Caching Gear

[+steppe-up]

Aside from your GPS and other tech equipment, what other gear do you take when you go cache hunting? So far, I've learned to bring a pen, tweezers, paper (in case the log is wet, full, or missing), and a flashlight. What other kinds of tools come in handy?

Thanks for any advice

steppe-up

[Andronicus]

Geocaching bag contains:

Water

Granola Bars

Knife

Spare Batteries

Geocoin

Toilet Paper (in zipplock)

Home Made First Aid Kit (in zipplock)

Pencil

Magnet on a stick

Gloves

Swagg (in zipplock)

Gerber mulit-tool

75 Lumin head lamp

Old Camera

Emergency log book (printed from Geocaching University)

(for benchmarking, not geocaching)

garden spaid

12' screwdriver

 

For significant hikes or scrambles, I will pack differently.

Edit: I used to bring a compass, but I had to trade that.

Edited December 14, 2012 by Andronicus

[+WRASTRO]

The list depends on where I am caching. These days most of my caching is in urbanized areas so the list is pretty short. I usually take my GPS or Android phone, but not always. I almost always remember to take a writing stick. Sometimes I forget and have to sign with a stick and some mud.

[+niraD]

This may help:

http://www.cacheopedia.com/wiki/Things_to_bring_in_the_woods

 

Other than my phone with Neongeo, I always carry pens (gel pens, Fisher Space Pens, ultra-fine Sharpies), log sheets printed on weatherproof paper, my own personal signature tokens, and small trade items to leave in exchange when I trade for personal signature items left by others. Everything else depends on where I'm going.

[+maxx borchovski]

I keep one of these in my wallet

Has pen, tweezers, poky little stick, scissors and a small knife. Always ready for a driveby should my GPS tell me I'm close by.

 

Other than that, all of the above, except the spade.

 

I do have a hi-vis vest and a clipboard. whilst urban caching looking offical with a clipboard will usually get you ignored by passers by. Another disguise is the hi-vis vest, a bin bag and a litter grabber... who gives a second look to a street cleaner poking around at the side of the road and any litter around gets removed at the same time, double win.

[+macatac1961]

Geocaching bag contains:

Water

Granola Bars

Knife

Spare Batteries

Geocoin

Toilet Paper (in zipplock)

Home Made First Aid Kit (in zipplock)

Pencil

Magnet on a stick

Gloves

Swagg (in zipplock)

Gerber mulit-tool

75 Lumin head lamp

Old Camera

Emergency log book (printed from Geocaching University)

(for benchmarking, not geocaching)

garden spaid

12' screwdriver

 

For significant hikes or scrambles, I will pack differently.

Edit: I used to bring a compass, but I had to trade that.

 

That's a big screwdriver. I'd add a compass to this list. You never know, technology might let you down just when you need it most.

[+MountainWoods]

Besides a pen and my GPSr, I carry a nail puller that looks just like the one displayed in this page:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_142012-1431-134_?PL=1&productId=1016487

 

I started to carry it in my glove compartment. But then I realized that if I ever got stopped, someone might think that I use it for road rage! So I keep it under my front seat where it is inaccessible when I am driving.

 

I mainly use it for the hook end. I was thinking of using a back scratcher or some such, but it needs to be sturdier than most back scratchers. I use it for those caches that are hidden away in a rotting log, or ones that require carefully pulling out rocks in a hillside, or that are buried and should not be, and so on. I'm careful not to damage the area.

 

The area that I live in and do most of my geocaching has a lot of brown recluse spiders. And then there are snakes and other spiders. We also live just far enough south that there are scorpions, which love to live in rotting wood.

 

I'd really rather not have my hand be the first thing going into some places.

 

When I get out of the car, I subtly slide my geo-tool into a front pocket. (My geo-clothing - overalls - have deep pockets.) I only use it if necessary, and I be as discrete as possible when doing so. It has helped me in a bunch of situations.

[+steppe-up]

Thanks everybody! (Especially T.D.M.22 and niraD for helping me find my own thread! )

 

For tools like screwdrivers, etc...do you need these to open certain cache containers? I'd be a little nervous about taking apart any kind of public/private property. And does the spade go with the toilet paper? I've only searched city-scapes and parks, with only a few semi-rough terrain.... But someday I'll venture into the "wilderness" & it would be good to know if some caches are actually buried.

 

Thanks again, all! The link for a list of tools to take caching gave me a laugh when I got to the Bear Spray. I had to look at the site description to figure out the list was meant for the woods, lol! And the vest & clipboard sound like a great muggle disguise!

