What do you carry in your pack (if you carry one)?

[+Cymbaline]

This is kinda loaded question, as I have a few different hobbies requiring different equipment, and therefore have different rigs for them.

 

I'll keep it simple:

 

What cachers ALWAYS carry with them, regardless of where/when. I'm not looking for seasonal clothes or the like - just the necessities. Do you carry a pack? If so, whats in it? lappack? Same thing. What is on your person when you go!

 

I'm asking this because I'm starting to think that I *might* want to carry a backpack, but... Most of my locations are within 2 hours of me, and will take 2-6 hours to do. So think of this as a *generic* this-is-what-I-carry.

 

To start:

 

For geocaching, I currently carry the following:

 

- 1.5/1.75L Desert cammo Camelback water system.

- Rino 110

- Hand-held compass

- Leatherman Wave in pouch (or original, depends on what I grab first)

- Cell phone

- Trinkets that I can stash about my person.

- Printouts of where I'm trying to go - geocaching.com front page, maybe a mapquest printout of where to park.

 

That's it.

 

What do you carry, and what should I?

 

 

 

The reason why I say that it's a "loaded question" is to compare my rapelling/climbing/extreme outload, which is army surplus-based with a load of Black Mountain/REI/BQ stuff thrown in, but works great, but is way overkill for geocaching, typing in as I dump it out:

 

- Full ALICE rack with full-sized pack and metal rack.

- Canteen and/or 1.5/1.75 Camelback, depends on where I'm going for how long

- 3 black mountain climbing/rapelling harnesses

- 2 "tie-off" ropes (100' cord, the other some 50' polyrope i got from hope depot that works well)

- 4 screw locking biners

- 4 weight-bearing twist-locking biners

- Multitude (about 35?) of other weight-bearing biners

- Full-sized Brigade Quartermaster First Aid Kit (it's pretty complete, don't have the one with the forceps and the like. I'm not a doc)

- "Rambo"-like knife, in sheath

- Leatherman original, in sheath

- 3 Ponchos

- 2 Garbage bags

- 2 total MREs, no bags/cardboard

- Small fist of TP

- About a dozen quart-sized ziplocks

- Rope bag (Black Mountain), strapped to ALICE with army straps, containing 200' Black Mountain climbing rope

- 150' Black Mountain Static rope

- 4 figure-8s (2 of which are rescue-8s.) and one stopper. No, I don't have gr..."stoppers" yet. Can't type their name, either.

- 4 Power Bars

- 2 cells emergency water

- 8 AA batteries

- 1 2 AA flashlight

- 50' ripcord

- 1 small roll ductape.

 

I have a few other rigs as well for different stuff, but I'm REALLY wondering what a geocacher carries on a DAILY basis to caches. Think 2-8 hours total.

 

Thanks for your input.

[umc]

I carry a camelbak filled with everything and anything.

 

All of my trade items

maglite

headlamp

matches

blaze orange hat

rags

bags to trash out

paper towel

TP

extra log books

pencils

pens

marker

carabiners

different ropes

dig camera

palm (PDA)

blaze orange vest

First aid kit

water

multi tool

couple of knives

emergency blanket

extra batteries

two GPSr's

bug spray

extra ziplock baggies

compass

wet ones hand wipes

hand warmers

cell phone

power bars

and a bunch of other stuff that I can't remember because its sitting in the bottom of my pack and I never see it.

 

Oh yes and there are other threads around here about what everyone carries in their packs in case you want a faster answer but I don't think thats necessary with a great topic like this. I love reading about what everyone carries in their packs, thats one of my favorite things, is gear.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

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.

[+Darkmoon]

It depends on where i am going hiking for the caches...in an urban park, i wear my Mountain Gear waist pack containing...

2 water bottles

extra ziplocks

one trash bag

small first aid kit

silvia compass

2 power bars (i love the banana)

extra pens

extra pencils

pencil sharpner

goodie bag of stuff to trade

folding knife in pocket sheath

 

If i am doing some major bushwacking really getting off the trails type caching, i usually take my pack that has...

