, and possibly a nano. The grey duct tape was actually pretty good camo on a grey steel guard rail.

[+niraD]

Uh, actually, in the real world, Bison Tubes make HORRIBLE geocaches. Anyone who thinks they do, doesn't understand the definition of the word "Cache".

Okay, I'll bite. In what way do we not understand the definition of the word "cache"?

[ocinnico01]

The Oatmeal container will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something different...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

 

Sounds like you really want to use a free container that you already have. Duct tape will not waterproof the oatmeal container. There's no pressure to hide a cache if you can't afford a watertight container (a sandwich size lock n lock costs about $3). Save up and plant when you can plant a quality hide, which includes a good water tight container (as listed by Star Brand).

 

I don't know if "there's no pressure to hide a cache if you can't afford a watertight container" was a subtle insult (I don't think it was, though) but I just wanted to know if what I had at hand would work well enough.

[ocinnico01]

[/quote

Uh, actually, in the real world, Bison Tubes make HORRIBLE geocaches. Anyone who thinks they do, doesn't understand the definition of the word "Cache".

 

Yeah.. So what is the definition of the word "cache"? Because, an online website (provided by a college) states that: A cache is a hidden storage space.

The bison tube is a hidden storage space for a log. So what exactly did you mean?

[ocinnico01]

 

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

[/quote

Uh, actually, in the real world, Bison Tubes make HORRIBLE geocaches. Anyone who thinks they do, doesn't understand the definition of the word "Cache".

 

Yeah.. So what is the definition of the word "cache"? Because, an online website (provided by a college) states that: A cache is a hidden storage space.

The bison tube is a hidden storage space for a log. So what exactly did you mean?

[+L0ne.R]

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

Uh, actually, in the real world, Bison Tubes make HORRIBLE geocaches. Anyone who thinks they do, doesn't understand the definition of the word "Cache".

 

Yeah.. So what is the definition of the word "cache"? Because, an online website (provided by a college) states that: A cache is a hidden storage space.

The bison tube is a hidden storage space for a log. So what exactly did you mean?

 

Some people consider "cache" means something a little more substantial then only big enough to hold a small sheet of paper, more along the lines of...

 

"A store of goods or valuables concealed in a hiding place"

 

Which suggests items in the plural i.e. the container can hold trinkets. But the game has evolved (perhaps some might devolved) to include something so small that it can only hold a tiny scroll of paper.

[ocinnico01]

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

All make good Geocaches.

Uh, actually, in the real world, Bison Tubes make HORRIBLE geocaches. Anyone who thinks they do, doesn't understand the definition of the word "Cache".

 

Yeah.. So what is the definition of the word "cache"? Because, an online website (provided by a college) states that: A cache is a hidden storage space.

The bison tube is a hidden storage space for a log. So what exactly did you mean?

 

Some people consider "cache" means something a little more substantial then only big enough to hold a small sheet of paper, more along the lines of...

 

"A store of goods or valuables concealed in a hiding place"

 

Which suggests items in the plural i.e. the container can hold trinkets. But the game has evolved (perhaps some might devolved) to include something so small that it can only hold a tiny scroll of paper.

 

Well yeah, but a micro is a micro- just supposed to be a log.

[4wheelin_fool]

The Oatmeal conteiner will NOT work. It has to be waterproof.

For your first hide , try to find some place where would you like to

take someone to show something diferent...could be anything .

Try be be Original... There are some good places in your Area ...just

take a good look around you.

M.TEX

 

What if I wrapped it with duct tape?

 

You're asking for a maintenance nightmare. If you want to have to go back and replace wet logbooks every two weeks, go for it.

 

As a joke I placed what I named "NJ's Worst Geocache" and used the worst possible container I could think of, which happened to be an oatmeal container.

 

Here are excerpts from a few of the logs:

When we first pulled into the parking lot I thought "what's everyone talking about, this isn't so bad". I headed in and everything made more sense. After dodging my way around the garbage, I spotted the soggy cache container. Could that be it, yaaagh! Luckily after reading some previous logs, I brought a pair of rubber gloves with me. Forceps would have been a better idea, but I managed. I signed the log, but now I'll be watching for strange rashes for the next six weeks or so. THANKS!!!

