10 Essentials of caching

[Shop Geocaching]

A geocaching essentials kit has been talked about at Groundspeak for the Shop Geocaching site. We want to know - what would be in your 10 essentials of geocaching kit? What's automatically in your geocaching pack every time you leave the house? We're familiar with the general 10 essentials - what are your 10 geocaching essentials?

[+USMCGecko]

1.Fine Tip Permanent marker.(writes on anything)

2.Bug Repellent Wipes

3.Roll of Camo Tape

4.First Aid Kit

5.Pick up Claw tool, Small Parts Grabber

6.Extra Batteries

7.Ziplock type bags

8.GPS

9.Signature Swag items

10.Small LED Hand powered flashlight

Edited April 4, 2012 by USMCGecko

[+firestronaut]

My GPS

Swag

Disposable, biodegradable gloves

Torch

Water

Snacks

Battery pack

A pen and pencil

Baggies

Antibacterial wipes

 

 

I mainly geocache in urban areas because I live in a big city, I usually make sure I have bus/taxi fare too, in case I wander too far (I usually go out with the little one who gets tired easily). I also carry sellotape (temporary emergency cache repairs). I also carry spare strips of paper incase the log is full

[+6NoisyHikers]

We are suburban/regional park cachers. We are rarely farther than 15 mins from city amenities so we don't pack too much along with us. Here is our standard list:

 

GPS (duh! how many times have we forgot that!)

Two or three Sharpie pens

Spare Batteries

Ziplock bags in various sizes

Paper towel/wet wipes

Swag in various sizes

First-aid kit

Notebook

Camera

Flashlight

Edited April 4, 2012 by 6NoisyHikers

[knowschad]

I suspect the purpose of this thread has something to do with putting a new product together, in which case, GPS is probably not necessary as one of the 10 items. I would replace GPS with a telescoping mirror, but one with at least a 3" mirror. Those with the little mirrors are next to useless.

[+bladesedge]

1. A PILE OF PENS!!! I invariable lose one

2. GPS!

3. My list of caches I'm going to do, and the directions to get to each one

4. Complete spare change of clothes

5. Spare batteries for the GPS

6. Maps of the area incase the roads are not as they are on google when I mapped out my route. This can be a map book or my tablet - although the tablet is no good out of coverage unless I've 'downloaded' the maps onto Neongeo

7. Full tank of gas - as I'm caching int he weekend and normally out in the wopwops, petrol stations are hard to come by.... and in smaller locations aren;t always open on a Sunday.

8. Bottle of drinking water - for the same as above - not always able to find somewhere to have a drink.

9. A new cache to be hidden - if I find somewhere suitable.

and

10. Replacement supplies for caches along the way. Bags, logs, pencils etc.

[+SwineFlew]

I suspect the purpose of this thread has something to do with putting a new product together, in which case, GPS is probably not necessary as one of the 10 items. I would replace GPS with a telescoping mirror, but one with at least a 3" mirror. Those with the little mirrors are next to useless.

 

Yep!

 

I wont say what the 10 Essentials I take with me since they are doing it for a profit.

[+M 5]

I don't carry them, but a nano log roller tool and tweezers if you are putting a kit together, with BASIC cache maint supplies. (baggies, golf pencil, spare log, paper towels, electrical tape) not containers!!!!!!

[+6NoisyHikers]

 

Yep!

 

I wont say what the 10 Essentials I take with me since they are doing it for a profit.

 

And I will say what I take with me because anything that keeps Groundspeak in business keeps me caching and I'm all for that!

 

[+littlegemsy]

I'm too new to do 10 but I can add some...

 

1) Tweezers (really for nanos/micros, though I guess also for any other delicate work)

2) A "wet ink" pen - not sure of the technical name, basically the ink is far less prone to freezing then in biros and similar.

3) Pencil (pen failure backup)

4) Tissues/something to dry things

[+DragonsWest]

1. Pens. Lots and lots of pens. A couple dozen, just to be safe.

2. Spare log strips - Rite in Rain, for those puny caches which have entries scribbled in every margin.

3. Spare socks. I keep 'em in a Ziploc bag.

4. Compass. Not because I'm going to find a cache with, but because it's far more precise for Benchmarks, which I'll seek of the opportunity presents itself.

