Ultimate Bad Trade List

[Broncoholics]

Here is a unusual log for a virtual cache that I found recently. (Demas Rock)

 

This is Bull Dog, found this one on 10/3/02 in the afternoon. Nice drive, took the two pennys and left two 22 shells. You have to do a dilley to find this one from the south, just a hint.

 

D

[+Renegade Knight]

...

I'm a newbie still picking up the jargon... At first glance, I briefly wondered how one could get Tuberculosis from a geocache...

 

Those are Russian geocaches where that's a problem.

[+Renegade Knight]

I used to get ticked at bad trades then realize that I do them every now and then. Then to top it while I was still thinking I had the right to the soap box on this, I was humbled by a bad trader. After learning of everything else he does for geocaching, local geocachers, as well as his personal situation he can down trade all of my caches any time he wants and I would consider it an honor.

 

A bad trade is a bad trade but come on. Lighten up on the people and laugh at the bad trades!

[+briansnat]

I think the guy kinda missed the point... The Geocoin could have been taken but sheesh, 8 cents!?

 

 

Is a geocoin a regular trade item, or isn't it more like a TB, which a lot of people feel are distinct from normal trade items. Personally, I don't include TB's as part of my trades and wouldn't think of including a geocoin either, since the point of both is to go from cache to cache. As long as I can facilitate that, what's the difference what I trade, or if I trade at all?

[+Sparky-Watts]

I think the guy kinda missed the point... The Geocoin could have been taken but sheesh, 8 cents!?

 

 

Is a geocoin a regular trade item, or isn't it more like a TB, which a lot of people feel are distinct from normal trade items. Personally, I don't include TB's as part of my trades and wouldn't think of including a geocoin either, since the point of both is to go from cache to cache. As long as I can facilitate that, what's the difference what I trade, or if I trade at all?

That's kinda what I thought, too. Unless it was an unregistered geocoin, such as some people leave new unregistered TB tags in caches as trade items. If it was a registered geocoin, I wouldn't have second thoughts about taking it to move along without a trade. To me, it's just the same as taking a TB to move along....not a trade item, so no trade necessary.

[+Renegade Knight]

I thought Geocoins were fair game and among the 'deluxe' signature item for finders to keep.

 

Some coins have tracking numbers and I guess are bugs of sorts. Others aren't and others still like Moun10bike's seem to be a bit of both. Keep it if it's not gone far and move it on if it has. I'm not sure about his new batch.

 

I've never seen a geocoin in my short geocaching life though.

[ANM103FH]

On the theme of "bad trades", I've noticed that the easier find caches near large urban centers seem to be the most prone to "bad trades", trade-ups and generally end up having junk left in them.

 

It seems like the more effort that is required to find a cache, attracts the sort of people who are more prone to treat the cache and its contents respectfully.

 

Does anyone else feel that this is the trend?

 

Left my $0.02 and took nothing,

 

-Frank

[+briansnat]

It seems like the more effort that is required to find a cache, attracts the sort of people who are more prone to treat the cache and its contents respectfully.

 

I think its more a matter of find frequency. The urban caches are found often and degradation happens quickly. The remote caches get far fewer finds and take a lot longer to degrade. The remote ones do degrade eventually.

[+Sparrowhawk]

That's a real problem. Some months ago I took a TB from a cache containing parfume samples. The TB had such an ugly smell that I had to store it in the cellar until I placed it in another cache.

Wait a minnit... a cache that stinks like that might have to be looked at twice for the same smelly reason one does not put food in a cache... hey Groundspeak! Any opinions?

[+Sparky-Watts]

That's a real problem. Some months ago I took a TB from a cache containing parfume samples. The TB had such an ugly smell that I had to store it in the cellar until I placed it in another cache.

Wait a minnit... a cache that stinks like that might have to be looked at twice for the same smelly reason one does not put food in a cache... hey Groundspeak! Any opinions?

Yup, I agree. I always remove food, perfume, soap, air fresheners, and any other oderific items I find in caches. Some folks will say soap, perfume, and the like won't attract critters, but they're wrong. Actually, one of the worst critters those items and other sweet-smelling items will attract are bees and wasps, and being highly allergic to bee and wasp stings, I don't really care to encounter any more of them than necessary. My last bee sting put me into a deep anaphylactic shock and respiratory arrest. Not a pleasant experience. Fortunately, it was while I was working as a paramedic, and happened at the station, so I had emergency help right away. As quickly as I downgraded in condition, I most certainly would have died had I been alone, as I wasn't even able to get my epi-pen out of my pack before I passed out. But, I digress......

