Is the swag found in your area not worth finding?

[+FloridaFour]

McToys and other junk toys and even garbage in most of the caches around here.

 

That combined with the CONSTANT loss of my Travel Bugs due to thieves and/or lazy geocachers has started to get me jaded...

 

But then, the really cool caches keep me going...

 

See that I only have 210 finds???? I stay away from the junk caches... what's the point?

 

I'll put nice stuff in my own 3 caches which are on long walking trails (keeps the muggles away most of the time). I'll put nice stuff in PMO caches and a few new caches that I know will get a lot of visitors at first.

 

The rest just need CITO containers....

[+Keelmann And Cici]

I never take anything, but I always try to improve the swag at any cache I visit that's in decent shape.

[Narcosynthesis]

I am new to this, have been reading about it for a long time but just started doing it with my 3 kids. I understand and respect the practice of leaving something equal to or better than what you take. But from what I'm reading in this thread, it sounds like many people are way too snobby about something as simple and supposedly fun as swag. We are doing this as a fun, healthy and "mostly" free family activity. I'm always hearing adults complain about how "kids these days" don't appreciate anything and have to have high dollar electronics to be happy. Yet, it sounds like this is exactly the type of thinking many are encouraging. Well, my kids might think a rock they found on a family day out geocaching is special. If my child wanted to leave it, I would let them because it means something to me and I'm not going to tell them it's crap. My kids are thrilled to find tiny but cheap objects because it was found after a wonderful hunt and we leave dollar store items in return (and not even $1 EACH). Would I take an ipod or a cell phone? Hell no. But who in the world would leave that type of thing and expect the same in return? If this activity is turning into yet another way to keep up with the Joneses, then that is a sad commentary on our way of life.

 

The problem we are complaining about is the fact that a lot of people find a cache, take a nice item of swag and leave junk in return - do you believe it is fair to take a nice clean, new McToy and leave it its place a dirty broken one? Multiply that by the people who take nice items and leave nothing, or leave behind items of trash or plain inappropriate items (whether unsuitable for kids, a draw for animals or so on) and you can surely realise why many people are ambivalent or disapproving of the swag part of the game. Certainly it can be a draw for some kids, but also imagine it from the side of the cache owner who put out a cache in good faith and finds it emptied of all worth shortly thereafter - he then gets the choice between spending the money to refill it, or leaving it as an empty cache or one ful of junk which I am sure most parents won't appreciate their kids finding (whether it is a nice life lesson on disappointment or not).

 

Personally I take part in the swag side of things sometimes - I always leave dice in the caches I find, and occasionally trade for items that interest me - interesting foreign coins, keyrings or other items. It is not an integral part of the game to me, but a nice aside when the cache isn't already full of water...

[Carrie's Cachers]

I am new to this, have been reading about it for a long time but just started doing it with my 3 kids. I understand and respect the practice of leaving something equal to or better than what you take. But from what I'm reading in this thread, it sounds like many people are way too snobby about something as simple and supposedly fun as swag. We are doing this as a fun, healthy and "mostly" free family activity. I'm always hearing adults complain about how "kids these days" don't appreciate anything and have to have high dollar electronics to be happy. Yet, it sounds like this is exactly the type of thinking many are encouraging. Well, my kids might think a rock they found on a family day out geocaching is special. If my child wanted to leave it, I would let them because it means something to me and I'm not going to tell them it's crap. My kids are thrilled to find tiny but cheap objects because it was found after a wonderful hunt and we leave dollar store items in return (and not even $1 EACH). Would I take an ipod or a cell phone? Hell no. But who in the world would leave that type of thing and expect the same in return? If this activity is turning into yet another way to keep up with the Joneses, then that is a sad commentary on our way of life.

 

The problem we are complaining about is the fact that a lot of people find a cache, take a nice item of swag and leave junk in return - do you believe it is fair to take a nice clean, new McToy and leave it its place a dirty broken one? Multiply that by the people who take nice items and leave nothing, or leave behind items of trash or plain inappropriate items (whether unsuitable for kids, a draw for animals or so on) and you can surely realise why many people are ambivalent or disapproving of the swag part of the game. Certainly it can be a draw for some kids, but also imagine it from the side of the cache owner who put out a cache in good faith and finds it emptied of all worth shortly thereafter - he then gets the choice between spending the money to refill it, or leaving it as an empty cache or one ful of junk which I am sure most parents won't appreciate their kids finding (whether it is a nice life lesson on disappointment or not).

 

Personally I take part in the swag side of things sometimes - I always leave dice in the caches I find, and occasionally trade for items that interest me - interesting foreign coins, keyrings or other items. It is not an integral part of the game to me, but a nice aside when the cache isn't already full of water...

 

I do get the point of the initial post and I definitely understand the frustration with that. But I think things pretty much took a turn towards a general slam of swag that isn't up to par. And from a newbie's perspective, that can sour things quickly. I just wanted to point out how most people are saying it's for kids, yet describing McD's toys and things like a rock or shells or similar things as crap. Those are things that my kids are happy to find and leave. I was just surprised to hear that we may be one of the "crap" swaggers to many people.

