Geocache Basic Kit..

[+LthrWrk]

Greetings ... new to this waiting to receive my gps in the mail so been working on what I might need. I am sure that not every trip requires a backpack.

 

What do you carry with you on all your cache searches... your basic kit?

 

What do you add to the basic kit if your going to "dayhike' in search for the cache?

 

I doubt I would consider overnight to find a cache..though I do believe in having the 'essentials' on a long day hike just in case the weather turns bad.

 

Charles

Mount Vernon WA

[+Thot]

See more comprehensive post later in this thread

Edited September 24, 2004 by Thot

[+EraSeek]

GPS

PDA

compass

small flashlight

and a peanut butter jar which carries a few trade items and a logbook, and also acts as a repair kit or replacement cache in case the cache I'm finding needs help.

[gumpy]

I always carry a backpack with me that will have a wide variety of trade items so that I can choose which item is the best to trade with depending on what items are in the cache. I also carry with me a compass, bug spray, pens and pencils, flashlight, knife, bottle of water, spare batteries, Ziplocs, and a medium sized container in case a cache is in need of serious repair, or if I get the urge to leave a cache somewhere of my own. Also depending on the time of year (like now) I will also carry gloves and a cap in case it happens to be cool out.

[+Renegade Knight]

First Aid Kit

Mini Mag Flashlght

A compact mirror (For those places I can't see and aint' going to be sticking my hand without looking)

Batteries.

Water or Mountain Dew or Power Aid depending.

A compass (only used on caches that require it)

Trade items.

My GPS

A pocket knife.

My PDA for paperless caching.

 

Those are what always goes with me.

 

In my glove box (which always goes with me sort of)

Is a lighter

Sun Screen

Radios.

& A pencil or pen.

 

For whatever reason that pencil and pen is never where I need it when I need it.

Edited September 24, 2004 by Renegade Knight

[+LthrWrk]

Thanks Thot... I should have known..

 

I had a pretty extensive list in my mind as it was.

 

Those links took me to some rather impressive lists..

 

especially 4x4van, great list.

 

Not much is needed apparently for those really short treks. Lots of tips and tricks though were picked up in those other threads.

 

Any trek beyond a couple hours will have a pack with enough essentials "IF" I would have to overnight it, most of what I do is solo.

 

Through all those other posts there is something very important missing. I would leave a "Trip Plan" at the vehicle for emergency staff just in case. The plan might include emergency contact information and at least a short description of your trip plan with expected return. So 'if' or when ya git lost your vehicle usually gets discovered pretty quick. With this is to leave a plan at home with family member or friend with expected return date and tme.

 

Since I am new to this.. probably over cautious and maybe no one would be so unlucky as to be caught out with no gear.

 

Charles

Mt Vernon, WA

[Charles Iverson]

As you might know us Geo-Cachers Are out just about Anywhere

some times with nothing more that our Gps,Map and Compass,and a water bottle

in the boy scout's they have something called

QUOTE

The Ten Essentials kit or TE-K for short. Pronounced (tee-kay)

 

In the TE-K We have

 

1. A Pocketknife

2. A First aid kit

3. Extra Clothing (as in layers of clothing. Pack for the Weather!!!)

4. Light Rain gear or Poncho ( can be used as Extra Clothing

5. A Water bottle

6. A Flash Light (With fresh batteries!!!)

7. Trail Food * (Look below for a List)

8. Matches and Fire Starters (Try soaking cotton balls in petroleum jelly

you can pick some up a local drug store!! put store them in a old film canster

They burn for about 8-10 mins As is!!!!

9. Sun Protection ( sun screen or a hat )

10. A MAP and Compass ( don't foget this!! this is in Case your gps Breaks Down!!! So you can find your way out!!!

 

if you pack it right its about a 1/2 to 1 lb

 

Trail Food List

 

( Before you go eat a good Hearty Breakfast!!)

 

Stuff that works well as trail food are

1. Trail Mix ( with m&ms mixed in is ok)

2. dried fruit

3. mixed or UN mixed nuts

4. raisins Crackers with Peanut butter OR Cheese (the packaged ones!! Spray Cheese does not work well!! And might make a mess)

5. Energy Bars ( Cliff bars, Power bars, Balance Bars

6. Beef Jerkey (drink lots of water with this)

 

NO CANDY!!!! If you are hiking its all most pure Sugar it will give you a

Quick boost but no energy!! It will slow you down!!!

 

AND NOW YOU HAVE A FULL TE-K IN CASE YOU GET STUCK SOMEWHERE!!!

 

HAPPY GEOCACHING!!!

 

Researched

BY Charles J Iverson Eagle Scout

[Keystone]

I am going to keep this current topic open and perhaps pin it, since the question is asked frequently.

