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Ask 100 different geocachers what equipment you need to hunt a cache and you'll get 100 different answers. That's because the equipment you use will vary depending on the kind of cache you're seeking, the kind of terrain you're on, the season of the year, the amount of caching you plan on doing and several other factors. It can be a bit overwhelming to know where to begin with this game, but there's no need to make it too complicated. It's best to begin simple with what works for you and add items as you progress. Much of what you find on these pages is a matter of what I have tried and what works for me. The list begins with the basics—a simple GPS unit—and works up from there. There are items listed that you might never need and others that aren't here but you find to be essential. Be prepared to adapt in this game. In many ways your caching equipment will be a unique part of your style.

GPS

The GPS receiver you choose is going to be a personal decision based on what you think you need and what you can afford. I recommend doing some reading on the Geocaching message boards first and looking over some of the major manufacturers' webpages (Garmin and Magellan). Ultimately, it's up to you to pick a unit you can understand and live with.

I've owned several GPS receivers over the years. Not all of them were made by the same manufacturer and they didn't all have the same features. For my first unit I chose the Garmin eTrex Venture, mainly because of the price, durability and design. The eTrex series seemed pretty straight forward to me—easy to understand and use.

Knowing that all this technology would be new to me for a while I chose a unit that I could grasp the functions of quickly. Garmin has designed the eTrex series software to be similar to a Microsoft Windows interface. The "Clickstick" works like a mouse, menus drop down from the top and you "x out" of screens through a button on the upper right corner. All these were elements I was used to due to years of computer use and made the transition to using a GPS very smooth.

Similarly, Magellan's eXplorist series has borrowed heavily from the Windows experience (or is that eXperience?). With its own version of the clickstick, simple icons and a font that looks a lot like Comic Sans MS, the eXplorist series is designed for everyone from new GPS users to veteran power users. Magellan took a lot of criticism with their initial release of the eXplorist 100, 200 and 300, which lacked a data port, forcing users to enter coordinates by hand. However, they made up for that with later models that not only included the port, but also color screens and expandable memory through an SDRam chip slot.

Garmin and Magellan seem to occupy the "Coke and Pepsi" seats in the GPS war but there are several other manufacturers to consider. Lowrance has several consumer receivers. Cobra, who made their name in the CB radio market, has entered the GPS arena. Other companies like TomTom and Holux have entered the market and come out swinging with some great models. Take some time and consider what you're willing to spend, what kind of "technology learning curve" you have and what models have proven themselves to other cachers. The Geocaching.com forums can be a great source of information and experience from other cachers.

So what should you look for in your first GPS? Here are some things to consider before you buy:

Durability: It's not a question of whether or not you'll drop your GPS, but of how often you'll drop it and what you'll drop it on. It's important that you choose a durable handheld model instead of something designed more for navigation inside a vehicle. Most handheld models come with rubber grips that will help you hold the unit and cushion it slightly in a fall.

Ease of Use: There are a lot of GPS's out there that do a lot of complicated things that you simply won't use while geocaching. Most handheld models have clearly identified buttons and can be operated with one hand. Keep it simple.

Budget: There's no need to go nuts and buy the most expensive GPS you can afford. I've known cachers who have found hundreds of geocaches using a simple yellow eTrex. If you can work with something simple then, by all means, save your money for something else.

Data Cable: I can't stress this enough. Do not buy a unit that doesn't come with a data cable or at least has a data port built in. Without a data port you're left to enter coordinates by hand. This is a tedious and often sloppy process that will eventually lead you to the wrong spot. A data cable can download hundreds of geocache waypoints to your GPS in a matter of seconds. It also allows you to upgrade the software for your GPS, when the occasional new release is offered.

Mapping: This is a matter of preference. I cached for a year and a half with no mapping software and occasionally I still use a GPS that has no maps. However, the benefits of maps cannot be denied. You'll find your way to the cache easier and they come in handy for non-caching uses too, like finding your way through a city. Some mapping units come with an auto-routing feature, which shows you which roads to take and when to turn. Others simply provide the maps and you're left to choose which road you want. Auto-routing is more expensive and may not be all that necessary if you know your home area well and plan on mainly caching there.

Antenna: GPS antennas come in two basic designs. A patch antenna is a small square antenna lays flat on the face of your GPS. These are usually covered by the case and out of view. Some of the eTrex units have translucent covers that allow you to see the antenna. Patch antennas are fine, but if you live in an area of heavy tree cover (like the Pacific North West) you will want to avoid these models. The tree cover renders them fairly useless.

Quadrahelix antennas are usually short and thick and protrude from the GPS unit. These antennas do a much better job of capturing satellite signals under tree cover. I've owned GPS's with both antenna designs, but in the thin woods of Central Illinois I haven't noticed that much difference. However, when I was caching in Washington State I saw a huge benefit in the quadrahelix design.