[+Haggis Hunter]

".....Took the travel bug and will move it west this weekend. Left 6 cents."

"Took the Travel Bug otherwise TNLN"

[+briansnat]

"Took the Travel Bug otherwise TNLN"

 

I don't see anything wrong with this. Most geocachers don't consider a TB to be a "trade item". It's sort of a game within a game and if you can help the TB on its way, there is no need to trade for it.

[+PandyBat]

I thought Geocoins were fair game and among the 'deluxe' signature item for finders to keep.

 

Some coins have tracking numbers and I guess are bugs of sorts. Others aren't and others still like Moun10bike's seem to be a bit of both. Keep it if it's not gone far and move it on if it has. I'm not sure about his new batch.

 

I've never seen a geocoin in my short geocaching life though.

I came across my first today. First time I had ever seen one. It had a note attached that it was wanting to go traveling. I didn't take it because I wasn't traveling anywhere for a while so maybe the next person can take it on out of town and send it on its way.

 

I can't believe I got a "ftf" of sorts on the ol' Renegade Knight. What's up with that??...heehehee!

[+SnowLeopard]

I think the problem is less about trading items of unequal value, and more about putting some thought and care into what you place in the cache.

I've placed dollar-store finds in caches before, but I search through the stores to find really cool objects of value that people would want. Sure, I may have only spent a buck, but the next person who finds it will see it as worth something more.

If someone found a dollar-store item and traded it for 1 dollar, sure it's equal, but there was no thought put into finding an item worthy of sitting in a cache.

 

On another note: I recently placed out my first cache, and it has a space-theme. Have others noticed that the theme-based caches tend to have quality items because people take the time to think of stuff that's appropriate, or should I expect loosing lottery tickets and soggy bus schedules before long?

 

(I forgot to mention that I am a poor geocacher who can't afford a whole lot more. )

Edited April 16, 2004 by SnowLeopard

[+Mom-n-Andy]

We found a cache today that had a whole stack of business cards left by a Navy recruiter. No doubt hoping that someone would find them and think "Wow! I think I'll join the Navy!"

[ilnyckyj]

I found my eleventh cache today and, so far, the only trade I've made has been a magnetic travel chess set (value, about $3-4) for a Travel Bug (since moved to another cache). Other than that, I've yet to see anything worth the same amount (and the other items I've been carrying around) in any of the caches near the University of British Columbia (or on Bowen Island). I am perfectly willing to trade up a little, but a bunch of little $0.10 toys and things just don't deserve anything beyond 'TNLN.'

[weRlostNDwoods]

We put out a great cache, which got flooded, so we had to move it to higher ground in the same area, replenishing it. Unfortunately, the last time we checked on it..we had a few loggers who didn't mention what they took/left...many of which didn't even log online. Needless to say, all of the nicest things we had left were missing when we last checked on it with no mention of it from the takers!!!!! Some of the people that logged were not registered on GC.com

[+Riddlers]

We found a cache at a rest area after a long search and it had a disposable diaper in it. I thought it was strange but left it in case some poor cacher found some need for it. Everyone seems to have different tastes.

[weRlostNDwoods]

I'm thinking maybe I was a little off topic earlier, but this topic reminds me of the took something/left nothings out there! Sorry for the off topic subject, but thanks for the room to vent about it!

[+JeepCachr]

Some of the people that logged were not registered on GC.com

Some people log with their real names instead of their online screen name so its not possible to tell if they don't have accounts here. Its also possible that they got the cache coordinates from someone or somewhere else.

[ANM103FH]

We found a cache today that had a whole stack of business cards left by a Navy recruiter. No doubt hoping that someone would find them and think "Wow! I think I'll join the Navy!"

Isn't leaving your business cards, (IE commercial purposes) against geocaching rules? Especially leaving a whole stock of them instead of just one as a marker?

 

-Frank

[bug and snake]

Isn't leaving your business cards, (IE commercial purposes) against geocaching rules? Especially leaving a whole stock of them instead of just one as a marker?

<slightly facetious post>Not automatically. Say, for example, you were a nuclear chemist. The chances of someone hiring you to do some nuclear chemistry from leaving that card is not high. If, however, you were a local jobbing plumber and you left a dozen cards in every cache you visited..... completely different deal.</slightly facetious post>

[Leoness]

This just came up today on a cache I have a watch on...

 

"Took the mini torch and left a stone from a beach in pembrokeshire."

 

Hmm... was the stone a diamond, by any chance or only semi-precious?!!!

[+PandyBat]

Isn't leaving your business cards, (IE commercial purposes) against geocaching rules?  Especially leaving a whole stock of them instead of just one as a marker?