 

 

...I did wonder however about the cache container. I still can't quite decide if BrianSnat actually brought it with him to GZ, or if he just found it among the trash there and then pulled out his Sharpie! One thing I can tell you is that it's about as waterproof as a sponge. The CO claims that the FTF prize was the only thing worth anything in the container. I would take umbrage with that - I found a perfectly fine 12" long piece of fishing line, and something fuzzy in there. While the logbook looked like it was carelessly torn out of my daughter's homework notebook, it was however placed inside of a nice new food storage bag - maybe even a freezer bag. Plus - the pages were actually stapled together!

 

Here is the infamous container:

 

 

 

That's a disgrace to all of geocaching.

 

Perhaps Quaker oats would have worked better?

[+power69]

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus military ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

Fantastic list. All beginners need this list. Here they are in pictures:

 

5 gallon bucket with gasket lid:

 

 

Military ammo can:

 

 

Lock-n-lock:

 

*note: the real thing, not the dollar store knock-offs

 

Match containers:

 

 

Bison tube:

 

hmmmmmm. i don't see altoids tins, peanut butter jars, black/grey film cannisters

[ocinnico01]

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus military ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

Fantastic list. All beginners need this list. Here they are in pictures:

 

5 gallon bucket with gasket lid:

 

 

Military ammo can:

 

 

Lock-n-lock:

 

*note: the real thing, not the dollar store knock-offs

 

Match containers:

 

 

Bison tube:

 

hmmmmmm. i don't see altoids tins, peanut butter jars, black/grey film cannisters

 

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

[+bittsen]

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

 

Add a sheet of "Rite in the rain" or "Polyart" as a logsheet and it doesn't matter if its water resistant.

[JohnX]

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

It just depends on where you hide them. I made a bracket out of a coat hanger and mounted the tin under a picnic table. It stayed dried for years.

 

As for free or cheap containers, my favorite is a Hellman's Mayonnaise jar. They seal perfectly for years. Other containers were empty spice jars, magnetic keyholders (cost 99 cents), tennis ball cans (cost $.99) and I gave the balls to my neighbor's kids, empty prescription bottles and some odd green giant drink cup with a screw on lid that I paid $.25 at a tag sale.

[ocinnico01]

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

 

Add a sheet of "Rite in the rain" or "Polyart" as a logsheet and it doesn't matter if its water resistant.

 

What is "Rite in the rain" and "Polyart"?

[ocinnico01]

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

 

Add a sheet of "Rite in the rain" or "Polyart" as a logsheet and it doesn't matter if its water resistant.

 

Wow! I just looked up Rite In The Rain and Polyart, that's amazing! Do you have to order them online or is there a tore you can buy them in?

[+bittsen]

Wow! I just looked up Rite In The Rain and Polyart, that's amazing! Do you have to order them online or is there a tore you can buy them in?

 

I don't know of any store that carries either brand but any print shop can order it for you.

 

I was thinking of carrying it, myself, but then I would have to advertise it and I'm sure GS wouldn't want me to advertise here.

 

I'm lucky enough to be close to the business. I stumbled upon a bunch of polyart that was being thrown out.

[Allison Wunderland]

I've started searching the grocery aisles for containers -- plastic with a waterproof seal. Mayo, peanut butter containers work well -- although some discussion in these forums about peanut butter containers and peanut allergies.

 

Pace Picante just went to a container with a "steel insert" in their lid. RATS! Steel rusts, corrodes. (We're at the ocean here.)

 

There's a feature on this site which will show caches in your area. Not much point in further saturating an area already saturated with caches.

 

My "style" is "easy to find, difficult/arduous to access." Hike in, off road, trails at the beach, in the woods. Once you get to the site, the cache is easy to find.

 

A more "urban style" is to camouflage the cache, make it "sneaky" to find. Micro-caches work well in this vein.

