Why No Good Trade Items?

October 3, 2004

I just advocate a "minimum standard" of trading where soggy stickers and plastic rings and stuff don't even get put in.

I couldn't say it better myself. I think it is rediculous to expect everyone to always trade equally or up, expecially for extrordinarily nice swag.

I will repeat (and plagiarize) the statement again becaues I like it so well . . . I advocate a minimum standard of trading!

Life aint fair and swag aint equal.

Give up on both fairness and equality, let loose, and have a good time. But, do so with at least a minimum of social (geocaching) responsibility. Make sure you do you best to add fun and interesting (not necessarily expensive or "valuable") swag (unless you can afford to) to each cache you visit to improve or at least maintain the joy of opening that plastic sandwitch box for the next cacher. :mad:

October 3, 2004

I leave a wheresgeorge dollar in most caches I visit, along with other goodies, just to help spread them around; but a lot of the dollars go untouched for months. Maybe people are afraid I will track them down or something. When I leave things in a cache, I leave it without regard for what will happen to the stuff, as I no longer consider it mine once I leave it. I do wish that some cachers would be more accurate in their logging as to things they have taken or left, as I too will go after a specific cache if some interesting things are listed. I'm working on my first placed cache and thinking of stocking it with small, but handy tools a person can use, and of course a WG dollar.

1Mech

38.2k · October 3, 2004

As stated earlier in the thread, if all caches started with expensive items and people traded equal or up (as expected) it would get very expensive very quickly.

I sometimes put a fairly expensive item in a cache. I'm talking the 10-15 dollar range. I really don't expect someone to leave something of identical value because few if any geocachers carry $15 items in their swag bag. But I am a bit annoyed when I see someone take the nice item and leave total garbage. Trading out a new Mini Mag Lite and leaving an expired coupon for 20 cents off on Sanka is cheesy.

October 3, 2004

I have had an interest in geocaching for a couple of years, but didn't go out and "do it" until yesterday, and I found 2, but now I am selling irrigation systems, in West Central Nebraska I will hunt more and perhaps place some new caches. Now to the trade issue, I agree it is the thrill of the hunt, not necessarily the prize you get. Go out there and enjoy the country we live in!, and leave your material world behind.

1.3k · October 3, 2004

:mad: I seem to have the problem in reverse. I recently set out a series of 13 caches and the contents were for the most part brand new. No item cost more than a £ pound ($1.50). In the past the items I have put in were of similar nature and people were reluctant to trade items, thinking them to cost more. You can't very well put in your write up that these nice items were not expensive, so I get a lot of TNLNSL, nothing of equal value to swop etc.

Some of it happens to be using your imagination on what to place. This time around I opted to put in 2005 datebooks, collectible ornaments (for the series), coffee cups in the larger containers etc. I don't want people to be afraid to swop for an item otherwise I would have placed 13 micros. Sometimes you just can't win :mad:

Lynn

October 3, 2004

I gotta say, I just love the spirit of these last few posts.

To me, swag is a gift to the community. Not completely unlike giving a birthday gift.

If I exchange birthday gifts with friends over the years, I don't expect them to always give me gifts of equal value to what I give them. Theirs might be worth more or less, I don't really care. It is the spirit of the gift and the joy I get out of sharing with them that really matters. I just want something meaningful or fun, kinda like good cache swag. If they gave me an expired starbucks card, I would wonder, "did I really piss them off?" or "Am I just a worthless obligation to them?". It is the spirit that counts.

A wonderful card from a friend that either doesn't believe in giving gifts or doesn't have much money is great. On the other hand, I received a Garmin Geko 301 from a very wealthy friend who knew he could give me something I really wanted. My wife was embarased at the value of the gift. I took great pleasure in receiving something so cool from a friend that really wanted to give me that exact thing. That same friend will probably get a nice or interesting, but inexpensive bottle of wine from me the next time I visit. We will both feel good. If I felt obligated to give a gift back to him of equal or greater value, he would not be able to give me the gift he wanted to, because it would be an unreasonable burden on me to try and trade up or equal.