5. Vault o' trackables. A Therapak canister to keep them from sinking to the bottom of my pack or getting beat up and dirty

6. At least 30 feet of climbing rope and one 2000 Kg carabiner. Comes in handy.

7. Fluid refreshment - at least a litre, more if the weather is hot.

8. Trade items. Whatever I've picked up and grew tired of or have too many of at home.

9. Flashlight. Mostly for peeking in dark places, but handy when meeting n00b hikers in over their heads.

10. Spare batteries. At least 10 sets. Cuz you never know...

[+StarBrand]

For me:

 

1) Spare batteries for the GPS (AA)

2) Pen(I prefer the Uniball Powertank RT (pressurized ink writes on wet, upside down and in the cold)), backup sharp pencil

3) Spare logs (both micro sheets and a spare mini notebook)

4) Hat (appropriate for season)

5) Water (stainless steel bottle)

6) Small Waterproof container (used for protecting broken cache items and/or carrying small items[ziplocs, matches, tissues])

7) Emergency Blanket and Emergency poncho

8) Small Flashlight

9) First Aid Kit / Insect Bite Kit /Splinter Kit (all in one - includes tweezers)

10) Map of area

11) Data for the caches I intend to find.

[+briansnat]

1. mini roll of duct tape

2. small flashlight (mini mag lite, etc.)

3. tweezers

4. Gel pen

5. extra AA batteries

6. inspection mirror

7. a few baggies in several sizes.

8. Insect repellent wipes

9. Packable Raincoat (or if making up a kit, one of those emergency ponchos)

10. Whistle (in case lost or injured)

[knowschad]

1. mini roll of duct tape

2. small flashlight (mini mag lite, etc.)

3. tweezers

4. Gel pen

5. extra AA batteries

6. inspection mirror

7. a few baggies in several sizes.

8. Insect repellent wipes

9. Packable Raincoat (or if making up a kit, one of those emergency ponchos)

10. Whistle (in case lost or injured)

 

If Groundspeak put together a neat little kit of these items, it would be a perfect getting started kit! A Space Blanket and some sort of fire starter would be a good idea for more remote caching trips.

[+Fianccetto]

1 A good, fine tipped, pen

2 AA batteries, in pairs and a marked bag for 'spent' ones.

3 small rite in the rain log for taking notes, TB numbers, and spare sheets of log paper.

4 Tweezers (I have some with a light).

5 swag, each in a ziplock bag ( various sized bags can be good used seperately).

6 hand warmers (winter) sun bloc (summer).

7 magnet on a string.

8 telescopic mirror.

9 pick up claw/grabber

10 A really bright, small, head torch.

 

So that's my wish list, my actual list consists of the first 6 of those, then a walking stick, TBs, camera, tissues or wipes, some bags for CITO and fruit picking, water, phone, change, sticking plasters in a tin, compass, tape measure, pencil sharpener.

 

You could probably do a basic version of the cheaper items for around $5 and a full gadget version which would make a great gift.

[+Moose Mob]

1. Pen

2. varies

3. varies

4. varies

5. varies

6. varies

7. varies

8. varies

9. varies

10. varies

[+Fianccetto]

I just had an idea for something neat to add - a reversible drawstring bag with 'new batteries' on outside, 'spent batteries' on the inside, big enough for 2 AAs, made out of something waterproof.

[+Fianccetto]

1. Pen

2. varies

3. varies

4. varies

5. varies

6. varies

7. varies

8. varies

9. varies

10. varies

Good point...maybe a pick n mix option is a good idea.

[+niraD]

When I go geocaching, I always have the following:

• Android phone with Neongeo, Groundspeak's Geocaching app, GPS Averaging, GPS Status, Docs, WhereYouGo, ROT13 Geheimschrift, and other apps; and/or GPSr.
  
• Personal sig tokens and small ziplock bags for them.
  