[+BAMBOOZLE]

With the amount of micro's out there you need a telescoping mirror....I've tried many but the Ullman HT-S2 ( Amazon $11.00) is the best...its a 3" round mirror that telescopes out over 2 feet but closes small enough to fit in a pocket or belt pouch.....I use it for well over 50% of my finds, saves your back and knees. Also in my pouch is a high intensity flashlight, very small leatherman pliers,tweezers, and a telescoping magnet.

You'll need a hiking stick,hat,hiking boots, long pants, and bug spray. A Sharpie signs almost any log and my pocket screwdriver serves as a small probe. On my belt hangs a 1 foot piece of 1/4" SS rod with a bend on one end....its for rooting around where you really don't want to put your fingers and dragging out ammo cans and lifting rocks..... I chew gum which has retrieved at least 6 caches.

I've cached coast to coast, mountain, dessert, swamp, etc and the above is all I've ever needed.

Of the above, the mirror, hiking stick,and probe are what I use constantly.

 

Note : special caches will require a canoe or other equipment.

[+St.Matthew]

In addition to what others have mentioned I bring a pair of handheld garden shears. They're great for bushwhacking. Sometimes it is easier to cut down thorns rather then beat them down with a walking stick.

 

Regarding attire, I have no idea why so many cachers wear camo. I wear white or light colors when in the woods. This makes ticks stick out. You can't see ticks well on camo clothes.

[+steppe-up]

Oops, error.

Edited December 15, 2012 by steppe-up

[+steppe-up]

Thanks for these ideas. Bamboozle, where did you find the telescoping magnet? And does an extendable grabber work as well as your litter grabber (or are they the same thing?)? Does it reach into spots too narrow for an arm and/or bend around corners?

Happy caching everybody

Edited December 15, 2012 by steppe-up

[+steppe-up]

With the amount of micro's out there you need a telescoping mirror....I've tried many but the Ullman HT-S2 ( Amazon $11.00) is the best...its a 3" round mirror that telescopes out over 2 feet but closes small enough to fit in a pocket or belt pouch.....I use it for well over 50% of my finds, saves your back and knees. Also in my pouch is a high intensity flashlight, very small leatherman pliers,tweezers, and a telescoping magnet.

You'll need a hiking stick,hat,hiking boots, long pants, and bug spray. A Sharpie signs almost any log and my pocket screwdriver serves as a small probe. On my belt hangs a 1 foot piece of 1/4" SS rod with a bend on one end....its for rooting around where you really don't want to put your fingers and dragging out ammo cans and lifting rocks..... I chew gum which has retrieved at least 6 caches.

I've cached coast to coast, mountain, dessert, swamp, etc and the above is all I've ever needed.

Of the above, the mirror, hiking stick,and probe are what I use constantly.

 

Note : special caches will require a canoe or other equipment.

 

Do you ever wish your telescoping mirror also had a light? And a review said the mirror joint loses its tension--have you had trouble with this? Wish I could find this sort of thing in a store to avoid shipping fees. Anyhow, happy hunting!

[+MountainWoods]

Geocaching bag contains:

...

12' screwdriver

 

For significant hikes or scrambles, I will pack differently.

Edit: I used to bring a compass, but I had to trade that.

 

What in the world do you do with a 12 foot screwdriver? Is that for caches that you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole?!?

[+uxorious]

With the amount of micro's out there you need a telescoping mirror....I've tried many but the Ullman HT-S2 ( Amazon $11.00) is the best...its a 3" round mirror that telescopes out over 2 feet but closes small enough to fit in a pocket or belt pouch.....I use it for well over 50% of my finds, saves your back and knees. Also in my pouch is a high intensity flashlight, very small leatherman pliers,tweezers, and a telescoping magnet.

You'll need a hiking stick,hat,hiking boots, long pants, and bug spray. A Sharpie signs almost any log and my pocket screwdriver serves as a small probe. On my belt hangs a 1 foot piece of 1/4" SS rod with a bend on one end....its for rooting around where you really don't want to put your fingers and dragging out ammo cans and lifting rocks..... I chew gum which has retrieved at least 6 caches.

I've cached coast to coast, mountain, dessert, swamp, etc and the above is all I've ever needed.

Of the above, the mirror, hiking stick,and probe are what I use constantly.

 

Note : special caches will require a canoe or other equipment.

 

Do you ever wish your telescoping mirror also had a light? And a review said the mirror joint loses its tension--have you had trouble with this? Wish I could find this sort of thing in a store to avoid shipping fees. Anyhow, happy hunting!

 

You can find telescoping mirrors at most auto parts stores and most hardware stores. Lowes and Home Depot have them. My local Wal Mart also has them.

