Best Cache Container (or I Hate Tupperware)

[+Clan X-Man]

I'm just b'in about cache containers with a friend the other day who also caches. I lean toward ammo cans. He place all of his in tupperware. What are your thoughts?

[+rusty_tlc]

Ammo can are the best option.

Tupper type ware is a cost effective alternative.

Cookie tins work in certian conditions, dry climate sheltered location.

 

As with most things in life it's a trade off, place a few $$$$ caches in ammo cans, or more less costly caches in plastic with a shorter life expectancy.

[+Jamie Z]

Ammo can are the best option.

Tupper type ware is a cost effective alternative.

The price difference in my area for ammo cans and medium sized plastic containers is about $3. On such a low volume product such as cache placement, I can't imagine this makes much difference.

 

Given the ruggedness, durability, and waterproofness of an ammo can, it can't be beat. You'll replace worn out plastic ten times or more before having to replace an ammo can.

 

In all my caches, I've only found one ammo can which didn't seal properly and had damp contents. For plastic, I'd estimate more than half of them I've found have been damp at a minimum, often they actually contain standing water.

 

Jamie

[+rusty_tlc]

Ammo can are the best option.

Tupper type ware is a cost effective alternative.

The price difference in my area for ammo cans and medium sized plastic containers is about $3. On such a low volume product such as cache placement, I can't imagine this makes much difference.

 

Given the ruggedness, durability, and waterproofness of an ammo can, it can't be beat. You'll replace worn out plastic ten times or more before having to replace an ammo can.

 

In all my caches, I've only found one ammo can which didn't seal properly and had damp contents. For plastic, I'd estimate more than half of them I've found have been damp at a minimum, often they actually contain standing water.

 

Jamie

Around here .50 cal cans are about $8, I don't know how much a comparable sized plastic container cost. (I have never used that large of a plastic container.) So you could be right on the cost issue. I always forget about the water problem, I see the OP is down south so they would need to think about that.

The desert has advantages, no water in caches, on tree cover to screw up reception, 350 clear caching days a year.

[+evergreenhiker!]

I prefer ammo cans, but in cities I'll use tupperware. Actually my oldest cache container is a tupperware. It was used for Wallace Cache...my first cache placement back in April 02. It's currently being used at the Chism Cache in Bellevue. So it's pushing 2.5 years old.

 

But yeah, in the mountains, I definitely prefer ammo boxes.

[+Anonymous']

I like ammo cans best.

[chemfed]

Rusty, cool avatar. Is that a tripod from the book "The White Mountains"? I loved that book as a kid!

[+Criminal]

Prefer the ammo cans, but even though I can often get them for free, I have been leaning towards the Lock-n-locks. They don't leak like tubberware and they are MUCH lighter to haul up to the top of some mountain.

[+evergreenhiker!]

Prefer the ammo cans, but even though I can often get them for free, I have been leaning towards the Lock-n-locks. They don't leak like tubberware and they are MUCH lighter to haul up to the top of some mountain.

yes, I've been moving ot the LocknLocks too. When I say tupperware...I generally mean anything plastic. Great containers. First became aware of them during the Victoria Cache machine.

[+nfa]

if it's worth placing a cache, it's worth using ammo-cans (at least in the ADKs)

 

nfa

 

I'm in the process of switching all of mine over

Edited September 29, 2004 by NFA

[+Criminal]

if it's worth placing a cache, it's worth using ammo-cans

Done many 12+ milers lately?

[+Renegade Knight]

Ammo can.

[+nfa]

if it's worth placing a cache, it's worth using ammo-cans

Done many 12+ milers lately?

I've hiked ammo cans, and heavier stuff, long distances before...what's in you pack...helium balloons and ping-pong balls?

 

nfa

[+garri]

I can't buy ammo box in my area, tuppers are the most common containers here, but i prefer buy special chemical liquids containers for industry porpuses, I bought them in a plastic factory, they have cheap containers with a lot of sizes, including micros.

 

The plastic composition is better than the tuppers and they have double screwed lid for avoiding water filtrations

[+BadAndy]

Ammocans for regular sized caches, decon boxes for smaller caches.

[nyvram]

Ammo cans!!

 

Nothing beats finding a painted-up camoflauged ammo can hidden in an old tree trunk. There's something magical about having your 6 year old open it up to see what's inside. You don't get that sensation from a tupperware with a blue lid. It just ain't the same. I'm always disappointed when I hit a cache only to find its a tupperware container instead of a ammo can.

