Favorite Geocaching gadget

January 3, 2003

Apart from your GPSr and your FRS radio, what is your favorite Geocaching gadget. Mine is my Palm Pilot. Having the cache descriptions in the field without having to print them all out is a huge benefit.

The reason I'm asking... I got a $50 Best Buy gift card I need to use up and I'm wondering if I can get some guidance.

dyslexics of the world, untie.

3.8k · January 3, 2003

My compass. Wouldn't go caching without it

3k · January 3, 2003

This won't help the gift card thing but I love having my Back Pack out with me. Makes me feel all warm inside. I have everything I could even need in it. That is probably my favorite. I feel I can take on any situation with it.

______________________________________________________________________________________

So far so good, somewhat new owner of a second/new Garmin GPS V 20 plus finds so far with little to no problem. We'll see what happens when there are leaves on the trees again.

January 3, 2003

I would have to list my compass as necessary as my GPS. After that I like my camera. Never know what you will run into at some of these.

January 3, 2003

It's gotta be my camera. I have found that caching is a great way to hone your photo skills. Working on coming up with a few good pictures to create a collage makes for a great great exercise in creativity. Plus a few good pics make a great momento of some of your more enjoyable caches and even gives you some satisfaction from a really lame cache.

Also, my Suunto optical compass is a very useful tool when caching. With its high degree of accuracy, I can stand back 100-150 feet from a cache and pinpoint an exact visual bearing line. Very helpful, and it limits the amount of bushwacking that may be necessary.

The adventures of Navdog, Justdog, and Otterpup

1.1k · January 3, 2003

Red.

January 3, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by logscaler:
Red.

I'd ask you what accessories she has, but this is a family forum.

The adventures of Navdog, Justdog, and Otterpup

January 3, 2003

In no particular order:

Camera - digital if possible

Binoculars

Compass with sight

PDA loaded with cache data

LED flashlight

Steve Bukosky N9BGH

Waukesha Wisconsin

January 3, 2003

walking stick,frs radio,compass,led flashlight

I'm a man and I can change if I have to,I guess.

January 3, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by sbukosky:
In no particular order:

Camera - digital if possible

Binoculars

Compass with sight

PDA loaded with cache data

LED flashlight

Steve Bukosky N9BGH

Waukesha Wisconsin

Ditto the above minus the binoculars (I don't use them while Geocaching.)

Plus... Camel pack with H2O, LED headlamp, 2x2 ft. waterproof cloth to spread out cache items or sit on, 1st aid kit and last but far from the least my collapsible walking stick.

4.4k · January 3, 2003

That way I could know how far in certian areas points are without having to Tape them off.I like my binocks you never know what you might see....

When all else fails Geotry again.

1.4k · January 3, 2003

Aerial photo, if that counts as a "gadget."

5.3k · January 3, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Cache_Cows:
what is your favorite Geocaching gadget.

My purchase order is still pending, but after doing a few caches, I'm thinking a personal helicopter would be just the ticket....Bad coords are a definite turn off, but I've been thinking a 'copter would get me past the "you can't get there from here" issues with creeks, rivers, interstates, and such that keep holding my numbers down...

Darn, has Santa already taken up the lists?

2.7k · January 4, 2003

Currently it's my new Canon S30 digital camera. I'm also thinking of gettign a Palm Pilot so I don't have to do a **** load of printing and save ink for other print jobs.

1.4k · January 4, 2003

You have my favorite. My PDA with pocket queries. Don't leave home without it.

Next to that, my rechargeable batteries are a great little 'gadget' you could probably pick up at best buy. With $50 you could get yourself ~12 batteries and a good charger and never have to buy batteries again

My mini-mag light is another favorite. There are these neat little cheapo digital cameras at best buy that are really tiny. Those could be cool for caching. Their resolution's not so high though and they have no flash. I /thought/ about getting one on sale and using it as a camera in one of my upcoming caches. I just may still, but I don't want people to think it's a prize

Outside of that, I'm nowhere near as well equipped as umc. If I get lost and I'm not with him... I'll probably die within hours Well not really, but I think umc could survive armageddon and start civilization over with the stuff he carries in that pack He was at my house the other day when another friend came in and asked me "Hey... do you have a needle nose pliers I could use?" Before I could say yes, umc had produced a pair from his magic pack. It's ludicrous

--------

trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

Saving geocaches - one golf ball at a time.

January 4, 2003

Gotta say the pda is great!

