Replicated from the GGA EZBoard:

GeneGarris
Registered Geocacher
(3/3/02 9:31:26 pm)
What does everyone take with them geocaching?

What are your must haves on a geocaching trip?


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Brad Webb
gpsfun
(3/3/02 9:54:13 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

This is a good topic. Once we come up with a pretty good list, let's add it to the best practices thread.


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the mtn man
and puppymonster
(3/3/02 11:26:14 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

For me...

1) GA DeLorme Road Atlas (Don't always use it!)
2) Compass (Don't always use it!)
3) Water (Don't always need it!)
4) Flashlight (Just in case...)
5) My bag of trade goodies (Have forgotten it!)
6) Back-up batteries (Has your GPS died before?)
7) MY GPS!!!!!!! (DUH! Hehe )


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lmoseley
BigDog
(3/4/02 12:42:56 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

8. the location of your car, set into the GPS as a waypoint before you leave the parking area to start your search.


Edited by: lmoseley at: 3/4/02 8:10:05 pm


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Gossamyrrh
Magnificent Poster
(3/4/02 1:33:44 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

1) water. always. period

2) outside the pack-
a) GPS
b) compass
c) road atlas, intended routes mapped out using repositionable stickies.
d) boots

3) inside the pack
a) assortment of trade goods to accomidate any size cache box.
b) extra pens and note pads (in case you come across a cache with a full log or need to take notes on something)
c) blaze orange vest
d) extra batteries!
e) binoculars, when remembered
f) cell phone
g) alcohol wipes (good for combating poison ivy exposure)
h) sunblock
i) packable windbreaker

4) in the car
a) munchies for long trips- dried soybeans are good for this
b) extra fleece pullovers
c) extra pair of boots and socks
d) music for the trip

I guess I pack heavy.

and.... I have never had to get the waypoint of the car


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aksor
Unregistered User
(3/4/02 7:44:10 am)
Geocaching essentials

All or most of the above, plus: we like to take good sturdy hiking sticks, a camera to capture pictures of the adventure, a first aid kit for those vines that tear your skin, and an emergency whistle or signal mirror. We are also considering a can of mace or pepper spray for unleashed dog encounters or other wild beasties.


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AJLacy
Magnificent Poster
(3/4/02 9:51:31 am)
Re: Geocaching essentials

As for I carry on a geocache hunt, it depends on "what" kind of cache it is. On a simple urban geocache I may just have the GPSr. But my normal minimum is:

1) GPSr
2) Compass
3) Sack of trade goods.

Now on a "fun" geocache (i.e. round hike longer than a couple of miles) like Ellicott Rock, or Looking Glass Rock we take our CamelBaks with:

1) GPSr
2) Compass
3) Flashlight which uses AA batteries (have had to use it a couple of times)
4) A spare set of AA batteries
5) Trade goods (at least one of which is a pack of AA's which can used as second set of spares)
6) 100 oz of water (the equivalent of 4 water bottles)
7) A couple of power bars
8) Some trail mix
9) Sometimes a pack of crackers and cheese.
10) Sometimes a lunch (either sandwich or some premade tuna/chicken salad with crackers)
11) StingEaze which helps if we find wasps or yellow jackets
12) Sawyer Extractor Snakebite kit (never have used it and hope it stays that way)
13) Hiker's first aid kit (have used it for scratches and blisters)
14) Sun Screen
15) 100% Deet
16) Digital Camera plus the floppies it uses for "Film"
17) Disposable rain poncho.
18) Extra Ziploc bags, which might be require to "fix" a cache.
19) Trash bags for "Cache in Trash out"
20) Spare logbook for caches with full or missing logbook.
21) Blaze orange vest (might remove it in summer)
22) Cell phone (which maybe in the CamelBak or on my belt.
23) Maybe my Palm III+ with the cache pages loaded into it.
24) Maybe paper copies of topo maps
25) Usually a walking stick (I wish the high tech collapsing sticks were not so expensive).
26) A combination thermometer, compass, whistle mainly for the thermometer

For this winter I have added
1) Blaze Orange toboggan hat, it keeps my head and ears warm and is highly visible to hunters.
2) Disposable hand warmers, but it has been so warm this winter I haven't used them
3) The camelbak also has room for me to put a couple of "layers" that which I remove as a day gets warmer.
4) Gloves (makes it easier to hold the walking stick)

Also on a cache hide, by removing the trade goods and expanding the Blowfish CamelBak it has room for a 30 caliber ammo box. This allows us to go on hiding hike without everyone wondering why we have a ammo box, plus it leave our hands free to use a walking stick.

Now in truth most of the time when doing a simple urban cache, we grab our CamelBaks without the water, because it is easier than removing the trade goods and compass. But since I nearly always have the GPSr with me and not the CamelBak, I have done some close by urban caches with just the GPSr, then I do a TNLN and sign the log.


