Top Geocaching GPS Units: Budget & Mid Price Ranges

Here we review the top Geocaching GPS units in the low to mid price ranges. These units have more than enough features and capabilities to enable you to thoroughly enjoy Geocaching, without blowing your entire recreational slush fund on one item.

Apisphere Geomate.jr

For a super cheap unit that might be a good option to give to the kids as a great recreational/educational Geocaching device, look no further than the Apisphere Geomate.jr.

At around $70, the Geomate.jr comes pre-loaded with 250,000 geocache stash locations spread out amongst the 50 states of the U.S. The screen is tiny and the waypoint of where you started is all you're going to get but it is water resistant and shock proof. It's as basic and stripped down as you can get, but it's still a geocache dedicated device that will work for you. It also won't break the bank.

Garmin ETrex Series

Looking at inexpensive but dependable, and feature laden GPS units that work really well for Geocaching (and perhaps making it a bit more challenging too) we go straight to the Garmin ETrex series.

Go with one at the lower end of this series spectrum if you don't want to spend the big bucks for a GPS, or if you're not sure how much time you'll want to be devoting to scavenger hunting. The cheapest Etrex has no frills but it's rugged, dependable, and lightweight.

The Etrex H lacks mapping capabilities and has a very basic non-color screen. It's got a long battery life and can store up to 500 way points. It's also pretty easy for a novice to figure out. You should be able to find one for about $100.

The Garmin Etrex Legend takes you up a notch with mapping capabilities and a slightly higher price. But it is a superb device, rugged, water resistant, and lightweight. The unit retails at approximately $150, but shopping around you will probably find one cheaper still.

Garmin ETrex Vista CX

As we enter the market for mid range Geocaching GPS devices, these units come with extensive mapping technology that, for example, lets you see exactly where you are, and includes the ability to upload topographic maps.

With such devices you want to make sure your desired unit can interface with a computer via a USB cord, which is considerably more convenient than manually loading data, as is the only option currently available with cheaper models.

One really good unit in this range is the Garmin ETrex Vista CX, which prices out at around $300 and includes a nice bright, readable screen. Included are a barometric altimeter, electronic compass, and a handy 64 MB microSD card with plenty of memory. Connect the device to your computer with a USB cord to load optional MapSource® software to view detailed maps of where ever you're going to geocache. This unit is easy for the novice to figure out as well.

What are The Top Geocaching GPS Units?

This four part series first presents you with an in-depth look at the features and capabilities that make a handheld GPS device unit the ideal choice for geocaching. The remaining articles use that criterion to list several of the best brands and models based on performance and the price tag.

• 1. Best GPS Units for Geocaching
• 2. What to Look for in a Handheld GPS for Geocaching?
• 3. The Best Handheld GPS Units for Geocaching
• 4. Top Geocaching GPS Units: Budget & Mid Price Ranges

Boy Scouts and Geocaching

Boy Scouts have been "pathfinding" since the inception of scouting, which makes the fun activity known as geocaching an ideal fit for Boy Scouts. If you are a Scout leader or the parent of a Boy Scout, consider organizing a geocaching event for your troop.

Geocaching at Boy Scout Camp

If you are part of a Boy Scout camp or other gathering, consider including geocaching as part of the event. Be creative, and combine geocaching with other activities. For example, you could use geocaching as a team building exercise that will get the Boy Scouts geared up and excited about camp.

Divide the group into sections. A good way to do this might be to group the Boy Scouts with whomever they are bunking and the Boy Scout leader responsible for them. This will help them bond quickly and feel like a team. Give each group a GPS device. Depending upon the ages of the Boy Scouts, you may want to go ahead and have the geocaching waypoints already loaded on the GPS devices.

You can have one or several geocaches prepared. For instance, you might want to have all of their name badges ready and waiting at the first geocache, supplies the Boy Scouts will need at the second geocache and so on. Have special prizes or awards for the group of Boy Scouts who find all of the geocaches first, with honors for second and third runners up as well.

If you need tips on setting up geocaches, read What is Geocaching? and Creating Your Own Geocache.

Photo credit: sxc.hu/profile/milada13

Teach Boy Scout Ideals with Geocaching

The rules of geocaching are quite similar to those of the Boy Scouts. Use the fun activity of geocaching to teach and enforce these rules and ideals. First, as with any Boy Scouts activity or event, safety is always the number one priority. Do not require or allow Boy Scouts to climb dangerous trees or surfaces, cross highways or train tracks, swim or undertake other potentially dangerous activities in order to reach a geocache.