 

As for what I carry. I wear a lanyard to hook my GPS'r on. I have a pair of tweezes and a pen on the lanyard, so I never forget them. I also carry the telescoping mirror, and gloves.

 

This is the bare minimum, I add a lot more for longer cache days, and for longer hikes.

[Andronicus]

...For tools like screwdrivers, etc...do you need these to open certain cache containers? I'd be a little nervous about taking apart any kind of public/private property. And does the spade go with the toilet paper? I've only searched city-scapes and parks, with only a few semi-rough terrain.... But someday I'll venture into the "wilderness" & it would be good to know if some caches are actually buried.

...

Geocaching bag contains:

...

12' screwdriver

 

For significant hikes or scrambles, I will pack differently.

Edit: I used to bring a compass, but I had to trade that.

 

What in the world do you do with a 12 foot screwdriver? Is that for caches that you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole?!?

Ok, the spade and screwdriver are for benchmarking. Old or rairly found survey markeres are often burried under a few inches of dirst. The screwdriver is used as a probe (stab into ground until you hear it hit metal). Being from a Metric country, I don't use inches and feet much. I thought I was writing 12 inches, not 12 feet. So it is a 12" screwdriver.

 

The toilet paper is for either backcountry hiking, or for the kids ("Dad, I have to go pee." "Can't you wait for 10 min." "No!" "Ok, let's go behind this tree.")

[+BAMBOOZLE]

With the amount of micro's out there you need a telescoping mirror....I've tried many but the Ullman HT-S2 ( Amazon $11.00) is the best...its a 3" round mirror that telescopes out over 2 feet but closes small enough to fit in a pocket or belt pouch.....I use it for well over 50% of my finds, saves your back and knees. Also in my pouch is a high intensity flashlight, very small leatherman pliers,tweezers, and a telescoping magnet.

You'll need a hiking stick,hat,hiking boots, long pants, and bug spray. A Sharpie signs almost any log and my pocket screwdriver serves as a small probe. On my belt hangs a 1 foot piece of 1/4" SS rod with a bend on one end....its for rooting around where you really don't want to put your fingers and dragging out ammo cans and lifting rocks..... I chew gum which has retrieved at least 6 caches.

I've cached coast to coast, mountain, dessert, swamp, etc and the above is all I've ever needed.

Of the above, the mirror, hiking stick,and probe are what I use constantly.

 

Note : special caches will require a canoe or other equipment.

 

Do you ever wish your telescoping mirror also had a light? And a review said the mirror joint loses its tension--have you had trouble with this? Wish I could find this sort of thing in a store to avoid shipping fees. Anyhow, happy hunting!

 

As said, Loews and Home Depot sell sets containing the mirror, grabber,magnet, etc......the mirror isn't as good as the 3" Ullman ( I've tried lots of mirrors)....if I need a light to go with the mirror I use my flashlight ( I use Surefire products...pricey, but they light up the woods.)

DON'T PUT YOUR FINGERS WHERE YOU CAN"T SEE !!....on a local run of 12 caches I found 7 Black Widows......they love guard rails and LPC's.

[+dprovan]

I don't know where those guys put all that stuff, but here's what I carry: 8" needle nose tweezers, expandable 32" hook, a tiny flashlight, a small note pad, and 3 pens. I started carrying that stuff for geocaching, but nowadays I just always have it in my pocket.

 

I tried to carry 8' tweezers, but they kept falling out of my pocket.

[+Bushwalker53]

My geobag contains:

 

A camera

tweezers

notepad

pen

a plastic container with swag

spare baggies

spare logbooks

microfibre cloths (Drying out wet caches)

Bags for CITO

Gardening gloves (Poking around in dark spidery places)

Flashlight with built in extending magnet tool

dental mirror, Looking for micros under hidden places.

Water bottle

snacks

small, simple first aid kit

snake bite kit.

 

That is basically what I would pack if I'm going out into the bush for lots of caches.

 

Everyday geobag has

 

A camera

tweezers

notepad

pen

a plastic container with swag

spare baggies

spare logbooks

microfibre cloths (Drying out wet caches)

small, simple first aid kit

Flashlight with built in extending magnet tool

dental mirror, Looking for micros under hidden places.

Water bottle

 

Hope this helps

[+briansnat]

If I'm caching around the city or suburbs in addition to the GPS I usually bring my camera, some bug repellent (in season), pen, bag of swag and some water.

 

If I'm caching in the forest or otherwise off the beaten path to that I add everything that I might need to spend an unexpected night or two outdoors. My pack includes extra warm clothing, fire starters/waterproof matches,knife,compass and map, flashlight, extra batteries, extra food and water, water purifying tablets, TP and a waterproof bivy shelter.