• Ultrafine Sharpie marker, Fisher Space pen, Pilot G-2 mini pens.
  
• Small trade items to leave in exchange for others' personal sig items.
  
• Supplemental log sheets with an edited cache note at the top.
  
• Leatherman micra.
  
• LED penlight.
  
• Hand sanitizer.
  
• Any trackables I've picked up that I haven't dropped yet.
  
• Paper notepad.
  
• Plastic bags (for CITO).

I usually use my phone. If the terrain is rugged, or if I'm going to be geocaching for longer than a couple hours, then I use my GPSr for navigation and use my phone only for paperless data and field notes. If it's wet (e.g., geo-kayaking), then I leave the phone in the car and take only the GPSr.

 

The Leatherman micra has small tweezers, although I usually don't need them for nano-cache logs.

 

Depending on the situation, I may also bring outdoor gear (e.g., food, water, hat, sunscreen, first aid kit, hiking staff, camera, big flashlight, headlamp, batteries, whistle, compass, maps), and I may bring other geocaching gear (e.g., telescoping magnetic pick-up tool, telescoping mirror, larger trade items, clipboard, hardcopy cache descriptions).

[+NYPaddleCacher]

1. mini roll of duct tape

2. small flashlight (mini mag lite, etc.)

3. tweezers

4. Gel pen

5. extra AA batteries

6. inspection mirror

7. a few baggies in several sizes.

8. Insect repellent wipes

9. Packable Raincoat (or if making up a kit, one of those emergency ponchos)

10. Whistle (in case lost or injured)

 

If Groundspeak put together a neat little kit of these items, it would be a perfect getting started kit! A Space Blanket and some sort of fire starter would be a good idea for more remote caching trips.

 

Brian's list is a good one and although the inclusion of a packable raincoat, poncho, space blanket, and fire starter are good items to bring while geocaching, they're (along with the whistle) are items that one might want to carry when just going on a hike. Since this is a 10 essentials for geocaching, it might be more useful to identify items that are specifically useful when geocaching and assume that we should have another essentials list for things one might want to bright when going out into the great outdoors.

[+Walts Hunting]

For me it is GPS, tweezers and pen. Nothing else necessary

[+DragonsWest]

The grim reality of my pack is I have a lot more than 10 essentials. The other debris which can be found from time to time, depending upon hike and weather:

 

Mirror and auxilliary mirror.

Bubble soap - not for trade, but for blowing bubbles.

Duct tape - camo

Banana (smushed)

Pear - lovingly packed in a lock & lock

Whistle

Frog watch (traded for then fixed)

Sandwich or two (smushed)

One ancient Clif bar, which looks like it's been stepped on about 30 times

Cache containers, various sizes

A book

A map (possibly for the right park)

Plastic bags for opportunity CITO

Binder clips (for no apparent reason)

Swiss Tool - don't cache without it!

A couple of cameras, each with its one strength and many weaknesses

 

Honestly .. I have no idea why this thing weighs 25 pounds...

[+redsox_mark]

I am far less organized. Apart from the GPSr and phone, the only thing I always have is a pen. Most of the time I have a walking stick and spare batteries. If I'm walking any distance I'll bring a backpack, with water, maybe a snack. A flashlight if I remember. A pair of gloves. If it might rain, a raincoat. I'm thinking of getting a whistle to help ward off cattle.

[I!]

1. A pen.
   
2. Some cash.
   
3. That TB I picked up four months ago and keep meaning to move on.
   
4. A thesaurus, in case I need to write a really rude log.

Any preparation beyond that just isn't worth the bother.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

My top 10 list:

1. pens - Rite in the rain inkpen, sharpies, replacement pens for caches

2. small notepad - I use this a lot for field notes

3. first aid kit

4. multi-tool / swiss army knife - one with scissors + tweezers is really useful

5. spare batteries for GPS and flashlight in a small case

6. small cache repair kit

7. trash bag

8. sun glasses (replaceable lenses - I use clear ones when the light isn't good enough but I still want eye protection)

9. gloves

10. LED flashlight

 

But really, I also carry:

11. Water

12. at least a small snack

13. actually about 3 LED flashlights... (All are shock proof / water proof)

14. hand-sanitizer

15. Small "Tide-to-go" packets - not really for geocaching, I just spill food on myself in the car all the time...

16. Tissues

17. insect repellent

18. packable rain poncho

19. whistle

20. pepper spray

21. knife (in addition to the multi-tool)

22. digital camera + spare battery & memory card

23. small inspection mirror

24. Hat

25. Walking stick

26. Stuff to trade.

27. Small UV LED light

28. no contact AC current detector (mostly because of all the threads about the perils of fake electrical equipment hides)

29. About $5 in quarters in a small container in case I have to pay a parking meter.

30. Spare lanyard

31. A couple of carabiners

 

Cache repair kit:

1. pre-printed rite in the rain replacement log sheets

2. spare plastic baggies

3. super glue

4. Some small magnets

 

I need to add:

- small roll of duct tape

- small tube of sunblock

- probably a small length of cord

 

[+Snoogans]

A geocaching essentials kit has been talked about at Groundspeak for the Shop Geocaching site. We want to know - what would be in your 10 essentials of geocaching kit? What's automatically in your geocaching pack every time you leave the house? We're familiar with the general 10 essentials - what are your 10 geocaching essentials?

 

Try as I might, I just can't limit it to 10.

 

I have 1-4 & 15 with me at all times for the occasional opportunistic find, but if I'm gonna go caching for a day or longer... Which usually means several states...

 

1 Writing instruments with the main pen on a lanyard (Pen. Back-up pen. Back-up-back-up pencil.)

 

2 Something to tell me where the cache is and paperless cache info. (iPhone, Geomate, 60csx) + spare batteries.

 

3 An assortment of my signature smashed pennies.

 

4 Flashlight + Back-up flashlight. + 1 spare lithium battery.

 

5 Personal protective equipment aka PPE - Safety glasses for off trail. Sunglasses for UV. Gloves (1pr heavy work gloves, 2pr nitrile)

 

6 Mirrors (1 small hand mirror, 1 small telescoping mirror) You guys reach under there. No thanks. I'll take a peek first.

Brown recluse and black widow spiders are nasty critters:

7 Fluorescent yellow vest for caches near roads or to use as cover while picking up trash when waiting for a GZ to clear out of muggle activity or to grab the cache without looking like a suspicious person.

 

8 Plastic grocery store bags for CITO + 1 large kitchen trash bag to use as cover with the yellow vest.

 

9 1st aid supplies because if I'm not bleeding, I didn't maximize my adventure to its fullest potential. Kit also includes techno, deep woods off, and sunblock.

 

10 Walking stick + Hat (Real Deal Brazil)

 

11 Grabber device. Basically a 3.5 foot reach extension.

 

12 Cache repair kit. Stricty for caches that are a short hike from the car.

 

13 Laser pointer. You'd be surprised how good these work for finding a cache in underbrush or bushes.

 

14 Telescoping magnet and magnet on a string.

 

15 Gun.

 

16 Most of the rest of the 10 essentials not already listed. Certainly more water than I would need for an entire day + snacks.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Snoogans

[+firestronaut]

Looking back, wouldn't it make sense to make different types of starter kits for different cachers?

I'm an urban cachers, and my kit would be useless to someone who goes to more remote locations, and vice versa.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Looking back, wouldn't it make sense to make different types of starter kits for different cachers?

I'm an urban cachers, and my kit would be useless to someone who goes to more remote locations, and vice versa.

 

That's why I suggested the an essentials for geocaching list should only include things used specifically for geocaching. An urban cacher probably isn't going to need a survival blanket, but things like tweezers, a flashlight, an inspection mirror, plastic baggies, roll of duct tape, etc. are things that a geocacher might use no matter where they go.

[+firestronaut]

Looking back, wouldn't it make sense to make different types of starter kits for different cachers?

I'm an urban cachers, and my kit would be useless to someone who goes to more remote locations, and vice versa.