<slightly facetious post>Not automatically. Say, for example, you were a nuclear chemist. The chances of someone hiring you to do some nuclear chemistry from leaving that card is not high. If, however, you were a local jobbing plumber and you left a dozen cards in every cache you visited..... completely different deal.</slightly facetious post>

I disagree... Please don't do that to any of my caches (when I get them out ).

If one person does it, they'll all do it and nobody wants to see their cache filled up with advertising.

I could do this same thing because we own a local business, yet I don't because I don't think it goes along with the concept of what geocaching is all about. It's definitely not about networking or advertising your business.

[schon]

I disagree... Please don't do that to any of my caches (when I get them out    ).

If one person does it, they'll all do it and nobody wants to see their cache filled up with advertising.

I could do this same thing because we own a local business, yet I don't because I don't think it goes along with the concept of what geocaching is all about. It's definitely not about networking or advertising your business.

OK, this touches on a question I had..

 

I agree that leaving business cards, etc. is at best tacky, and at worst a violation of the rules, but what about swag?

 

Say (for example), I got a bunch of camera cases, tote bags, CD wallets, or T-shirts, or whatever, with the logo of a local business, and used them for trade items - would this be acceptable? (I'm talking about good quality stuff, not dollar-store items, and stuff that would be actually useful.)

 

I ask because this topic came up with a friend - he's looking for cheap ways to advertise his business, and I thought that as long as it's quality stuff, that this would be acceptable (if it didn't have the logo on it, it'd make great swag - having a logo shouldn't disqualify it.) As a specific example, he has 20 or so T-shirts ('Gilden' - a good brand name) with his logo, that are leftovers from a recent promotion. I think they'd make great trade items.

 

Am I wrong?

[+PandyBat]

I disagree... Please don't do that to any of my caches (when I get them out    ).

If one person does it, they'll all do it and nobody wants to see their cache filled up with advertising.

I could do this same thing because we own a local business, yet I don't because I don't think it goes along with the concept of what geocaching is all about. It's definitely not about networking or advertising your business.

OK, this touches on a question I had..

 

I agree that leaving business cards, etc. is at best tacky, and at worst a violation of the rules, but what about swag?

 

Say (for example), I got a bunch of camera cases, tote bags, CD wallets, or T-shirts, or whatever, with the logo of a local business, and used them for trade items - would this be acceptable? (I'm talking about good quality stuff, not dollar-store items, and stuff that would be actually useful.)

 

I ask because this topic came up with a friend - he's looking for cheap ways to advertise his business, and I thought that as long as it's quality stuff, that this would be acceptable (if it didn't have the logo on it, it'd make great swag - having a logo shouldn't disqualify it.) As a specific example, he has 20 or so T-shirts ('Gilden' - a good brand name) with his logo, that are leftovers from a recent promotion. I think they'd make great trade items.

 

Am I wrong?

I don't know what the rules are on this type of commercializing. I wouldn't mind a "trade item" with someones logo on it. But as far as throwing a few business cards into a cash as a way of promotion, it just seems like clutter.

[+Renegade Knight]

Cool logo stuff is ok for trade items. Especiall if it's useful.

 

I keep hoping to find an item with a Chevy logo. Something useful like an Avalanche.

[+Sparky-Watts]

Cool logo stuff is ok for trade items. Especiall if it's useful.

 

I keep hoping to find an item with a Chevy logo. Something useful like an Avalanche.

A cacher in my area is leaving Chevy Avalanches as sig items.....I don't think you'd fit in one, though.

[ANM103FH]

Cool logo stuff is ok for trade items. Especiall if it's useful.

 

I keep hoping to find an item with a Chevy logo. Something useful like an Avalanche.

There's lots of cool stuff that would make great swag even if it has advertising logos on it. For me, it comes down to the intent of the person who's leaving the item.

 

Am I leaving it because its cool swag? Or am I leaving it as advertising so the I or someone I know will benefit from it?

 

Left my $0.02 and took nothing,

 

-Frank

[+cmpalmer]

Used golfballs

I've got a better one than used golf balls used as trade items: Today I found a really cool new cache. The first stage was a low-power radio transmitter that you had to drive close to and find and listen to the coords for the cache. Really cool. Then the cache itself was next to a nice stream that I didn't know was there. Really cool. There was a trail leading to right beside the cache, so you didn't have to tramp through briars and poison ivy. Really cool. Ammo can cache, so no soggy logs. Really cool. I was second to find it and what was it stocked with?

 

A ziploc bag *full* of used golf-balls.

