construction materials?

[+brad.32]

People turn many things into TB hitchhikers (TBs). smillersmiller suggested to me that most small toys and keychains are probably out there. I recently found the Wally the wandering weasel TB, which is a beanie baby. He was released into the cache wild a year ago and seemed to be in good shape, considering he's a plush toy. When I plan a TB, I look for something durable made out of plastic, metal, and, recently, things I've made out of wood (and then painted), thinking that a plush isn't going to survive a wet/damp cache. I like the wooden ones because they (like crafty signature items) are unique, more ... special ..., and interesting than a corner toy store trinket/keychain.

 

The travel bug tags are metal because of its durability and there is a thread about possible alternatives for the tags.

 

How do various TB-hitchhiker materials hold up out in the wild? Do plush toys hold up? I would think flexible plastic and vinyl would work. I've found a plastic bike in a zip that was broken, which I glued, but it is doomed to break again.