New to Geocaching :)

[+LoveMyGuinness]

I actually just discovered this website a few days ago. My husband and I are planning to take our sons on our first "treasure hunt" this coming Saturday and I want to make sure I have a well stocked backpack. We're using a Garmin Nuvi 250 as a GPS and perhaps later, my cellphone, which is a Samsung Impression.

 

Today, I've been adding some things to my pack. Here's what I have. What else would you suggest?

 

---

 

Pens

Pencils & sharpener

Spiral Notebook

Notepad

Envelopes

Calculator

Knife

Miniature First Aid Kit

Maps (including DE, MD, VA and PA; as well as the local state park)

Police Issue Mace

Extra plastic bags for trash

Flashlight with 2 extra sets of batteries

Makeshift emergency replacement logs (a few index cards stapled together, in the event something is really soggy or full)

Wipeys/Napkins/TP

Extra ziplock baggies

2 lighters, 1 flint firestarter and a small fire making kit (including lint, paper, cardboard and small twigs)

2 small candles

Screwdriver with extra bits

Bike tool (allen wrench, etc)

Plant ID book

Misc- duct tape, tweezers, safety pins

 

Need to add- water, snacks, hand sanitizer, bug spray, compass (?) and some "swag" .... Anything else?

 

Please and thank you!

[MisterEFQ]

You forgot to pack some Guinness.

 

[+LoveMyGuinness]

No, he's coming too. lol Guinness is our husky

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Welcome to the game! It's so fun.

 

Here's some stuff i carry:

 

First aid kit

Tweezer (for micros and nanos)

Signal mirror

Whistle

Water purification tablets

Emergency foil blanket

Calamine lotion for itchy bug bites and or/ poison oak/ivy reactions

Snake bite kit

Extra sunglasses

Flare

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Oh and i'll be getting pepper spray (bear strength) in case an animal or person attacks me.

[+LethanderMorninglory]

As maps go (mind you I'm a noobie myself) But I also download and print maps from USGS Map service Topo maps are definatly the most useful since most state maps go no where near close to the detail level of usefullness.

 

Might wanna toss a sharpie in there too as a JIC

 

A compass can be real useful as a back up item.. definatly better than a trail of breadcrumbs

Edited September 21, 2010 by LethanderMorninglory

[+Brooklyn51]

On more than one occasion, we've found the need for the needlenose pliers we usually have along (in the form of a leatherman multi-tool which also has a knife, saw and screwdriver included) Compact and very handy.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Brooklyn51

[+Brooklyn51]

Oh and welcome to the obsession!

[+roziecakes]

No, he's coming too. lol Guinness is our husky

 

I have a pet rat named Guinness! He goes geocaching with us sometimes

[+LoveMyGuinness]

^ lol! We named him Guinness because he's thick and stout.

[DannyCaffeine]

Doggie poo bags?

[+dnfu]

Wow! That's a pretty thorough kit... but you will probably find that you are bringing too much (like I do when camping)

 

For instance, if you bring pens you won't need a pencil and sharpener.

 

A notebook is essential, but a spiral notebook will probably be left with your bag when you go into a thicket or up a tree because of its size and chances of snagging.

 

We prefer a sleek moleskine or similar pocket notebook in our back pocket with a quiver on it (www.quiverglobal.com) because it is compact and we can always crawl into/up any Ground Zero and know we have our notebook AND pen with us to sign the log and jot down notes. We don't cache without that combo.

 

I have yet to cache in PA, but in the states I have cached (and you can view my profile for that) I have never needed envelopes nor have I seen a cache that would even accept notecards.

 

If the log is full we just tear off some pages from our notebook (or if you are proactive,as I can tell you are, you can have some replacement logs in the Moleskine's back pocket)

 

Extra garbage bags and ziplock bags are thoughtful, and TP is a must.

 

I've only done 320 or so caches so I am not an extreme authority here, but a screwdriver has never been necessary for any of them. A simple multi-tool with a knife, screwdrivers, and needle-nosed pliers has served us for everything we've run into. You might never need the knife or the screwdriver, but you WILL need the needle nosed pliers (or tweezers)

 

The plant ID book is inspired - wish I had one in our kit!

 

I'll leave the mace/candles/flint to your discretion -those have never been an issue for us, even in Alaska.

 

You forgot one of the most important things - A CAMERA! Geocaching is good, often silly, usually physical fun, and it can take you places in your area that you never knew existed. A great geocache will take you somewhere interesting that you will want to remember, and the best will expose you to a physical challenge that you want to have a record of.