 

That's why I suggested the an essentials for geocaching list should only include things used specifically for geocaching. An urban cacher probably isn't going to need a survival blanket, but things like tweezers, a flashlight, an inspection mirror, plastic baggies, roll of duct tape, etc. are things that a geocacher might use no matter where they go.

 

Forgive me, I misunderstood

[+Mr.Benchmark]

13 Laser pointer. You'd be surprised how good these work for finding a cache in underbrush or bushes.

 

Interesting. What color do you find most effective? Green, I assume?

[+StarBrand]

13 Laser pointer. You'd be surprised how good these work for finding a cache in underbrush or bushes.

 

Interesting. What color do you find most effective? Green, I assume?

Thats what I use - VERY effective (for certain hides).

[+Snoogans]

13 Laser pointer. You'd be surprised how good these work for finding a cache in underbrush or bushes.

 

Interesting. What color do you find most effective? Green, I assume?

Thats what I use - VERY effective (for certain hides).

 

I have a very powerful red laser. It was given to me by an engineer at work when I started doing classroom instructing and I've carried it so much that the rating sticker fell off.

 

It's not quite as powerful as the green lasers I've seen. I think its main intended use was not as a laser pointer. I believe it was possibly a survey instrument.

 

I started using it for night caching when I did that a lot on 2003-2004 and quickly stumbled into the added benefit that it worked well at revealing caches in bushes during the day.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Snoogans

[+Snoogans]

A Space Blanket ... for more remote caching trips.

 

I carried a space blanket on wilderness hikes for 15 years and the one time I needed it was the year that I decided to leave it behind.

 

I still remember it as the worst night of my life. Everything was finally soaked after 2 solid days of rain, hail and snow followed by more rain, hail, and snow. Which really is amazing to see all in the space of an hour or two several times in a day during otherwise unrelenting downpour. I was all by myself above 9,000 feet, during July monsoon, and if there hadn't been a sunny day to dry all of my stuff out on the 3rd day, I probaby would have died out there.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Snoogans

[+power69]

GPS

batteries

extra AA batteries

leather gloves

magnetic field detector[for finding nano's on that blasted black wrought iron fencing around canals]

magnetic dipole antenna

flashlight

UV light

pen

spare logsheets

[Clan Riffster]

what are your 10 geocaching essentials?

1 ) An active Groundspeak account

2 ) A relevant pocket query

3 ) A working computer

4 ) A GPSr and data cable

5 ) AA batteries

6 ) Transportation

7 ) Pokey stick

8 ) Write anywhere pen

9 ) Hydration pack

10 ) Suitable attire

[+StarBrand]

.... what are your 10 geocaching essentials?

Geocaching only.

 

1) Spare Batteries

2) Spare logsheets and a notebook

3) bag for swag and everything else (maxpedition Fatboy in my case)

4) Pen(s)/ Pencil(s) - Uniball Powertank RT pressurized ink - I prefer red

5) Tweezers

6) Ziplocs - various sizes

7) small lock-n-lock for carrying some above items and for cache protection

8) flashlight

9) Hiking Stick - also useful for poking in dark places and reaching above my head

10) Duck Tape - all kinds of uses

[+SwineFlew]

I will share one essential that is a must have.

 

Handgun.

Edited April 5, 2012 by SwineFlew

[+Fianccetto]

If we're taking essential at it's true meaning (I wouldn't go and look for a cache without...) that would be something with a GPS or phone and a pen. Nothing else is essential.

[Shop Geocaching]

Wow what great responses! Thanks everyone - this will be a good start for planning out an essentials kit or two. Keep the ideas coming if you have them!

[+Mr.Benchmark]

Wow what great responses! Thanks everyone - this will be a good start for planning out an essentials kit or two. Keep the ideas coming if you have them!

 

I'm not sure how practical this is, but perhaps you could consider a geocaching edition swiss army knife (apologies to the GSAK software). There are versions of the swiss army knife that have a pressurized mini-pen, knife, scissors, tweezers - it seems like it would be natural to pick a couple of other useful (for cachers) tools and sell them as a special edition item from geocaching.com. Perhaps you've done this type of thing before, and I'm just unaware of it. Something small and pocketable, that included a pen, would be really useful.