Boy Scouts are taught to "Leave No Trace" and to care for the environment. Likewise, geocaching has a similar rule of etiquette known as "Cache In, Trash Out." Encourage Boy Scouts to leave the geocaching area cleaner and greener than they found it by taking along a trash bag or two and disposing of garbage and junk found along the way.

Photo credit: sxc.hu/profile/hortongrou

Related Articles

Once you are ready to escort Boy Scouts on a geocaching hunt, you may want to read up on geocaching rules, tips, and ideas here at Bright Hub. You can find numerous relevant articles in the collection of geocaching articles at Bright Hub, such as Learning New Skills with Geocaching, How Can Girl Scouts Earn Badges for Geocaching, How to Use Geocaching as a Classroom Teaching Tool and How to Make an Easy Rubber Stamp for Geocaching.

A Brief History of Geocaching

Geocaching continues to grow in popularity with each passing day. Read on to find out more about the history of this modern day form of treasure hunting and why so many people are giving geocaching a try.

The Beginnings of Geocaching

People’s love of treasure hunting and puzzle solving is nothing new, but modern methods of partaking in these types of activities are constantly being created. Geocaching is one of these more recent developments, and the hobby has quickly spread across the globe, being practiced by outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.

Geocaching is an activity in which one party hides a cache filled with trinkets, coins, or other small items and then records the coordinates of the cache’s location using a GPS device. These coordinates are then distributed in some manner – usually posted to a geocaching web site – for hunters to use as a reference to track down the cache.

Since geocaching is an activity that depends heavily on GPS devices, its beginnings are tied closely to the history of GPS technology. Up until 2000, only the military had access to the most accurate GPS data and civilians had to rely on degraded signals that were only accurate within 100 meters. This intentional degradation was known as Selective Availability, often abbreviated as SA. Then, on May 1, 2000, President Clinton announced that the signals from GPS satellites would no longer be scrambled and the 100 meter accuracy limitation was diminished to 20 meters.

The First Geocache

On May 3, 2000, only two days after Clinton’s announcement, Dave Ulmer proposed a game that would take advantage of the removal of Selective Availability and gave his idea for creating what would become the first geocache. It only took a day for someone to find that initial cache, and the hobby began to spread like wildfire. You can find out more about this early geocache placement here.

It didn’t take long for others to start creating and placing their own geocaches. Enthusiasm spread and there were 21 recorded cache placements by the end of May, 2000. Five of these geocaches were hidden outside the United States, making the activity truly global. Web sites dedicated to the hobby began to sprout up, causing more and more people to become interested in geocaching.

Since that time, the hobby has evolved somewhat, incorporating new challenges and puzzles into the search for geocaches. However, the basic “rule” of geocaching has remained the same – in the words of Dave Ulmer, “Get some Stuff, Leave some Stuff!!!” It’s also generally expected that if you remove something from a geocache that you leave something of equal or greater value. This is to make sure that others who follow you in the hunt have just as much fun as you did when finding the cache.

Geocaching Today

As handheld portable GPS units become more affordable for the general public, it doesn’t look like there is going to be a slowdown in the interest of geocaching any time soon. Geocaching.com alone lists over 800,000 active caches worldwide. With dozens of other worldwide and regional geocaching organizations in existence, it’s hard to guess the true total number of active caches, but that total is likely well over a million. When you toss in the number of private caches and events, the number just gets larger.

If you’d like to find out more information about geocaching and how to get started, visit a reputable site such as Geocaching with Navicache and find out if there are any caches placed near you. You can start out by reading about some of the adventurers of geocachers and getting advice from more seasoned hobbyists. Then, when you’re ready, grab your GPS and go!

Handheld GPS Comparisons

There is a large range of handheld GPS products available. Handheld GPS comparisons are the best way to understand what different GPS devices are like. The comparisons also allow you to find the one that suits you. Here are some handheld GPS comparisons.

Introduction

Handheld GPS devices help you navigate from one place to another. Besides walking around the city streets, you could use these devices for hiking, biking and all kinds of outdoor activities where you will need a map. The most important information, “Where am I,” is answered by these devices. What is important, besides the device features, is that reasonably accurate maps are available and can be loaded into the device you have chosen. For activities like hiking and biking, it is also important that you have details about height and other topographic information on the map. While city streets may have millions of POI, you need the points of interest information like rest areas, access to food and so on.