 

From the looks of things, those "bison tubes" seem to be the bomb for micocaches. Especially those with the caching logo on them.

 

[+briansnat]

if it's worth placing a cache, it's worth using ammo-cans

Done many 12+ milers lately?

The longer the walk to a cache is, the more likely I am to use an ammo box. Chiefly because I don't want to have to head back out there every few months to replace a chewed container.

 

Ammo boxes are by far the best. Waterproof, durable, animal resistant and they can easily be painted in whatever camo pattern you like. At about $4 a box they're a lot cheaper than Tupperware and about the same price as Rubbermaid containers. The only disadvantage of ammo boxes is their size and shape sometimes makes them hard to hide.

 

I find real Tupperware fails after about a year in the elements. Most of the wet caches I've encountered were in Tupperware. Considering that it's pretty expensive (try finding Tupperware for less than $10) I save it for freezing chili.

 

My Rubbermaid containers seem to last a lot longer than Tupperware. I use the Seal 'n Savers (With the blue rim on the lid). I've had some out for 2+ years and they still don't leak. They are not cheap (between $3 & $8 depending on size), but the supermarket by my house has a half price sale every few months which makes them a bargain. The downside is that they are hard to camoflage. I've used camo tape, but it's a pain.

 

I also like Lock 'n Locks. They were very inexpensive with the smallest selling for 50 cents and larger ones for no more than $2. Unfortunately my supermarket no longer carries them and I can't find them anyplace else. They are nice because of the variety of shapes and sizes they come in, so I could always find one to fit the hiding place I had in mind. Like Rubbermaid, they were not easy to camoflage. I still wonder about the durability of Lock n Locks. I've seen some tabs fall off and without the tab they're pretty useless. The caches I've placed in Lock n Locks have held up so far, but none have been out more than 6 months, nor have they been through a winter yet. So the jury is still out on them as far as I'm concerned.

 

Another container I've used are Nalgene Straight Jars. They are inexpensve, waterproof (provided the lid is screwed on properly) and come in several sizes. The only problem I've had with them came when finders were too lazy to screw the lid on tightly.

 

Another favorite of mine are Decon boxes. They already come in nice shades of camo (I've see green and black), but with a little sandpapering can hold paint. They are a nice size for hides in high traffic areas and made pretty solidly. The downside is that they can leak, so the logbook always should be in its own Ziploc and so should the cache contents. I try to hide them places where the rain won't get at them so leaking isn't an issue.

[+nfa]

Hi,

 

You can find Lock n Locks at amazon...

 

 

lock 'n locks at amazon

 

nfa

[+Sparrowhawk]

The best cache container I have ever heard of was placed on private land. It had a hint that said: "Look for rocks on top of the cache container".

 

Apparently when you got there, there was no rocks to be seen, though there was an old camping trailer there.

 

So you hunt and hunt and hunt... getting more and more frustrated...

 

THEN you see the rocks placed right above the door of the unlocked trailer... and THEN it dawns on you...

[+Planet]

Everyone tells me "buy ammo cans at Cheaper than Dirt" But I don't shop online. Only time I ever did was because my brother gave me a gift certificate to Amazon.com and I didn't use it until the next Christmas he gave me another and I thought I'd better use these! (I got a bigger memory card for my camera) So I go to Walmart and buy Rubbermaid. The blue lid ones, like BrianSnat described. I also buy the gallon sized jars and they work very well. But any container will leak if the seeker does not make sure it's closed properly and that the seals are clear of dirt and debris. Including ammo cans. If the lid isn't centered it may not be sealed right.

[+briansnat]

Everyone tells me "buy ammo cans at Cheaper than Dirt" But I don't shop online.

 

You don't know what you're missing! Did my all my Christmas shopping last year in an hour with a few clicks of the mouse. No crowded malls, no going from store to store to find the right thing. Just logged onto Amazon, REI, Barnes & Nobel, Patagoina and a few other places and everything was sitting on my porch a week later...a lot of it already giftwrapped.

 

No back to your regularly scheduled topic....

 

Hi,

 

You can find Lock n Locks at amazon...

 

Not bad, but I prefer to buy them individually so I could choose the size and shape I wanted.

