What do you usually pack?

[+sonandk02]

Recently, we have started participating in some of the Georgia State Park "Geochallenge" hunts. During our first hunt, we spent a fair amount of time hiking throughout the forest. Though our State Park sponsored cache was located fairly easily, the others we chose to find were a bit more difficult and required much more walking/hiking. For our trip, we packed (in a backpack) water, our "cache stash/swag", granola bars, a first aid kit, insect repellent, a pocket knife, a cell phone, camera, and a pen. Since we also carried our dogs with us, we took a few treats and a small water bowl for them. Of course we also carried a GPS too.

 

Since we are new to this great hobby, I'm interested to know what you take along on your trips. We are planning a hunt at Crooked River State Park this weekend, so anything you suggest may help make our trip more enjoyable.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Sonny

[+mpilchfamily]

Do a Forum search. This sort of question comes up almost every other day.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=282663

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=27886

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=271193

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=210117

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=270580

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=266161

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=263369

 

Just to name a few.

[+Presence]

Caching or hiking I usually pack the same stuff. Drinks, snacks, a shirt to change into depending on the weather, GPS and caching notes (I don't have a smart phone),pen, swag, camera,extra batteries and occassionally my husband will bring his leatherman.

 

I have learned in all my hiking a long sleeve shirt is SUPER important unless you don't mind poison ivy. Oh and always tell someone where your going that way if you get lost they have a starting point to look for you. I now also put a note on the windshield of my car say Im geocaching please do not tow along with my phone number (not that the phones going to work in the woods)

 

~Happy caching~

[+captnemo]

My 32 foot RV. And yes I have used for caching, The Original Stash Plaque" for one.

[+bflentje]

"What do you usually pack?"

 

Sig Saur p239 .40SW

[+Team Dennis]

For long hikes where I'll be away from the vehicle for more than an hour I pack a small medical kit, extra socks, batteries and pens. Maybe a granola bar or two. Water for me and the dog. My Leatherman and my big knife. Toilet paper makes great kleenix in addition to its intended purpose. If I'm in bear country I pack my bear pepper spray.

[GOF and Bacall]

Lunch

[+Fianccetto]

You missed out good LED torches. Even if you're not planning to do any night caching, you can end up out late because you took longer than you expected to find some caches, or you lost your way, and so on. Spare batteries for torches & GPS also essential if you're going anywhere you don't know like the back of your hand already. Don't forget extra doggy snacks for if you're out later than intended with the hounds.

[+sonandk02]

Thanks for all of the replies. This will help a lot.

[+Catydid]

Our list keeps on growing during this, our first year. I have a waist pack with a good pen, small flashlight, a telescoping mirror, a telescoping magnet (has never worked well), several types of tweezers for retrieval, a small mp3 player for driving, extra batteries, ibuprofen, nitrile gloves, and plastic bags with small and medium swag, tissues, and a small notebook. We also have a magnet attached to a string. In the car box, we have sunscreen, a couple of hemostats, a telescoping pole with a wire hook on it, extra good pens, change of shoes for me, and a bottle of water for caches. We usually take lunch and a filled drinking water bottle. Having everything in a cardboard box ready to go really helps. Often in the heat, we take a cooler with ice teas.

[+popokiiti]

When we've been driving on the backroads (logging roads) away from all civilization it seems, along with a full tank of gas, we have a full cooler of snacks and drinks. We also have extra clothing in case we get stuck and have to stay in the car. Just before we hit the logging roads, we get a breakfast to go too!

[+kwcahart]

A .45 ACP in the geotruck and a .380 in the pack. Lots of swag for kids, and water and tweezers and needle point pliers and a walking stick with a hookie on one end. Three flashlights.

[+WarNinjas]

This is something I have been thinking of adding. Not for the walking aspect but for poking around. When caches are hidden under a bush or what ever. When I am in my work truck caching I have grabbed my termite probe and it has helped on a few occasions! I think me walking around with a stick might look funny but this might fit into my backpack and then I can pull it out if needed. It is telescopic so it will fold down small and then I can extend it.

 

[+Roman!]

Food, water (1/2 litter per expected hour of hiking), multi knife, 2 lighters, first aid kit, solar blankets, bear spray, bear bell, 5 or 6 pens, TP (probably the most used item in my pack), camera, maps, water purification pills, compass, gps, 4-6 extra batteries, extra clothes, zip lock bags, bug spray, hand sanitizer, small towel, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, I think that's it.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Lots of water and also water purification tablets. Food. Sunscreen. Bear bell+bear spray. Pens. Flashlight! (in case you find yourself coming back late) Cell phone. After Bite. Tweezers! (used frequently!) Tick-removing tool. 1st-Aid kit. Swag. Vaseline. Ibuprofen. Camera. Hand sanitizer. Emergency whistle.

 

Extra batteries++

Edited October 1, 2011 by The_Incredibles_

[+sonandk02]

This is something I have been thinking of adding. Not for the walking aspect but for poking around. When caches are hidden under a bush or what ever. When I am in my work truck caching I have grabbed my termite probe and it has helped on a few occasions! I think me walking around with a stick might look funny but this might fit into my backpack and then I can pull it out if needed. It is telescopic so it will fold down small and then I can extend it.

 

 

I purchased one of these today for the same reason you mentioned. Thanks for the reply.

[+The_Incredibles_]

This is something I have been thinking of adding. Not for the walking aspect but for poking around. When caches are hidden under a bush or what ever. When I am in my work truck caching I have grabbed my termite probe and it has helped on a few occasions! I think me walking around with a stick might look funny but this might fit into my backpack and then I can pull it out if needed. It is telescopic so it will fold down small and then I can extend it.