Some Notable/Popular Devices

There is a very wide range of GPS devices available. Therefore, what we do here is look at some representative devices and their features. While choosing a device for your own use, consider these features along with personal opinions about the shape of the device, color scheme of the portable handheld, display quality of the screen and so on. The order in which they are discussed do not represent any ranking in performance or otherwise, just that they are all high-quality and popular.

Garmin Oregon: Intuitive and easy to use menu on touch screen. 3” color screen, the product line has five models, the more expensive models (at $639) there are models specific to land use, fresh water use and saltwater use. Depending on the use, the preloaded maps with customized information. The land use maps for example have height data with barometric height data added for more accuracy. The fresh water model has maps with lakes data and so on. Lower priced (around $330) do not have preloaded maps. 3D view is particularly useful in outdoor navigation. Geocaching available.

Garmin Colorado: This is a series of four models. Shaded topo maps, large color screen make navigation easy. Wireless sharing of information such as waypoints is possible. Supports geocache. Interface through rock n roller switch rather than a touch screen. You are able to setup profiles for multiple types of use of the same device, customizing your use preferences. Costs in the range of $550 to $639

Delorme PN-40 handheld GPS: High sensitivity chip set, dual core processor for faster graphics operations, can handle satellite imagery. TFT color screen that is daylight readable. It has a barometric altimeter and a high capacity memory card for storage of large number of maps. An electronic compass is included that can give you readings in three axes. Also includes an accelerometer. US topo and street maps that include secondary roads and connectors too are preloaded.

Lowrance Endura family : 2.7” color touch screen, navigation buttons for finding your way. Costs $229 to $549 depending on the family member, Outback, Safari and Fiesta respectively. 48 state roadmaps and outdoor maps pre-loaded. This is a water resistant device.

Garmin Legend H and Vista H: These are monochrome devices and hence quite inexpensive. For example, the Legend H is listed for $149 and Vista His $199. It uses high sensitivity chipset that can read GPS co-ordinates in difficult places too. Both models have internal memory of 24 MB on both models for loading maps.

You can thus have a reasonable portable/handheld GPS for $150 to $200. For couple of hundred dollars more you can graduate to a color unit and for below $650 you can have a full featured unit like the Garmin family with touch screen functionality. Geocaching is a participatory game that has become wildly popular. It adds a dimension of adventure for outdoor trips.

South Dakota Geocaching Listings

SD is home to Mount Rushmore, Black Hills Gold jewelry and lots of geocaching. If you are looking for geocaches in the state of South Dakota, this listing of websites will point you in the right direction.

South Dakota Game Fish and Parks

The SD Game, Fish and Parks Department has several entire web pages devoted to geocaching in the state.

This listing gives an overview of geocaching such as what to expect and what you will need to begin geocaching. It also provides listings of geocaching sites in SD state parks, including each location, the latitude and longitude and even the elevation if available. On another page of the site, you can find listings of places to go geocaching in the state of SD, along with links to those specific locations if they have their own website.

There is a section on where to obtain a GPS unit, including units that are available on loan from the state of South Dakota at no charge. Another section provides information for school groups who want to try geocaching. Finally, you can download and read information about how to use a GPS for geocaching.

South Dakota Travel and Tourism

The state of SD Travel and Tourism blog has several entries regarding geocaching in South Dakota. This listing provides ideas about incorporating geocaching with vacationing in the state. There are also several links provided, including one for an introduction to geocaching and one for geocaching events being held in the state of SD.

South Dakota Office of Tourism

The South Dakota Office of Tourism offers a geocaching page on its "Things to Do" website. This listing does not provide as much detail on geocaching in the state of SD as do the two prior listings. However, it does give a concise overview of geocaching as well as information on why geocaching is popular in the state and the different types of terrain SD offers to geocachers.

Nebraska/Dakota Caching

The Nebraska and Dakotas Geocaching Reviewers Blog is a blog that provides general information about geocaching, the review process and geocaching rules affecting Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Readers will find geocache listing tips, issues that can arise, park policies for SD and other states regarding geocaching, geocaching on Native American reservations and military areas and more.

The site also provides links to general geocaching websites and local organizations, such as the Eastern South Dakota Geocachers Web Site.

