What's In Your Geocaching Bag?

[+PNWWizard]

I'm slowly figuring out what to keep in my caching bag besides trade items. Like a small flashlight, pen, & compass. Would you share the contents of your bag with me? I'd like to learn from you more experienced cachers rather than get out there and say "I wish I had a ____ with me". Thanks!!

[+wifireman]

Well we probubally carry more then we should...but here it goes

 

trade items, our signature trade items, first aid kit (just never know), a flashlight, bottled water for 2 on the long caches, our PDA, bug repellant (A must in Wisconsin), and some various cache supplies such as pencils, baggies, ect..

 

thats about it!

[+strikeforce1]

You might want to check out this thread 6 Essentials for more info. SF1

Edited September 10, 2004 by strikeforce1

[+PNWWizard]

Thanks that helps. I hadn't thought about first aid supplies! You're in Wisconsin? I grew up there, small world!

[+AuntieWeasel]

I'm actually devolving! After carrying more and more stuff with me, I'm now carrying less and less.

 

To begin with, I was carrying, like, a heavy canvas field bag stuffed with...stuff. That was a drag, walking in the woods with a heavy bag over my shoulder. Then I took to wearing a fishing vest to hold my gear. But I caught sight of myself in full geocaching uniform one day and decided I really didn't need quite so much help looking deranged.

 

Now I've got this very small, sturdy oilskin bag from Army Surplus - I think it was a Swiss medic's bag. Anyhow, it's totally waterproof, snaps shut firmly and just big enough to hold my wallet, Palm keyboard, digital camera and swag, plus a few very small items like bandaids, a spare logbook, some Ziploc baggies and an emergency vial of DEET. Compass and watch clipped to the bag. Looped over my neck, and I can scramble over rocks or trot for a while or...whatever.

 

Palm goes in the right pants pocket, cellphone in the right shirt pocket, GPSr in the left shirt pocket, keys in the left pants pocket. Everything always in the same places -- it cuts down on 'tard moments in the woods. I'm thinking of adding a small flashlight back into the mix -- I've needed it a couple of times.

 

In the car: a towel, sunscreen, water bottle (I carry the latter if the walk is over .5 each way). Paper maps. Optional: stick, binoculars. Laptop computer sometimes, if I'm in a totally unfamiliar place.

 

It's a lighter and less conspicuous kit than it sounds.

[+Enspyer]

It seems I'm part of the minority that doesn't carry any bag to most caches. For most caches, which are in fairly small city or country parks, I bring cache pages (I don't know if that's normal), my GPSr, extra batteries, my digital camera, a pen or pencil, extra paper, and lip balm. I also bring my ham radio HT, but that's definitely not necessary. The more notable items I bring in bigger parks are plastic bags, an extra logbook, and an extra layer of clothing.

 

My caching partner carries: a cell phone, a leash (with a dog at the end), and whatever else I can't carry.

[+PNWWizard]

Extra batteries are brilliant! Probably why I didn't think of it <grin>. I'm using a very small backpack by Victronix, not much bigger than a fanny pack. I think I just spelled that wrong...

 

I noticed that most of you carry spare log books - I assume that's for when you find a log book full???

 

Auntie - you carry a stick, I've been thinking of carrying a walking stick so I don't have to put my hands in dark, dank, holes in tree roots, etc.

 

Thanks everyone, I'm getting some good ideas here!

[+NightPilot]

What I carry depends on the cache. A micro in a parking lot needs nothing at all. For a cache in a manicured park, I might carry nothing, or I may carry some trade goods, etc, depending on the type of cache. For a hike in the woods, I generally use a fanny pack, and carry trade goods, cache repair stuff, and some compact binoculars. The binos aren't for caching, just for looking at stuff - birds, or whatever else. They aren't at all necessary for caching. I also carry spare batteries in an old prescription bottle, probably a bottle of water, and if it promises to be a long hike, I take a backpack with some gloves, a small first-aid kit, a bandanna, and the above. I have a compass clipped to all these, and I carry a hiking staff if it's in the woods. It comes in handy for balance going up and down bluffs, streams, pushing back briars, and for exploring holes. You never know what might be in a hole, or how many or how few legs it might have. An LED light is a good idea, if I remember to bring it. I always have a knife with me, whether I'm caching or not. The only time I don't have one is on an airliner, then it goes into the checked bag. One never knows when a knife will be absolutely essential. I sometimes carry a Gerber multi-tool, but I don't always remember it. I always carry it at work, but seldom at home. One of Murphy's corollaries says that you will only need one when you've left it at home.