For me, I will keep caching. I will keep trying to load up caches with cool inexpensive puzzles and other things that have meaning to me and enterainment value to the cachers that follow. I would appreciate nice swag to dig through, but if there is none, I can take pleasure in feeling that I have improved the cache with the swag I put into it.

And, to everyone in this "sport", thanks for all the fun.

1.3k · October 3, 2004

:mad: Very well said. I love the analogy.

Lynn

October 4, 2004

I know Im new to this whole thing (having only found 2) but I have already decided several things.

1. I dont care what is in the cache only that i found the cache.

2. I will always trade something for something unless it is a "log Only Cache"

3. I am not going to recycle what I trade for, Actually i plan on keeping everything i trade for ('cept a TB)

I am not keeping these things as a mark of value but as a reminder of the cache. So far I have a deck of cards and a little plastic horse.

Personally I think people should care less about what they find and just be grateful there was a cache there for them to find. I mean really, if your in this for money and fame come on down to pittsburgh, I got some bridges to see you cheap. No checks just small un marked random numbered bill 10's and 20's if you please.

Edited October 4, 2004 by teamh3

2.1k · October 4, 2004

I gotta say, I just love the spirit of these last few posts.

To me, swag is a gift to the community. Not completely unlike giving a birthday gift.

If I exchange birthday gifts with friends over the years, I don't expect them to always give me gifts of equal value to what I give them. Theirs might be worth more or less, I don't really care. It is the spirit of the gift and the joy I get out of sharing with them that really matters. I just want something meaningful or fun, kinda like good cache swag. If they gave me an expired starbucks card, I would wonder, "did I really piss them off?" or "Am I just a worthless obligation to them?". It is the spirit that counts.

A wonderful card from a friend that either doesn't believe in giving gifts or doesn't have much money is great. On the other hand, I received a Garmin Geko 301 from a very wealthy friend who knew he could give me something I really wanted. My wife was embarased at the value of the gift. I took great pleasure in receiving something so cool from a friend that really wanted to give me that exact thing. That same friend will probably get a nice or interesting, but inexpensive bottle of wine from me the next time I visit. We will both feel good. If I felt obligated to give a gift back to him of equal or greater value, he would not be able to give me the gift he wanted to, because it would be an unreasonable burden on me to try and trade up or equal.

For me, I will keep caching. I will keep trying to load up caches with cool inexpensive puzzles and other things that have meaning to me and enterainment value to the cachers that follow. I would appreciate nice swag to dig through, but if there is none, I can take pleasure in feeling that I have improved the cache with the swag I put into it.

And, to everyone in this "sport", thanks for all the fun.

ya what Lynn said -

very nicely put -

something I had not thought of in those terms - the gift not the cache -

thanks -

Edited October 4, 2004 by CompuCash

October 4, 2004

I for one am sick of seeing log entries to the tune of: "Took Suunto Compass and Digital Watch, left a pack of stickers."

...snip...

Stickers aren't a trade, they are a consolation prize, something given to people who didn't quite make fourth place.

2 points...

1) GREAT first post, welcome to the forums.

2) see point one and the quote.

Thanks for the welcome!

This particular topic gets me PO'd!

1.6k · October 4, 2004

I for one am sick of seeing log entries to the tune of: "Took Suunto Compass and Digital Watch, left a pack of stickers."

...snip...

Stickers aren't a trade, they are a consolation prize, something given to people who didn't quite make fourth place.

2 points...

1) GREAT first post, welcome to the forums.

2) see point one and the quote.

Thanks for the welcome!

This particular topic gets me PO'd!

Its on my list as well. Nothing torques me off like walking 2 miles in a nondescript wildlife area, wading through nettles and brambles only to find that the cache that was advertised to have some nice or novel things in there has a bunch of stickers or other garbage instead of the cool stuff.

I just give up on expecting to find anything cool and when I do, lucky me.

2.1k · October 4, 2004

I for one am sick of seeing log entries to the tune of: "Took Suunto Compass and Digital Watch, left a pack of stickers."

