Geocaching versus Letterboxing

[Fledermaus]

For what it is worth and to those who are poorly or uninformed,

Here is a website with what I believe to be a fair comparison of:

Geocaching versus Letterboxing

 

http://borntoexplore.org/trails/letterboxing.htm

[+briansnat]

Not a getting started issue. Moving to the general forum.

[+briansnat]

Now, taking off my moderator hat.

 

As far as which is better, I suspect that geocachers will say that geocaching is better and letterboxers will tell you that letterboxing is better. People who enjoy both will tell you that each has its merits.

[+debaere]

For what it is worth and to those who are poorly or uninformed,

Here is a website with what I believe to be a fair comparison of:

Geocaching versus Letterboxing

 

http://borntoexplore.org/trails/letterboxing.htm

 

Interesting article. I didn't know that letterboxing was so old. I have never letterboxed, but I have run into a few during my geocaching hunts.

 

They sound like perfectly complimentary hobbies to me.

 

My one complaint between the two (and its not an issue with any one in general) is that its possible to mistake a letterbox for a geocache. I have signed a letterbox thinking it was a cache only to find later (when I was 100s of miles away) that I got the wrong logbook. I mention this as an encouragement for both letterboxers and cachers to mark the outside of the containers (or at least the logbooks) clearly with the cache/letterbox names/numbers.

 

Other than the above nitpick, I look forward to meeting both cachers and boxers on the trails.

 

Cheers

[+briansnat]

My one complaint between the two (and its not an issue with any one in general) is that its possible to mistake a letterbox for a geocache. I have signed a letterbox thinking it was a cache only to find later (when I was 100s of miles away) that I got the wrong logbook. I mention this as an encouragement for both letterboxers and cachers to mark the outside of the containers (or at least the logbooks) clearly with the cache/letterbox names/numbers.

 

Most geocaches I've found have a letter explaining what it is. I've found some letterboxes with a similar letter, but all letterboxes have a stamp. Geocaches generally don't

 

So if you open the container and find a stamp, it's probably not a geocache (letterbox/geocache hybrids excepted).

[+Borst68]

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

 

I recently (like this week) started letterboxing. I was scouting a location for new geocache in a local park. As I approached my prospective zero, I saw another container. Turns out it was a letterbox. (I ended up scrapping plans for my hide since it was within 20 feet.) I have run into a few letterboxes before but never really checked them out. This time I did. Turns out there are quite a few letterboxes in the local parks I frequent. As the days grow shorter here in Western NY, I don't have much daylight after work to make far away caching trips. The letterboxes in parks I am very familiar with should provide me some close to home fun during the fall.

 

Having done both (I have 4 LB finds ), I don't see a big difference between them and enjoy both. Instead of a GPS, you have to follow instructions in letterboxing. The goal is the same, to find the box. If you enjoy mystery/puzzle geocaches, Letterboxing should be right up your alley.

[+ChileHead]

I do both. I'm primarily a geocacher, but if a new series of letterboxes comes out I'm often out playing the FTF game. Funny thing is, I find very few letterboxers do the FTF thing.

 

I find them very similar activities, and enjoy both. Geocachers seem like a more social bunch, maybe because we have more events, or more caches than boxes.

 

I've also found that many letterboxers look down upon geocachers for some reason, but the reverse isn't true.

[+BlueDeuce]

http://borntoexplore.org/trails/letterboxing.htm

 

Meh, just someone else who doesn't like micros.

 

I do consider LB to be a bit more of a laid-back, enjoy your surroundings kind of approach. More so than geocaching.

[+coman123]

To save a bunch of arguing.

Get a nice stamp and do both.

[+Coldgears]

I have been letterboxing YEARS before I went geocaching. My friend told me about letterboxing, and I loved it. In fact... Letterboxing brought me into geocaching, I found a letterbox and it said, "Not a geocache do not take anything do not leave anything." I did a google search and found this hobbie... I never went back to letterboxing.

[+Taoiseach]

Letterbox-Hybrids are clearly the best

[Iamnotasuperhero]

For what it is worth and to those who are poorly or uninformed,

Here is a website with what I believe to be a fair comparison of:

Geocaching versus Letterboxing

 

http://borntoexplore.org/trails/letterboxing.htm

 

That doesn't seem like a fair comparison, the author appears to already have an interest in Letterboxing.

I mean it's a good comparison but I get the feeling that the author neglected to go as indepth into Geocaching as they could have, ignoring the TB and Geocoin aspect, personally I find a well crafted custom Geocoin to as visually pleasing as a stamp (though I do have a bad habit of over-inking my stamps).

But thanks for posting the link.

[+dfx]

apples versus oranges, which is better?

[+BulldogBlitz]

letterbox has geocaching beat...

 

i mean what isn't awesome about finding a letterbox with a little plastic kids stamper and a note that says "THIS IS NOT A GEOCACHE, IT IS A LETTERBOX"

 

one close to work had that note because the cache was in a tree about 30 feet away.

[Skippermark]

apples versus oranges, which is better?

Definitely oranges.

[+rawkhopper]

apples versus oranges, which is better?

Actually I think its more like:

Which is better Florida Oranges or Califonia Oranges?