Mountaineering first aid kit

mag lite

extra batteries(for lite and GPS)

camel back bladder

silvia compass

topo maps of the area

notes on the caches

insect repellant

three trash bags(acts as a poncho in sudden rains)

small survival manual

five power bars

five GU energy gels

waterproof matches

firestarter tabs

signal mirror

goody bag with stuff to trade

extra ziplocks

notepad

pencils

two pens

snakebite kit

solar still(you never know)

three carabiners(use to clip stuff to pack)

allin one wonder tool

gloves

whistle

 

I take that pack with me when i am rockhounding

too...and i know so much survival gear...must have been because i was a boy scout!!!!

 

My gps is a Garmin GPS 40 that i have had since 1996 or so and my main compass is a silvia type 1070 that i have had since scouts !!!!

 

Darkmoon

 

No, I am not lost...i am where I am suppose to be...I think?

[+poksal]

I carry my always ready to go JanSport day pak loaded with the following.

 

Compass

Very sharp double edged kayak knife

GPSr

TP

lite water/wind proof jacket

clean/dry thick socks

lip balm/and verious first aid items

bottles of store bought water

energy bars/granola bars/nuts

pair of sweat pants (makes good padding)

wool sweater (padding)

***(digging through actual JanSport)***

wash cloth and towel (padding)

new GPSr batteries (wondering if still good)

several topo maps from past adventures

receipts from several N Parks (to get back in

-expired-)

mummified orange ???? (now in trash)

rock ???? (oh great!)

throw away camera (wondering what is on it)

rope (smells like orange)

another pair of wool socks (think was once dirty)

**** you're right there are things in the bottom you haven't seen in a while!****

****next pocket****

(this is as good as geocaching..lots of goodies)

duct tape (important)

chemical lights

water proof adhesive tape

ace bandage

tube of super glue

contact lenses (out of scrip)/small btl complete

bar of soap

dead pin light (hummm?)

actual working flash light (amazing)

tylenol cold tablets

2 oz bot of glycerin

1 oz bot of mercurochrome

cold sore gel

straight razor

another ace bandage

shampoo

mole skin

+++and more+++

OK, it is time to clean this thing out and repack!!!!

Shaking my head!!!!

****next pocket***

oh, forget it!

 

** The worst suggestion of a life time may be the catalyst to the best idea of the century, don't fail to listen to suggestions.

[+briansnat]

Oooh, ooh, I get to Markwell something. My first!!

 

Since I never responded to my original post, I'll list here:

 

Cache trade items

Extra Ziplocs

Garbage bags

1st aid kit

lots of water

insect repellant

flashlight

lunch

area trail maps (if available)

compass

swiss army knife

whistle

camera (sometimes)

 

In the winter I add:

extra fleece pullover

down vest

"space blanket"

waterproof shell

fire starters and waterproof matches

shell pants

 

Of course this is for caches that involve longish hikes. For most caches I just take my GPS and bag of trade items.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" - Abraham Lincoln

[+poksal]

I'd like to see people go get their pack and list what is REALLY in it.

 

This could be a HOOT!

 

** The worst suggestion of a life time may be the catalyst to the best idea of the century, don't fail to listen to suggestions.

[+RocketMan]

I Bring:

 

GPS

Geoswag

H2O

Dig Camera

Geocache Printout

 

Thats it!

RM

[umc]

nope,

 

Detroit area.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

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.

[+georgeandmary]

Usually, for anthing less that a mile hike, I just take my gps and my palm.

 

That's it.

 

For longer hikes, I'll bring water.