...snip...

Stickers aren't a trade, they are a consolation prize, something given to people who didn't quite make fourth place.

2 points...

1) GREAT first post, welcome to the forums.

2) see point one and the quote.

Thanks for the welcome!

This particular topic gets me PO'd!

Its on my list as well. Nothing torques me off like walking 2 miles in a nondescript wildlife area, wading through nettles and brambles only to find that the cache that was advertised to have some nice or novel things in there has a bunch of stickers or other garbage instead of the cool stuff.

I just give up on expecting to find anything cool and when I do, lucky me.

Looks like at least some of us are of the same mind -

Found 5 caches yesterday with a friend - he stopped by as I was finishing up trimming a tree in my front yard. Cleaned up and off we went for a couple hours. Saw the same motorcyle waiting on the winding road on the way back - stopped to find a lady with a hawg - flat front tire - friend's little air compressor helped but didn't last long -- used his cell phone and we left some Halloween candy and left her waiting for her friend - well at least we tried. { off topic but a nice story } --

2 were micros -

3 were standard caches

1 of the 3 one was FANTASTIC - large ammo box FULL of brand new back to school items

I was disappointed that I could not trade something. Didn't realize it was a theme.

for the other 2 I logged that the cache had dirt and swagage in it.

[ my new term for swag garbage ]

So, 2 out of 3 just don't cut it. I can't believe the number of golf balls I find.

nuff rant - too early on a Monday for that - <grin>

Edited October 4, 2004 by CompuCash

1.1k · October 11, 2004

I'm okay with most trades but I got to say that dirty old golf balls strike me as the epitome of total cheapness. Why not just pick up a nearby twig or pebble and toss that in too?

I've seen some really unbalanced trades in some of my caches as well. One cacher left a rusty old dog choker chain and took a geocoin, a travel bug and a brand new $12.00 compass.

There are some cachers out there trading really nice stuff and those that are just peddling off junk. It's purely up to the individual cacher what they trade and no one even has to make a trade but if they do, it would be nice if they made it a fair one.

1.8k · October 11, 2004

Why not just pick up a nearby twig or pebble and toss that in too?

Thanks Tom, I just found my new signature item! Look for it in all of your caches soon.

38.2k · October 11, 2004

. Why not just pick up a nearby twig or pebble and toss that in too?

Don't give people ideas.

8k · October 11, 2004

I'm okay with most trades but I got to say that dirty old golf balls strike me as the epitome of total cheapness. Why not just pick up a nearby twig or pebble and toss that in too?

I've seen some really unbalanced trades in some of my caches as well. One cacher left a rusty old dog choker chain and took a geocoin, a travel bug and a brand new $12.00 compass.

There are some cachers out there trading really nice stuff and those that are just peddling off junk. It's purely up to the individual cacher what they trade and no one even has to make a trade but if they do, it would be nice if they made it a fair one.

Tom is going to love my newDon't Trade Up cache.

1.8k · October 11, 2004

Tom is going to love my newDon't Trade Up cache.

Ohmigod, Marty, that's too funny! :unsure:

October 11, 2004

Speaking of bad cache items and pet peeves, here is mine.

I don't mind people leaving their business card. What I do mind is when they trade their business card for an item. What is the next person supposed to do, take the card??? :unsure:

The Golden Rule for Geocaching should be something like "trade equal or trade up."

October 11, 2004

I bought some things through Oriental Trading magazine: key chains, bandanas, etc. Comes in bulk and cost about $1 each for nice stuff. My favorite is the camoflage backpack keychain.