Edited October 1, 2004 by briansnat

[+aprilbapryll]

the ammo cans in my area are pretty expensive, but my tupperware cache lasted through the last 3 hurricanes and was barely wet. (in the woods). the only reason i replaced it was because so many people were having trouble finding it that i thought if i made the container bigger it may help. also, i wanted to place 2 tbs there and i couldn't have fit them in the previous container.

[Black Mage]

Add my vote for ammo cans. Around here you can get them at Smith & Edwards for about $3 for the smaller ones, $5 for the .50 cal, and more for the really big ones. But when it comes to urban caches, tupperware (or something of the sort) is my prefered option, a lot less intimidating if found.

[+VegasCacheHounds]

I love Ammo cans, but I think that I will only use them for caches out in the desert from now on. I placed one cache in a large empty area on the fringes of Las Vegas in an ammo can, even went to all the trouble to cammo paint it (in desert colors) and to hand paint a custom logo (i'll add pics if I can find them). I think it lasted all of two weeks before it disappeared. Any future caches near the city of mine will be in cheaper, less well painted containers.

Of course, I may switch to hiding micros around town. I've got a few ideas, I just need to refine them, make them more evil

 

Shannon

[+Criminal]

You don't know what you're missing! Did my all my Christmas shopping last year in an hour with a few clicks of the mouse.

So where the hell is my REI gift card?

[+Great Scott!]

QVC.com has a big selection of Lock & Lock containers.

[MeisterCrew]

We've only found 3 caches so far. We're just starting. The first was an ammo-can. The second 2 were plastic. There's just something different/special about the ammo-can. If and when I make up a new cache, it'll definitely be with an ammo can.

There are some surplus stores here in my area that have them, and I know I've seen them at every gun show I've been to.

[+MountainMudbug]

I've had great luck with the Rubbermaid plastic cannisters with white screw-on lids. I've had 3 of those out as caches for some time now with no leaks.

 

I've also used the Rubbermaid square containers with the blue rims, they're fairly good but as noted by other posters they definitely have to be closed firmly and be free of debris around the rim, otherwise they can indeed get wet inside (have one out right now that is wet and I'll be switching it to a screw-lid cannister).

[nolenator]

At 20 bucks for 23 lock-n-lock containers, that is too cheap to ignore. A can of flat black spray paint and boom you are in cache container heaven. I do like ammo cans because of the sound they make when you open them. THADUNK! Peace, Nolenator

Edited October 4, 2004 by nolenator

[+Thorn Cachers]

For micros (or mini’s), I prefer decon containers. For larger caches, I prefer ammo cans. Having said that, I have two caches in “Tupperware” look-alikes (one isn’t approved yet). The first one was my first cache, and I had no ammo cans handy. If I re-did it, it would be in an ammo can. The second is new, and the container had to fit the camouflage. So the particular cache may change the best container.

 

When I see an ammo can, it seems much more likely to turn out to have better items that are in better condition and a log I can sign without the use of an iron. The cans are also available in a variety of containers. As Black Mage said, they are readily available around her from Smith & Edwards, a local surplus/outdoor shop.

 

If you are traveling down I-15 in near Ogden, Utah, they are worth a look. Today, they had decon containers, and ammo cans various sizes up to 20 mm shells. They also had what I assume was an “ammo can” about the size of a large ice chest. I only “guess” because there were no markings. However, its lid clamped down, it had a gasket, and it looked fairly waterproof. I was tempted to get one just for the challenge of camouflaging it.

[+2qwerqE]

Lately I've been using Coleman and Gott thermos coolers; Watertight, (until somebody caches in the rain, as they did at this cache) and very tough. This cache was placed in a root bole hole in the late winter. A couple months later, whatever was hibernating in that hole woke up, and repeatedly evicted the cache. (The cache was relocated above ground, and will be relocated again soon) The thermos has rodent nibble marks all over it, but it was not compromised. Groundhog perhaps. Do beavers live underground? There are lots of active beavers here.

 

Here's one of mine.

[+Riddlers]

We enjoy ammo cans but around here is if there is a hint in the description that there is an ammo can it comes up missing. I have lost three and most of the southern Oregon cachers can claim a loss or two. Until the can nabber stops I guess we go with creative alternative containers.

[realmofmyst]

Tupperware's great for high traffic areas. Ammo cans are better for out in the woods. I think anyway. Who's gonna hear that thing clang open out there? I find it very hard to try to keep ammo can from banging exspecially with my 2 kids.

I hope my ramblings helped

[rescue557]

I lean toward ammo cans.