 

george the minimalist

 

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

[+Marky]

Veggie Jerky

Fat Free Pringles

Tootsie Rolls

3 liters of water

Batteries

Flashlight

Pen

 

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

[+Criminal]

[+-=(GEO)=-]

GPS + spare batteries

Area topo maps

Cache trade items

Spare Ziploc bags

Garbage bags

1st aid kit

2 liters of water

Flashlight + spare batteries

Energy bars / trail mix

Compass

Leatherman tool

Sharpie marker

Regular pen

Whistle

Space blanket

Emergency poncho

2 light sticks

Waterproof matches

Knife

Chapstick

Bug repellent

Cell phone

Signaling mirror

A baseball cap

Waterproof GoreTex gloves

 

A cache a day keeps the blues away...

[+-=(GEO)=-]

Duct tape (rolled around a credit card)

TP + wipes

Emergency orange vest

1 Candle

 

A cache a day keeps the blues away...

[Tahosa and Sons]

If its just a short one, only water and a first aid kit. Pistol and Ammunition.

-----------------------------------

A little longer one might have this much.

 

Water (usually two liters per person)

Map and Compass - GPS optional

Food - (Sandwich & Energy Bars)

Fleece jacket

Rain Gear (Goretex, with hood) (Rain Pants)

Wool Stocking Cap

Gloves - Leather and Insulated liners

Wide Brim Hat with UV protection

Bandana

First Aid Kit

Whistle & Signal Mirror

Lip Balm

Flashlight

Insect repellent

Pocket Knife

Sunscreen

Sunglasses (with 98% UV filtering)

Toilet Paper & Trowel & Sanitizer

Zip-lock bag to carry out toilet paper

Notebook and pencil

Watch

Bivy Shelter

Matches (Waterproof)

Hiking Stick

 

And when its winter or nasty weather I may take more.

 

Tahosa - Dweller of the Mountain Tops.

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

I'd like to see people go get their pack and list what is REALLY in it.

---

 

I thight this would be interesting, so I went and looked. In addition to the items I mentioned above (not including the clothing), I found:

 

A plastic fork

Empty bottle of Snapple ice tea

Binoculars

1/4 roll of toilet paper

A ball of aluminum foil

A cigar (H Upmann)

4 pens (where are they are when I need them?)

47 cents in change

Small tube of sunscreen

4 dead batteries

2 fresh batteries

several napkins

2 empty film cannisters

Several of the plastic seals from Snapple bottles

Pack of matches

1 1/4 TBSP dirt (I measured)

 

Anyway, thanks for giving me the opportunity to clean out my pack

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" - Abraham Lincoln

[+jollybgood]

I don't have a pack -- it's more of a satchel. A blue canvas thingy I picked up in Germany a few years ago.

 

I bought one of those nifty Geocaching.com embroidered patches and sewed it on the flap.

 

Inside I keep....,

 

- PDA

- GPSV

- Cell phone

- Digitial Camera

- extra batteries.

- Large Hook Nosed Pliars (To open those stubborn PVC Pipe Caches which freeze fast in the winter.

- small flashlight

- highlighters (yellow and pink -- to mark-up the MAPSOURCE map sheets I like to print out with the day's cache-quarry pinpointed on them).

- a one litre bottle of Fierce Grape Gatorade (yum)

- Cache items

- Notepad

 

That's about it. I like to travel light.

 

Depending on how far the cache is from the vehicle I'm must as likely to leave it in the van as not.

 

The one thing I carry religiously is an extra set of batteries for they GPSr. Nothing can ruin my day faster than having the batteries go dead when you're a 1/2 mile into the bush and have no clue how to get back to your car.

 

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

[umc]

Criminal,

 

Judging by the pic of your gear you have the real makings of a criminal/murderer.

 

Looks good.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

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.

[Cracker.]

In the winter, I will carry several packs of the chemical hand warmers.

 

$1.24 for four packs at Wal-Mart.....

 

Art

 

www.yankeetoys.org

www.BudBuilt.com

http://www.ttora-ne.mainpage.net/

[+Salvelinus]

Does anybody but me carry a supply of dry yellow birch bark, and a candle (plus matches of course) in a vacumed sealed bag?

 

Buzzbe taught me that trick!

