What is Some Good Geocaching Swag?

[+L0ne.R]

We have been geocaching a long, long time; and mostly stopped collecting swag years ago. BUT, I still like to carry stuff for kids to put in caches that they're likely to find. As for the value of stuff, etiquette says trade even or trade up; clearly not everyone follows that; because I have seen some crummy things. Things I hate to see: single o-ring bracelets, single hair ties, (put several in a little Ziploc and it might be a different story, but let's not be too cheap here); single erasers that are not in a package and are not novel; obviously used pencils or pens (that are not part of the logging book/pencil); single crayons; dirty stuff, obviously used.... If you are going to buy multi-packs of things, re-package them. Put them in a small Ziploc bag! Don't clean out your junk drawer and dump it in a cache that someone took some time to assemble. If you don't want it, neither will they! And if you encounter a cache filled with junk, don't complain. Nothing says you have to trade if you don't feel the goods are up to your standards. Maybe be generous, and add a few nice things for the next cacher. Some of the more creative swag items: a mini-cache "baby" with a small container, mini log, and so on; homemade buttons/magnets; keychains; tennis balls (our Clancy used to LOVE that, and I suspect other geo-dogs appreciate the, too); decks of cards; mini flashlights; homemade jewelry and zipper pulls (nice stuff); glow sticks; small puzzles; individually packaged wipes, insect repellants; pocket first aid kits; little figurines and animals; little cars; small packages of crayons; packaged stickers (not loose in the cache--in the original package or a Ziploc); carabiners; gently used books; and anything new-in the package . Whatever you do, DO NOT leave food items--it invites critters; and who is really going to eat something from a cache? As for the comment about the 5/5 cache; we do a lot of 5/5s, and the FTF prize is often a scratch lottery ticket; with decent swag. While we agree that good swag is nice in the 5/5, we rarely take any (except for FTF stuff), as the find itself is the prize.

 

Nice list of swag. There were a couple of years where I collected little plastic animals. Just for a goof. I know I could have gone to the dollar store and picked up a pack of 20 for a dollar but it was fun. Made opening up the next cache more of a treasure hunt - would there be a plastic animal in it that I didn't already have. I quit after I had a shoebox full of those animals. I'm thinking about how to incorporate some of them into a cache hide one day - create a little african safari scene in a box perhaps. If I don't come up with something I'll use them as swag and recycle them.

[+WarNinjas]

WOW I would love to find some fishing lures!

One of my daughters and my favorites are buttons! We have had some custom made with our user name WarNinjas on them and then general geocaching ones. We like them because when we find one we add it to our backpack! We also keep a binder with our history of important logs and info so stickers are cool! We add the stickers to the log book.

We were the FTF a new cache and it came with a nice led flashlight and a steak (rubber Dog one) for the FTF! It is a great one to keep in the backpack for geocaching so that was cool.

-WarNinjas

 

So what's great to keep in the backpack for geocaching? The LED flashlight, or the rubber dog steak???

WOW just seen this from our post a couple of years ago. We were talking about the flash light. Left the steak. Funny thing about that FTF was we met the CO out there on our FTF. All he could talk about was how he hated to find wet logs and caches that couldn't be maintained so he built this crazy cache that was buried and against the guidelines. It was at his church so we didn't worry about reporting it. He talked about how his would hold up and how easy it would be able to maintain. Then another cacher found it and dropped in one of our new TB's. Then it got flooded and wet and our TB went missing and soon after the cache was archived. He had good intentions and put a lot of work into it but I guess he got to see it can be hard to be a CO. His fool proof cache didn't last at all.

[+6NoisyHikers]

Nice list of swag. There were a couple of years where I collected little plastic animals. Just for a goof. I know I could have gone to the dollar store and picked up a pack of 20 for a dollar but it was fun. Made opening up the next cache more of a treasure hunt - would there be a plastic animal in it that I didn't already have. I quit after I had a shoebox full of those animals. I'm thinking about how to incorporate some of them into a cache hide one day - create a little african safari scene in a box perhaps. If I don't come up with something I'll use them as swag and recycle them.