 

For those who felt it would be fun to bump all the other old threads on the same subject, thanks for giving me something to do this morning.

[+New England n00b]

For those who felt it would be fun to bump all the other old threads on the same subject, thanks for giving me something to do this morning.

[+Thot]

In an attempt to win the ultimate Markwell award here’s a list of "what to carry" threads – more recent listed first:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=80569

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=76912

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=74690

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=69796

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=57765

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=58613

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=53416

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=64154

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=7761

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=7112

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=8058

 

I’m editing out my earlier reply as this one supersedes it.

[Keystone]

And I predict, with confidence, that the first person to bump another of those prior threads will soon be starting a new topic asking about warn meters.

 

(To be clear, I have absolutely no problem with Thot's massive Markwelling efforts.)

[+EraSeek]

Thot there's a Markwell!

[+nfa]

Hi,

 

KA...could you pin one of these, "What do you bring" threads, so that newcomers need not start a new one every 12 hours...

 

nfa

[+GreyingJay]

I've only been at this about a month but I'm figuring out quickly what I need and don't need.

 

I use a small camelpack type backpack -- the kind that comes with a bladder of water and a pipe you suckle on to get water out. I ordered this as a promotional sample, but I got to keep it so I use it for short trips, since it's less bulky. I don't actually use the water bladder, though I suppose I could.

 

I bring the following:

 

-pen

-Sharpie marker

-small LED flashlight (if I were into more serious night caching, I'd bring a bigger floodlight too)

-small First Aid kit

-extra AA batteries

-GPS (duh)

-digital camera

-paper printouts of the cache I'm currently working on, plus the ones on my "get to them soon" list

-Swiss Army Knife

-bottle of water

-wide-brimmed (leather, cowboy type ) hat

-Suunto compass

-a small selection of trade toys

 

I don't actually have them in the pack at the moment but I'd like to add:

-sunscreen

-bug repellant

-extra baggies for cache maintenance

-food (beef jerky's a good idea)

-small mirror (actually a bicycle mirror)

-vest of many pockets, to wear while caching... ?

Edited September 24, 2004 by notjustjay

[+geojeeper74]

Hi,

 

KA...could you pin one of these, "What do you bring" threads, so that newcomers need not start a new one every 12 hours...

 

nfa

Wont do any good, they will still ask.

[Agent N.]

a good thing to take with you in the woods is some orange tape or,what I use, Broken AOL cds, and tape them to a tree when you set a marker on your GPS to be extra safe

[+GreyingJay]

Should I leave them there to "help" the next guy? Those level 4 caches can be pretty tricky...

 

[HelpMeLearnComputers.com]

I have not in the past thought about bringing extra supplies for repairing a damaged cahce, but I am going to start. It is a good idea and several caches in the area could have benefited greatly from an extra ziplock bag, pencil, etc.

 

Not a bad idea to put a few of these things in your pocket at least.

[+Gekobear]

I use a military ranger vest so I try to keep it simple. I carry a basic first aid kit, gloves, flashlight, SNAKEBITE KIT, compass, water, glo sticks and a few items in case I have to repair a cache (cable ties, ziplocks).

[+1stimestar]

I'm just starting too but am a regular hiker. Here is what I carry in my day pack.

42 oz of water

compass

bear spray (I live in interior Alaska)

gps

camera

100% deet in summer

Mostquito head net (yes they are that bad)

moleskin (as I have tender feet that try to blister no matter what I do)

Rain coat if I will be out very long or deep

baggies, pencil, swag, maps.

 

Edited to add: basic first aid supplies and toilet paper.

Edited September 28, 2004 by 1stimestar

[+Torry]

KISS

 

GPSr

Notebook

Pencil and pens

DEET

extra ziplocs

baggie wih some small swag items

a few large swag items

CiTo bag wrapped up in rubber band

 

All carried in a small shoulder bag. If I have some major caching plans I'll have more supplies back in the cachemobile, especially some botled water, flashlight, more swag, cache repair items...

[+Z_Statman]

I have started carrying some GC info sheets downloaded from

 

http://www.geocacher-u.com/

 

to put in finds that don't have any ID in them. Also small pencils.

[+boasark]

I usually take my cell phone too. I got lost without it one day and got a little scared. I also bought a fishing vest with a bunch of pockets in the front - like it better than a backpack cause I don't have to take it off and set it down in the PI. After caching in Missouri, we decided to add a snake bite kit to our stuff - lots of rattlesnakes there - check out the country you will be caching in and plan from there.

boasark

[Agent N.]

Should I leave them there to "help" the next guy? Those level 4 caches can be pretty tricky...

 

no, its incase your GPS dies, or there is a fork in the path and your GPs is pointing right in the middle, or if there is a big pit full of Gaint sloths you will want to mark it so you don't fall in!