Item Question

[+Torchbearer]

Hello to all. I am new to geocaching. I received a Garmin for Christmas(my wife got it for me so I would stop complaining about getting lost while hunting) and I am excited to put it to use. This weekend, I plan on finding some of the caches that are within about 20 miles of my home. What kind's of items should I use to trade out with? And, are you always supposed to take something and leave something? I'm really excited about starting a new hobby, especially one that gets me outdoors.

 

Thanks

Torch

[+Skip_]

Welcome to the addiction, obsession, or whatever it is. You'll undoubtedly find places in your own back yard that you never knew were there.

 

For me it's mostly about the hunt. Sometimes I'll trade for something, and I'll usually leave something if I take a travel bug. Most of the time I'll leave boot laces, mini biners, inexpensive things like ponchos that you can find in a Wal Mart camping aisle. What you trade is up to you, but you should trade up or trade even. Most times I don't trade, just enjoy the eploration, discovery and the hunt.

[+Miragee]

For some odd reason, I like keychains. I often trade for those, so those might be good to leave.

 

The mini biners are cool as well as little flashlights.

 

Welcome to your new sport/activity/hobby/obsession!

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Hello to all. I am new to geocaching. I received a Garmin for Christmas(my wife got it for me so I would stop complaining about getting lost while hunting) and I am excited to put it to use. This weekend, I plan on finding some of the caches that are within about 20 miles of my home. What kind's of items should I use to trade out with? And, are you always supposed to take something and leave something? I'm really excited about starting a new hobby, especially one that gets me outdoors.

 

Thanks

Torch

I bought my GPS for hunting too! 3 years and no trophys later, I'm still geocaching

 

I go caching with my kids, so most trade items are something they would like. When they get a toy from a fast food place, I tell them to keep it wrapped if they want to trade it at a cache. I think it's better to trade new things than well-used, broken junk (some may argue that even new McToys are junk, but that's another thread).

 

For quite some time, I left a personalized pen in caches. Not only was it a signature item, it was useful too. I ran out of pens, so I'm looking for a replacement item. Lots of people seem to like homemade signature items rather than bulk items from the Oriental Trading Company catalog. The hard part is saxophone trinkets (charms, earrings, pendants, etc) are too expensive to leave in every cache (Think $3-4 each over 500 caches and you'll see what I mean). I'm not trying to say that you should get a junky $0.10 item to leave behind just to be cheap, but rather pick an appropriate item to represent you.

[WH]

I usually leave these:

 

 

They only cost $1 each, and kids really seem to like finding them.

[+Bellageo Cache Game]

I typically leave a Binion's Horseshoe Casino poker chip circa the mid-80s.

[+AuntieWeasel]

They only cost $1 each, and kids really seem to like finding them.

Oi! Whaddya mean "kids" you big, green gimp?

 

 

One of my favorite finds, that.

 

Don't worry about it too much, Torchbearer. It's neat to take something from your first cache just because it's your first, but you don't need to trade at all. And you certainly don't need a sig item right up front. Have some foreign coins or some shiny stones on you in case you see something that appeals...anything small, non-perishable, unsmelly and kinda cool will do.

[+Torchbearer]

Thanks for all the info. I actually found my first cache today. I left a little "super" ball and a token. I didn't take anything but my 3 year old really wanted some of that stuff!! I am going back out tomorrow. Maybe I'll trade something out at another cache. Thanks for all the help.

 

Oh by the way. I think I am addicted already!!!

 

Later

 

Torch

[+hikemeister]

The great thing about this is that you can do it anyway you like. Pick any item you like to leave, leave nothing, make something special ... it is entirely your call. I used to leave hand-painted rocks, but after about 400 caches this got kind of old (and I ran out of rocks!). Now we just sign the log.

[+CompuCash]

They only cost $1 each, and kids really seem to like finding them.

Oi! Whaddya mean "kids" you big, green gimp?

 

 

One of my favorite finds, that.

 

Don't worry about it too much, Torchbearer. It's neat to take something from your first cache just because it's your first, but you don't need to trade at all. And you certainly don't need a sig item right up front. Have some foreign coins or some shiny stones on you in case you see something that appeals...anything small, non-perishable, unsmelly and kinda cool will do.

 

there ya go again Auntie getting all crotchity again

 

I agree - awesome coin -

 

I want one too -

 

cc\

[+slapshot52]

Thanks for all the info. I actually found my first cache today. I left a little "super" ball and a token. I didn't take anything but my 3 year old really wanted some of that stuff!!

By all means, let your three-year-old trade while you are caching together! I took a bag full of inexpensive swag (trade items) to one of my caches this morning that seems to get bare pretty quick. It wouldn’t bother me that the people take things without leaving anything if those people were little kids!

 

Welcome to the activity that you will soon find to take more time than you intended and give back more that you expected.

[+badlands]

I usually leave these:

 

 

They only cost $1 each, and kids really seem to like finding them.

Wow...... you can make a quarter for a dollar......that's cool

[+CowlesCachers]

I usually leave these:

 

 

They only cost $1 each, and kids really seem to like finding them.

Where do you get things like that? I like the idea, and my kids (ok and I) would like finding something like that...

[+souperteam]

I think the trickiest thing to find is something neat that will fit in an Altoids can. We have a lot of those around here and we were so not prepared for that when we went out our first time. The kids just "had to have" something out of them and I had such lame stuff in my bag. I ended up going back to the caches a few days later and putting in better stuff. What one person would find interesting one day they would scoff at the next. Look for stuff that you would like to find in a cache and go with that.

[tossedsalad]

I don't know if this is common knowledge, but I just found that Target has a dollar section by the front door. Sort of like a minature dollar store. I found a lot of potential swag; carabiners (three packs!), compasses, flashlights, wipes, both regular and bug off types... I picked up $10 worth without even thinking too hard.