I also like:

Binos

compass

Head torch

Night vision (For the times you get there just as the light is failing)

I bought the night vision for use on my boat but it has come in useful a couple of times in the UK where it gets dark at 4pm.at this time of year.

Oh yes...I never go out without my cellphone just in case of an emergency.

I woke this morning and my boat was not rocking...for one horrid moment I thought I lived in a house!

January 4, 2003

Compass hanging around my neck!

January 4, 2003

ALL OF THE ABOVE,PLUS MY COFFEE POT...AHHHHHHHH

January 4, 2003

I love having all of the cache pages in my Visor instead of having to print them out. Along with the PDA I also carry:

camera

flashlight

compass

batteries

log book w/pencils and pens

Leatherman

spare Ziplock bags

trash bags

goodies to put in the cache

January 4, 2003

I agree with UMC my pack has everthing I need in it. I grab that, my camera, hiking staff and away I go.

January 4, 2003

I agree with all the before mentioned but the one I like best is the back pack. Wonder why I never thought of that....oh yes and I really need my gloves they save a lot of dirt and blood.

2.6k · January 4, 2003

Nomad MP3 Jukebox

BTW how is a back pack a GADJET?

If you do not extend your expectations unto others, you will not be disappointed by the stupid things they do.

Mokita!

1.4k · January 4, 2003

Garmin Legend

Palm m500 w/cache info

Digital Camera

Cell Phone

Binoculars

Spare batteries

----

9.4k · January 4, 2003

It might be hard to do scuba caches with a stroller, but it sure makes carrying the kids easier.

January 4, 2003

not considering items such as a compasss (i consider these a necessity) i would have to say my pc and mapping software because when i return home and plot my tracklogs i see just where i was.

January 4, 2003

In the same way that a cell phone or binoculars are...it's the spirit of the cache list most are posting. A gadget becomes a necessity after many people use it.

January 4, 2003

The Compass...And a Topo Map.

January 4, 2003

probably our Camelbak and Leki Trekking poles.

January 4, 2003

Originally posted by The Merman:
Gotta say the pda is great!

I also like:

Binos

compass

Head torch

Night vision (For the times you get there just as the light is failing)

I bought the night vision for use on my boat but it has come in useful a couple of times in the UK where it gets dark at 4pm.at this time of year.

I dunno night vision sounds cool but I think alot of people would freak out if they seen a guy walking around in the dark using them instead of a flashlight.It surly would make me wonder what some one would be up to.

You dont have to be afraid of the creatures you hear in the woods.Its the ones that are silently stalking you that you should be concerened about.

9.2k · January 4, 2003

My "gadget" vote goes to my PrincetonTec Aurora LED headlamp. I love night caching!

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

If there's no accounting for stupidity, then why do I need to file a tax return?

9.2k · January 4, 2003

I would have to say the extendable inspection mirror I picked up at Elliott's Hardware (a local legend - if they don't sell it, you don't need it). Lets me easily look under, over, and around things. Folds up to fit in a back-pack pocket. I had another one which extended out even further, but the mirror was dental-instrument size, which made it pretty useless.

January 5, 2003

Since packs, flashlights, PDAs, trekking poles, etc. have been mentioned, let me add "my dog" to the list. She provides a good excuse for hanging around a site, bending over, staring at the ground, looking into odd spots, and so on. I also cache with my husband, but people wonder about a couple in the woods more than they do a couple with a dog.

quote:
Originally posted by Prime Suspect:
I would have to say the extendable inspection mirror I picked up at Elliott's Hardware (a local legend - if they don't sell it, you don't need it).

Elliot's Hardware is tremendous and I miss it very much. I'm adding a mirror to my "must get" list.

--

wcgreen

Wendy Chatley Green

January 5, 2003

Deffinatley My pack It has everything i need, but not to much and have it organized, grab that my hiking stick, and my digi cam ---I'm off

See you in the woods!

Natureboy1376

24.7k · January 5, 2003

While I don't exactly like bringing Red along (though I'd like to meet both Red and Logscaler one day) I do find that bringing a friend or family along is the best thing of all. For that honor I'd gladly give up my GPS, my PDA, and every other geo gadget I own.

Wherever you go there you are.

January 5, 2003

in order:

PDA

Camera

"Get'er Stick"- a gardening tool I use as a hiking stick and to retrieve caches that are hard to reach or I dont want to stick my hand in after.

compass

binoculars- had to use them to read a clue on a sign once.