 

Salvelinus

(formerly smoochnme)

 

"The trail will be long and full of frustrations. Life is a whole and good and evil must be accepted together"

 

Ralph Abele

[+Criminal]

Originally posted by umc:

Criminal,

 

Judging by the pic of your gear you have the real makings of a criminal/murderer.

 

Looks good.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

That's everything except the digital camera (it took the pic), the spare AA batteries, (dadgum kids), and the toothless helper monkey (wouldn't sit still). It's amazing this thread hasn't had any severe terminal markwelliging action. The topic has come up a number of times in this and the getting started section.

[+Team Finn]

I just made a dentist appointment for my helper monkey. I am tired of him chewing on stuff, so I am going to have his teeth extracted as a present to me for Christmas.

 

Me ambivalent? Well..... yes and no.

[GrandpaCannon]

Before reading this thread I used to think that I carried a lot of stuff now I see how inadequate I am. I have a Camo three section fanny pack that I got by being first to a cache up Provo Canyon. Anyway it has in it:

 

Compass

Signature Patches for trading.

A few other trade items. (pins, a couple rubberballs, etc.)

extra batteries for the GPSr

two FRS walkie-talkies (in case I bring a buddy without one)

extra batteries for the above

a hair brush for lunch time Geocaching when I need to look nice when I get back

Digital camera

7" stuffed Opus the Penguin (geo caching buddy)

7" stuffed Little Ceasar (I think I got this out of a cache but I can't remember now and should probably leave him home)

Pistol and Ammo

 

I usually bring also bring a canteen if it isn't an Urban cache and since I am a lawyer I always have a few pens with me in my pockets. My GPSr is a plug-in to my Handspring Visor so i always have my PDA with me. I also never leave home to go anywhere without my cell phone

[RiCk-E]

I usually keep:

 

GPS ETrex Legend

Spare Batteries

PDA (For Cache Info; hints; decoder)

Digital Camera (Good caches make good pics)

Power Bars

Water Skin

Spare Socks

Lighter

Swiss Army Knife

Bug Spray

Cell Phone

 

Someday:

Two-Way Radios and

SATELLITE PHONE!!!

 

~RiCk-E

[+eremite]

Though I'm new to GeoCaching, I hike all the time. And being a minimalist my usual gear for a 4-6 hour walk-about is:

 

-A bottle of water

 

If I'm going to be gone all day (and maybe into the night) I laod down the camelback with:

 

-more water (it's a camelback, afterall)

-a couple granola bars

-sunscreen (essential for us german/english folk)

-mini-mag (just in case)

-Swiss army knife

-compact digital camera (when I feel like hauling a real load!)

 

And now that I have a GPS- add that. And extra batteries when I remember. I have yet to remember.

 

Yeah, I know, one should always be prepared. But so far I've made it back alive every time.

 

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use." -Galileo Galilei.

 

"The indoor life is the next best thing to premature burial." ?Edward Abbey

[dogsoldier]

-gps (obvious)

-extra batteries

-warmer coat, if needed

-average trading items if the cache contents are weak

-nice trading items if the cache contents are exceptional

-Pocketknife, for safety reasons....in the rare situation in which I run into a mountain lion.

 

That's about it.

[+hoovman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by dogsoldier:

-Pocketknife, for safety reasons....in the rare situation in which I run into a mountain lion.

---

 

I'm not sure a closed pocketknife inside a backpack would be much protection from a mountain lion.

 

From what others here have said, bells and talking out loud are good "pre-defenses" against predators. If you really are concerned beyond that, I'd add the following:

-bear spray cliped to belt

-a bowie-type knife in a belt, neck, ankle, or boot sheath

-Flare Gun (Just kidding!)

-a licensed handgun in an easy-to-draw holster

Any serious woodsmen/women care to comment?

 

[+geospotter]

Criminal,

 

I thought I was the only one who carried lock picks in my pack.

 

geospotter

[+Criminal]

quote:

---

Originally posted by geospotter:

Criminal,

 

I thought I was the only one who carried lock picks in my pack.