For more information on geocaching, check out the Bright Hub collection of articles including What is Geocaching? and How to Pack the Perfect Geocaching Backpack.

Types of Geocaching Hunts

There are a variety of different hunt types for geocaching. From the traditional hunt, where you plug in the coordinates to get to the cache, to the more complex puzzle games. There are even geocaching hunts that will have you discovering things about your environment.

Traditional

Traditional geocache hunts are such that the coordinates will take you directly to the cache. They will contain a container and a logbook at bare minium and may also include some tradable or trackable items. The main rule to remember is: if you take something, you must leave something of a similar or higher value. Some caches are themed, so be sure to read the rules before heading out. These are the typical hunts, and are often what beginners start with.

Multi-cache

A multi-cache hunt requires going to two or more hunt locations to find the actual cache. Each intermediate cache holds the coordinates to the next cache site. There are also variations on this theme, called offset cache hunts, where each intermediate cache holds hints to find the next cache. These hints may point you to a monument, where the date on the monument is the hint to the final cache.

Wherigo

One form of a multi-cache hunt is a Wherigo cache. Instead of holding a clue or the coordinates to the next site, the container holds a Wherigo cartridge. This cartridge use the GPS coordinates to trigger events such as location based puzzles or stories. Currently these cartridges will only play on select Garmin handheld devices and GPS-enabled Pocket PCs.

Mystery/puzzle

This type of hunt requires you to solve a puzzle or riddle in order to uncover the coordinates to the cache. There are variations on this theme, such as giving false coordinates with hints to finding the real coordinates, or solving a puzzle to find a combination to a padlock. These puzzles may be rather easy or quite difficult.

Letterbox Hybrid

This type of hunt combines letterboxing and geocaching in one hunt. The container will hold the traditional letterbox log book and rubberstamp. It may also hold treasures, but that is up to the cache creator. Traditional letterboxes are found using clues, whereas the hybrids are found using the GPS coordinates.

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Earthcache

Earthcache is an educational based hunt. Each cache is located in an area where the hunter can learn about geology and how the environment affects the earth. These hunts are popular with educators. The Earthcache website() contains a section for uploading lesson plans and the ability to view general lesson plans.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a geocache for every type of person - from the simple hike to a cache to indepth puzzles. The type of hunt you choose depends on your time available and what you are looking to get out of the experience.

How to Pack the Perfect Geocaching Backpack

A lot of geocachers out there just have a tendency to throw a bunch of things into a backpack and go - if they bring anything with them at all. This article provides a basic guide to packing a geocaching backpack to make sure you have everything you need.

The Backpack

Of course, before you start packing for your geocaching trek, you need a backpack that fits your needs. You don't need one of those hefty mountaineering sacks, just something around the size of a school backpack.

You'll want something that will hold together: whether you're geocaching in urban or rural environments, there are any number of sharp structures and obstacles that can tear at your bag, from loose wires on fences, to thorns on primrose bushes. Water resistance is a nice touch too, especially if you'll be bringing along things like a cellphone, papers, and other things that are water-sensitive. Failing that, you can either purchase a waterproof bag cover or just use a plastic grocery bag to protect the contents.

Lots of pockets are generally a plus, especially for all those odds and ends that are frequently accessed - and frequently end up at the bottom of the pack, getting scratched at and pressed, by all those other bits and pieces. Of course, having at least one large main compartment for jackets and the like is also useful.

Getting There

Printing out the directions or hints to where you need to be going is A+. Slipping them into a plastic cover will keep them readable, especially in case of rain or severe wrinklage. If you're traveling in a group, multiple copies are probably a good idea.

If you're feeling really organized, storing them in some sort of notebook or binder will keep everything in good order. You probably don't want to lug that around with you when you go to the actual site, though - maybe just leave it in the car if you're planning on visiting multiple sites.

And don't forget the actual GPS! If you've got some sort of case for it, all the better - you won't be holding on to it at all times, and losing it in the great outdoors or the mess of abandoned urban sites can be disastrous.

The Weather

While some people might prefer to dash inside at the nearest hint of rain, others might be feeling a bit more adventurous and figure they could do with a little dampness for a 'true' geocaching expedition anyway. Just in case, it might be a good idea to check the forecast before you go, to see if you should be concerned about rain or other adverse weather conditions. Depending on your location, there may be risk of flooding or landslides, or to a lesser degree blizzards, strong winds and/or showers. Something as minor as wallowing in mud may not be the most attractive day out either.