 

Aaargh. TNLN (I wasn't planning on trading anyway, so I didn't bring any trade swag, but I wished I'd brought some stuff to leave).

[+LouRem]

I came across a cache that supposed to have a cache camera in it for pics to be posted on the cache site. I couldn't find the camera, but I did find this post from a newbie (4th cache found):

 

"We found it! Nice park, great place to throw golf discs. We took a camera, and Bud TB. We left a blue lunch box, Mike Wyzowski, and a hand crafted Paduak pyramid with magical properties. Be extremely careful how you relate to it! Had a great time, TFTC."

(emphasis added)

 

I think this person was ignorant rather than malicious, but it was the worst trade I have seen.

[+thennig]

I usually don't trade anything. I go to caches for the purpose of finding them. When I do take and/or leave things, it's travelbugs. That's pretty much it. When I make a cache, I put stuff in it obviously, and since it's then a new cache I try to put good stuff in it and a variety of things (stuff kids would like, stuff adults might be more interested in, etc).

 

I had a log on one of my caches awhile back that said they didn't have anything with them (left their goods in their car) so they left some acorns from the ground. Sure...I'll drop some leaves in the next one I find. Thanks! Oh well. The stuff I find in caches usually isn't anything I would want anyway.

[+Cupboards]

It sure would be nice if people tried a bit harder at leaving interesting objects in the caches. Last weekend my 7yr old daughter left a cool keychain she had made and took a Staples gift card. I let her take the card figuring it must have had a buck or two left on it from somebody's gift.....but no, a few days later at Staples she finds out it is'nt worth anything at all. Why would someone put an empty gift card in a cache? Wow, really great effort there. Next time we'll take the acorns.

[+Xavier961]

I've noticed around my area and within a 100 mile radius that there are certain cachers that pick the good treasures out of all the caches and leave crap like toy soliders or marbles or a single playing card. It irks me to read a log online that hasn't been 'hit' for a couple of months to see that there's a geocoin in a cache, (have only found 1 other geocoin before) only to walk the 2 miles up a mountain trail to find no geocoin, and a log in the log book, "T - geocoin L - playing card". Well Yippy Skippy!.. thanks for logging it in... wanker...

 

I try to keep my geobag full of good trade items, usually $1-$5 in price so that I have plenty of things to trade up or trade even and never trade down. If I find something that's really cool I'll even give more for it in return. I enjoy the hunt, trudging through the wilderness and finally finding my quary..but not opening the cache to see two sticks, a rubber band, and a bouncy ball with teeth marks in it.

 

Come on: Trade even, trade up or don't bother to trade at all! IMHO.

[+Bear_Left]

A cache in New Zealand had a nasty note from some brats in the logbook, all swaps stolen, and a dead seagull left in the plastic bag with the logbook in the box.

a) how gross

they bothered to write in the logbook!

[+jcar]

So this weekend I found a pair of socks in a cache. I have no idea what they traded for. No mention is made online, I scanned the three logbooks but found nothing.

 

On the topic of TB trades, I usually try to trade TB's, when I do not have any I usually leave dollar coins, usually $3 - 4. Too much? Too little?

 

My cache bag is filled with $1 - $2 items, and the occasional $3. I always try to leave something, but only occasionally take, unless my daughters are along, and then all we seem to do is trade. I'm sure I have unintentionally traded down, but not on purpose.

[+Nazgul]

I'm sure I have unintentionally traded down, but not on purpose.

I think that's all anyone can ask, and I applaud your attitude. I wish more people would do likewise, but it's not gonna happen.

[+bumblingbs]

Somebody left a baby's nasal aspirator in one of my caches. I thought it was an odd choice for a trade item.

[+briansnat]

So this weekend I found a pair of socks in a cache. I have no idea what they traded for. No mention is made online, I scanned the three logbooks but found nothing.

 

Were they at least clean? I found a dirty diaper cover in one of my caches .

Edited May 25, 2004 by briansnat

[+yumitori]

So this weekend I found a pair of socks in a cache. I have no idea what they traded for. No mention is made online, I scanned the three logbooks but found nothing.

My mother-in-law was leaving (new) socks in caches for a short while just after she started. One of the first caches we took her to ended in wet feet, and she wished she had dry ones to change into.

[+jcar]

So this weekend I found a pair of socks in a cache.  I have no idea what they traded for.  No mention is made online, I scanned the three logbooks but found nothing.

My mother-in-law was leaving (new) socks in caches for a short while just after she started. One of the first caches we took her to ended in wet feet, and she wished she had dry ones to change into.

I did not think anyone would put it as a legitimate item. I was very surprised to see the socks, and they appeared to be clean, and maybe new.