October 11, 2004

I would like to know how many folks re-stock their own geocaches as time goes on? I have one placed cache on our vacation property, and am planning another cache closer to the year-round home. I'm already intending to keep some goodies flowing to both caches to prevent them from becoming filled with broken Happy Meal Toys and junk :unsure: . I have also just been trying to accumulate things as I go along which I think might be good for a cache. For example, the current pile includes a few (new) books on local history, some Pennsylvania archaeology posters, new (but inexpensive) diecast cars for the kids, inexpensive camping accessories from Wallyworld (plastic matchbox holder, nylon knife sheath, clip-on compass, carabiners, belt camera/GPS case), and yes, some GPS fuel as well. Some of the stuff is dirt cheap, and other items more expensive, but I've gotten into the habit of picking up things one at a time as I see them. For me, throwing a $2 item in my cart occasionally as I'm passing the camping aisle at Wallyworld doesn't seem to make as big of an economic impact as shelling out the cash for everything at once (even though I am spending the same amount of $). My question is, what else can you really to do keep up the quality of stuff in your cache other than periodic restocking?

October 11, 2004

I would like to know how many folks re-stock their own geocaches as time goes on?

Well, my husband just came home from a maintence visit from the first cache that he placed, and said that he needs to restock it just a bit....It has become a magnet for TBs and lots of them go through there, but the trade goods are a little on the skimpy side now. Not too bad, because folks have traded some, but just not as nice as he wants it to stay.

October 11, 2004

Yes, Brownheads. I did the same thing! Oriental Trading has some great 'bulk' buys. I purchased some zippered, neon eyeglass holders with a plastic hook and some water bottle lanyards. Yes, I may even leave water with it!

I am new - just 8 finds. One was micro, one a themed cache, and six regular caches. The six caches had nothing but junk, so I've just come to expect crappy stuff. For example: a really used tire air pressure thing, dirty balls, used children's books (in pitiful shape), and dirty and used 'very cheap' toys. I've felt like people (with their kids) are leaving items they don't want instead of throwing stuff into the trash. Yea, maybe that's it. It's how parents are getting rid of crap from their homes since the kids will cry if it goes in the trash.

Based on what I've found, I will really get excited if I ever find something new that's worth more than a $1!

Just FYI, I'm not a 'give me' type person. I left a great, new dog toy in a dog-themed cache. It was the nicest thing in the cache for the next cacher.

Maybe someone should do a 'trash' cache for junk (unusual stuff) and see what happens.

October 12, 2004

My family and I are also pretty new to geocaching. We geocache as a family usually, even using it as an excuse to get outside! And yes, the first few caches we found were disappointing.

We decided then to be one of the solutions instead of the problems. Yes, the kids trade toys. Some of them they pick-out at Wally-World and others are "treasures" that they have in there life. No, none of them are worth very much...to an adult. But for us, half of the reason we do this is for the kids and the excitement of finding the cache. And if they're trading something "valuable" to them, I think it teaches them the right things.

To become part of the solution however, we do trade up at every cache. After the kids are done and the logbook is signed, I make a trade assesment. I rarely take anything out of a cache for myself...except TB's, Coins and other things that are collectible to me. Then I put, what I think, are nice things in caches...alot of them have been mentioned on this string already, but also everyting from military "challenge coins" to a brass perpetual calendar. Things I think would be nice to find...and swap for.

Again, I'm pretty new to geocaching, and maybe I've got the wrong idea about things but the one idea I got from this string, and my family is going to start doing immediatly is not only trade up, but is to clean out and fill up. It doesn't have to be YOUR cache to help maintain it.

DC

October 12, 2004

i once hid a cache with what i cosidered great stuff. the first cacher that came along took it all! next time i saw her, she had no sense of the injustice of it.

i realize i have absolutely no control over that kind of stuff; but my opinion of her went down several notches.

after 3 years of caching i find myself trading less and less. mostly because there are more and more micros. i try to keep decent trade items on hand. just in case.

October 12, 2004

My last cache had deteriorated to such c**p that I left a note on the cache to say how lame the cache had become and that I had restocked it with new items. Now I'm not talking expensive (most expensive I've left is $5 and hard cover bestsellers in a book cache)...Come on guys, I always look at the sale rack at michaels, hardware store, $1 store, etc, etc. You can get good items with just a little bit of creativity. I have thought of putting a sticker inside the lid of my caches saying " we appreciate your trading even or up". Also the idea of leaving a note of what you took and what you left is a good one. The last thing I want is my team's name associated with c**p.