We have multiple variations on our kit depending on where we are going and how long we will be out, but our kit always includes:

1) Garmin

2)iPhone

3)Notebook with Quiver (www.quiverglobal.com) and pens

4)Camera

 

Hope this helps. Have a blast!

dnfu:)

[+GrateBear]

Wow, some actually carry that much? I carry my GPSr, cell phone (Palm Centro that caches are downloaded to) and a pen. I do have some spare logs, bags and potential caches in the car trunk, but that's it. Haven't missed having anything else yet, but probably will on the next outing.

[+randco]

I would add Ivy Block, Sun Screen and Technu Extreme.

[+LoveMyGuinness]

Wow, some actually carry that much? I carry my GPSr, cell phone (Palm Centro that caches are downloaded to) and a pen. I do have some spare logs, bags and potential caches in the car trunk, but that's it. Haven't missed having anything else yet, but probably will on the next outing.

 

This isn't a backpack purely for geocaching; it's also our camping backpack. I have to carry bare minimum necessities, as I have small children.

 

Thank you for being thorough dfnu! That's really helpful

 

Thank you Danny! I figured I could use the extra ziplocks in an emergency dog poo situation. lol

[+roziecakes]

Here's what we carry in our pack:

 

For the People:

First Aid Kit

snacks

water

TP

sunscreen

bug spray

camera

 

For the caches:

duct tape

extra baggies

extra paper

extra pens

wire

swag

signature items

extra containers (for our own caches)

A pre-made cache in case I find somewhere amazing to put one.

tweezers

magnets

 

For the GPS

charging cable

sync cable

[hoosier guy]

That is quite a bit of stuff. Are you doing a long hike or overnighter? Welcome to the world of caching I hope you guys have a great time and will let us know how it went. We all love to hear a good cachin' story.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Ha, yeah. i should mention that my "hiking/survival kit" was made way before i started caching. i've always been into wilderness survival. i take all my gear if i'm going into the woods. If i'm stopping in a parking lot, urban caches or an easy walk i'll just bring my BlackBerry and a pen. And a hat. And that's all i need too. And this lamp.

Edited September 22, 2010 by SeekerOfTheWay

[+LethanderMorninglory]

This lamp..and this remote control... and thats all i need

 

But like many above said.. it all depends on location.. I take a heavy kit with me since a lot of mine are out in the woods hikes and I travel solo most days.. so if the worst case would happen.. slip, fall, twist an ankle break a limb.. I have supplies to survive overnight, and keep me entertained till help arrives..

 

If its an urban one, gps , pen and a couple items stuffed in the pocket are fine...but the rest of the kit is handy in the car

[+LoveMyGuinness]

This pack is for the 3+ mile hikes we have planned with multi caches. We've been busy this week, but managed to squeeze in some roadside finds while we were out.

 

I'm seriously addicted... to the point I'm debating caching at night. lol

[+PKJ&Legato]

We are still new but we carry:

GPS

Cell phones for paperless

pens

extra logs

baggies

trash bags

first aid kit

flash lights

Off

Swag

had sanitizer

gloves

[+roziecakes]

That is quite a bit of stuff. Are you doing a long hike or overnighter? Welcome to the world of caching I hope you guys have a great time and will let us know how it went. We all love to hear a good cachin' story.

 

I just carry it in my car all the time in a small backpack, not that much stuff, really.

[+roziecakes]

This pack is for the 3+ mile hikes we have planned with multi caches. We've been busy this week, but managed to squeeze in some roadside finds while we were out.

 

I'm seriously addicted... to the point I'm debating caching at night. lol

 

I think caching at night is really fun. It adds different challenges.

[+humboldt flier]

Toilet Paper

[hoosier guy]

That is quite a bit of stuff. Are you doing a long hike or overnighter? Welcome to the world of caching I hope you guys have a great time and will let us know how it went. We all love to hear a good cachin' story.

 

I just carry it in my car all the time in a small backpack, not that much stuff, really.

 

Eventually you have to take it out of the car and carry it though. Everyone should take what they think they need I suppose.

[+LoveMyGuinness]

For a majority of our finds, I've left the pack in the car and only took our Swag Bag and a pen with us. This is fun! I downloaded a new app for my cell phone with a compass and stuff, so that just fueled my addiction. lol

[+DLSeeAmerica]

Wow, some actually carry that much? I carry my GPSr, cell phone (Palm Centro that caches are downloaded to) and a pen.

I took the same thing today. Except I forgot my cell phone and pen. Still found 14 caches.