[+steppe-up]

Do you ever wish your telescoping mirror also had a light? And a review said the mirror joint loses its tension--have you had trouble with this? Wish I could find this sort of thing in a store to avoid shipping fees. Anyhow, happy hunting!

 

You can find telescoping mirrors at most auto parts stores and most hardware stores. Lowes and Home Depot have them. My local Wal Mart also has them.

 

As for what I carry. I wear a lanyard to hook my GPS'r on. I have a pair of tweezes and a pen on the lanyard, so I never forget them. I also carry the telescoping mirror, and gloves.

 

This is the bare minimum, I add a lot more for longer cache days, and for longer hikes.

 

Thanks . The auto store I called did indeed have telescoping mirrors. Thanks for saving me some $$!

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Almost everybody has telescoping mirrors.....they are just not 3" round ones.....I've tested a lot of them and there is a difference.

That said, any mirror will help.....I'm amazed by folks that have cached quite a while and still don't carry a mirror.

Don't forget the gum.....just last week a bison with a magnet on one end was hidden in a 1/2" piece of pvc pipe.....someone put it back upside down and a metal rod could not be used for retrieval...thats where the gum came in handy ( there have been others)

[Lonely Nut (Peanut)]

I have mostly the same: gel pens, pencil, multi-tool, paper, my phone (which is also my camera), notebook, swag, battery-less flashlight, etc.

But I never thought of a mirror - that's a good one.

I do have some duct tape which no one has mentioned.

I don't wear anything special when going out, just the same as camping - something comfortable & that I don't mind getting muddy.

 

And everything stays in my fabulous Geo Bag so it's all in one spot and contained, I can wear it out and grab & go.

[+AKStafford]

I just ordered a Maxpedition Sitka Gearslinger for my new geobag... http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Sitka-Gearslinger-2p926.htm

[+maxx borchovski]

 

Flexible light for use with telescope mirror, just need to get a magnetic mirror, or better yet an electro-magnet that can be turned off/on as needed on your mirror.

 

There is an idea for a project, combining a mirror / light / magnet onto a single device.

[+maxx borchovski]

USB endoscope / light under $40

 

Hows this for high tech?

 

Add that to your laptop / tablet and you have a really nice way of looking in hard to reach places. All we need is a bluetooth version that works with android...

Edited December 19, 2012 by maxxborchovski

[+WRASTRO]

Almost everybody has telescoping mirrors.....they are just not 3" round ones.....I've tested a lot of them and there is a difference.

That said, any mirror will help.....I'm amazed by folks that have cached quite a while and still don't carry a mirror.

Don't forget the gum.....just last week a bison with a magnet on one end was hidden in a 1/2" piece of pvc pipe.....someone put it back upside down and a metal rod could not be used for retrieval...thats where the gum came in handy ( there have been others)

 

Perhaps almost everyone in your area has and carries a telescoping mirror and uses it for many or most of their cache finds. I have a small one (1.5" mirror, 36" length) and have used it a handful of times in nine years. I think it must depend on your area and the critters you may encounter. For me in the Pacific NW a decent pokey stick is a frequent aid in finding containers covered by leaves and other tree crud. I have never used gum to retrive a container either.

[+maxx borchovski]

I found that my litter picker is great for me, not only can it be used as part of a disguise in urban, muggle heavy areas, It allows me to reach caches I would normally not be able to reach whilst recovering from my spinal injury. It cost less than a fiver on the popular auction site.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Almost everybody has telescoping mirrors.....they are just not 3" round ones.....I've tested a lot of them and there is a difference.

That said, any mirror will help.....I'm amazed by folks that have cached quite a while and still don't carry a mirror.

Don't forget the gum.....just last week a bison with a magnet on one end was hidden in a 1/2" piece of pvc pipe.....someone put it back upside down and a metal rod could not be used for retrieval...thats where the gum came in handy ( there have been others)

 

Perhaps almost everyone in your area has and carries a telescoping mirror and uses it for many or most of their cache finds. I have a small one (1.5" mirror, 36" length) and have used it a handful of times in nine years. I think it must depend on your area and the critters you may encounter. For me in the Pacific NW a decent pokey stick is a frequent aid in finding containers covered by leaves and other tree crud. I have never used gum to retrive a container either.

 

There are just so many micros out there now.......I have always loaded PQ's and take them as they come and I see 57% of my finds are micros...micros are typically hidden under, over, or behind something so they can be out of sight so on the vast majority of searches I use the mirror.

Caching in the NW I still saw lots of micros and, as you say, there were some requiring poking with our hiking sticks.