1.1k · November 15, 2004

I'm okay with most trades but I got to say that dirty old golf balls strike me as the epitome of total cheapness. Why not just pick up a nearby twig or pebble and toss that in too?

I've seen some really unbalanced trades in some of my caches as well. One cacher left a rusty old dog choker chain and took a geocoin, a travel bug and a brand new $12.00 compass.

There are some cachers out there trading really nice stuff and those that are just peddling off junk. It's purely up to the individual cacher what they trade and no one even has to make a trade but if they do, it would be nice if they made it a fair one.

Tom is going to love my newDon't Trade Up cache.

I visited the cache this morning and got a real kick out of it. :lol: See my entry. :lol:

November 15, 2004

How come all the caches I find have junk in them? What's the point of trading if there's nothing to trade but McToys and other stuff I'm basically going to place in another cache?
After caching last weekend, I'm going to just sign the logs in my area. I don't get why people don't want to trade items others could actually use.

It's nice to be "rewarded" with a new place to hike to or visit. However, it's also nice to actually trade---the very essence of geocaching.

I'd like to get back to the original idea behind 'caching.

I think you're probably a little too pessimistic. If you enjoy going to just at least sign the log, then why not leave something inexpensive and a little cool, and take something as a momento of the hike/find. I'm putting up a shelf with something cool that I found at each cache. I don't go to caches to get something really valuable, or really useful. I just want to take a reminder of the cache, and the hike.

November 17, 2004

Newbie here! Wow what cool avatars. I have to work on that.

Could we suggest to Jeremy that cache "value" at last find, be rated on a scale like hiking difficulty is rated? Perhaps the scale could be one that reflects mc-toy to premium? The scale would need to be worked out, but then both those who prefer premium and those who don't care could be accomodated.

Thanks

Tinpan Harry

November 17, 2004

I have alot of good trade items in my area, I have 9 active caches and have placed nice stuff in them. The most recent Item i have left was a garmin 33. (older gps) The only reason I leave good items, Is because, The first cache i found had kentucky basket ball tickets in it. Which in trade I left $40 in the cache. (which was gone and replaced with mc trash) I guess I feel that it is fun to leave good items which may encourage more better trades, or give a great experience to new cachers. Its not what you take, but what you can give. It sucks sometimes, But my enjoyment comes from seeing positive feedbacks of my caches than my gains. I sometimes leave cash or other items of value. If it were not for my first find (kentucky ball tickets) I wouldn't leave great items now. Its the excitement of finding a great place to see, or a beautiful site. That is why i only place caches in great areas. I would outlaw urban micros all together. no fun in that. If you dont belive me come to southren Kentucky and take a look at mine. zip-- 42501. I belive in being the better person in most situations, and beat the crap out of all the rest. enjoy life and try to make at least one other person happy on the way. :huh:

November 17, 2004

Never fear! The McToy Bandit is here!

I hear your cry and I am here to help with this problem one cache at a time.

As I follow my alter-ego from cache to cache, I will be purging caches of crummy McToys and replacing that pile of garbage with a couple nice trade items.

TATCMcTLSNYMLTF

(Took all the crappy McToys, left something nice you might like to find)

I really try to leave the cache better then I found it. Therre is no doubt that as an newbie, it took me a while to figure this trading thing out. Just recently I have put together a swag bag and will make sure that I leave something better then I took. There have been a few times when I've not done that, but I've also tried to leave extras when I find a crappy cache and and not take anything.

Caches are full of McToys. Kids are going to leave McToys to trade. That's a fact. You can't change that. Don't fight it - work with it. If you take all of the cheap toys out of all of the caches, What'ss going to happen when a kid brings a McToy? He's going to leave the McToy and take the $1.00 compass you bought from the $1 store.

Its up to the parents to make sure that kids trade McToys for McToys, but if all the McToys is gone, you're caches will deteriorate even faster than normal.

I agree broken toys and dirty crap should be removed, but taking all the McToys out is not going to help the problem.