[+ON-THE-LOOSE]

I am new to this, have been reading about it for a long time but just started doing it with my 3 kids. I understand and respect the practice of leaving something equal to or better than what you take. But from what I'm reading in this thread, it sounds like many people are way too snobby about something as simple and supposedly fun as swag. We are doing this as a fun, healthy and "mostly" free family activity. I'm always hearing adults complain about how "kids these days" don't appreciate anything and have to have high dollar electronics to be happy. Yet, it sounds like this is exactly the type of thinking many are encouraging. Well, my kids might think a rock they found on a family day out geocaching is special. If my child wanted to leave it, I would let them because it means something to me and I'm not going to tell them it's crap. My kids are thrilled to find tiny but cheap objects because it was found after a wonderful hunt and we leave dollar store items in return (and not even $1 EACH). Would I take an ipod or a cell phone? Hell no. But who in the world would leave that type of thing and expect the same in return? If this activity is turning into yet another way to keep up with the Joneses, then that is a sad commentary on our way of life.

[+ON-THE-LOOSE]

I'll admit it - I love swag! It's not really about what I take, so much as the fun of looking through it all, and adding something of my own. I've seen a lot of good points made on this thread. Most of them I agree with, but not all. The saddest thing to me is the possibility of discouraging new cachers who doing their best to learn our sport both correctly and honorably. With just 57 caches to my credit, I am very much a newbie. Still, it saddens me to hear people saying they thought they were doing really well, and now are afraid they are blowing it completely. If this sport is for only the well-to-do, then that should be made clear up front. ALL of the geocachers I know have limited funds. They do their best to add interesting, cute, clean, and intact swag. Yes, we're supposed to replace what we take with something of equal or greater value, but there are no price tags on swag items, and we have no idea when we begin a search what price range our swag needs to be to trade when we find the cache. I get the cell phone concept. Of couse, I would leave it there if I didn't have any expensive item in my cahching bag - and I definitely wouldn't. But I have yet to come across anything anywhere near that value, and hope I never will. I think part of the problem is the difference between what interests a 7 year old and what interests a 70 year old.his sport is for the very young, the not so young, the young at heart, and those who feel old but insist on going out and having fun anyway. Isn't there room for all of us? If you're adding a geo-coin or more mature interest item, then try to leave something other than a sea shell or a McDonald's toy. One of my favorite pieces of swag I've picked up is a rock that would have interest only to a rock hound, but then a favroite uncle was a rock hound and that rock reminds me of him. Often it's all in the eye of the beholder. I've found I can have as much fun placing three cute items in a nearly empty cache and taking nothing as I do when I'm able to trade for something really cool-to-me, such as a geo-coin or patch. It's the hunt and the find that are the real treasure. I have placed my first cache, and don't mind at all going back and replenishing the swag every so often. I think I spent about $20 filling it the first time, and was able to include a few really nice items along with the toys for the kids. For me, beefing it up a bit is just part of the fun of "owning" a cache.

[CACAHUETES]

The swag for me means nothing. Its all about the cache! da na na na na da na na na NA

[+EdrickV]

I'll admit it - I love swag! It's not really about what I take, so much as the fun of looking through it all, and adding something of my own. I've seen a lot of good points made on this thread. Most of them I agree with, but not all. The saddest thing to me is the possibility of discouraging new cachers who doing their best to learn our sport both correctly and honorably. With just 57 caches to my credit, I am very much a newbie. Still, it saddens me to hear people saying they thought they were doing really well, and now are afraid they are blowing it completely. If this sport is for only the well-to-do, then that should be made clear up front. ALL of the geocachers I know have limited funds. They do their best to add interesting, cute, clean, and intact swag. Yes, we're supposed to replace what we take with something of equal or greater value, but there are no price tags on swag items, and we have no idea when we begin a search what price range our swag needs to be to trade when we find the cache. I get the cell phone concept. Of couse, I would leave it there if I didn't have any expensive item in my cahching bag - and I definitely wouldn't. But I have yet to come across anything anywhere near that value, and hope I never will. I think part of the problem is the difference between what interests a 7 year old and what interests a 70 year old.his sport is for the very young, the not so young, the young at heart, and those who feel old but insist on going out and having fun anyway. Isn't there room for all of us? If you're adding a geo-coin or more mature interest item, then try to leave something other than a sea shell or a McDonald's toy. One of my favorite pieces of swag I've picked up is a rock that would have interest only to a rock hound, but then a favroite uncle was a rock hound and that rock reminds me of him. Often it's all in the eye of the beholder. I've found I can have as much fun placing three cute items in a nearly empty cache and taking nothing as I do when I'm able to trade for something really cool-to-me, such as a geo-coin or patch. It's the hunt and the find that are the real treasure. I have placed my first cache, and don't mind at all going back and replenishing the swag every so often. I think I spent about $20 filling it the first time, and was able to include a few really nice items along with the toys for the kids. For me, beefing it up a bit is just part of the fun of "owning" a cache.

