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Lousy containers


4wheelin_fool

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List containers that notoriously fail. There appears to be a continuous issue with geocachers making mistakes in believing their containers are durable, even after finding wet ones of the same type. Altoid tins and film cans might be great in Arizona or Texas, but in wetter climates probably not.

 

Plastic Ziplock containers tend to be brittle and crack. Lock n locks are great, except for narrow sandwich containers of any brand. These are about 1 inch deep and 5 inches wide. What tends to happens is that they get stuffed with oversize objects and the seal fails. Hide one without a plastic bag, then someone will add one, and close the lid on it.

 

What else is lousy ?

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The white translucent Fuji film canisters actually seal quite well. Black Kodak ones with grey cover, not so good.

 

I think you can leave out user error - no one can design an idiot proof container that someone will not mess up. I've seen ammo cans not closed properly. Have it indoors, where it will never get wet, and someone will leave a bottle of bubble solution that leaks all over everything.

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The white translucent Fuji film canisters actually seal quite well.

I'm not sure about that. I filled one to the brim with water, closed it, and let it sit upright at home for a few months. Almost half the water has evaporated.

 

And if vapor can go out, it can certainly go in. Day/night "breathing" cycles --> condensation --> mess.

 

BTW, why aren't film cans extinct already?

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Preforms.

Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Test Tubes.

"Standard", thin plastic, blue-lidded leftover-keeping apparatuses. Failure rate increases with every factor of purchase price or lesser brand-name recognition.

What's wrong with preforms? Those things are practically indestructible.

 

As for the flip tops, I think they're called centrifuge tubes. They don't seal well to start with. It's a pain to get the log out. After a month (if that long), the plastic hinge breaks off. Another couple of weeks, someone drops the cap and loses it.

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The white translucent Fuji film canisters actually seal quite well.

I'm not sure about that. I filled one to the brim with water, closed it, and let it sit upright at home for a few months. Almost half the water has evaporated.

 

And if vapor can go out, it can certainly go in. Day/night "breathing" cycles --> condensation --> mess.

 

BTW, why aren't film cans extinct already?

Curious - have you tried that with an ammo can or Lock-n-Lock?

 

As for why they're not extinct, I really have no idea. Last time I shot a roll of film was 14 years ago. I'll ask the Costco photo guy next time I go there how often people bring film in to be processed.

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Preforms.

Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Test Tubes.

"Standard", thin plastic, blue-lidded leftover-keeping apparatuses. Failure rate increases with every factor of purchase price or lesser brand-name recognition.

What's wrong with preforms? Those things are practically indestructible.

 

As for the flip tops, I think they're called centrifuge tubes. They don't seal well to start with. It's a pain to get the log out. After a month (if that long), the plastic hinge breaks off. Another couple of weeks, someone drops the cap and loses it.

Preforms? Often the log is nearly impossible to get out, so it gets mashed or rolled improperly after a handful of finds. Then the lid won't close because the log sticks up too far. That, and not all preforms are created alike.

 

And, as they are often listed online as "waterproof" or "watertight", people assume they can use a log sheet without any bag or additional protection. That, or they won't spring for some Rite-in-the-Rain paper. So the cache itself just can't last once some water gets inside after someone decides to not screw the cap on correctly, or be sure that there isn't any water inside from rain/snow/etc.

 

(Oh, and some websites say to buy, then "Simply tighten the lid and hide it in any loose soil". <_<

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Preforms.

Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Test Tubes.

"Standard", thin plastic, blue-lidded leftover-keeping apparatuses. Failure rate increases with every factor of purchase price or lesser brand-name recognition.

What's wrong with preforms? Those things are practically indestructible.

 

I have used preforms for submerged caches and they held up quite well. They are my go-to container (with a little camo paint on them) for when I need a large micro container. I have not had one fail yet.

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Preforms? Often the log is nearly impossible to get out, so it gets mashed or rolled improperly after a handful of finds. Then the lid won't close because the log sticks up too far.

 

I use cardstock, cut into strips narrow enough to slip inside, and about 1/2"-3/4" shorter than the interior length. I staple a few slips together and have no issues with people getting the log out (just slides right out). It also leaves room for a small pencil. Since I tend to hide these things where fewer and fewer people seem to venture (i.e. in the woods and not parking lots) a few slips last a loooong time.