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rdworm
Registered Geocacher
(3/4/02 11:04:14 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

100 feet of parachute cord-preferably a nice bright color. this stuff is tough. you can cut a piece to make a new shoelace. you can make an emergency strap for your backpack if one breaks. you can use it for those annoying cache searches where you are walking around not rembering if you just looked in that spot. i tie it to a tree, hang on to one end and it guides me in a perfect circle. if your friend falls over a steep embankment, you can throw them one end to help them climb back up. i could go on but you get the idea.


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AJLacy
Magnificent Poster
(3/4/02 1:15:04 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Oh yea I forgot to mention one thing a "towel". To paraphrase "A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar geocacher can have."


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Da Rebel
Registered Geocacher
(3/5/02 4:14:40 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Oh, let me see, I usually take, 1) GPSR, 2) print out of the cache info, 3) extra batteries, 4) small first aid kit, 5) cell phone, 6) bandanna (fat guy who sweats, OK?), 7) canteen (see 6), 8 ) compass, 9) walking stick, and 10) just a dollop of Uncle Jimmy .

Sometimes more, sometimes less. Depends on how spur of the moment I'm being. I usually keep the printouts for some interesting caches in the car. Never know when they'll come in handy.


"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before." - Mae West


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GeneGarris
Registered Geocacher
(3/5/02 7:34:28 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Things I take geocaching

Hiding or searching for a cache I bring generally the same things… except for the cache to be placed.

GPS-Garmin 76
Backpack
Compass Brunton generic
Batteries
Compass Cammenga Military issue
Knife
Golfer’s first aid kit
Paper towels in ziplocks
Water in platypus bottle
Trekking pole
Pen
Extra ziplocks
Foam pad to sit on
Cordage

In winter:
Trioxane stove + hot chocolate
High energy food…M&Ms!


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Gossamyrrh
Magnificent Poster
(3/6/02 12:03:20 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Oh yea I forgot to mention one thing a "towel". To paraphrase "A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar geocacher can have."

Alan....my opinion of you just went though the roof!


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erik88l r
Administrator
(3/6/02 7:16:31 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Among other things I bring a small roll of toilet paper - it doesn't weigh much and you never know when you might need it!


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nasty george
Registered Geocacher
(4/9/02 7:15:58 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

home made first aid kit. Ever notice the silly crap in commercial kits?
pocket knife
extra reading glasses
parachute cord
Suunto Azimuth sighting compass accurate to 1/4 degree
1 pint of water per hour anticipated
4x golf scope with range finder
lighter
minature 2 meter ham radio transreceiver if a local repeater is available. also cellphone.
solar powered calculator
pen
home made walking ,measuring, camera mount, scope mount, survival stick I made for survey recons.
1/2 pint flask with 151 proof rum to use as astringent, antiseptic or as a boost for the spirit. Use latter only when in sight of the ride home.
everything goes in a vest with lots of pockets.

These things I also carry on survey recons. I learned a long time ago to pack light with only the essientals. Every time I came home I made a list of those things I didn't use and the next time I didn't take them. Exempt were the first aid kit and knife.


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AJLacy
Awe-Inspiring Poster
(4/9/02 7:26:21 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

quote:

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1/2 pint flask with 151 proof rum ....Every time I came home I made a list of those things I didn't use and the next time I didn't take them.

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So you use the rum every time?
Neutiquam erro.


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LoCache
Administrator
(4/9/02 8:03:19 pm)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

A vest with lots of pockets?! You should get the Tilley VOMP (Vest Of Many Pockets)!

It's expensive like all Tilley stuff, but it's lifetime guaranteed!

Geo

PS - I have been using my Tilley hat more latelya nd it ROCKS! Erik has one too, and I think he likes his a lot.


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erik88l r
Administrator
(4/10/02 7:49:18 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Yeah, I like my Tilley hat too. I wish I'd gotten a larger size, though. Everytime it gets washed I have to stretch it over a sauce pan while it dries.


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nasty george
Registered Geocacher
(4/10/02 9:51:10 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Re: Rum
Nah, part of the homemade first aid kit.


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ErnieB
Super Poster
(4/10/02 10:52:00 am)
Re: What does everyone take with them geocaching?

Erik,

Are you saying your head is as big as a saucepan????

ErnieB


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nasty george
Registered Geocacher
(4/22/02 4:20:42 pm)
an additional item

Due to several excellent caches I visited in the last month, I am going to add a small dentist's mirror and a minimag light to check out those dark places in hollow trees and logs etc.. I am going to experiment with the small mirrior first and if it doesn't work I will probably opt for a larger mirror on a swivel at the end of a telescoping rod with a pen clip. By the way, if you want quality outdoor gear the pros such as foresters, geologist, surveyors, etc use, try www.benmeadows.com. They used to be based in Atlanta, but I think they moved. You are not going to find $280 vests but their prices are competetive and the goods are of quality.


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erik88l r
Administrator
(4/23/02 6:27:17 am)
Re: an additional item

That is an interesting web site. They seem to have a wide range of products from waterproof inkjet paper to high end GPS goodies (I covet the Magellan ProMark) Prices on the common GPS receivers like we use are no bargain but there is a lot of other neat stuff on that site that you would probably have a hard time finding elsewhere.