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Favorite Caching Clothes?


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I was getting frustrated in the hot weather with my normal hiking shoes and I ordered a pair of New Balance Water Shoes. The insoles come out and they have drain holes for water. That really helps when we get caught in the rain or I just need air vents because it is hot.

 

Convertible pants that we sprayed with bug repellent are also favorites.

 

What have you found to be your favorite clothing gear?

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Early on we also figured out that we needed "multipurpose" shoes for caching. We use the same shoes for walking several miles on a paved path, or a dirt trail, climbing on rocks and slippery slopes, or crossing a stream. Good grip, structure (low cut), and ability to dry quickly are features we like. We do have separate water shoes for boating. Not recommended for a long walk! We also like the convertible pants. Quick dry is a great feature and of course lots of pockets and loops are a plus for caching adventures (if you like trackables it's nice to have a small secure zipper pocket to secure geocoins).

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In summer it's leather hiking boots, Smartwool socks, nylon hiking shorts, a synthetic shirt and baseball hat.

 

Pretty much the same for the spring and fall but I add a windblock fleece jacket.

 

In winter nylon hiking pants take the place of the shorts and in really cold weather long, polypropelene underwear go under the pants.

 

Also in winter in addition to the layers of synthetics and fleece I wear a windblock fleece vest and usually have a waterproof, breathable hooded shell in my pack as well as a down vest.

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In summer it's leather hiking boots, Smartwool socks, nylon hiking shorts, a synthetic shirt and baseball hat.

 

Pretty much the same for the spring and fall but I add a windblock fleece jacket.

 

In winter nylon hiking pants take the place of the shorts and in really cold weather long, polypropelene underwear go under the pants.

 

Also in winter in addition to the layers of synthetics and fleece I wear a windblock fleece vest and usually have a waterproof, breathable hooded shell in my pack as well as a down vest.

 

Thanks for your detailed answer. :)

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I'm in Florida too. I usually go in capri pants, Columbia shirt that winks moisture away, and teva hiking sandals.

 

Oh, waving hello! We have had to cover our feet and legs because of bugs. I love Columbia shirts and tevas!

 

Oh yes! I have been drained by mosquitoes! Hate them! I lather myself in OFF! Deep Woods bug spray! I don't care how gross it feels, I can't stand the biting buggers.

 

What coast of FL are you on?

Edited by SeekerOfTheWay
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I'm in Florida too. I usually go in capri pants, Columbia shirt that winks moisture away, and teva hiking sandals.

 

Oh, waving hello! We have had to cover our feet and legs because of bugs. I love Columbia shirts and tevas!

 

Oh yes! I have been drained by mosquitoes! Hate them! I lather myself in OFF! Deep Woods bug spray! I don't care how gross it feels, I can't stand the biting buggers.

 

What coast of FL are you on?

 

I am in the middle, south of Gainesville. Where are you?

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I really like U.S. Calvalry's Tru-Spec 24-7 Tactical Pants

 

 

I like that design, but the cotton rules it out for me. It's generally not a good material for serous outdoors use.

 

That's why I like the 5.11 TacLite...the old 5.11's were cotton, they make a newer one with poly ripstop material, like summer-weight BDU's. Much cooler for summer wear, plus generous pockets, including one (I think it was designed to hold a spare pistol magazine) that fits a Garmin Etrex perfectly! Also, if you're really a hard core cacher, the knees have a place to insert optional knee pads (sold separately, of course)

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Summer: Cargo shorts with plenty of pockets for storing my phones, pens, TBs, keys and my GPSr. Hiking or running shoes and a T-shirt and some kind of baseball cap.

 

Spring/Fall: Camo pants with plenty of pockets. If I am going for a long hike I'll carry a small backpack with a sweatshirt inside just in case I cool off.

 

Winter: Water resistant snow pants, heavy duty boots, my ski jacket, gloves, knit hat and "ninja style" mask. I do a lot of snowshoeing in the winter months, too.

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Another Floridian. Year round, long nylon pants, some kind of synthetic wicking shirt (most of these also have some extra sun protection). Long sleeved if I'm going to be boating, summer or winter. Hat if boating. Head net if getting into heavy mosquito country. Extra outer layers in the winter, sometimes.

 

I own a lot of light weight hiking boots (leather) and trail walkers (nylon). I tend to always have wet feet pretty much immediately. I wear what's dry today, and hope that something be dry in time for tomorrow's walk. I use synthetic socks too - currently I've got a pile of Lorpen and DeFeet runners socks. These are wicking, not that the wicking part is doing me any good - but it does help to not blister when walking a lot in wet shoes to have a good sock.