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Curious - have you tried that with an ammo can or Lock-n-Lock?

Nope, sorry.

 

It wasn't a caching experiment. I needed a non-floating spacer (I'd added a rock too) to keep some sous vide bags apart. That was months ago, and it's been in a drawer ever since. Evaporating.

 

Oh, and when I handled that sealed, half-filled Fuji film can while writing that last post, my hands got wet. It leaks.

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Preforms? Often the log is nearly impossible to get out, so it gets mashed or rolled improperly after a handful of finds. Then the lid won't close because the log sticks up too far.

 

I use cardstock, cut into strips narrow enough to slip inside, and about 1/2"-3/4" shorter than the interior length. I staple a few slips together and have no issues with people getting the log out (just slides right out). It also leaves room for a small pencil. Since I tend to hide these things where fewer and fewer people seem to venture (i.e. in the woods and not parking lots) a few slips last a loooong time.

I was going to say the same thing. I use the same thing for matchsafes. MUCH easier than rolling up the log.

 

Groundspeak has the luxury version with a mini preform, or you can get it from rotolog.de (which is where Groundspeak got theirs from) :

 

49_0.JPG

 

Or you can make your own with a stapler. Or cardstock, a hole puncher, and a Chicago screw if you want the same thing rotolog sells.

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Preforms.

Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Test Tubes.

"Standard", thin plastic, blue-lidded leftover-keeping apparatuses. Failure rate increases with every factor of purchase price or lesser brand-name recognition.

What's wrong with preforms? Those things are practically indestructible.

 

As for the flip tops, I think they're called centrifuge tubes. They don't seal well to start with. It's a pain to get the log out. After a month (if that long), the plastic hinge breaks off. Another couple of weeks, someone drops the cap and loses it.

 

Ughhhh. I am so irritated when I find a centrifuge tube hide. The pop top is almost always hanging open. Scrolls are often a mess and full. But people love them because you can turn a piece of gum or bottle cap, or stone, or golf ball, or rubber ball or sooooo many free and cheap needle-in-a-haystack hides and they're guaranteed to get lots of favorite points.

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Preforms.

Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Test Tubes.

"Standard", thin plastic, blue-lidded leftover-keeping apparatuses. Failure rate increases with every factor of purchase price or lesser brand-name recognition.

What's wrong with preforms? Those things are practically indestructible.

 

I have used preforms for submerged caches and they held up quite well. They are my go-to container (with a little camo paint on them) for when I need a large micro container. I have not had one fail yet.

 

They are probably the best micro container. What I don't like is when they get listed as small. A lot of preforms that I have found are listed as small, yet the owner writes - "BYOP, there's no room for a pencil". If there's no room for a pencil then it's a micro, not a small.

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Preforms? Often the log is nearly impossible to get out, so it gets mashed or rolled improperly after a handful of finds. Then the lid won't close because the log sticks up too far.

 

I use cardstock, cut into strips narrow enough to slip inside, and about 1/2"-3/4" shorter than the interior length. I staple a few slips together and have no issues with people getting the log out (just slides right out). It also leaves room for a small pencil. Since I tend to hide these things where fewer and fewer people seem to venture (i.e. in the woods and not parking lots) a few slips last a loooong time.

I was going to say the same thing. I use the same thing for matchsafes. MUCH easier than rolling up the log.

 

Groundspeak has the luxury version with a mini preform, or you can get it from rotolog.de (which is where Groundspeak got theirs from) :

 

49_0.JPG

 

Or you can make your own with a stapler. Or cardstock, a hole puncher, and a Chicago screw if you want the same thing rotolog sells.

See, that's what you'd hope for. I count the two of your examples of good logbooks in a preform as unicorns in the greater caching world; I hear they exist, but I've never seen one. :laughing:

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Dollar store fake Lock & Locks.

 

Only the authentic Lock & Lock actually works. Look for the logo on the container.

lnl_logo.jpg

 

The dollar store variety isn't watertight and the tabs break off quickly.

 

610129a5c1b56dd98ea50de45bb38076.jpg

So far, name brand knock-offs don't seem to be much better either.

We picked up a stack of Rubbermaid with the tabs for product testing and most of the tabs warped a month or two out in the yard.

Shame, the heavy silicone-like seal looked like it'd be okay.

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The white translucent Fuji film canisters actually seal quite well.