Rain and snow are your cue to pack a bit differently. Rain jackets will keep the water off of you, but not off of your equipment—like that GPS you're supposed to be using. Screens are a bit of a pain to read when they're covered in droplets, so having a small pocket umbrella might be a good idea as well. Rain and snow aren't your only concern, however. Extremes in temperature can provide every bit as much impetus to pack differently. Use your head before heading out: if it's sunny, bring sun tan lotion and a wide brimmed hat.

No matter the weather, appropriate footware is a must. Flipflops or high heels are probably not the best idea, even in the mildest of circumstances. While you probably won't need full-on hiking boots, sturdy footware and thick socks will make walking a little less prone to foot/ankle/knee trouble. Having a walking stick might also help for hopping those streams.

Supplies

Depending on the distance of the geocache away from your hub, you may want to pack a little something extra for your group members.

If you're going to be out for more than few hours, bringing enough water can be important, especially in hot climates. Frequent geocachers might want to invest in plastic or metal water bottles, just to cut down on their trash.

Don't be afraid to make a day of it: bringing a snack might be nice and all, but it's hard to beat a full-on picnic if the geocache is in a pretty location. This also means you can be out for a longer period of time, hitting up multiple caches, before heading back home from the hunt.

Of course, you need to attend to the geocache itself. Making a trip to the dollar store before heading out can provide you with some cheap, cute trade items for the cache. Make sure they'll fit, though - check the size of the cache before purchasing items. It's hard to fit an “I Love New York” coffee mug into a microcache, after all.

If you're not too keen on dealing with brambles or broken glass, or even a bit of dirt, a pair of gardening gloves can go a long way as well. Bandaids, Ibuprofen, alcohol wipes, tweezers, and some other basic health supplies might also come in handy. You never know when someone might step in a bee's nest or get a sliver!

Other

There are other odds and ends you might want to include. If you're on some sort of medication, will you be out when you're due to take it? If the batteries are looking low, either for your GPS or cell phone, why not bring the charger in the car?

All in all, lot of this is common sense, but whether you are an experience geocacher or not, think carefully about the individual needs of the cache, and of you.

How to Pack the Perfect Geocaching Backpack

A lot of geocachers out there just have a tendency to throw a bunch of things into a backpack and go - if they bring anything with them at all. This article provides a basic guide to packing a geocaching backpack to make sure you have everything you need

The Backpack

Of course, before you start packing for your geocaching trek, you need a backpack that fits your needs. You don't need one of those hefty mountaineering sacks, just something around the size of a school backpack.

You'll want something that will hold together: whether you're geocaching in urban or rural environments, there are any number of sharp structures and obstacles that can tear at your bag, from loose wires on fences, to thorns on primrose bushes. Water resistance is a nice touch too, especially if you'll be bringing along things like a cellphone, papers, and other things that are water-sensitive. Failing that, you can either purchase a waterproof bag cover or just use a plastic grocery bag to protect the contents.

Lots of pockets are generally a plus, especially for all those odds and ends that are frequently accessed - and frequently end up at the bottom of the pack, getting scratched at and pressed, by all those other bits and pieces. Of course, having at least one large main compartment for jackets and the like is also useful.

Getting There

Printing out the directions or hints to where you need to be going is A+. Slipping them into a plastic cover will keep them readable, especially in case of rain or severe wrinklage. If you're traveling in a group, multiple copies are probably a good idea.

If you're feeling really organized, storing them in some sort of notebook or binder will keep everything in good order. You probably don't want to lug that around with you when you go to the actual site, though - maybe just leave it in the car if you're planning on visiting multiple sites.

And don't forget the actual GPS! If you've got some sort of case for it, all the better - you won't be holding on to it at all times, and losing it in the great outdoors or the mess of abandoned urban sites can be disastrous.

The Weather

While some people might prefer to dash inside at the nearest hint of rain, others might be feeling a bit more adventurous and figure they could do with a little dampness for a 'true' geocaching expedition anyway. Just in case, it might be a good idea to check the forecast before you go, to see if you should be concerned about rain or other adverse weather conditions. Depending on your location, there may be risk of flooding or landslides, or to a lesser degree blizzards, strong winds and/or showers. Something as minor as wallowing in mud may not be the most attractive day out either.