What are your thoughts?

I think that ammo cans are the way to go. It's about tradition, pride, and long cache life. Isn't that what it's all about?

[+amytincan]

what about a paint can, would that work or would it rust?

[+Corp Of Discovery]

what about a paint can, would that work or would it rust?

Would rust easily and is not waterproof.

[+amytincan]

I would think they would be waterproof, as they keep paint fresh and unspoiled.

[+briansnat]

I would think they would be waterproof, as they keep paint fresh and unspoiled.

They are waterproof when new. Once that lid gets bent from repeated closing and opening, it won't be any longer.

 

They also rust quickly.

[+Worf's Pack]

I used metal first aid kits They have a rubber seal but have to be painted. I got about 10 for free. Went to check on one thats been out for 17 months the latches were a little rusted. I also just ordered 10 decons

[+nfa]

Hi,

 

I'm ammending my earlier post to include Nalgene lexan jars for small or in-city caches. I have to agree that the "clang" factor can be a negative to using ammo cans in small parks (although I still love ammo cans for the "real" woods).

 

Campmor has nalgene jars relatively cheap, they are (absent geocacher induced malfunctions) watertight, and they will last for a long time even under adverse conditions. They come in 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 ounce jar size. If you can put together a $100 order from campmor, they will even ship your stuff for free.

 

nfa-jamie

Edited October 29, 2004 by NFA

[+amytincan]

what about the black video boxes like from the video store? they seem watertight. maybe I should test one in the bathtub.

[+Colorado Cacher]

Anything that is sturdy and durable enough to survive all the elements will work.

 

I just found another birdhouse off of its mount today while geocaching. I wonder where it will show up? HMMMMMMMM.

[+redwoodcanoe]

Picked up some urine sample cups (new) from a doctor friend...should be waterproof

[+G'n,G]

Ammo cans are usually easier to find, so I like them better.

[+GreyingJay]

Picked up some urine sample cups (new) from a doctor friend...should be waterproof

Drat! You stole my idea.

 

I was cleaning out my basement yesterday and I found a urine cup, still sealed. I thought, wouldn't it be hilarious to use that as a cache container.

 

"Container is one that you should all be familiar with, and has never been used for its intended purpose."

[+boasark]

I think I agree that the ammo cans are the best, but I can't always come by them as easily as the Rubbermaid/Tupperware type containers. I go to the Salvation Army or Good Will stores. You can pick up the plastic ware containers for 25 to 50 cents each. If they don't last more than a year, you aren't out a lot. I just make sure that they don't have any cracks and that the lid fits really tight before I buy them. You can even get some with screw on lids. These are the best as they seal a little tighter.

boasark

[CharlzO]

Well, here in NY, ammo cans would definately be the way to go I would think. But I picked up a hunters field box from my local K-Mart (one that hasen't closed down yet lol). It cost me about $10, and is slightly larger than a 50 cal Ammo Can. The size concerned me at first, but it does claim to be waterproof (has a rubber seal), closes just like the ammo can, same color, but lighter. I used a bright silver Sharpie to mark the container with "www.geocaching.com" on the outside and worked great. It's only been out a couple weeks, so only time will tell how it stands the test of nature. My brother is still acitve in the Army, so he's going to grab me some assorted ammo cans, which will come in play if this doesn't hold up. I will say that I've been in contact with one of the finders of mine, and they said it was one of the best containers they had encountered (might have been the quality of trade items I started with that influenced the decision ). But, I still recommend the Ammo Can above all, until proven otherwise!

[+amytincan]

ok, don't think me weird but Dh has a keg of nails in the garage. Instead of box now some of them come in a clear plastic bucket. The lid is on way tight.

 

I'm wondering if I should claim it.

[Atarume]

has anyone used coffee containers? They are probably waterproof!! I have two 1-gallon ones w/ snap-on lids, but the screw-on ones are probably better...any advice?

[+BMSquared]

has anyone used coffee containers? They are probably waterproof!! I have two 1-gallon ones w/ snap-on lids, but the screw-on ones are probably better...any advice?

There is one guy I know of locally who used them. The problem he ran into was that the coffee container was designed to breakdown with ultraviolet rays (sun light). He ended up having to replace his bio-degrabale container. He is also a little dumb because yes, the container was designed to break down, but he had painted it therby removing the exposure to sunlight. Maybe try using the camo duct tape to keep it in good shape.