 

Here's one we found called, appropriately, Goats In A Box

 

 

I like the idea of choosing a swag item to collect. NoisyHiker#6 is collecting army men but he's not too discerning about trying to find guys in different positions.

[+-CJ-]

Coins are by far my favourite thing, I just love the different designs and the feel of them

 

Yes, they are usually quite interesting. Especially when I go for a hunt with kids and we're lucky to find an unusual coin or a coin with a nice ornament or an image of a bird or an animal on it.

 

Apart from this (and trackables) almost all items I've found in geocaches in last year were junk. In my last trips abroad I used to take nothing from any container I found. Just dropped a badge, a decorative magnet or a Russian (or Ukranian) coin until my pockets were empty.

[+oxford comma]

Zombies. I kept finding one in a cache for a short time . I think 6 in all. I finally figured out they were from a Bag O Zombies used for some kind of game . I have them lined up in my corner display cabinet . Never did figure out who left them though.

[+GeoBonsai]

I'd like some good swag ideas, too, especially for teens and adults.

 

Lately, I've seen mostly junk nobody wants. It doesn't take much to make a young kid happy. You can buy vending-machine toys online. They make great swag, and the tiny toys fit in a lot of smaller-size cache containers. Some toys come in those round plastic capsules you see in vending machines; or the toys can be placed in plastic pill pouches available in the pharmacy section of Walmart.

 

[+TrinIzzyCar]

I found a bunch of buttons on sale at Walgreen's bought a bunch and wrote my trail name and year I go to the dollar store to pick up kiddie swag. I would like ideas on adult swag myself .

[+L0ne.R]

I'd like some good swag ideas, too, especially for teens and adults.

 

Lately, I've seen mostly junk nobody wants. It doesn't take much to make a young kid happy. You can buy vending-machine toys online. They make great swag, and the tiny toys fit in a lot of smaller-size cache containers. Some toys come in those round plastic capsules you see in vending machines; or the toys can be placed in plastic pill pouches available in the pharmacy section of Walmart.

 

 

 

So cute. I'm a big dog fan and would definitely enjoy finding those.

[+MinionBrigade]

My wife dragged me to World Market yesterday looking for some Christmas ornaments, and we stumbled upon these little things: tiny Worry Dolls from Guatemala. They're s cute cultural craft, kids put them under their pillows to get rid of their worries at night. Perfect size for many different caches. Picked up a bunch of these dolls and other stuff on sale. Came home with 50 bits of unique and cool swag for less than $18. Individually packed each one in a zip baggie and they're good to go. I've used sea shells and tiny sand-dollars before, picked up in a gas station gift shop for .50 each. Great option, even for key holder and 35mm micros.

 

 

 

[Clan Riffster]

I love the worry dolls. I would include a brief note in the bag explaining the cultural history behind them. For me, these little extra touches add a lot to the value of swag. What I mostly leave these days are mini baggies with a few antique foreign coins inside, and/or keychains I make with a leather thong and beads which spell out "Geocaching".

 

As for taking, I usually don't. Not that I don't love pawing through the swag. I think it's kinda kewl to look through swag and compare it to the log, to see who left what. But, for the most part, I leave it be. I don't need more stuff. The swag which appeals to me the most is personalized items. Something that links my hunt to someone who has been there before. It need not be complicated or expensive to catch my eye. One of my favorite bits is a yellow plastic smilie face figurine with "Smiling in Ackworth" written on it in Sharpie. The dog in a baggie pictured above would appeal to me, simply because of the added slip of paper telling me who it was from. It's that personal touch that I like the most.

[+6NoisyHikers]

So you'd like one of these?

[+JesandTodd]

I love worry dolls too. Had a slew of them growing up, and used them when needed!

Funny...I just went to world market and grabbed a small box of them last week. They seem to be popular again.

[+sparklefingers]

I like to make phone charms and home made jewellery I go and buy lots of beads and charms and then make lots of different things.

[Clan Riffster]

So you'd like one of these?

Who wouldn't love 'em? Totally kewl!