 

Just a little note, but trackable Geocoins and Travel Bugs are not considered swag, so don't fall under the "trade up or even" guideline. Though leaving something behind when you take one isn't a bad thing.

[+Gma T]

New to this amazing new hobbie Hubbie and I went on our first adventure today. I will always teasure my cheap little plastic dog that I traded for. It is a reminder of a beautiful day spent outside, alive, healthy and doing something fun together. I plan to always upgrade any cache I find in hopes the next person will have a memory to look back on also. I wish I would of found this activity when my own children were little, I look forward now to sharing this with the grand kids!

[+The Blorenges]

New to this amazing new hobbie Hubbie and I went on our first adventure today. I will always teasure my cheap little plastic dog that I traded for. It is a reminder of a beautiful day spent outside, alive, healthy and doing something fun together. I plan to always upgrade any cache I find in hopes the next person will have a memory to look back on also. I wish I would of found this activity when my own children were little, I look forward now to sharing this with the grand kids!

 

We still have the little pottery horse we found in our very first cache in 2004. You always remember your first MrsB

 

[+SinisterLadybug]

I'm very new (only 4 caches), so I'm reading through the FAQ's and message boards, learning what I can. I'm finding this thread really interesting. So far the caches I've found are the small ones with just a log. I have a small case filled with 1/2 inch glass ladybugs, to leave in caches. Since my name is Sinister Ladybug, I thought it would be cool to leave a ladybug when I do come across a cache with trinkets. It's interesting to ready the different opinions. One person mentioned leaving a sea shell, another person left band-aids, a couple of people left mcD toys, then a few posts later a couple of different people named shells, band-aids, and mcD toys as junk. I'm brand new, but like everyone else I have my opinion too. I see nothing wrong with sea shells, I can see where mcD toys would be fine (not broken of course), and band-aids would be useful to have in the cache, but not as a trade. Someone actually put in the cap to a pen and a broken glass lens? That's just rude! Before I read this thread, if I found a rock, I would have assumed someone was being a jerk, now if I find a rock I'm going to wonder if it was a small child. I'm going to stick with my ladybugs, but I promise not to take that cell phone. lol

Edited October 30, 2011 by SinisterLadybug

[+L0ne.R]

I'm very new (only 4 caches), so I'm reading through the FAQ's and message boards, learning what I can. I'm finding this thread really interesting. So far the caches I've found are the small ones with just a log. I have a small case filled with 1/2 inch glass ladybugs, to leave in caches. Since my name is Sinister Ladybug, I thought it would be cool to leave a ladybug when I do come across a cache with trinkets. It's interesting to ready the different opinions. One person mentioned leaving a sea shell, another person left band-aids, a couple of people left mcD toys, then a few posts later a couple of different people named shells, band-aids, and mcD toys as junk. I'm brand new, but like everyone else I have my opinion too. I see nothing wrong with sea shells, I can see where mcD toys would be fine (not broken of course), and band-aids would be useful to have in the cache, but not as a trade. Someone actually put in the cap to a pen and a broken glass lens? That's just rude! Before I read this thread, if I found a rock, I would have assumed someone was being a jerk, now if I find a rock I'm going to wonder if it was a small child. I'm going to stick with my ladybugs, but I promise not to take that cell phone. lol

 

Not sure about band-aids since they should be clean and sterile. I wouldn't use a band-aid that's been sitting in a cache. Shells aren't my thing but I bet a lot of kids like them. Your little glass ladybug signature swag is a nice idea (lots of cachers like signature items). I think when people complain about McDs and shells they are saying they'd like to see more that an adult might find useful or worth trading for.

Edited October 30, 2011 by Lone R

[+The Blorenges]

I'm very new (only 4 caches), so I'm reading through the FAQ's and message boards, learning what I can. I'm finding this thread really interesting. So far the caches I've found are the small ones with just a log. I have a small case filled with 1/2 inch glass ladybugs, to leave in caches. Since my name is Sinister Ladybug, I thought it would be cool to leave a ladybug when I do come across a cache with trinkets....

 

They sound lovely. I like to collect signature items but sometimes it's not obvious that something is a signature item - It would be nice if you could put your ladybugs into mini ziplocks with your caching name on them so that they are immediately identified with you. Perhaps you already intend to do this.

 

MrsB

[+L0ne.R]

I'm very new (only 4 caches), so I'm reading through the FAQ's and message boards, learning what I can. I'm finding this thread really interesting. So far the caches I've found are the small ones with just a log. I have a small case filled with 1/2 inch glass ladybugs, to leave in caches. Since my name is Sinister Ladybug, I thought it would be cool to leave a ladybug when I do come across a cache with trinkets....

 

They sound lovely. I like to collect signature items but sometimes it's not obvious that something is a signature item - It would be nice if you could put your ladybugs into mini ziplocks with your caching name on them so that they are immediately identified with you. Perhaps you already intend to do this.

 

MrsB

 

I was just about to post the same comment. Great advice.