+Johnnie Stalkers Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 There may already be a list for this so sorry if I am out of place. We (2 adults and a 4 year old) begin caching this past week. Through trial and error we have come up with a few "must have" items. Like to know what other cachers carry with them. Heres what I've got now. GPS (of course) flashlight water snacks bandaids bug spray compass extra zip-loc baggies pencils / pencil sharpner / paper cache goodies Also like to know if anyone has used the Cobra GPS500, I get the feeling a lot of cachers are skeptical of it. It is my first unit and so far I think it is great. Of course, I have nothing to compare it to, soooo. Thanks to all of you for ALL that you have contributed to the sport! Quote Link to comment
cool_and_the_gang Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Might help to take some extra batteries both for your flashlight and your GPSr. In addition to hardcopy of the geocache data also remember to take a map of the local area that you'll be going into especially if it's a wilderness area so you can get out without relying on the GPSr. "Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing know happiness!" [This message was edited by cool_and_the_gang on September 23, 2003 at 06:01 AM.] Quote Link to comment
+Desert_Warrior Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Dan-Brown:There may already be a list for this so sorry if I am out of place. We (2 adults and a 4 year old) begin caching this past week You are not out of place here. Welcome to Geocaching. I recommend you read a thread that ran several months ago. Geocachers emptied out their pack and listed what was there. It was revealing! What is REALLY in your backpack? (CLICK) This will give you an idea of what some people carry. Your needs may be quite different from mine. I am a Texas State Park Volunteer, I do back-country trail patrol in a 27,000 acre desert mountain range. I carry a lot of gear - mostly for the fools I find on the trail. Someone doing urban caches wouldn't need the gallon of water, strobe light, radio, signal mirror, etc.... Would be interested to see what you settle on. Mike. Desert_Warrior (aka KD9KC). El Paso, Texas. Citizens of this land may own guns. Not to threaten their neighbors, but to ensure themselves of liberty and freedom. They are not assault weapons anymore... they are HOMELAND DEFENSE WEAPONS! Quote Link to comment
+Bilder Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 What the others said. I always take more than I need. I carry a space blanket, rain poncho, maps, and spare batteries in addition to the stuff you mentioned. I have not read much on the Cobra units, but if it leads you to caches, then it is good enough. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have never been lost. Been awful confused for a few days, but never lost! N61.12.041 W149.43.734 Quote Link to comment
+Chipper3 Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 It may not be in the kit, but ALWAYS enter the woods AFTER puching in the WP of the "parking lot" or trailhead. Quote Link to comment
+CurmudgeonlyGal Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 We, too, have just begun to cache. 12 caches, and a .99-er (did everything but sign the log for a 6-stage multi! Argh! But we'll be back). We've been traipsing around with up to 6 kids and 2 adults, but mostly it's just 1 adult and a couple-three kids. The bag varies, but I've recently realized I'd like a BIGGER bag, and hadn't really considered a backpack... but was thinking more along the lines of a seriously sized lumbar pack. Our longest round-trip hike has only been about 4 miles on a well known (to us) trail so we haven't packed much in with us. However, I can see where more will be needed, especially as spring/summer rolls around. Right now I've always got the GPS, cell phone (unlikely it would be usable very far in, but I have it), extra batteries, writing utensil (usually a pen), goodies and a hard copy of the cache page in case we need to read it again or decode that clue. AND the camera. Must find smaller digi-cam. Right now I'm packing a Canon G4 and it's cumbersome at best If I'm benchmarking I also take water and hand wipes. Soon to add a machete or gas powered trimmer to THAT bundle. Quote Link to comment
dsandbro Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 And the most important survival item -- mountain money AKA toilet paper. =========================================================== "The time has come" the Walrus said "to speak of many things; of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and Kings". Quote Link to comment
+Deckyon Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 The other thing to consider on this is that most of the people doing the caching are doing so in or near a major city or town. I myself, do a lot of hiking and carry that gear when hiking. Most of the planned caches I do are in and around the city I live in. We have upwards of 300 caches, more than enough for now. Only on a couple did I take a full pack. I started with a lot of stuff and it dam near weighed 40 pounds... I now take a small beltpack with a water bottle and spot for my camera and pencil and a couple trade items. On longer hikes/caches, I take my hiking gear. Best safe than sorry. Most city caches can be completed within a few hundred feet of your car. BTW, CurmudgeonlyGal & the 4Trolls, what is the Canon G4? I was not aware they made anything but the G2, G3 and G5 in the PowerShot G series. I have the G3, a 4 mp camera. --- Brad Buskey http://www.deckyon.com N38:17.281, W85:32.998 deckyon@NOSPAM.msn.com Magellan Meridian Platinum Quote Link to comment