 

geospotter

---

 

Sometimes they padlock the gate while you're still inside.......

[+Trudy & the beast]

Well, we have done a lot of thinking about this since we discussed it here last July. Now we are of the opinion that you only need to pack a compass, a pen, the GPSr and the cache sheets. Everything else is just nice to have along.

 

For those who are packing for a safari, don't forget a jar of Tucks. They are a great astringent for bites, stings and poison ivy.

[enfanta]

Well, since most of my geocaching is urban or "light-trail" I usually just carry my day-to-day bag and throw in the GPS, cache print outs and a bottle of water. So, in addition to that right now I have:

 

a horny toad pin

a 4-H swine pin

electric bill

check book

too many receipts

Chapstick

ibuprofen

a refund check for $1.25 from Wash Around the Clock

hand lotion

three candy canes from the staff lunch

Hershey's Kisses

change purse

expired phone card

half dozen of those little plastic drinks monkeys (keep meaning to leave them in caches as a sig item, keep forgetting)

five or six pens that always disappear when I'm looking for them

plastic giraffe toy in the original KinderEgg container

eye drops

the RH earpiece from my sunglasses (broke them geocaching)

watch

proof of insurance (why isn't that in the car??)

a fork

a ruler

a perforator

an orange

two packets of Kleenex

a copy of my employee review

another container of hand lotion (why two??)

mittens

fleece headband

parking ticket

real estate buyers guide (anyone want to sell me some land in central PA??)

several articles on building strawbale houses

paycheck stub

recipe for an herbed goat cheese tart

vet's business card

disk containing email messages I needed to clear out of my account to make room for more email messages

two more oranges and an apple (what the hell??)

hair clip

keys

a copy of "Bring me the head of Prince Charming" by Roger Zelazny

 

Just your standard geocaching pack.

[+Darkmoon]

quote:

---

Originally posted by hoovman:

quote:

---

Originally posted by dogsoldier:

-Pocketknife, for safety reasons....in the rare situation in which I run into a mountain lion.

---

 

I'm not sure a closed pocketknife inside a backpack would be much protection from a mountain lion.

 

From what others here have said, bells and talking out loud are good "pre-defenses" against predators. If you really are concerned beyond that, I'd add the following:

 

-bear spray cliped to belt

-a bowie-type knife in a belt, neck, ankle, or boot sheath

-Flare Gun (__Just kidding!__)

-a licensed handgun in an easy-to-draw holster

 

Any serious woodsmen/women care to comment?

 

http://www.mi-geocaching.org/

 

Always go caching with some one slower than you, that way you only have to be able to run faster than your partner!!!!

 

No, I am not lost...i am where I am suppose to be...I think?

[Geo Quest]

I used to carry a fully loaded daypack on geocaching adventures. No more. Why? Look at the pack contents of a "typical" geocacher. Now look at the caches they have found. See how many are in city parks? See how many are at tourist attractions? How many are in a ditch by the side of the road? I'd say over 90% of geocaches are less than a 10 minute walk from the car. The others are very short hikes. A very very small percentage actually involve a hike of 5 miles or more. So why all the gear? I got tired of the weird looks I'd get when I slung my pack over my shoulder at a playground. The only thing I ever used from my pack was a flashlight (once in a cave and even then I didn't NEED it), my compass, my GPS, and water. So guess what? That's all I carry now.

Here's my humble suggestion for people hung up on gear. Read this book. It will change the way you approach your outdoor adventures.

 

"Wise men talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something."

-- Plato

[Leemann]

Have mule ordered and looking for first aid kit

have everything else.

 

Beam me up Scotty theres no life forms

down here. Just Geocachers..

