What NOT to put in a cache

[Team Cthulhu]

hey I am hopefully going to go hunting for my first cache(got an etrex for Xmas from my husband!!) this weekend and wanted everyones opinion/ideas on what is/isn't good to put in a cache. I got that used golfballs and McDonald toys are definitely irritating to most people.

What about old magazines? I have not-too-old issues of Spin and Parents, I think someone might be interested in reading, but am not sure if thats a good idea or not. Other than that I am thinking perhaps books and used cds. Any ideas for good items for those on a very tight budget? I

[+Markwell]

The Dollar Store. You can always find some nifty things there.

 

If not, then just don't trade. Find the cache, enjoy the hunt and the walk, and just leave everything as it is. Trust me - it will still be fun!

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[Rubbertoe]

McToys get a bad rap. Sometimes a McToy is better than a dollar store trinket... it is just the dirty used McToys that turn people off, I think.

 

Deform My Head!

[+Markwell]

Here we go a Markwelling among the threads so old

Here we go a Markwelling the story to be told...

 

lame-o things to put in a cache

Suggestion for what NOT to put in a cache

Dumbest Thing You Put in a Cache - which has my favorite opening post.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[+Dekaner]

This is an easy one!

 

Good: Something you'd want to find.

 

Bad: something you wouldn't want to find.

 

I have no problem with used golf balls or McToys, as long as they are in good condition.

 

Ditto on your magazines (as long as they are family appropriate of course.) My only concern would be to place them in a cache that is big enough, waterproof, and gets a fair amount of traffic.

 

- Dekaner of Team KKF2A

[+Marky]

Bad: FOOD ITEMS! Say no to food in caches!

 

There are many things that I leave in caches that I wouldn't want to trade for, but somebody else might. For example, I might have a CD that I don't care for, but is a popular artist. I wouldn't feel bad about leaving that because there are people out there who would really like it.

 

Good: Pooping cows. We know that everyone loves pooping cows.

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

[+Jeo]

The only thing I have a problem with is anything with liquid in it. I personally have had 3 caches ruined by things that have leaked. Kiddie bubbles are especially bad because they come in cheap containers that tend to leak.

[team bubbletree]

Good point. Think of all four seasons... melting and freezing can destroy a cache if you leave liquids.

[+Prime Suspect]

What not to put? AOL disks.

 

Oh, how I long for the days when AOL software came on 3.5" floppies. At least you could erase them and turn them into something useful.

 

[+bigredmed]

As above, just follow the golden rule. If you don't want something, don't put it into a cache.

 

Food and scent-bearing items are a problem because they attract critters.

 

Don't need to go nuts on the budget, just look for stuff you would find interesting at the end of a hike.

 

Have fun.

 

By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I.

[+welch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jeo:

The only thing I have a problem with is anything with liquid in it. I personally have had 3 caches ruined by things that have leaked. Kiddie bubbles are especially bad because they come in cheap containers that tend to leak.

---

Not just liquids, But freezable liquids. Cheap snow globes, those squishy balls thingys, and Bubbles solution. One of those ended up in a cache of mine. it froze up and blew the cap off, and covered the inside of container with semi-sticky gunk. Luckily everything but it was in ziplocks so it was fairly easy to clean up

 

[+Cacheola Crew]

Hey,the Cacheola Crew LIKES McDonald's toys. (some of them, anyhow!) If any of you happen to be hiding any Treasure Planet toys near me, let me know! Otherwise, I have to eat at McDonald's six more times to collect enough for the boys to make the "map". UGH!

 

Janine

of Cacheola Crew

 

"You have brains in your head; You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...."

Dr. Seuss

[+Kouros]

quote:

---

Oh, how I long for the days when AOL software came on 3.5" floppies. At least you could erase them and turn them into something useful.

---

 

Mug coasters are useful

 

------

An it harm none, do what ye will

[+Penny & Chaos]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rubbertoe:

McToys get a bad rap. Sometimes a McToy is better than a dollar store trinket... it is just the dirty used McToys that turn people off, I think.

---

 

When Chaos & I are out geocaching together, we hit the drive-thru for lunch & share a happy meal. You should see the cashier trying to hand out the meal thru a 2 inch crack because Chaos has his head out my window.

I ask them not to put the McToy in the bag with the food. Then I leave it in the original package & trade it.

I put a Treasure Planet toy in my Appalacian Trail Dog Geocache last week, but it is gone already.

 

[Team Cthulhu]

I read in some past posts about people being annoyed about happy meal toys, but I don't think it would necessarily be bad. I generally don't eat at MickyD's but sometimes think they have good toys- it would definitely be healthier to geocache for a toy than eat the meal(hopefully my son will feel the same way when he's old enough to articulate his opinions!!)

 

No offense to those that eat there, of course- almost everyone i know, including my husband eats that stuff...

[+themagician]

I've come across 2 caches with soap in them.

Both times it was damp and nasty .

So theres something to NOT put in a cache...