I'm not sure about that. I filled one to the brim with water, closed it, and let it sit upright at home for a few months. Almost half the water has evaporated.

 

And if vapor can go out, it can certainly go in. Day/night "breathing" cycles --> condensation --> mess.

Curious - have you tried that with an ammo can or Lock-n-Lock?

Now you've made me curious, so I think I'll try it myself on some Lock 'n' Locks when I get home. I'll fill a couple of cammoed Lock 'n' Locks (real name brand ones) with water, keep one inside and leave one outside to experience environmental changes, and I'll report back in a few months. My balcony can get pretty warm when the sun is on it even at this time of year, and then cool way down at night, so I'm curious to see how that one fares.

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Even real lock & locks are lousy when left in full sun exposure. Cover them with duct tape or quality paint. I had a couple left exposed by cachers for 6 months and the tabs broke off when I opened them.

Agreed. Any plastic container must be protected from UV exposure or the plastic will become brittle. I've seen a number of Lock 'n' Locks with tabs broken off, and they're invariably ones that haven't been protected.

 

I've used the Krylon camo paint with much success for many of my containers, and the local globally-known online caching store uses the same for the ones they sell.

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Pouch caches...small ziplock plastic bags wrapped in duct tape, sometimes with a magnet between the tape and bag. Owners often think that the ziplock bag will hold up to weather for the log sheet inside...they don't.

 

Then there's the even worse non-duct-taped plastic bag. This one was a roadside power trail cache:

 

587d2c3168b8d1afe18fc18abbaba99c.jpg

 

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Anything without a rubber seal (with the exception of preforms) . Butter or Cool Whip (emphasis on the "h") bowls, coffee cans, peanut butter jars, those cheap plastic sandwich boxes, any of those tin cookie containers or the like, glass... I once used one of those glass jars that had the glass lid with a rubber seal attached with a metal hinge. That one did NOT turn out well.

 

The film canister used to be the go-to micro years ago, but has fell out of favor. I agree that the white one where the top snapped inside the canister worked well. I still have several laying around, but now I use them for CITO containers. Stuff a plastic shopping bag inside, stick a CITO label on it, and drop it in a cache. Gives a cacher a bag to CITO on the way out of the woods, then replace the bag and reuse (few takers, btw).

Edited by Pork King
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Dollar store fake Lock & Locks.

 

Only the authentic Lock & Lock actually works. Look for the logo on the container.

lnl_logo.jpg

 

The dollar store variety isn't watertight and the tabs break off quickly.

 

610129a5c1b56dd98ea50de45bb38076.jpg

So far, name brand knock-offs don't seem to be much better either.

We picked up a stack of Rubbermaid with the tabs for product testing and most of the tabs warped a month or two out in the yard.

Shame, the heavy silicone-like seal looked like it'd be okay.

 

I MOSTLY agree with this exception: I've had "Snap-Loks" from Costco that are still doing well after close to 6 years. They come in sets of several sizes and I've even used them to store FOOD from time to time!! They work well for that too...

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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

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Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Those are the worst. I think I bought a 30 pack of them when I started caching. Now I have 29 up for sale! :) Funny when I see all the geocaching containers for sale on Ebay using them saying they are water tight.

I find these usually get wet because the log is too tall.

 

A hint on that and even for nanos, cut a drinking straw the same height or a little shorter than the log. Then slit open the side of the straw and place around the log. It won't keep it dry but it's amazing how easily the log slides right out!

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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

 

I've seen others post about those, saying they work well as cache containers. I'm not sure if I've ever actually seen one, though.

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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

 

I've seen others post about those, saying they work well as cache containers. I'm not sure if I've ever actually seen one, though.

 

I have hid several of those test strip containers in really wet environments and they hold up well. Most micro's I hide are preforms and match safes...I make my own logs and put them in ziplocks so they fit nice in both and are easy to retrieve.....I think the preform is the Cadillac of the micro containers.

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cut a drinking straw the same height or a little shorter than the log. Then slit open the side of the straw and place around the log. It won't keep it dry but it's amazing how easily the log slides right out!

I use a similar log sheet tube on my match tubes and 50ml centrifuge caches. After a couple of finds, that log wrap tube is gone. In some cases, the log that was once super easy to remove now requires tweezers. I've also tried printing long, thin log sheets stapled as a kind of log book, and after a couple of finds, it has become rolled up and is especially tough to remove. :blink:

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Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Those are the worst. I think I bought a 30 pack of them when I started caching. Now I have 29 up for sale! :) Funny when I see all the geocaching containers for sale on Ebay using them saying they are water tight.