Compass

Remember learning how to use a compass in school? If you're like me, you never actually planned on being in the woods anyway, so you probably didn't pay attention. But believe it or not, they're pretty handy when Geocaching.

One common misunderstanding that many people have is that a GPS is an electronic compass. Some higher end GPS's do have electronic compasses built in, but the navigation screen on your GPS is rather deceptive in appearance. The direction indicator only works when you're moving at about three miles an hour or faster and even then it can often give misleading readings. If you're looking for accuracy and can't afford a higher end GPS then a compass is a good purchase.

Diehard hikers will often remind you that while electronic compasses are nice, they do require batteries and therefore shouldn't be viewed as entirely reliable. This is good advice and it keeps you from blowing a lot of money on an electronic compass when you can spend less on a reliable magnetic compass.

I've learned that you don't want to skimp on your compass, but you also don't necessarily need the most expensive model out there, either. I chose the Silva Landmark after having some experience with a cheaper compass and noticed a BIG difference. It was definitely worth the money.

For one, they're very handy as you close in on the cache. The closer you get to the site, the more the needle on your GPS's compass will jump around (due to walking slower, poor satellite reception, etc.). Carrying a compass will enable you to get a fix on the cache from a short distance away and then begin walking to it.

A compass is also helpful if you are geocaching with a team or a partner. With a compass and a GPS, you can come at the cache from different angles and zero in on it together.

Most of all, when you're geocaching in the summer and the tree cover is blocking your signal from the satellites you can use the compass to re-align yourself with the cache. This little maneuver is enough reason to shell out big bucks for a dependable compass.

One thing to remember, though. If you want to be more accurate with your compass, be sure to set your GPS's compass to "magnetic north" rather than "true north" before moving in on the prize.

Cache Bag

One of the first accessories you probably considered is something to put all your stuff in. You'll need something to carry your GPS, spare batteries, trade items, and possibly a few other essentials like a first aid kit and some snacks.

You're going to get a lot of opinions on this topic and just about all of them are going to be different. Let me give you two words of advice that I think are essential before choosing a cache bag/back pack/whatever:

1. Pay attention to your surroundings. What is absolutely essential in the Great Northwest is probably not all that necessary in Middle America. Spend some time getting to know what hiking and caching is like in your area. When you're on the trail and you realize that a certain object would be handy, make a note.
2. Pay attention to your own needs. Do you cache with kids? You're probably going to pack a few things that people who don't have ever had to worry about. Do you have allergies? Do you want to be able to do some occasional cache maintenance? What are you able to physically carry? How prepared do you want to be in the event of an emergency? These are questions you really need to ask before you blow big money on an expensive pack that hangs on your back like a rock.

The bag I started out with was designed for turkey hunters to store their calls and other equipment in. It had 3 separate zippered compartments. The one in front, I use for my own supplies. I could keep some bug spray, my compass and a travel pack of kleenex in there (and a few allergy pills). I also could keep my cellphone in it when things start to get a little hairy (my GPS would also fit in it quite nicely). The second zippered compartment was very small, so I used it for extra AA batteries for my GPS. The third compartment was the largest and I used it to store all the items I might trade in a Geocache.

It was handy, fit on my belt, stayed out of the way, and frustrated me to no end. I finally had to admit it was just too small and I was going to need a backpack.

There's only one thing I know for sure about backpacks—good ones are expensive. The last thing I needed to be doing was bringing home a big, expensive backpack that would be way more than I needed and end up being more of a burden than the cheap little pack I started off with. So I did a little research, posted a few questions on the forums and, well, pretty much came up with nothing.

In the end, I was walking through Wal-Mart one day, about a month or so after school had started in the fall, and found a ton of backpacks in their clearance section. The one I settled on was marked down to $3.00. "Great!" I thought, "A three-dollar lesson in backpacks is exactly what I need!"

The pack is slightly smaller than the average backpack (more like the size of a half-day pack), has 4 outer pockets, which are perfect for my signature items (I keep them out there so I don't have to dig into my pack every time I stop at a cache), a first-aid kit, a multi-tool, spare batteries, and some garbage bags. Inside there's the main area where I keep trade items. There is also a sleeve for a hydration bladder. I was able to find a Platypus Bladder fairly cheap and would recommend it to anyone who ever finds themselves needing to carry water on an excursion.

I definitely got my money's worth on my three-dollar lesson in backpacking. After about a year with the cheap pack I was ready to use my experience to purchase a much more durable backpack from Gregory Mountain. Their Inertia pack turned out to be the perfect fit for my hiking style and my environment. I've also used it on hikes and hunts on both the East and West Coast and found it to be more than adequate. I was also able to buy it at a lower price as a store second, which is always a plus.