Maybe have a "Kids Bag" and an " Adult Bag". Or maybe have an "I leave good stuff" and a "I leave cheap crap" bag.

Just my 1/50 of a dollars worth.

November 17, 2004

In my area, most caches over 6 months old are full of junk and signature items. Most have nothing the kids want, and it got me last week when I read the cacher before me 'took where's george dollar, left signature item' .... left a business card printed on a home computer..... how tacky.

My kids hardly want to go anymore because of the junk and signature items, they don't want the home made junk....

November 17, 2004

My kids hardly want to go anymore because of the junk and signature items, they don't want the home made junk....

Some of the homemade "junk" I've seen on the posts and other sites are REALLY nice.

2.3k · November 17, 2004

I have found that multi and difficult, well hidden caches have good trade items and tend to maintain a high level. This is based on the ones I have found and the 3 multis that I have hidden. Mine do not have a lot of finds, but the trade items remain of very high quality even after a year plus. Some of the items I have seen lately include $10 restaurant gift card, laser pointer, flashlight, $2 bill, etc.

I say go for quality not quantity, hide multi/offset caches. Another benefit is that your container will last longer without being stolen.

November 18, 2004

I also find it disappointing to see a cache that you worked hard to find filled with trash - broken toys, golf balls, etc. I also try to remove the trash and replace it with some clean, new, better items.

Cache contents don't have to cost a fortune, but at least they should be clean and unbroken. A few useful items is always nice. I would really like a rule adding golf balls to the list of prohibited items.

June 20, 2005

I put nice stuff in my caches. Almost nobody trades equally in them, at least in my experience. (Real example: Took LED flashlight, left Plastic Army Man.)

We've found that too... I always try to find cool things to place in the cache. We've left packages of new Mantles (for Lanterns), new Decks of cards, etc. During the fall when we first started geocaching, we bought packages of those handwarmer things and stuck a sticker on them (Happy Geocaching from the 4 chalupa's) and placed those in the cache.

I like to put in seasonal items. We just found a few caches yesterday & 2 of them were in terrible shape. 1 Was moldy, soaked and unsealable with absolutely nothing left in it except some hand sketched drawings of weed. I didn't have enough stuff with us to fix it up.

June 21, 2005

I don't have any prolem with golf balls in the caches, geogolfers like me use them on water shots, when I don't have much chance of hitting the balls over the water. That water has the strange ability to pull my balls (golfballs that is) right on in! So, I take golf balls when I find them so you others don't have to complain about them!

8.9k · June 21, 2005

Why No Good Trade Items?

Basically - as has been said - people in general are cheap and self-centered.

I place caches for people to enjoy, and when I read a log about the contents being scarce or loaded with crummy golf-balls, it's time for me to head to the store and go out on a maintenance visit.

But it's not really about the prizes - it's about the hunt. I like to find a full cache for when I'm out with my kids. I like to find a full cache when I'm out alone, but then I rarely trade anything. Go figure.

June 21, 2005

I don't think it's about the money spent on SWAG as it is the "neatness" of the SWAG. We have found some pretty cool little trinkets at the dollar store- the last were a bunch of 6" rubber ORCA whales that were actually kinda neat, and also some little bracelets still new in their packages. I don't like leaving "used" things in caches- even though we have amassed a lot of "junk" in our journeys, we always leave something new and clean in return. I don't think anyone expects to find great riches when they are caching, but I agree that dirty golf-balls, McToys, etc. are a bit disappointing.

June 21, 2005

I placed two caches this past weekend which both contained some very choice items (with respect to value)--DVD's, computer games, $15 pewter figurines, and a bunch of other stuff besides.

It's nice to provide something like that every now and then, but I don't realistically expect each finder to trade up or even equal value items. Nobody with a bag of dollar store trade goods is going to be able to compensate equally for a $50 computer game... the barter wouldn't fit in the cache container!

As others note, people don't think and life is rarely fair, so I figure the best approach is to try and not let it bother you if possible.