 

 

I purchased one of these today for the same reason you mentioned. Thanks for the reply.

 

For a pokey stick, I bring a broom handle, perhaps time to upgrade to a telescopic, eh.

[+Team Van Dyk]

I use a Camelbak Mule NV containing the following:

 

1. Swag

2. Travelbugs and Geocoins

3. Otterbox for iPhone

4. Fisher Trekker Space Pen

5. Gerber Infinity Flashlight

6. Gerber Suspension Butterfly Multitool

7. Canon S95 Camera

8. Aloksak bags (running the gamut in sizes)

9. Rite-in-Rain Logs (runing the gamut in sizes)

10. Pencils

11. Cache containers (decon, micro, and nano)

12. Marmot Power Stretch Gloves

13. Lansatic Compass

14. Bushnell Powerview Binoculars

15. 3M Ultrathon Bug Spray

16. Tick Key

17. Afterbite Pen

18. Lighter

19. pH Strips

20. 3 1" Rare Earth Magnets

21. 50' 550 Paracord

22. Duct Tape

23. Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub

24. Lightweight First Aid Kit

25. Ponchos

 

That's it.

 

--Matt

[+The_Incredibles_]

I use a Camelbak Mule NV containing the following:

 

1. Swag

2. Travelbugs and Geocoins

3. Otterbox for iPhone

4. Fisher Trekker Space Pen

5. Gerber Infinity Flashlight

6. Gerber Suspension Butterfly Multitool

7. Canon S95 Camera

8. Aloksak bags (running the gamut in sizes)

9. Rite-in-Rain Logs (runing the gamut in sizes)

10. Pencils

11. Cache containers (decon, micro, and nano)

12. Marmot Power Stretch Gloves

13. Lansatic Compass

14. Bushnell Powerview Binoculars

15. 3M Ultrathon Bug Spray

16. Tick Key

17. Afterbite Pen

18. Lighter

19. pH Strips

20. 3 1" Rare Earth Magnets

21. 50' 550 Paracord

22. Duct Tape

23. Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub

24. Lightweight First Aid Kit

25. Ponchos

 

That's it.

 

--Matt

 

pH strips?

[+akkatracker]

Depends what cache it is

[+Team Van Dyk]

I use a Camelbak Mule NV containing the following:

 

1. Swag

2. Travelbugs and Geocoins

3. Otterbox for iPhone

4. Fisher Trekker Space Pen

5. Gerber Infinity Flashlight

6. Gerber Suspension Butterfly Multitool

7. Canon S95 Camera

8. Aloksak bags (running the gamut in sizes)

9. Rite-in-Rain Logs (runing the gamut in sizes)

10. Pencils

11. Cache containers (decon, micro, and nano)

12. Marmot Power Stretch Gloves

13. Lansatic Compass

14. Bushnell Powerview Binoculars

15. 3M Ultrathon Bug Spray

16. Tick Key

17. Afterbite Pen

18. Lighter

19. pH Strips

20. 3 1" Rare Earth Magnets

21. 50' 550 Paracord

22. Duct Tape

23. Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub

24. Lightweight First Aid Kit

25. Ponchos

 

That's it.

 

--Matt

 

pH strips?

 

Yeah, thinking about taking those out. By an odd coincidence, I ended up having 3 caches in a 1-month span require testing water. Wasn't prepared for any of them so threw a bunch in the bag thinking maybe this was a "thing" I didn't know about. Haven't needed them since.

[+briansnat]

When going into the woods I pack everything necessary to survive a night outdoors should I break an ankle or get lost.

 

My pack includes:

 

multi tool (Leatherman)

fire starters/waterproof matches

lightweight bivvy bag (SOL Thermal Bivvy)

extra warm clothing/socks appropriate for the season

compass (Silva Ranger)

map

extra batteries

headlamp (Black Diamond Storm)

small, hand held flashlight (Gerber Omnivore)

packable rain parka (Marmot Precip)

storm whistle

waterproof pack cover

food for the day (plus a few Clif Bars just in case)

water

water purification tablets (Katadyn Micropur)

compact binoculars (Nikon)

survival knife (SOG Seal Pup)

First aid kit/w plenty of moleskins, and tube of Aquaphor

small roll of duct tape

50 feet of parachute cord

insect repellent (in insect season)

small tripod for digital camera (Gorillapod)

TP

hand sanitizer

sunscreen

digital camera (Canon A570)

[+captnemo]

When going into the woods I pack everything necessary to survive a night outdoors should I break an ankle or get lost.

 

My pack includes:

 

multi tool (Leatherman)

fire starters/waterproof matches

lightweight bivvy bag (SOL Thermal Bivvy)

extra warm clothing/socks appropriate for the season

compass (Silva Ranger)

map

extra batteries

headlamp (Black Diamond Storm)

small, hand held flashlight (Gerber Omnivore)

packable rain parka (Marmot Precip)

storm whistle

waterproof pack cover

food for the day (plus a few Clif Bars just in case)

water

water purification tablets (Katadyn Micropur)

compact binoculars (Nikon)

survival knife (SOG Seal Pup)

First aid kit/w plenty of moleskins, and tube of Aquaphor

small roll of duct tape

50 feet of parachute cord

insect repellent (in insect season)

small tripod for digital camera (Gorillapod)

TP

hand sanitizer

sunscreen

digital camera (Canon A570)

What NO GPSr?