unchainedzulu Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 are you a premium member? have you ever been? what benefits did you find for yourself? Quote Link to comment
+popokiiti Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Yes, I'm a PM. Started off as basic member, then decided it was time to give back and get into the "secret forum" aka Off Topic. Being able to log PM only caches was just one benefit in the beginning - although I found the caches with a PM, and signed the log....I couldn't log online. Notifications are another benefit (especially if you want to go for an FTF), as are Pocket Queries and Caches Along a Route, which we are still getting used to. For $30 US, it is pretty cheap and you can always try 3 months at $10 to see if you like it. Quote Link to comment
+The_Incredibles_ Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) Yep. Pocket queries are invaluable for me. We have 1000s in our area, it would be too ridiculous to download 1 by 1, not to mention the updating. Notifications of new caches were the only way we got our FTFs. What else? Premium member caches are find, there are more popping up in our area. I say, if you're just a really casual geocacher and are only finding 1 or 2 / week and OK downloading 1 at a time, then you can get by without it. Edited June 9, 2011 by The_Incredibles_ Quote Link to comment
+DonB Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 PQs, bookmarks, and caches along a route. Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Couldn't live w/o out it. Quote Link to comment
Andronicus Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I upgraded to a PM when GCzII ran into problems for BM. It works much better if you are a PM. Also, now that I have a new smartphone that isn't as good for geocaching, I often use the PQs with my old phone. Now I am using bookmark lists and some other features aswell. As for PM only caches, I used to triangulate them and log them using the well known "Back Door" method, so no advantage there. Quote Link to comment
+GroveBird Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I'm premium member...and I dont think I ever wont be. First off, the pocket queries are huge for me. It would be crazy to try and download that many caches. Second, I love Geocaching, so I think its a good thing to support it. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 When I signed up the only benefit I was looking for was to keep this site running. Even if there were no other benefits I would continue to support the site because it has provided me with so much fun over the years. I didn't start using any of the premium member features for close to a year after I signed up, but now I find Pocket Queries to be essential and I like the caches along a route feature for when I travel. I also like the notification feature for published and archived caches, bookmark lists, favorites and of course, the super secret Off Topic forum. Quote Link to comment
Pup Patrol Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Was a PM, let it drop, and then renewed again this year. Why? To be able to get those Favorites points! Order of importance of PM benefits to me: 1.) Favorites 2.) Bookmark lists 3.) Pocket Queries/Cache along a route #2 and #3 will be well used for a planned road trip from Ontario to Alberta. Quote Link to comment
+niraD Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 what benefits did you find for yourself?For me, the most important benefit is supporting the geocaching.com site. Next comes the ability to use bookmark lists, which I use to track my solved unfound puzzles, to record caches that others have recommended to me, to track my progress on certain challenge caches, etc. Close behind that comes the ability to use pocket queries, which I use in conjunction with my "solved unfound puzzles" bookmark list and a third party tool to produce GPX files with the solved coordinates of those puzzles. I also occasionally use PQs to get a list of caches in an area I know I'm going to be visiting, although the Android version of Groundspeak's Geocaching app has taken over that role except in areas where I may not have a data connection. I enjoy using the Favorites system, and I find the Statistics page interesting. I also find PMO caches, but I don't seek them out. However, these features are clearly secondary compared to supporting the site, using bookmark lists, and using pocket queries. I suppose I might use the premium map filters or the caches along a route feature, but I just haven't seen the need yet. I doubt I'll ever use instant notifications. Quote Link to comment
+Manville Possum Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Couldn't live w/o out it. Neither could Groundspeak. I like to be able to download to my device, and being a PM helps me on Waymarking. Quote Link to comment
+dfx Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 PQ is the main and only (?) reason for me. I do use other features, but I wouldn't be PM if it wasn't for the PQs. Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 PQ's (including CAR's) and bookmarks. Everything else, including supporting the site, doesn't come close. Quote Link to comment
Pup Patrol Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Oh, duh, I forgot the statistics added to our profiles. There aren't stupendously impressive, but they are fun for us to look at. Never had any stats bars or anything before, so it's fun for us. Hoping to add other provinces to the map. It's also surprising to see that we've found way more "regular" and "small" caches than I would have said. Perception is everything, I guess, when it comes to micros. And the distance to finds stat is interesting, too. I knew we don't search out caches close to home, but seeing the graph really confirmed it. Quote Link to comment
+Flintstone5611 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I am a premium member, it makes the game easier for the way I play it. Pocket Queries and notifications for new publishings (not that I would ever run for an FTF ) are probably my most valued assets! Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 One more good reason just came out with today's upgrade Premium Members may now create Pocket Queries from the current map view, based on the current map location and filter options such as hiding your finds and specific cache types. In addition, when viewing a Pocket Query you will find a new list on the right displaying the cache names of all the caches in the PQ. Clicking a name will center the map on that cache. (bolding is mine) Quote Link to comment
+A & J Tooling Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I gladly pay. Nothing in life should be free but the air you breathe. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I gladly pay. Nothing in life should be free but the air you breathe. Ahhhh..... ok. Quote Link to comment
+ToysRGood Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) I have been a premium member ever since I started in 2003. I am not a "super cacher" - I only have 124 finds as of right now - but here is why I am a premium member: 1. I love geocaching, and really want to support it. $3 per month seems pretty dang cheap to me. 2. Being able to run pocket queries rocks. 3. "Caches Along A Route" is awesome for planning trips. 4. Being able to customize maps (in beta) to hide/show my finds, pocket query results, etc. is awesome. 5. I almost forgot the cache statistics on my profile page - being able to see stuff like caches found each day of the year, caches I have found by type, etc., is really cool. Admittedly, some of the need for pocket query and "cache along a route" is eliminated because I now use my iPhone, so I can grab caches "out of the air" wherever I am. But, if I am traveling somewhere where my iPhone won't work (or where data costs too much, e.g. over seas), the pocket queries save the day. Mostly, I am a premium member because I get so much out of geocaching that $3 per month (actually a little less, since it's $30 for 12 months) seems like the least I can give back! Edited June 9, 2011 by ToysRGood Quote Link to comment
unchainedzulu Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 interesting stories.... thanks for replying Quote Link to comment
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