[+Alkhalikoi]

I'm a great fan of buying blocks of hyperinflated currency (the Zimbabwe Dollar, the mid-1990s Yugoslav Dinar, the Vietnamese Dong (okay, not technically hyperinflated, just really a cheap nominal value) and leaving them around? What kid doesn't like finding a billion dollars or 500,000 Dinars or something. Sure, they'll be disappointed when they finally look up what it's worth, but for a few hours until they get home they can dream dreams of avarice.

[+L0ne.R]

So you'd like one of these?

 

Definitely cool swag. The trailname logo insert really knocks it out of the park.

[Jayme H]

I love hearing about and seeing your hand crafted swag...such a creative bunch.

[+6NoisyHikers]

Definitely cool swag. The trailname logo insert really knocks it out of the park.

 

Thanks! Just to give credit where credit is due, we found the instructions on a YouTube channel called TIAT - Tying It All Together. The guy that makes the videos does a great job. We've made hundreds of key fobs and bracelets.

 

The dragonfly usually gets a bell as well - to let the bears know that dinner is on its way up the trail The logo cards are printed on those do-it-yourself business card sheets. On the back is the info for TIAT and a reminder to trade fairly. The "finished" size is 4" x 2" and about 1/4" thick so they fit well in most lock&lock containers.

[+envirogirl86]

Does the Blackberry cell phone that I found today count? I knew it was a cacher's when the screen read "I'm a geocaching junkie". However, I actually didn't find the cache and was able to get the phone back to the owner.

 

Not sure if the phone counts as swag, but am sure the caching gods will send good Karma your way.

[+envirogirl86]

I like finding items that I can turn into trackables. But, I am also a big fan of the unusual or handmade. I am setting up a swag bag at the moment (my last one was unknowingly sent to the NT with my sister - she might become a cacher when I get some time to visit and show her what it is all about), I am going to be making some hand made items. Just trying to find what I want first.

[+lucas290]

You seem to have much nicer swag in the caches in the USA . Here in NZ, most contain nothing or one tiny plastic dinosaur . I've been trading up by adding keyrings, and $1/$2-shop mini toys, bouncy balls, and so on. I have never seen anything worth more than NZ$3 (that was about US$2 a month ago but is US$3 now) in one of the caches.

wow, you guys need better swag there!

Edited July 17, 2016 by lucas290

[+lucas290]

I use for swag is plastic toys, money, keychains, coins, and pins to put of your shirt

Edited July 17, 2016 by lucas290

[+TheGreatOz]

I tend to leave the happy meal toys from Mcdonalds. Most of the time the package is never opened. So I hope to make a kid happy. I tent to go to yard sale so I have picked up so fun items them. I used to make para cord bracelets and key chains and leave them. I also like to leave the cheap or free tools I get from Harbor freight.

[Jman856]

My kids and I just started geocaching and they are especially loving it. I am a little surprised how much junk and trash is left to find. As a coin collector I've always enjoyed receiving coins as gifts and especially finding some, so we've been leaving a couple buffalo nickels in each find we've made so far which I think people should like.

[+TheIslander267]

I love all of these swag ideas! Typically what I leave changes up quite a bit. At one point I was leaving handmade paracord bracelets (Which can come in handy when your in a fairly sticky situation), as well as art and craft kits, camping gear (flashlights,lanyards, etc) and cash. So really, I enjoy leaving things that have practicality. Its really nice to come across something that can help you in your geocaching adventures in the geocaches.

[Domineux]

I like to make custom guitar picks out of gift cards (mostly from work, hehe). For my favorite caches I prefer to leave con-badge style lanyards with my custom art on them.

[+millieballon]

I love making small things myself: georocks, birdcoins and paracord geobuddies with gps.