[+Fianccetto]

A retractable cord with a choice of interchangable attachments ... mini grappling hook, magnet, grabber, net, scoop...

[knowschad]

what are your 10 geocaching essentials?

1 ) An active Groundspeak account

2 ) A relevant pocket query

3 ) A working computer

4 ) A GPSr and data cable

5 ) AA batteries

6 ) Transportation

7 ) Pokey stick

8 ) Write anywhere pen

9 ) Hydration pack

10 ) Suitable attire

 

You forgot to list the spare film cannisters, Riff. Since two of your ten items are not physical items, and one is stuff that you wear (unless you're nude caching) you should have room for quite a few of them.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

You forgot to list the spare film cannisters, Riff. Since two of your ten items are not physical items, and one is stuff that you wear (unless you're nude caching) you should have room for quite a few of them.

 

I think that is an excellent point. The film cannisters could be added to the Groundspeak geocaching essentials kit as a way to "turn that frown upside down - and make that darned old Did Not Find log into a Found It!" They support this idea in the newsletter! Hey, you could improve your geocaching performance by up to 10-15% (that's huge!!!!), and rake in big profits for Groundspeak! Sounds like a win-win proposition to me!!!

 

I would definitely buy the official geocaching.com Throwdown Emergency Cache Maintenance kits.

 

(I am kidding, of course.)

 

edit: too much "hey".

Edited April 6, 2012 by Mr.Benchmark

[knowschad]

I will share one essential that is a must have.

 

Handgun.

 

Coming soon at shoot.Groundspeak.com:

 

[+C8W9]

I will share one essential that is a must have.

 

Handgun.

 

Coming soon at shoot.Groundspeak.com:

 

 

Hahaha!! Reminds me of the Geocaching article on Uncyclopedia...

 

Anyway...

 

1) Pen

2) Tweezers

3) Signature Stamper

4) Water

5) Pocket Torch

6) Small trinkets

 

and I tend not to carry anything else (apart from GPS / Phone, and the charger if I'm doing a lot of caches)

[+niraD]

Coming soon at shoot.Groundspeak.com:

 

I wonder what caliber a typical blinker corresponds to, and how hard it would be to reload a cartridge of that caliber with a blinker as the projectile...

[+SwineFlew]

I will share one essential that is a must have.

 

Handgun.

 

Coming soon at shoot.Groundspeak.com:

 

muahahahah

 

GOOD ONE!

[knowschad]

Wow what great responses! Thanks everyone - this will be a good start for planning out an essentials kit or two. Keep the ideas coming if you have them!

Have you got a price range in mind yet for this essentials kit?

[+Wreck Diver]

Having spent way too much time in shipwrecks, caves, collapsed buildings and dark places, I constantly carry chemical light sticks because no matter how new your flashlight is or how recently you bought those extra batteries, you'll be lucky if they actually work more than sixty minutes.

 

Pre-printed Post-its might be a useful inclusion as well that list the cache name, location, coordinates or other geographical landmark info for caches they will be seeking. Adding the pre-printed Post-its to the geocaching kit will serve as a reminder for the geocacher to leave information for family members that come home to an empty house and wonder where their Geocaching brood has gone... and where to start looking if they are seriously overdue.

 

Analog compass concludes my addendum to the other great ideas.

[Clan Riffster]

You forgot to list the spare film cannisters, Riff. Since two of your ten items are not physical items, and one is stuff that you wear (unless you're nude caching) you should have room for quite a few of them.

 

I think that is an excellent point. The film cannisters could be added to the Groundspeak geocaching essentials kit as a way to "turn that frown upside down - and make that darned old Did Not Find log into a Found It!" They support this idea in the newsletter! Hey, you could improve your geocaching performance by up to 10-15% (that's huge!!!!), and rake in big profits for Groundspeak! Sounds like a win-win proposition to me!!!

 

I would definitely buy the official geocaching.com Throwdown Emergency Cache Maintenance kits.

I think I just threw up, in my mouth... just a little.