 

I will keep an open mind on socks now.

 

Thanks!

[+TeamK-9]

I recently found a couple condoms, still in the wrapper. I trashed them out though...

[+loraonly]

Well, I for one had never read the "mmm, dead monkey?" bit, and I just have to say it's one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. You people are priceless!

[+Hawkbit]

So this weekend I found a pair of socks in a cache.  I have no idea what they traded for.  No mention is made online, I scanned the three logbooks but found nothing.

My mother-in-law was leaving (new) socks in caches for a short while just after she started. One of the first caches we took her to ended in wet feet, and she wished she had dry ones to change into.

I did not think anyone would put it as a legitimate item. I was very surprised to see the socks, and they appeared to be clean, and maybe new.

 

I will keep an open mind on socks now.

 

Thanks!

I would like to find good wool hicking socks in a cache... but I haven't been in the habit of trading this last go around... just love finding them.

[+cachecrazies]

This was a special cache to us so we packed it with goodies for people to find and enjoy. Most of the good stuff was taken by one of the first finders -sure glad they enjoyed it because this made us NOT put too much good stuff in at the very first - we now spread it out over time.

 

quote "My husband got alittle over excited to find a travel bug a geo patch and the geo coin so he left a $5.00 bill."

 

Gee - thanks!

[+TeamK-9]

This was a special cache to us so we packed it with goodies for people to find and enjoy. Most of the good stuff was taken by one of the first finders -sure glad they enjoyed it because this made us NOT put too much good stuff in at the very first - we now spread it out over time.

 

quote "My husband got alittle over excited to find a travel bug a geo patch and the geo coin so he left a $5.00 bill."

 

Gee - thanks!

Yah, I know how you feel, I had originally bought about $15 worth of swag for my first cache, but ended up only putting in about half of that, not only because of the size of the container (smaller than I had originally planned) but because I was afraid some genius would come and take all the good stuff. Not that any local cachers would do that, but just to be safe...

[+ddirgo]

I didn't have anything interesting to add to this thread until yesterday. (Just gum wrappers, movie ticket stubs, and the usual trash.) But yesterday, I found this in a cache:

 

 

A locked, rusty, broken, bolt-cut padlock with no key. I trashed it out and left a toy fire engine, which wasn't one of my best trade items, but certainly was a trade up!

[+Uno Mas]

You don't have to spend a bunch, just put some thought into your trade items.  Keep your eyes open, and you'll see something in a store somewhere (or online) that will be inexpensive yet cool.

I hate the ones who say TNLN: took nothing left nothing. Boring.

I've been known to take nothing and leave something, definitely a trade up. After a while I guess I get boring since most times there are just kids toys and nothing an adult would want. Great if I cached with a kid, but I don't. So... I just enjoy the hunt, search for something interesting in the cache, and leave it as it is.

[+O Crew]

I am still a newbie, but have noticed some very questionable items left in caches. One of my recent hunts took me to a beutiful spot, but the cache contained a realtor's business card, book of mormon literature, a rusty bolt and nut, and a piece of plastic of unknown origin or purpose. It becomes tough to get the kids very interested when there is nothing but crap there.

 

I understand that many of us, myself included, enjoy the hunt regardless.

 

So, here is a question I have been wanting to ask to the geocaching public.

 

Would you be willing to pay a fee to go on an exclusive geocaching hunt with real substantial prizes, such as pay $10 with a GPS, Mapquest software, or some other prize exceeding $100 on the line and less than 20 total participants?

 

Would you feel any better if some of the proceeds were used to support geocaching organizations as well as leaving cash or prizes in geocaches for the general geocaching public?

 

It seems to me that it may be a means to provide an adventure to those willing to pay for it as well as provide some better free swag to the general geocaching public.

 

I have seen one website that has attempted to have a monthly subscription of $3 with most of the proceeds going into the cache.

 

Let me know what you think.

[+Sparky-Watts]

 

So, here is a question I have been wanting to ask to the geocaching public.

 

Would you be willing to pay a fee to go on an exclusive geocaching hunt with real substantial prizes, such as pay $10 with a GPS, Mapquest software, or some other prize exceeding $100 on the line and less than 20 total participants?

 

Would you feel any better if some of the proceeds were used to support geocaching organizations as well as leaving cash or prizes in geocaches for the general geocaching public?

 

It seems to me that it may be a means to provide an adventure to those willing to pay for it as well as provide some better free swag to the general geocaching public.

 

I have seen one website that has attempted to have a monthly subscription of $3 with most of the proceeds going into the cache.

 

Let me know what you think.

Nope.