 

Would advise to search for a few before deciding where you want to cache one of your own.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Allison Wunderland

[killthewhelp]

Wow! I just looked up Rite In The Rain and Polyart, that's amazing! Do you have to order them online or is there a tore you can buy them in?

 

I don't know of any store that carries either brand but any print shop can order it for you.

 

 

Our local outdoors store carries Rite in the Rain notepads. I think they sell for $5-$7 depending on size.

[ocinnico01]

Wow! I just looked up Rite In The Rain and Polyart, that's amazing! Do you have to order them online or is there a tore you can buy them in?

 

I don't know of any store that carries either brand but any print shop can order it for you.

 

I was thinking of carrying it, myself, but then I would have to advertise it and I'm sure GS wouldn't want me to advertise here.

 

I'm lucky enough to be close to the business. I stumbled upon a bunch of polyart that was being thrown out.

 

What do you mean you'd have to advertise it?

[+bittsen]

Wow! I just looked up Rite In The Rain and Polyart, that's amazing! Do you have to order them online or is there a tore you can buy them in?

 

I don't know of any store that carries either brand but any print shop can order it for you.

 

I was thinking of carrying it, myself, but then I would have to advertise it and I'm sure GS wouldn't want me to advertise here.

 

I'm lucky enough to be close to the business. I stumbled upon a bunch of polyart that was being thrown out.

 

What do you mean you'd have to advertise it?

 

Well, to make it worth my while to carry a significant supply of waterproof paper, I would have to advertise to sell it. Otherwise I would just have MORE stuff in my house taking up space.

[ocinnico01]

Wow! I just looked up Rite In The Rain and Polyart, that's amazing! Do you have to order them online or is there a tore you can buy them in?

 

I don't know of any store that carries either brand but any print shop can order it for you.

 

I was thinking of carrying it, myself, but then I would have to advertise it and I'm sure GS wouldn't want me to advertise here.

 

I'm lucky enough to be close to the business. I stumbled upon a bunch of polyart that was being thrown out.

 

What do you mean you'd have to advertise it?

 

Well, to make it worth my while to carry a significant supply of waterproof paper, I would have to advertise to sell it. Otherwise I would just have MORE stuff in my house taking up space.

 

Ohhhhh. I thought you meant having to advertise to have it. So you live near the business and you can get their old ones when they throw it out?

[+d+n.s]

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

I think thats the joke...

Edited June 13, 2010 by d+n.shults

[+bittsen]

Ohhhhh. I thought you meant having to advertise to have it. So you live near the business and you can get their old ones when they throw it out?

 

No. I mean I'm close enough to the printing business (not a place of business but a profession) that I can get the materials at wholesale prices.

I can get the polyart or rite in the rain paper cheaper than most people. I would just have to buy enough.

The polyart paper I have now suits my needs just fine but if I were to offer it to other people I would have to obtain enough of a quantity to get the discount.

[ocinnico01]

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

I think thats the joke...

A joke that it doesn't keep water out?

[+power69]

5 Gallon bucket with seal lid. For large size.

Surplus military ammo cans. For regular sized caches

Lock-n-Locks. Small size to regular size - wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Match Containers. For micro caches.

Bison tubes. For micro Caches.

 

Fantastic list. All beginners need this list. Here they are in pictures:

 

5 gallon bucket with gasket lid:

 

 

Military ammo can:

 

 

Lock-n-lock:

 

*note: the real thing, not the dollar store knock-offs

 

Match containers:

 

 

Bison tube:

 

hmmmmmm. i don't see altoids tins, peanut butter jars, black/grey film cannisters

 

Altoids tins don't keep water out for crap...

course they don't. looks like you missed the joke

[GeoFamily57]

I have only been caching for about 2 weeks, and my favorite cache that was the hardest to find was a cell phone sized plastic container stuck to the underside of where a guardrail met the ground magnetically. since the plastic case wasn't completely watertight, the log was in a plastic bag. If your cache is subject to the elements (and it almost always will be), make sure everything is watertight.