[+CYBret]

There are very few situations where I would need a big pack around here. Mostly it's a matter of knowing what to put in the pack and what to have in the car just in case things get hairy

 

 

In the front pocket of my pack:

GPS (when I'm not using it)

Cell Phone (Takes the place of the GPS when I'm using it)

Cheap little leatherman tool

Silva Compass

Travel pack of kleenex

Bug spray (when the weather calls for it)

Mini Maglite

Pack of Ruffies "On The Go" Trashbags (you guys need these)

Palm m500 series digital camera (neat lil' toy)

Coleman hand wipes

Famous Dave's BBQ wetnaps (mmmmmm, Famous Dave's)

 

In the small top pocket:

AA Batteries (fresh . . I hope)

AAA Batteries (Why do I carry these again?)

 

In the large back pocket:

Trade Items!

Ponchos

Handwarmers

Lighthouse Pins (my signature item)

Some McToys

Spider-man antenna topper

Pin-on compass

 

In the car:

Bottled water

My hiking staff

Clipboard with printouts

 

That pretty much covers it!

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

 

[This message was edited by CYBret on December 19, 2002 at 06:31 AM.]

[South_Cache]

I am new to this and most caches seem to be in parks and stuff.

 

I carry a canvas brief case with shoulder strap, digital camera, (GPSr when I get it), a folder of printouts for the caches I wish to visit, a notebook and assorted pens and mechanical pencils. Usually a Swiss army knife or leatherman.

 

For sailing I have a regular duffel bag with my goodies so I don't have to search for them.

 

Pelican Light (C battery size)

Mag Light

Saling Gloves (three pairs)

SOSpenders PFD

Rain suit

Poncho

Dry socks / underwear / short pants / tee shirt / sweatshirt / jeans (in case I fall in or weather changes)

Nav equipment (dividers, compass, parallel rules, GPSr(when I get another one))

Some kind of canned non-perishable food

Army can opener

Leatherman

Rigging Knife (special tool to unscrew shackle pins)

 

Fair winds, Capn Skully

[+Criminal]

I should point out that I carry the pack, not so much for "survival" purposes, as much as a purse of sorts. My digital camera (sony FD87) is a bit big. I throw survival item in because there's some room left. The compass and tape measure are for benchmarks. Most of the time it stays in the trunk of the car and I just pull out the camera. I recalculate from the car when I get to the parking location and figure the straight-line distance to the cache. If it seems like a long way, I'll bring the whole pack, mostly so I don't have to hike the cache twice should I need something I didn't bring.

[+Team Finn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Criminal:

If it seems like a long way, I'll bring the whole pack, mostly so I don't have to hike the cache twice should I need something I didn't bring.

---

This is my approach too. Better to be prepared than not.

 

Me ambivalent? Well..... yes and no.

[+evergreenhiker!]

City area caches...I usually don't. More rural caches that might involve a short hike, I'll carry a small canvas surplus pack filled with a couple bottles of water and geocaching items...batteries, headlamp for night searches, trade items, etc. Maybe throw in some bandaids.

 

Now, if the cache is in the mountains, I'll go to my regular day pack...3500 cubic inches and approx. 25-30 lbs. First aide, extra clothes, raingear...yes, even on sunny days...storms in mountains can come from nowhere, extra food, water (5 bottles), water purifier, caching trade items, batteries, emergency/overnight stuff, personal items, map and compass, knife, headlamp,etc. I also leave a note as to where I'm going and also usually list one or two possible plan changes. The day you don't bring all this stuff...you'll need it!

[+themagician]

I want to go caching with some of these guys.

Sounds like they can be out there for days.

Here in NJ if you get 2 miles from your car its a big deal. The problem is here in the pines

its easy to get turned around on a cloudy day.

So water

food(snack of some type)

camera

assortment of plastic bags.

extra batteries

Poncho

small light ( it actually works)

assort of items to trade

extra pens ,pencils and log books

Cell phone if I'm going into the woods

and not a park.

just added a state map

a knife with lots of extras on it.

and its been raining for days

so some dry socks.

[pure_ego]

geez.. some of you people are complete off the deep end.. I suppose if it apocolypsed while you were caching you would be ahead of me. .. haha

 

Mostly I think your crazy.. I do alot of 2-5 day bicycling rides and I don't carry 1/2 the stuff most of you are packing for a 4 hour hike in the woods.