Rain and snow are your cue to pack a bit differently. Rain jackets will keep the water off of you, but not off of your equipment—like that GPS you're supposed to be using. Screens are a bit of a pain to read when they're covered in droplets, so having a small pocket umbrella might be a good idea as well. Rain and snow aren't your only concern, however. Extremes in temperature can provide every bit as much impetus to pack differently. Use your head before heading out: if it's sunny, bring sun tan lotion and a wide brimmed hat.

No matter the weather, appropriate footware is a must. Flipflops or high heels are probably not the best idea, even in the mildest of circumstances. While you probably won't need full-on hiking boots, sturdy footware and thick socks will make walking a little less prone to foot/ankle/knee trouble. Having a walking stick might also help for hopping those streams.

Supplies

Depending on the distance of the geocache away from your hub, you may want to pack a little something extra for your group members.

If you're going to be out for more than few hours, bringing enough water can be important, especially in hot climates. Frequent geocachers might want to invest in plastic or metal water bottles, just to cut down on their trash.

Don't be afraid to make a day of it: bringing a snack might be nice and all, but it's hard to beat a full-on picnic if the geocache is in a pretty location. This also means you can be out for a longer period of time, hitting up multiple caches, before heading back home from the hunt.

Of course, you need to attend to the geocache itself. Making a trip to the dollar store before heading out can provide you with some cheap, cute trade items for the cache. Make sure they'll fit, though - check the size of the cache before purchasing items. It's hard to fit an “I Love New York” coffee mug into a microcache, after all.

If you're not too keen on dealing with brambles or broken glass, or even a bit of dirt, a pair of gardening gloves can go a long way as well. Bandaids, Ibuprofen, alcohol wipes, tweezers, and some other basic health supplies might also come in handy. You never know when someone might step in a bee's nest or get a sliver!

Other

There are other odds and ends you might want to include. If you're on some sort of medication, will you be out when you're due to take it? If the batteries are looking low, either for your GPS or cell phone, why not bring the charger in the car?

All in all, lot of this is common sense, but whether you are an experience geocacher or not, think carefully about the individual needs of the cache, and of you.

Where to Find Trackable Geocoins

Geocaching coins allow you to leave a trackable trinket in a geocache that you create or visit. Learn where to find fun geocoins.

Overview

Trackable geocaching coins each have a unique tracking ID of some sort. With this ID, you and anyone who finds a trackable coin to log on to the corresponding website, enter the tracking ID and log the or view the latest location of the coin. Trackable geocaching coins can make for an interesting class project or just add to the enjoyment you get from geocaching.

If you find a geocaching coin, look for a web site address on it as well as a tracking ID. Many geocaching coins are trackable at Geocaching.com, so you may want to check there first, but not all geocaching coins can be tracked there. When you go to the correct site, it will provide you with instructions on how to log where you found the geocaching coin. Then you can take it on your next geocaching hunt and leave it for someone else to find and log.

The Geocoin Store

The Geocoin Store offers dozens of different trackable geocaching coins. The coins range in price from about $7 to $10, they are trackable at Geocaching.com, and come in a variety of cool choices. For example, the Red Name Tag geocoin looks just like one of those "Hello My Name Is" tags you are forced to wear at meetings and conventions, and is about the size of an actual name tag. You can even write your Geocaching.com user name on it so that whoever finds it can get in touch with you.

USA Geocoins

USA Geocoins offers patriotic trackable geocaching coins featuring Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty. Other geocoins available include a version honoring firefighters, the official Groundspeak "cache in trash out" geocoin, and a "Fallen Heroes" geocoin, for which

$1.00 of every coin sold will go to Operation Homefront.

Prices of trackable geocaching coins at USA Geocoins range from around $5 to just under $15, with proceeds going to charities for many of the coins. Most of the coins sold here are trackable at Geocaching.com.

Coins and Pins

Coins and Pins features one of the most affordable, simplest trackable geocaching coins available: The Travel Slug. This no-frills geocaching coin comes in silver or gold, and costs just over $3. Coins and Pins has a wide variety of trackable geocaching coin categories, such as Benchmark geocoins, Scouting geocoins and Geo-Achievement geocoins. Most of the geocaching coins available run right around $10, and codes can be retrieved from Coincodes.com.