[Shoobie & the Sand Crabs]

You must have extra batteries.

[+TaltosVT]

Let's see...

 

We carry a backpack with three zippered compartments.

 

One compartment has trade items, including spare log books (in case you find one that is full), pens (in case you find a cache that's missing one), and whatever we've found at other caches. Occasionally we toss some snacks for ourselves in this large pouch too.

 

The next has our absolute essentials. First aid kit (never, ever, leave home without it), spare batteries, spare pens, a small flashlight.

 

The third has space for printed copies of cache pages, and our compass. Occasionally our spare GPS when my daughter hasn't run off with it.

 

There are also pouches on the side for water bottles, which are also essential for some of the hikes we take.

 

We also try to keep a spare set of clothes in the car, and a cooler with drinks just in case we need them.

[+BlueDeuce]

After throwing a couple recharged batteries into my front pants pocket along with my keys and some change, the intense generated heat gave me the incentive to find another method.

I now wrap two batteries with some masking tape with the posts covered. This makes a nice small package that I can quickly find in my pack.

I also don't have the problem of remembering which batteries were the old or the new. (The Lord knows I've pulled batteries out only to look down and think, okay, where the old ones in my left hand or my right?)

 

If I get distracted I can throw the loose ones in the bottom of my pack. The taped ones aren't unwrapped until I can stick them in my GPS.

Edited September 11, 2004 by Elf Danach

[+blindleader]

Mode 1: Suburban and Urban caching. Butt pack containing:

IPAQ, Small notebook, Pen, Pencil, Compass with sighting mirror, Spare Batteries, Spare ZipLok bags (If I remember), Compact Flashlight, Sun glasses - GPS on holster.

 

Mode 2: Hikes more than a couple of miles from roads

Add to the mode 1 kit: Day Pack with The Ten Essentials, Small camera bag with typical contents, Mini tripod.

[+GeoSar]

Well for stuff that is in town or close by I carry

PDA

GPS

Ink Pen

And I wear a BDU shirt I like the 4 large pockets to keep stuff in,

For long half day hikes or all day walk abouts I have alice gear that holds

2 mre's

First Aid kit

Snake Bite kit

two canteens of water with a pack of powdered gator Aide for each canteen

1 3 ltr Camelbak of just water

poncho

cell phone

leatherman tool

led headband flashlight

surefire flashlight

Electric compass

backup compass

camera

signal mirrow

Signal whistle

bear bells

two pocket knifes

extra batteries for all electronics

I adjust what I carry to how far I will be hiking you can never carry enough water

I like to hike the trails in the national forest very easy to get lost so I carry a three day supply of water and food as listed, I always show my wife where I will be hiking on a topo map so if I don't report in every night she could send out a search party

[+Anonymous']

I don't have a bag, I just put all my stuff in my pockets. I carry:

waterbottle

compass

eTrex

a couple toys

a pen

2 extra batteries

papers with info about the cache

If I do a long hike I carry a backpack with a few more things:

food

knives

binoculars

first aid kit

[+Nero]

i would swear ive replied to a thread like this before, but...

 

I carry with me all the time caching or not...

 

personal geocoin.

smith & wesson SWAT special tactical framelock knife (with modified serrated tonto blade)

cell phone

 

and when im caching, i also carry my gps (was a etrex legend, now a vista)

visor edge palm device with cachetmate installed and all cache logs within 40 miles of me(updated weekly)

 

pen

trade items/bugs

sometimes bottle of water & hiking pole

and kids, they are handy sometimes as well, they also carry water and trade items.

 

and also in some cases i will bring map printouts so i can get to the general area of the cache.

[+B&K Whiting]

Well we carry

baby wipes - first aid kit - tp- hand sanitizer - bug spray- flash light - batterys - pens - pad - crackers - candy - ibuprofen - camera -matches -water-garbage bags-tissue- and our trade items

B&K Whiting

[+The Jester]

Aside from the GPSr & PDA (in hands/pocket), I have two different kits.