 

I carry my GPS.. a coat with a poncho in the pocket, sometimes a printout of the cache, and my tradin' stuff. only 2 finds so far.. so I might take water with me if it was a really long hike.. but blah...

 

can you say OVERKILL?/???

 

"If I were the quoting type, it would be here." -me

[+Mopar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pure_ego:

geez.. some of you people are complete off the deep end.. I suppose if it apocolypsed while you were caching you would be ahead of me. .. haha

 

Mostly I think your crazy.. I do alot of 2-5 day bicycling rides and I don't carry 1/2 the stuff most of you are packing for a 4 hour hike in the woods.

 

I carry my GPS.. a coat with a poncho in the pocket, sometimes a printout of the cache, and my tradin' stuff. only 2 finds so far.. so I might take water with me if it was a really long hike.. but blah...

 

can you say OVERKILL?/???

 

"If I were the quoting type, it would be here." -me

---

Overkill? Nope. No way. I'm guessing you are talking about 2-5day road trips by bike. Your probably never far from other people. If something happens while biking, you walk to a payphone, or sit on the curb with your thumb out. If you're hiking several miles into the woods, off trail to find a cache, and something happens, you better be prepared to handle it. It could be days, or never, before someone "happens" to find you. Even in as dense a state as NJ, you can still find yourself in the middle of hundreds of square miles of pine trees and sandy trails, and few roads, people, or cell towers.

Sure, if the only cache you ever hunt are in city parks, 200ft from the parking lot, alot of that is overkill. But for 3/3 caches and up, what you see listed above might someday save your life.

 

Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.

[pure_ego]

nope, I don't do that road riding crap.. thats just a good way to get ran over the best I can tell. I pack everything on the mnt bike and follow hiking/biking/cow/goat/chicken, and occasionally no trail. I do have a small first aid kit, but lets be serious..

 

I saw somebody had a lock picking kit in their "survival" pack... uhh.. a what? and why?

 

gimme a water filter, 2 band aids, dried fruit, and 4 cans of tuna and I'm good for a week.

 

Some of these people are acting like they might take a wrong turn and end up in the alaskan tundra while they were looking for a cache in their local state park.

 

"If I were the quoting type, it would be here." -me

[+Harrald]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pure_ego:

Mostly I think your crazy.. I do alot of 2-5 day bicycling rides and I don't carry 1/2 the stuff most of you are packing for a 4 hour hike in the woods.

---

 

Well it looks as if you Login name suits you.

 

Lemme guess...

 

Single?

No kids?

No house?

mid 20's?

 

 

Nuff said

 

====================================

As always, the above statements are just MHO.

====================================

[+Newenglandah]

I bought a new Pack Last night!

 

GPS obvious

perdometer

compass

digi camera

Geo goodies

jerky/and nola/ 2 water bottles in holders

batteries batteries and some more batteries

pen/pencil/sharpie

flashlight

notebook/folder for print outs

cell phone --turned off/this is my time

gloves/hat

thats it--i also bring a hiking stick!

 

See you in the woods!

Natureboy1376

[pure_ego]

Lemme guess...

 

Single?

No kids?

No house?

mid 20's?

 

Yeah.. you could have just looked in the profile and saved yourself all that guessing..

 

but uh... What does that have to do with how much crap I lug along with me to hunt a cache?

 

"If I were the quoting type, it would be here." -me

[+themagician]

Gee I think I need everything in my pack

The camera, well of course.

Extra pencils to go in the caches that have none.

well why not? what does 2 or 4 pencils weigh?

Plastic baggies sure how many wet caches have you found? help keep em dry put them in a plastic bag.

Food and drink? one of my caches was planned to be less than an hour and turned into 7 hours by the time I got back to the car. I was glad I had food and water. Sure I would have made it without, but why worry?

Bandaids in my pack... just a few

but get caught in a thorn bush and rip something open, you'll be glad you had it....