Monterey Company

If you are looking for a really special trackable geocaching coin, you might want to check out Monterey Company. They will make a set of custom geocoins based on a sketch you send them. Plan on investing some cash if you decide to go this route, though, as you will be required to purchase 100 custom trackable coins for $569.

Other Resources

Find out about more geocaching tips, tricks, gifts and accessories by checking out the Bright Hub library of geocaching articles. New titles are being added all the time, so check back often!

Geocaching Gift Ideas

If you know someone who loves geocaching, select a gift that allows them to show their love for the sport. On the other hand, you might want to give a gift to a geocacher that helps them enjoy treasure hunting even more. Either way, these cool gift ideas will help you find the perfect gift.

Cafe Press

Cafe Press offers pages and pages of cool, fun geocaching t-shirts, mugs and other gifts. The sheer variety of geocaching gifts makes it a sure bet that there is something perfect for the geocacher on your list. Cafe Press has geocaching t-shirts with sayings such as "I use billion-dollar satellites to find Tupperware in the woods. What's your hobby?" and "I'm not lost, I'm geocaching." There are bumper stickers and decals with fun geocaching sayings, including "I used to have a life - now I'm a geocacher," and "Eat, sleep, geocache, repeat!" Geocaching mugs include "Geocaching first, work later," and "Cacheaholic."

Other cool geocaching gifts available at Cafe Press include geocache journals, "You know you are a geocacher when..." mouse pads, or "Geocaching widow(er)" barbeque aprons.

Geocaching.com

When searching for cool geocaching gifts, what better place to look than the ultimate geocaching website? Geocaching.com has a store full of items perfect for everyone from the novice to the expert geocacher. You can find practical gifts such as guidebooks, dry bags and two-way radios, or gifts that are just for fun, like the Flying Travel Disc, which can be folded up to fit in your pocket so it can be brought along and tossed around at a geocache event.

Zazzle

Similar to Cafe Press, Zazzle features cool geocaching t-shirts, buttons, mugs and other accessories that would definitely make cool gifts. T-shirt slogans include "Not all who wander are lost; some are just geocaching," and "One man's trash is another man's geocache." At Zazzle, you will find a cache (get it?) of other cool gift ideas as well, ranging from calendars to profile cards to ties to pet clothing! Zazzle also offers cute and funny geocaching cards to go along with the gifts. Top it off by mailing the geocaching gift by using - what else? - geocaching custom postage.

Not Just T-shirts

Online store Not Just T-shirts has an entire collection of cool geocaching gifts. Shop by theme categories, such as the funny "Geocaching Rocks" theme sporting three animated rocks carrying GPS devices, or the GPS-armed "GeoBunny." Each category offers gift ideas such as t-shirts, bags, note cards and stuffed animals.

More Information

If you are shopping for cool geocaching gifts for someone else, but have never tried geocaching yourself, why not learn what all the fuss is about? Read What is Geocaching? for a basic overview of this increasingly popular pastime. For even more information, check out the Bright Hub collection of geocaching articles, reviews and tutorials.

What to Look for in a Handheld GPS for Geocaching?

If you’re looking to find out what the most helpful features and capabilities a portable, handheld GPS device should have to maximize your Geocaching abilities and pleasure, you’ve certainly found the right place. Read on to learn the basic and advanced options to help you make an informed decision.

GPS Devices for Geocaching

First off, if you’re only vaguely familiar with this modern day treasure-hunting pastime, find out more about the basics by reading What is Geocaching?

Now, let’s get right to the point and list the desirable functions and features in a device to use for geocaching. You want a handheld GPS device that is very accurate since the loot at every stash you discover will likely be in a small container hidden from the untrained eye. The essential criteria that your most basic geocaching GPS handheld device should meet to be most effective for this great excuse to get outdoors and explore include the following:

• Waterproof and durable so you don’t have to worry about harming it.
• Small and lightweight so you can carry it easily in one hand or in a pocket or pack.
• 12 channels to lock on to the satellites; older models with less are too slow and not accurate enough.
• Plenty of waypoint storage capacity. Waypoints mark where the cache is and also you can input them as you go to easily retrace your steps back.
• You want to be able to read the screen easily in the direct sun, under heavy clouds, with your shades on, and at night.
• Long battery life. Easily replaceable and/or rechargeable. Lithium batteries last the longest.
• Preferably a USB cord compatibility to hook into your computer for downloading data such as maps and cache coordinates from software or online.