June 21, 2005

Feel free to gather the lynch mob, I confess, we're guilty of McToy trading. We cache with our kids, who are the ones who do most of the trading. However, they do stick to trading toys for toys. We have, on rare occasion, found something of greater value that one of us old foggies may want and for those items we trade equal. We have a backpack that we take with us that has two sets of trading items, kids toys & quality items. So I actually have a request that you NOT get rid of the McToys completely...since that's what keeps our kids interested in doing this with us. If you eliminate the toys, then won't that just mean that the kids will start taking the items YOU want. However, if you want to keep cache items catered to adult interests, then maybe they can have that as part of the orginal log entry "Adult Cache...no child oriented items." Then we know to simply skip those caches.

Don't think that I don't understand what you mean. We're dealing with the same issue on our first cache we've put out ourselves. Here's what we orginally put in it:

While some people have traded semi-equally...we are starting to see some things that fall quite a bit short. But I think that's just part of caching. What can you do? I think the ones that bother me more, are when the starting items are lame to begin with, which we've seen a couple of as well (such as "zeroxed" copies of "real" trade items...no kidding, found 2 like that).

Edited June 21, 2005 by ZillahBillies

June 21, 2005

It seems like with my caches, the main problem is that people want to leave stuff and take nothing. The caches get so crammed full of stuff that you can't close the lid properly or wind up squashing the contents doing so. I actually encourage people to TSLN (Take something, leave nothing) if this is the case.

Of course, I do have my share of junk. Just recently, I went to check on one of my small caches (1/2 cup rubbermaid container), and found a car cigarette lighter crammed in there. I removed it, and dang it, it doesn't even work in my Saturn which did not come with a cigarette lighter (or an ashtray, for that matter). Landfill material.

I nearly always leave a Sacagawea dollar. On the rare occasion that I trade for any other item, I leave something else as trade. The Sac dollar does not take up much room, and it seems to be very popular with other cachers, particularly the kids. There is a certain group of people that follow me around, I swear, because their kids want those Sac dollars. I'm glad somebody pays attention to me anyway.

Edited June 21, 2005 by Balboagirl

June 21, 2005

I have a problem with the statements about 'new' cachers being the reason for crap in caches. I am a new cacher(10 finds) I'm in it for the outdoors and the hiking and Yes, I love opening the box and seeing the cool stuff, I'm not seeing dollar amounts in my head as I notice the cool old coin, skeleton key, or whatever. And my caching partner and I are proud of the trades we make, we shop around for cool stuff and get excited about what we can leave. We recently went on a trip to Palm Spings with cousins and were very bummed at the crap that the kids found, we hiked an hour str8 up and one had a log only and the other had utter trash, the kids left a new compass, a 1970 Italian coin, and some of those yellow braclets that they are so into, took nothing, it was hard explaining why people would leave that trash, simple greed and inconsideration.

Anyway don't blame us newbies, ....

June 21, 2005

I have a problem with the statements about 'new' cachers being the reason for crap in caches. I am a new cacher(10 finds) I'm in it for the outdoors and the hiking and Yes, I love opening the box and seeing the cool stuff, I'm not seeing dollar amounts in my head as I notice the cool old coin, skeleton key, or whatever. And my caching partner and I are proud of the trades we make, we shop around for cool stuff and get excited about what we can leave. We recently went on a trip to Palm Spings with cousins and were very bummed at the crap that the kids found, we hiked an hour str8 up and one had a log only and the other had utter trash, the kids left a new compass, a 1970 Italian coin, and some of those yellow braclets that they are so into, took nothing, it was hard explaining why people would leave that trash, simple greed and inconsideration.
Anyway don't blame us newbies, ....

I have to second that. Experienced cachers can be as thoughtless as anyone else.

On day one of one of my new caches being listed, a very experienced cacher showed up and took a where's george dollar, and a custom finder's button that I designed and manufactured at my own expense. His trade item? A travel bug.

At the time it didn't bother me (I was just happy someone found the cache) and it still doesn't, but one of my caching buddies was irate. "The nerve of that guy! Took: something cool. Left: zilch." he said.