More rules = Less fun!

NTGA member

2.5k · January 5, 2003

transporter beam

January 5, 2003

I don't understand the compass thing... I have a Garmin Etrex Legend and it has a compass built in. Why would I want to carry a extra item ?

1.2k · January 5, 2003

when your batteries die and you dont have any spares on you that compass on the legend wont do you much good.

January 5, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by IBcrashen:
when your batteries die and you dont have any spares on you that compass on the legend wont do you much good.

That's why I always cache w/ about 6 extra

January 5, 2003

There are several good reasons to carry a compass as a backup to your GPSr. Perhaps you run out of batteries, although most of us carry plenty. What if your GPSr breaks? What if you are deep in the woods and can't get a reading because of tree cover?

I don't understand why you wouldn't carry it. They are very small and don't add any weight to your pack. Seems like common sense to keep it in there and to know how to use it.

dyslexics of the world, untie.

January 5, 2003

4-6 extra Batteries

1 Collapsable Walking Stick

1 Digital Camera

And The Compass & the Legend are like a ummmmmm lets just say... "I don't Leave Home Without It"[]

HAPPY CACHING

January 5, 2003

My whistle, compass, ron50eli, my dog & camera.

rocker51

January 5, 2003

I've got the Legend too and the compass is only good while you're moving. If you need to stop to take a reading and you're not heading *towards* something, I haven't found it to be very helpful. Although I remedied that by getting the official Geocaching compass in the store here.

-Mixster

January 5, 2003

I have a combo compass,whistle,therm. It has a clip & is attached to my GPS. I'm sure a lot of you know it. If I'm having GPS coverage problems, my compass points in the right direction. So far! A compass has guided many through out the ages.

rocker51

January 6, 2003

Well, it's not just any knife... It's my Aitor Jungle King II. I'd waited years to find the perfect "survival" knife... you know, not a toy but a real deal? Made in Spain and currently the knife used by the Spanish military, the Aitor is the ideal companion. Internal compass (hey, it'll do the job), magnesium flint, signal codes/mirror twine, a seperate knife to be used as spear, cabled rope, emergency vial (fishooks, weights, safety pins, bandaids, etc. etc even a pencil!! lol , rubber hose for use as a tourny, and it also has a leather pad and flip out arms which makes the unit a slingshot, saw, multi-use tool (bottle opener, can opener screwdriver)

ANYWAY you get the picture... Well worth the investment a couple years back. The blade itself? Rockwell C 55/58 hardness which is an improvement over the already famous 440-c alloy. Nothing like a high carbon stainless steel with the legendary Aitor "shaving sharp" edge. Well, not trying to sound like Rambo or anything... we actually use this gadget. LOL

"Favorite" is kinda hard, because the Survival Staff our friend just got me for Christmas has to rank right up there with the Aitor... But that's too many more chapters to describe right now!

Cool topic, and neat to see what ya'll carry!

Grandmaster Cache

January 6, 2003

Ok you convinced me. I suppose if something happened to the GPS the compass woudld be a very handy thing to have. Now I learned to mark the truck when I go into the woods...got lost in the Blanford Nature Center and walked for quite a while before finding my way out. You are right it is small and no extra weight and worth the small space it takes up.

Thanks.

January 6, 2003

LED Headlight

LED flashlight

Anything with LED's on it

Digital Camera

PDA

Canteen

[This message was edited by GrouseTales on January 06, 2003 at 08:54 AM.]

4.5k · January 6, 2003

I recently bought my wife a digital video. Of course she doesn't use it much. So I took it out in developing my last two caches I hid and used the digital still portion for pictures that I posted to my cache page.

Now I got a real digital still camera Canon 230 which I can't wait to take with me all over. Scanning 4 x 6 print films to post on the web hasn't been much fun!

The other gadget I've used recently now that it's winter is my gloves whose fingertip can be pule back so you can operate the GPS and other devices yet still keep your hands pretty warm.

Alan

9.2k · January 7, 2003

quote:
Elliot's Hardware is tremendous and I miss it very much. I'm adding a mirror to my "must get" list.

FYI - Inspection mirror

January 8, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by ron50eli:
My whistle, compass, ron50eli, my dog & camera.

rocker51

Oh yeah, forgot>>>>>>>how could I forget my walking stick. I use it to poke with. And it helps me walk.

Favorite Geocaching gadget

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