But who knows what you'll find its always exciting

to open it and find who knows what.

and remember

"ONE MANS TRASH IS ANOTHERS GEOCACHE"

[+W8TVI]

I found a small bottle of bodywash in a cache about a month ago. The bottle was leaking.

I traded for something else in the cache, and "got rid of the trash". I just need to take that little bottle and toss it in the garbage... its been riding in the back seat of my car along with all the other trash that rides back there between cleanings... lol

 

W8TVI

 

GeoX Geocaching gear!

[+azmark]

ummmmmm tasty!

[+magical_memories]

Oriental Trader catalog has some great cache items that are even cheaper than the $1 store.

 

What not to place: food, liquids, fireworks.

[JohnyReb]

originally posted by Penny & Chaos

 

I ask them not to put the McToy in the bag with the food. Then I leave it in the original package & trade it.

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/71835_3300.gif

 

____________________________________________

 

Good idea, that has never occured to me. I presume keeping the McToy away from the food is to help prevent the critters from sniffing out the cache. That's using your noggin.

 

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

"Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway." - John Wayne

[+jollybgood]

I can't tell you how many damp moldy beanie babies I've found in caches. yech! Seems like they draw humidity and make everything else in the cache stinky.

 

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

[+Team Mixster]

If the main worry is the dampness of these small toys, could a silica packet work? (Not sure if I'm thinking of the right thing or not...) If the cache is big enough, I've been getting rid of my "I'll never watch this again" DVDs. I like the idea of the signature CDs I've seen, but I'm thinking of actually burning one w/ usuable stuff on it... Any thoughts?

 

-Mixster

[+Logscaler and Red]

Bullet's and other explosive devices. You might be interested in them but sometimes these things are found on accident by kids and some are not aware of the hazards. Do not get me wrong, I also have the guns and sometimes the fireworks but yea never know.

 

TTFN, logscaler.

[Morseman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by logscaler:

Bullet's and other explosive devices.

---

 

Near to where I work is a cache into which someone has placed a Cigarette lighter. And, the cache is in a wood... I did think of removing it, but decided it wasn't up to me to police what someone else puts into a cache that doesn't belong to me. I still worry about what might happen in a dry summer should something happen to that lighter though.

 

I also came across a soap bar in a cache that had become waterlogged.

 

I'm not really looking for 'quality' swap items, in fact I seem to major on collecting Yo-yos, but some items, like those mentioned, seem a bit daft given the location and the weather in the UK.

 

--... ...--

Morseman

[+hoovman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Morseman:

Near to where I work is a cache into which someone has placed a Cigarette lighter. And, the cache is in a wood... I did think of removing it, but decided it wasn't up to me to police what someone else puts into a cache that doesn't belong to me. I still worry about what might happen in a dry summer should something happen to that lighter though.

---

 

You could always trade for the lighter. Then there's no worry, and you don't have to feel like a policeman

 

[+The Merman]

Local items are good, like keychains, badges,etc.

 

I have been caching in Florida and it was nice to find little things that remind me of a great time.

 

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

[+Jacksons]

They make nice targets at the shooting range

 

Those that can,do; those that can't,teach; those that can't do or teach, manage

[Thewoodser]

quote:

---

I like the idea of the signature CDs I've seen, but I'm thinking of actually burning one w/ usuable stuff on it... Any thoughts?

 

-Mixster

---

 

This is pretty much my signature item. The day after Thanksgiving I got 250 free CD's. So I burn "useable stuff" on them and leave them behind.

[+Liberto]

How about cash, preferably large bills

[+MercRocks]

Even though the lifesavers were individuality wrapped, in a ziplock, in a plastic pail, Mr or Mrs wild animal can still smell them and will trash a cache to get them......Please remember NO FOOD....that concludes my ranting for awhile

 

If people persist in trespassing upon the grizzlies territory,we must accept that the grizzlies,

from time to time,will harvest a few trespassers.

-- Edward Abbey

[Veritech]

I found a cigar cutter in a cach once. At first I thought it was finger guillotine or something like that so I took it. It was not till I got home that someone told me what it was, looks kinda dangerous if ya ask me.

[+WrongWayRandall]

I just started caching this week and after checking out some of the forum and cache pages, I thought that some of the more interesting things to find would be items made by some other cacher, like the small coins some people made. Anything like a token or wooden nickel type item with the geocachers mark or symbol printed or imprinted would be fairly cool IMHO. Even some small item with a sticker like a poker chip would be cheap and have some value of the non-monetary kind. Any comments?

 

WrongWayRandall

[+Yanke]

Two good rules of thumb: Think small! Think useful! Most containers don't have the room required for books, magazines, etc. I keep a stuff sack in my pack that has has a 1/2 dozen or so different items. A roll or two of electrical tape, some hat pins (collectors love them) A CD, Foreign coins, etc. Also, something very useful for most geocachers or any outdoor lover is an emergency fire starter kit. I make my own using birthday candles (in windy or wet conditions, you'll use up your matches in no time. Lite a candle then lite the campfire) and a book of matches in a plastic film cannister. Very inexpensive, very small, and maybe a lifesaver.

 

Cheers,

Yanke