I had some that were watertight, with a screw-on cap and O-ring. I placed four caches with those, and now they're all upgraded to match tubes. There's no room in those teeny centrifuge tubes, and if you drop the cap, good luck finding it again. :anicute:

 

Nano centrifuge tubes are good for showing cachers an evil hide. Just as a show and tell thing. Don't actually place it. :anitongue:

 

OK, it may work if it's essential that it's a Nano (where no other container would do), and you have a pile of them, and you replace the tube on a regular basis. I usually see these placed then forgotten by the Cache Owners.

Edited by kunarion
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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

 

I have used several and they are doing well so far, none more than a year yet though. They are much better than film cans at least. I have also found a few and they also have been good although one of the "hinge" straps had broken; I have no idea how long the ones I found were out.

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cut a drinking straw the same height or a little shorter than the log. Then slit open the side of the straw and place around the log. It won't keep it dry but it's amazing how easily the log slides right out!

I use a similar log sheet tube on my match tubes and 50ml centrifuge caches. After a couple of finds, that log wrap tube is gone. In some cases, the log that was once super easy to remove now requires tweezers. I've also tried printing long, thin log sheets stapled as a kind of log book, and after a couple of finds, it has become rolled up and is especially tough to remove. :blink:

 

I like it when the micro owner attaches a bit of toothpick or a ribbon to the scroll. Makes it easy to pull the log out and scroll the log back up, especially the nano and almost nano size containers, but also helps with the larger micros like the matchstick safe.

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Rite-in-the-Rain paper is terrible for anyone who wants to sign a log in ink.

Especially rollerball ink. I've used National Geographic map paper (the Teslin kind, plastic "paper") in my inkjet printer, and my new printer ink smears on it. Badly. Injet printed Teslin sheets fade & bleed anyway in the high humidity around here, and so do the signatures -- especially rollerball! And National Geographic map paper is terrible for people who sign with pencils.

 

My most recent log sheets are printed on presentation paper. It can get soaked, but it's a little better than notebook paper. I keep replacement logs on hand. :anicute:

Edited by kunarion
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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

 

I have used several and they are doing well so far, none more than a year yet though. They are much better than film cans at least. I have also found a few and they also have been good although one of the "hinge" straps had broken; I have no idea how long the ones I found were out.

I have used the containers you buy on a strip for left over kids paint, small but larger than a nano and the lid is attached. I've never had a problem with them. One is 5 yrs old. I've used a magnet, velcro or just alone in a pine tree that had a nice hole in a branch. I glued fake pine to the top and it worked for a few years until they took the tree down.

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Dollar store fake Lock & Locks.

 

Only the authentic Lock & Lock actually works. Look for the logo on the container.

lnl_logo.jpg

 

The dollar store variety isn't watertight and the tabs break off quickly.

 

610129a5c1b56dd98ea50de45bb38076.jpg

So far, name brand knock-offs don't seem to be much better either.

We picked up a stack of Rubbermaid with the tabs for product testing and most of the tabs warped a month or two out in the yard.

Shame, the heavy silicone-like seal looked like it'd be okay.

 

I MOSTLY agree with this exception: I've had "Snap-Loks" from Costco that are still doing well after close to 6 years. They come in sets of several sizes and I've even used them to store FOOD from time to time!! They work well for that too...

 

I agree. I've used the ones from Costco for a while, and they seem to work just fine - I haven't noticed that they're any different (in the field) than lock-n-locks.

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Preforms.

Tiny lab sample capsules with those flimsy flip tops.

Test Tubes.

"Standard", thin plastic, blue-lidded leftover-keeping apparatuses. Failure rate increases with every factor of purchase price or lesser brand-name recognition.

What's wrong with preforms? Those things are practically indestructible.

 

In the desert the preform cap doesn't last. I carry a couple of caps as replacements.

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Preforms? Often the log is nearly impossible to get out, so it gets mashed or rolled improperly after a handful of finds. Then the lid won't close because the log sticks up too far.