Bobthearch Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Aside from the Geocache-related items (GPS, batteries, trade items) the Wilderness Education Association has developed a list of 'Ten Essentials' for outdoor travel. If you have these items, then you've nothing to worry about. -Bob Quote Link to comment
+Johnnie Stalkers Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Wow! I am both humbled and enlightened. The "Ambassador of the Sport" attitude is refreshing, Thank you all. The "Whats REALLY in your pack" thread was VERY informative. When we stretch our legs a little and get out of the city I will definately be breaking out the full pack and adding some essentials. Quote Link to comment
+Grapu etal Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 We are a two parent four kid team and have been caching for over a year. What we do now is that we have a "Geocaching Box" In it are our hiking boots, extra socks and extra t-shirts a more extensive first aid kit and some other overflow items (ie extra bug stray, extra ziploc) During hunting season we also keep our orange hats and safety vests. We also keep our geocaching bag in this box. Whenever we are ready to go geocaching, we just pick up the box (currently a 40 gallon - I think - Rubbermaid container)and put it in the back of the van. Now, in the geocaching bag we keep the following: 1 pencil with sharpener 2 pens (always ready to leave one in a cache) 3 small extra log books compass (I've got to learn how to use this one of these days) Extra batteries (AA for GPS #1, AAA for GPS #2 and walkie talkies) Leatherman tool Duck tape (for repairing caches) nail clippers (I'm really not sure why we have this) small flashlight Caching goodies (various sizes) First Aid kit travel toilet paper cell phone ziploc bags digital camera (we use a Nikon Coolpix 2500) Extra camera battery Emergency blanket bug spray (28% deet - I think) Water Snacks (vital for emergency mid-trail meltdowns) ========= "The Road goes ever on and on, out from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, Let others follow it who can!" Quote Link to comment
dan@vaxcave.com Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 Just got back from doing all the caches on Presque Isle in Erie, our main objective here was GC386C our 100th find. Upon dumping the CamelBack H.A.W.G. out it contained: Etrex Lengend 8 alkaline AA batteries (fresh) 2 LiMH AA batteries (need to be charged) 1 Inova X1 LED flashlight 1 pair of binoculars 1 first aid kit 1 emergency whistle 1 keychain compass toliet paper 2 empty one gallon ziplocks 6 keychain nonclimbing carabiners 1 Parktool multi allen wrench tool (for the mountian bike) 1 black extra fine sharpie 2 pens 2 pencils an old paycheck (hey it's uncashed!!!) 2 emergency ponchos 1 space blanket 3 maps for state parks 14 cache printouts (some found, some not) safety glasses 3 Powerbar protein plus bars (chocolate carmel flavor) 1 box waterproof matches mini bic lighter 1 epi pen (I'm allergic to bees) 14 Team Vaxcave stickers for the log books 1 calculator (for those nasty multis with math problems) 1 box cutter about 5 grams of sand and of course the 100 oz water bladder (1/3 full) Quote Link to comment
+CurmudgeonlyGal Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 quote:BTW, CurmudgeonlyGal & the 4Trolls, what is the Canon G4? I was not aware they made anything but the G2, G3 and G5 in the PowerShot G series. I have the G3, a 4 mp camera. The Canon G4 is a typo, sorry about that. We, too, have the G3. I also have the ultra-tiny Canon S100 but am considering gifting it to my dau. and getting myself the new S50. On the pack side of things, I'm not very big, and don't like to carry a heavy pack... so the smaller, less weighty I can get most things, the better. I realize that's the same goal for everyone, but a big, strapping 200 pound guy can easily carry more than my 125 pound self. And it's a Really Good excuse to covet a newer/smaller (than the G3) camera! Quote Link to comment
+Deckyon Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 CurmudgeonlyGal & the 4Trolls: Understood. I actually use my G3 all the time and carry it everywhere. I use one of 3 bags. The one I hike with is barely large enough to fit the G3, battery and memory, but it stows nicely on a carabiner on my Camelback "Mule." While I do not make a living with my camera, it has made me some money. I have a fortune in accessories for it. Have you thought about the S400? Came down in price recently. --- Brad Buskey http://www.deckyon.com N38:17.281, W85:32.998 deckyon@NOSPAM.msn.com Magellan Meridian Platinum Quote Link to comment
cutsandbruises Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 No one has mentioned a walking stick. I've only done 3 caches ( yep I'm a newbie) but I have used it on every hunt. Great when you need to bushwack through waist high grass. Great for poking in around and under prickle bushes. Just an all around good tool if you ask me. Quote Link to comment
+The Irish Pirates Posted September 23, 2003 Share Posted September 23, 2003 If I could make a comment on the extra batteries, buy the energizer e2 batteries. I recently went on a night time black light only cache hunt with my Magellan Sport Trak Map. 3 hours with the units back light running and it didn't even make a dent in the battery usage!! While the other 2 cachers I was with had to replace batteries almost twice due to the drain. They are a bit more expensive but well worth it in the long run. Also in a cache pack, don't forget the hand sanitizer gel. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Cache me out dammit, I'm in a hurry! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. -Thomas Jefferson Quote Link to comment
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