Eh. People are people. I'm not going to worry about it. But I agree... it's not fair to blame newbies out of hand.

1.8k · June 21, 2005

I often leave what I consider upscale swag for a cache in need, especially if I like the location or the hide. I also clean out caches with wet or dirt in them, wipe off items and pack out trash. I know there are others out there like that. But in the end, I do it because it satisfies me.

Not because anyone's keeping count or score or that I'm getting a halo for it, but just because. I've had folks who have challanged me about it: "I'm not doing that!" (like I asked, not) "The cache owner should do it." (so what?) "People don't care." (I do.) Just because I'm stubborn and somehow it matters to me.

July 7, 2005

I found this thread while looking for something else but found it really interesting. As a new person myself, I never thought about some of the things mentioned here, but from now on, I will make an effort to help clean out dirty, wet caches and throw out soggy stuff. Us newbies just need a little education, that's all! I think the snack size plastic baggies are going on my grocery list this week!

I'm also going to make more of an attempt to leave desirable stuff. I don't trade stuff just to keep it -- I'll put it in another cache at a later date. I also try to note where I picked up the item -- kind of a pseudo-TB. Because I often geo-cache with my dog, I pick up dog-themed things from caches and note that in the log. Recently I picked up a plastic bug because the dog "likes bugs." So, some things some people might think are cheap and junky, some other folks might just like!

Thanks for the education!

July 7, 2005

Never fear! The McToy Bandit is here!

I hear your cry and I am here to help with this problem one cache at a time.

As I follow my alter-ego from cache to cache, I will be purging caches of crummy McToys and replacing that pile of garbage with a couple nice trade items.

TATCMcTLSNYMLTF

(Took all the crappy McToys, left something nice you might like to find)

:lol: :lol:

bwahahahahaha this made me laugh out loud!!!

I do try to leave only useful items (I found that people particullary like multicolor Caribiners!) And geocaching.com pencils. Those are usually the first things to go after I visit a cache. I am in it for the pure hike/search/discover though so even if ALL caches were just logbooks, I'd love it still. :anibad: :lol:

July 8, 2005

Just today took out the two boys to find a cd cache and it was in pretty bad shape. It was overflowing, the rubbermaid contained wouldn't close, and the contents were all wet. I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do (just left a note about it on my log as a matter of fact) but I cleaned out some of the waterlogged items to carry to the trash. I am sure we left the cache far better off by doing so, but I didn't know if it was proper procedure. I feel better about doing it now.

I also try to leave things I would actually want to trade for if I came across them in a cache. They may be inexpensive, but they're not crap. I got some really nice caribiner combination locks, for instance, and some mini-first aid kits, very inexpensive, but I think others will find them useful and enjoyable.

July 8, 2005

Never fear! The McToy Bandit is here!

I hear your cry and I am here to help with this problem one cache at a time.

As I follow my alter-ego from cache to cache, I will be purging caches of crummy McToys and replacing that pile of garbage with a couple nice trade items.

TATCMcTLSNYMLTF

(Took all the crappy McToys, left something nice you might like to find)

That is really funny!!! LOL! :blink:

Maybe someone should make a list of good items for which they are willing to trade. Or just a list of bad ones.

July 8, 2005

Ok I am new, very new to geocaching so far we have found one micro cache

one letter box

I started with 5 traveler tags (still have 5 they wont fit in a micro)

then I found out they (traveltags) are not trade items

ok fine live and learn so after reading the posts here I have now got to trade

compasses/keyclips, very nice scarves for the ladies

for the kids I got some matchbox cars,some leather coin purses to stitch up,

some fun foam visers,some hello kitty items. from what I am reading here I guess I will be a good trader

(I hope)

if not please let me know thanks :-)

jen

2.4k · July 8, 2005

Those soud like good trade items. If the scarves aren't in sealed packages, you might want to put them in ziplock bags, since a lot of caches can get damp inside, and anything cloth or paper can get mildewed.

Why No Good Trade Items?

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