 

I use cardstock, cut into strips narrow enough to slip inside, and about 1/2"-3/4" shorter than the interior length. I staple a few slips together and have no issues with people getting the log out (just slides right out). It also leaves room for a small pencil. Since I tend to hide these things where fewer and fewer people seem to venture (i.e. in the woods and not parking lots) a few slips last a loooong time.

I was going to say the same thing. I use the same thing for matchsafes. MUCH easier than rolling up the log.

 

Groundspeak has the luxury version with a mini preform, or you can get it from rotolog.de (which is where Groundspeak got theirs from) :

 

Or you can make your own with a stapler. Or cardstock, a hole puncher, and a Chicago screw if you want the same thing rotolog sells.

See, that's what you'd hope for. I count the two of your examples of good logbooks in a preform as unicorns in the greater caching world; I hear they exist, but I've never seen one. :laughing:

 

Come out to the fantasy world known as "Rhode Island" and you'll see plenty of those unicorns! I'll even be your tour guide.

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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

 

There are a couple of different varieties out there.

 

The one I have great success with are all black, with a white insert in the interier. The lid is attached with a small tab. The tab may break, but I have yet to have one have water issues.

 

SANY0167.jpg

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We have this guy in my area who hasn't attended any events or interacted socially with any Geocachers (that I know of) with a high hide to find ratio (about 55 hides and 130 finds). This guy could write a book on poor containers. I'll bet I've found about 30 of them, and every single one has been a "laying around the house" container. You name it, he's placed it: Pill bottles, Altoids tins, M&M tubes, metal coffee cans with those horrible plastic lids, Chinese food take out soup containers, even one of those plastic lays potato chip tubes.

 

He's only placed 1 cache in the last year or so, but if he goes on a binge again (and I predict he will), I think it will be about time Mr.Yuck sends that friendly email. :lol:

Edited by Mr.Yuck
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We have this guy in my area who hasn't attended any events or interacted socially with any Geocachers (that I know of) with a high hide to find ratio (about 55 hides and 130 finds). This guy could write a book on poor containers. I'll bet I've found about 30 of them, and every single one has been a "laying around the house" container. You name it, he's placed it: Pill bottles, Altoids tins, M&M tubes, metal coffee cans with those horrible plastic lids, Chinese food take out soup containers, even one of those plastic lays potato chip tubes.

 

He's only placed 1 cache in the last year or so, but if he goes on a binge again (and I predict he will), I think it will be about time Mr.Yuck sends that friendly email. :lol:

 

I have a bit of a soft spot for Altoid tins because they were very popular when I started caching and several of my earliest finds were Altoid tins.

 

They really are an SOB to get open after a winter outside, though.

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Altoid tins and film cans might be great in Arizona or Texas, but in wetter climates probably not.

 

Pet peeve, but Texas is not a giant desert. Houston averages almost 50 inches of rain per year, making it the 8th wettest large city in the US. Almost every cache I have found in the past year has been at least damp inside, with the exception of ammo cans.

 

Recently we found a bucket (with a lid) hanging from a tree in such a way that you couldn't take it down; you had to just tip it over. Of course it was full of nasty water. Luckily, everything inside was in ziplock bags.

 

The worst one I found was literally a cardboard pocket with a paper log inside. I think it was wrapped in duct tape, but the whole top was open. Not only was it soaking wet, it was full of ants!

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Has anyone had any experience with the diabetes test strip containers? The ones I get are about the size of a film canister and have a lid that snaps closed, and is hinged.

They seem to work well to keep some things dry around the house. However, I have never hid a micro, and have no plans to do so at any time in the future, so I have no idea how good they would be.

I've thought about taking a bunch to an event to give out to those that hide micros, but not sure I want to encourage anyone to hide more micros. :P I certainty would not want to give them out if they are no better than a film can. B)

 

There are a couple of different varieties out there.

 

The one I have great success with are all black, with a white insert in the interier. The lid is attached with a small tab. The tab may break, but I have yet to have one have water issues.

 

SANY0167.jpg

 

As with most containers, it all depends on where and how it is hidden. I've found these containers when they were protected, somewhat, from the elements and those were fine. A week ago, I found a cache container just like the one pictured, sitting at the base of a sign and the log was a slimy, wet mess.

 

For me, the worst container is the small, hard plastic vials that usually have a grey plastic cap. Getting the log out is as bad as a nano cache...getting it back in is 10x worse.

 

 

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