 

I see very little difference. To me I like both. I have only done a couple of letterboxes but the ones I did were fun. They were like a well crafted multi. There are more caches than boxes so you have to buy a GPS to get access to more caches.

 

I like the stamp idea and plan on making my own custom soon so that I can do more letterboxes. If my GPS died, and since I can't afford another right now, I would letterbox until I could afford a new GPS.

 

I hope to make a few hybrids and crosspost that cache/box so that both types of people can enjoy.

Edited September 27, 2010 by jameyp

[+Castle Mischief]

I've seen great and not-so-great caches and I've seen great and not-so-great letterboxes. There is nothing about one or the other that makes one inherriently better than the other.

 

Caching has its hide-a-key under a lampskirt and letterboxing has its leaky gladware container in a National Park hidden without permission by vacationers from three states away. Caching has film canisters and letterboxing has store-bought stamps. Caching has coordinates hidden with a smart phone that are 60' off and letterboxing has three definitions of "turn 45 degrees and walk 40 steps".

 

The main difference, for better or worse, is that there are a whole heaping bunch more caches than there are letterboxes.

Edited September 27, 2010 by Castle Mischief

[+Taoiseach]

letterbox has geocaching beat...

 

i mean what isn't awesome about finding a letterbox with a little plastic kids stamper and a note that says "THIS IS NOT A GEOCACHE, IT IS A LETTERBOX"

 

one close to work had that note because the cache was in a tree about 30 feet away.

 

Plastic kids stamps are the Letterboxing equivalent of LPCs.

 

What isn't awesome about finding a good multi? A lot of decent Letterboxes (and remember - both games have their fair share of lameness) are essentially clue-based multis.

[Fledermaus]

So far, none of you have respond to the following:

 

"On the other hand, if you want to "plant" your own box or cache, it's much harder to list a cache than a letterbox. Geocaching.com has a very rigid, bureacratic system, and even if your cache is listed it may take weeks. Good luck. Letterboxes have almost no listing rules and you are on your honor, with the box being listed instantaneously. Interestingly, I have not noted any quality differences between the two systems."

 

There's a joke in there somewhere, but I'm not telling! Can you see it?

 

11:17am Channel 4!

Gimmie me a break! Now I've heard everything!

Giving geocaching credit for helping a soldier discover a hidden IUD!

What ever happened to his common sence and military training?

A rock, where it should not be, imagine that! Why move it by hand anyway?

[+BlueDeuce]

So far, none of you have respond to the following:

 

Meh, trolling. I covered the whole topic in my head in two seconds. (pfffthh whatever). I didn't see the point of hauling it out of an article on another site and dropping of the dock of this forum so I could dump on the bias viewpoint of someone who probably couldn't care less what I think. Don't we have enough drama from the people who actually post here?

Edited September 27, 2010 by BlueDeuce

[+Castle Mischief]

So far, none of you have respond to the following:

 

"On the other hand, if you want to "plant" your own box or cache, it's much harder to list a cache than a letterbox. Geocaching.com has a very rigid, bureacratic system, and even if your cache is listed it may take weeks. Good luck. Letterboxes have almost no listing rules and you are on your honor, with the box being listed instantaneously. Interestingly, I have not noted any quality differences between the two systems."

 

Actually, I covered it here:

 

Caching has its hide-a-key under a lampskirt and letterboxing has its leaky gladware container in a National Park hidden without permission by vacationers from three states away.

 

Geocaching reviewers act as a first-pass filter for placing caches in places were government agencies don't want them and they eliminate "I'll never be here again but gee isn't this a nice place for a cache" hides.

Edited September 27, 2010 by Castle Mischief

[+Castle Mischief]

Don't we have enough drama from the people who actually post here?

 

I have no idea what you're talking about. I can however recommend to you a method of filtering out the threads that you might not want to read...

[+BlueDeuce]

Don't we have enough drama from the people who actually post here?

 

I have no idea what you're talking about. I can however recommend to you a method of filtering out the threads that you might not want to read...

 

You're missing my point. It's fine to post and read and discuss the article. Pulling out minor points of inaccuracy and misunderstanding and rant about them is pointless. "Can you believe this guy said that getting a cache listed is a very rigid, [sic] bureacratic system? OMG!"

 

Who exactly are you talking to?

 

If you need people to complain about a very rigid, bureaucratic system you don't need to go outside of the forum to start that debate. Are we importing angst now?

 

Get me now Mr. Cranky?

Edited September 27, 2010 by BlueDeuce

[+Castle Mischief]

Don't we have enough drama from the people who actually post here?

 

I have no idea what you're talking about. I can however recommend to you a method of filtering out the threads that you might not want to read...

 

You're missing my point. It's fine to post and read and discuss the article. Pulling out minor points of inaccuracy and misunderstanding and rant about them is pointless. "Can you believe this guy said that getting a cache listed is a very rigid, [sic] bureacratic system? OMG!"

 

Who exactly are you talking to?

 

If you need people to complain about a very rigid, bureaucratic system you don't need to go outside of the forum to start that debate. Are we importing angst now?

 

Get me now Mr. Cranky?

 

But, the internet runs on angst!

 

Okay, you make a good point. I'm going to go troll over at the pop-up camper forums for a few hours to clear my head.

[+BlueDeuce]

Ah, you were making an inside joke. I missed it.