 

The small one - belt pouch - carried to all caches (for signing logs, etc) has stamp, stamp pad, pen, pencil, extra batteries, multi tool, caclulator, compass, small lanyard, notepad, CITO bags, handy wipes, and extra money (change & 5 spot). And a couple of small sway items.

 

The large one - lumbar pack - carried to trading caches has small kit (above), swag bag, TB's, large lanyard, headlamp/flashlight, extra food (M&Ms & Cliff Bar), first aid kit, 'blue bag' kit (toilet kit) , bandana(s), mini-binoculars, sunglasses, map, extra baggies, extra batteries, rain coat (WA resident), pant legs for convertiable shorts (sometimes wearing), rain cover for pack. For when needed a CamelBak water system is also carried (in car or on back).

 

In the car I have extra clothes, power/data cable for GPSr, laptop (when needed) and such.

 

I should mention the GPSr is a Rino so I have a FRS/GMRS radio (used to be seperate) and my watch is an altimeter. I generally have a hat (sunshade or rain depending).

[+Team Yontz]

Well for stuff that is in town or close by I carry

PDA

GPS

Ink Pen

And I wear a BDU shirt I like the 4 large pockets to keep stuff in,

For long half day hikes or all day walk abouts I have alice gear that holds

2 mre's

First Aid kit

Snake Bite kit

two canteens of water with a pack of powdered gator Aide for each canteen

1 3 ltr Camelbak of just water

poncho

cell phone

leatherman tool

led headband flashlight

surefire flashlight

Electric compass

backup compass

camera

signal mirrow

Signal whistle

bear bells

two pocket knifes

extra batteries for all electronics

I adjust what I carry to how far I will be hiking you can never carry enough water

I like to hike the trails in the national forest very easy to get lost so I carry a three day supply of water and food as listed, I always show my wife where I will be hiking on a topo map so if I don't report in every night she could send out a search party

Man, I thought I was bad for carrying stuff! Nice list. You don't happen to subscribe to the forum on www.equipped.org do ya? You would fit right in!

[+Lil Moose & Big Bear]

We carry most of the same items already mentioned. One item not mentioned that is important for South Georgia is a good pair of tweezers for tick removal along with "After Bite" the Itch Eraser stick.

[+Team Below Par]

Calling all experienced geocachers.

 

My wife and I are new to this sport. We have been looking for caches in the forests of northern Arizona. We have been using site information which we print from the listed cache we are interested in plus our GPS. The area in which we have been looking has many forest roads. We guess which road to take using the GPS coordinates, but often find the road twists and turns in the wrong direction. Would we be better served using a forest road map, topo map, etc. Any help is appreciated.

 

Team Below Par

[+Nero]

ah yes i did forget to mention that iwhen hiking i use a backpack i keep in the car which has first aid kit in it and a 2m/440 HAM HT i keep charged, and my work bag is kept in teh trunk which has ibuprofin, baby whipes, alcohol gel hand sanatizer, and more junk... i just dont carry all that one the trail with me at once..

[+New England n00b]

Well, it depends on how difficult the cache is.

 

If you have a mapping GPS unit (such as a Garmin Legend, Vista etc or another brand that has maps) buy the extra maps (Garmin has Mapsource TOPO, for example). Those are really helpful.

 

As always, water is a good call. A compass is a wise idea, as the batteries don't run out . Paper maps if you feel it necessary. A quality backpack or daypack and good quality hiking shoes will make the whole trip easier. Trade items of course, if that is your thing.

 

Sometimes DEET is seasonally required, too.

 

It's a nice idea to bring an old walmart bag to collect any trash you find along the way (called Caching In, Trashing Out, or CITO).

 

Outside of that, I can't think of anything NECESSARY... maybe a cell phone, just in case, a big stick or other thing for 4 legged pests, or something heftier for 2 legged pests...

 

 

The determining factor is going to be... where are you going? A quick micro by the side of the road in a big city is not going to need a huge backpack. A long, multi-mile, multicache is going to require more than a single bottle of water.

 

Whatever you do, be safe and have fun!

Edited September 14, 2004 by New England n00b