Yea if its in my pack "I NEED IT"

[+Upham]

I was about .5 miles out in the woods looking for my 15th cache. I climed some rocks my Garmin told me the cache was here some where among the rocks. I slipped and fell and the next thing I knew it was dark out I had a nasty cut on my temple and it hurt like hell, my ankle was very sore and I thought broken. At first I was in panic, I think because of the darkness but I managed to calm myself down a little. I had my pack and I'm not in the wilderness I told myself. I got out my flashlight then found my granola bars and water. I needed to calm down and think. The food and water helped. I couldn't find my gps unit at first but finally found it about twenty ft. away. Thank god for the flashlight. Well, my leg hurt like hell and I had to do something with it. I carry rope on the outside of my pack so I kinda made a splint out of some sticks and the rope and found my hiking stick and started out of the woods. I was a little dizzy from the knock on my head and had to sit down after ten or fifteen minutes.I kinda cleaned up the head wound with my water and neckerchief and felt a little better. My Garmin died on me but I had extra batteries for it. I finally got back to my car and had to remove the splint to drive but I made it to the hospital ok. I know I would have been ok if I didn't have my pack but I don't know what it would have been like.

Now this really didn't happen but it could have.

I do carry:

rope, socks, extra batteries, water, bandanna, sweatshirt, granola bars, leatherman, tripod for my digi camera, of course my camera, bag of trade items, whisle, compass, thermometer, mini mag, Garmin and a hiking staff.

 

[This message was edited by rut on January 12, 2003 at 05:58 PM.]

[+Criminal]

What if the park gates had been closed and locked with your car inside? How would you drive to the hospital? I bet a good set of lock picks would come in real handy.....

[+BletchleyPark]

Ya' know, I think that for maximum enjoyment a person needs to feel comfortable with the activities they are persuing. But even a quick walk in the park is not without *some* possible risk.

 

Therefore, it seems to me that a person should take with them the items that make them feel the most comfortable in accepting any inherent risks associated with their activity. Of course there are some basic recommendations, but beyond those its up to the individual.

 

If a person is under-equipped and ill-prepared to face a possible life threatening situation, it is a result of their choices and can ultimately result in (here come the flames) "Natural Selection".

 

On the other hand, the person who is overly cautious and heavily-ladden with gear designed to reduce all possible risks may stand a better chance of survival...that is, if they don't have a coronary carrying the pack.

 

The issue is...balance. I try to find the point at which being risk-averse does not interfere with the enjoyment of the activity. It is *my* decision; it is a "personal thing" and each person will have a different point of balance.

 

Where I have a problem is when people undertake activities without informing themselves about the basics and the possible risks/hazards involved.

 

Case in point: I was hiking a cliffside trail about 15 years ago and spotted a short, fat pine tree/shrub ahead of me waving back and forth. I was sure it was a large animal in the brush so I started singing (well, sort of) and clapping , searching for a spot with a better view while keeping an eye on the tree. Through my binoculars I could see that the movement was not caused by an animal but by some mysterious "force" pulling on the tree. It turned out to be someone to was "practicing" rappelling on the cliff. They had "secured" their rope to the base of this under six-inch pine prior to going over the 800-foot cliff. I was carrying about 30 feet of nylon rope and rigged it around a nearby rock point. My belt bridged the gap between the nylon rope and the tree. I'm not sure wether this would have held in a fall, but it made me feel better!

 

After I received no response from yelling to the person, I left an note and hiked back to the ranger station with the approximate UTM coordinates. Finally, the person was "rescued" by rangers from below (after an appearence from a state police helicopter!).

 

While this activity ended without harm it could have easily supported the process of Natural Selection. Carry what you want, but be informed of the risks and intelligently consider where your "point of balance" will occur.

 

Never got my rope or belt back...

 

Just my two "sense",

 

BP

[enfanta]

...whether you shouldn't just let natural selection take its course.

 

Sorry you didn't get your stuff back. I'm sure the family of that yahoo is grateful for your intervention even if s/he isn't.

 

What a maroon.