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Another Floridian. Year round, long nylon pants, some kind of synthetic wicking shirt (most of these also have some extra sun protection). Long sleeved if I'm going to be boating, summer or winter. Hat if boating. Head net if getting into heavy mosquito country. Extra outer layers in the winter, sometimes.

 

I own a lot of light weight hiking boots (leather) and trail walkers (nylon). I tend to always have wet feet pretty much immediately. I wear what's dry today, and hope that something be dry in time for tomorrow's walk. I use synthetic socks too - currently I've got a pile of Lorpen and DeFeet runners socks. These are wicking, not that the wicking part is doing me any good - but it does help to not blister when walking a lot in wet shoes to have a good sock.

 

I will be trying out those socks. I have a lot of thorlo socks which work great in the winter but not so much in the warmer months.

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Since I'm more of an 'opportunistic cacher', it's whatever I happen to be wearing at that time. What with my whopping 32 finds in nine years, it hardly pays to dress the part.

With less than a cache per quarter, you should dress up for each and every find! :lol:

 

I guess this thread is more about favorite hiking clothes. I'm surprised the urban "I wear an orange safety vest" cacher hasn't chimed in yet. It seems to work for others - being unnoticed because you're making yourself really obvious - but I'm uncomfortable with doing it myself.

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Mostly my caching is done in knee to waist high prickles (bless the Australian Outback....), so my favourite garment is my gaiters. I can wear either shorts or hiking trousers (jeans are too heavy when wet or sweaty), and don't have to fuss too much about snakes. Aussie snakes, though deadly, have tiny fangs.

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Spring: Cotton shorts and teeshirt (possible jacket)

Summer: Cotton shorts and teeshirt

Fall: Cotton shorts and teeshirt (possible jacket)

Winter: Cotton shorts and teeshirt(Jacket nessesary)

 

I wear shorts year round, even in the snow. My legs have gotten used to most things like prickles, although when I come across stinging nettles I really have to be careful and tiptoe through them.

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Native Floridian, so I don't mind the heat and hate the cold.

 

Summertime, I'm in nylon/polyester convertible pants (25$ at Bass Pro. Don't pay 60 for Columbias!) with UnderArmour (or knockoff) compression shorts and undershirt for moisture wicking. Over top, I wear a t-shirt or cutoff tee. Sometimes I'll go with one of the columbia style fishing shirts with all the vents on it. I find that having an moisture-wicking underlayer helps out substantially.

 

Footwear is sort of in flux right now. I'm not thrilled with what I have. I normally wear one of two pairs of boots. One is a surplus jungle boot, which works well but fits horribly. Rubs the skin off my little toe. The other pair is a beat up set of Thorogoods, which are super comfortable, but nearing the end of their life cycle. I'm looking to upgrade footwear (I like boots) to something snakeproof and waterproof. So, I'm looking at hunting boots, or possibly more combat-style boots with snake gaiters over top. Dont' really know yet. In any case, I like wool or synthetic socks with boots. Wool is wamer, but works really well, even when wet. Top it all off with either an outback or a cowboy hat. AND LOTS AND LOTS OF DEET.

 

In the winter, I just wear everything I have. :P Seriously though, I hate the cold. It's usually a pair of jeans with cotton (bad Cracker! Bad!) or synthetic compression shorts, an undershirt and a long sleeve shirt, then a sweater or vest with a jacket shell over top. Headwear really depends on how cold it is. Really cold, I wear a watch cap. Not as cold, usually an Outback style or a cowboy hat.

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My wife always over-packs when we're vacationing. Her reason? Because she doesn't want to be in photos wearing the same clothes all the time. Makes sense...too bad I don't use the same logic. Quite unintentionally, I'm wearing the same darn crappy shirt and shorts in almost all of my geocaching pictures in my gallery. So, like it or not, those are my favorite geo-togs. (they are comfy, BTW)

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It depends on what cache I'm going after.

 

For casual caching, I wear shorts, a T-shirt, Keens sandals and a smelly hat.

 

For bushwhacking, I wear snakeboots, light colored Columbia pants, (the better to see ticks), a T-shirt, light colored Columbia long sleeve shirt and a smelly hat.

 

For kayaking, I wear the same apparel that I do for bushwhacking, though I swap the snakeboots for watershoes till I exit my boat.

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