Made Some tutorials:

https://yoo.rs/millieballon/blog/make-your-own-birdcoins-1508005354.html?Ysid=49104

https://yoo.rs/millieballon/blog/geocaching-rocks-swag-tutorial-1491507163.html?Ysid=49104

https://yoo.rs/prince.fluffy.kareem/blog/making-friends-diy-paracord-1510305581.html?Ysid=49104

hope you like them.

if you do not want to make them yourself you can also find them in my Etsy shop (all profit are for a non profit organiasation.

https://www.etsy.com/nl/shop/Milliefluffy?ref=search_shop_redirect

 

 

[TimeLoad]

Whenever I go out and get geoswag, I always think to myself "if I found this in a cache, would I be excited to see it?". I don't like it when people include 'trash' (things they probably found on the floor of their house), I don't find it enjoyable. I tend to go out and buy geoswag quite a lot because I always leave some geoswag in a cache, even if I don't swap something out. But when I go out to buy new geoswag, I go to supermarkets, two-dollar stores and anywhere else I can find cool stuff. I tend to spend on average $4 per geoswag and every time I buy it, I think to myself "if I found this in a geoswag, would I want to trade for it?". If my answer is no, then I don't buy it, simple as that. In the past, I've bought small snow globes, little teddy bears, really cool badges and some DIY swag.

Edited March 4, 2018 by TimeLoad

[+cerberus1]

18 hours ago, TimeLoad said:

Whenever I go out and get geoswag, I always think to myself "if I found this in a cache, would I be excited to see it?". I don't like it when people include 'trash' (things they probably found on the floor of their house), I don't find it enjoyable. I tend to go out and buy geoswag quite a lot because I always leave some geoswag in a cache, even if I don't swap something out. But when I go out to buy new geoswag, I go to supermarkets, two-dollar stores and anywhere else I can find cool stuff. I tend to spend on average $4 per geoswag and every time I buy it, I think to myself "if I found this in a geoswag, would I want to trade for it?". If my answer is no, then I don't buy it, simple as that. In the past, I've bought small snow globes, little teddy bears, really cool badges and some DIY swag.

At four bucks per item,  if you ever decide to place your own caches, you'll probably be a little bit miffed when you realize that "trade" doesn't happen as much as take these days.   I don't believe we've done maintenance yet where the items left were equal to what we filled it with, and the items themselves ... well ... who thinks trading a mini led flashlight for a rubber band is okay?   Actually it was probably no trade at all, and that rubber band simply found it's way in...  

[+chasclifton]

I like cheap compasses too. My usual source for such swag is American Science & Surplus

sciplus.com

 

[+EmzyJanezy]

Reading this thread with interest.  I don't think people in England are that excited by swag, unfortunately.

Admittedly I've only found 12 caches but so far the only thing I could consider as swag was a Unionline law firm keyring.

I'm handcrafting items to put out as swag but I fear around here people will just be like "oh, lovely, thanks very much" and that'll the end of it, giving noting in return.

[+L0ne.R]

1 minute ago, EmzyJanezy said:

I'm handcrafting items to put out as swag but I fear around here people will just be like "oh, lovely, thanks very much" and that'll the end of it, giving nothing in return.

 

Likely.

It's nice stumbling across an online log in a cache you've left swag in that says specifically that they liked your swag and took it.  In this log the cacher traded handmade swag for handmade swag. These 2 examples the finders did trade, but I have stumbled upon logs that have said they liked the swag and took it but didn't specifically say they left anything. They left a log that made my day, so I'm happy.

 

[+EmzyJanezy]

Well I sort of like to put my Instagram username on my handcrafted items in the hope they will tag me in a photo of them finding it etc.  Probably too hopeful but I'm new and therefore still optimistic at this stage lol

[+mimaef]

8 hours ago, EmzyJanezy said:

Well I sort of like to put my Instagram username on my handcrafted items in the hope they will tag me in a photo of them finding it etc.  Probably too hopeful but I'm new and therefore still optimistic at this stage lol

Trade and place inside caches what you would like to see (and be the geocacher you want to be). It may not always pay off on your side, but eventually the geocaching karma will catch up to you or maybe you'll inspire someone else who is new and wants to add new swag. When I first started I was inspired by some good swag I ran into, the forums, and some nice geocaches. I personally find a lot of joy in leaving little surprises for other people, even if I don't get anything (even a thank you) in return. It's the times that I do that make it a little special.

I'm currently creating homemade coins for swag I can drop into containers and use in my own puzzle caches I'm currently building to make them just a little more special for people who visit and can figure out how to get in.