The advanced features that the higher-end GPS devices have can add to the fun, help you find stuff quicker, and make this hobby more expensive. The following list is essentially the answer to the question: What should I look for in a handheld GPS for geocaching to have all the bells and whistles?

• WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) enabled – this means your GPS unit will give you up to five times the accuracy because you're linked in with a system of satellites that ensures position accuracy within 10 feet (3 meters) for about 95% of your searching endeavors. Many Garmin models have this technology.

• A Built-in Compass is nice to have the closer you get to the cache.
• Memory storage. Higher end models often have a memory card slot which is very useful.
• Altimeter: who doesn't want to know how high above sea level they are at any given moment, right? But in mountainous or hilly country, a cache might be easier to find if this info was included with the data you retrieved from an official geocaching site.
• Mapping Capabilities; it's very nice to see what you're doing on the maps (terrain features included) which either come with the unit or the unit has the capability and storage room to download them off the Web.
• An external antenna certainly comes in handy when you're under a thick patch of cedars or deep in the canyons walled by either steep rock faces or skyscrapers. It keeps you from losing your lock on those eyes in the sky, the GPS satellite systems.
• A rocker key pad (operates with a wheel similar to an IPod) or touch-screen is a plus to some folks.

Now that we have all those considerations before us, we will take a look at the best Geocaching GPS units available for a given price range in the next two articles. This series is dedicated to help you get the most out of Geocaching with the best device to match your needs based on your anticipated level of interest. This knowledge will greatly aid you in enjoying with your treasure hunting pursuits.

How to Teach Social Studies with Geocaching

If you are looking for a way to make social studies come to life and get your students excited about this subject, consider incorporating geocaching. Read on for some tips to help you come up with ways to teach social studies using this fun, popular hobby

What Is Geocaching?

Geocaching is a high-tech sport that involves using a handheld GPS device to locate a specific "treasure," called a geocache. In order to take students on a geocaching adventure, you will need a GPS unit and waypoints for a specific geocache. Alternatively, you can create your own geocache on the school grounds to teach a geocaching social studies class without leaving campus. Read What is Geocaching? to learn more about the specifics of geocaching and where to find lists of geocache locations in your area.

Photo Credit: sxc.hu/CMSeter

Teaching History

You may want to start off with a lesson plan covering the history of navigation. For example, you could teach students about early fishermen who followed the nearby coastline to avoid getting lost at sea, navigators who learned how to let the stars guide them, the discovery of magnetic force and the invention of the compass, finishing up with the history of the Global Positioning System.

Photo Credit: sxc.hu/weirdvis

Teach About Rules in Society

Like any society, the geocaching society follows certain rules. The three primary rules of geocaching include:

1. If you take an item from a geocache, you must leave another item of equal or greater worth.
2. Log details of your geocaching experince in the logbook at the geocache site.
3. Enter details of your geocaching hunt on the website where you located the waypoints of the geocache.

While geocaching rules are not enforced, and there are no pentalties for failing to follow these rules, discuss why these rules are important to the geocaching society and what the consequences might be if nobody chose to follow them. Teach about rules in our society and discuss why they need to exist and should be followed, aside from punishments or penalties enforced by governing bodies.

Visit a Local Historical Site

Log onto a website such as Geocaching.com and find out if there are any geocache waypoints at or near a local historical site. Teach the students about the events that took place at that location, and then bring it life as you navigate to the geocache. Incorporate test questions by marking the coordinates to a location near the beginning of your geocaching outing. At that location, have a special geocache planted with a multiple-choice question regarding the lesson. Each answer will have a corresponding waypoint, but only the correct answer will lead to the next mini-geocache.

For more information on how and why to incorporate geocaching into your social studies lessons, read How to Use Geocaching as a Classroom Teaching Tool and What Skills Does Geocaching Teach.

Where to Find Trackable Geocoins

Geocaching coins allow you to leave a trackable trinket in a geocache that you create or visit. Learn where to find fun geocoins.

Overview

Trackable geocaching coins each have a unique tracking ID of some sort. With this ID, you and anyone who finds a trackable coin to log on to the corresponding website, enter the tracking ID and log the or view the latest location of the coin. Trackable geocaching coins can make for an interesting class project or just add to the enjoyment you get from geocaching.

If you find a geocaching coin, look for a web site address on it as well as a tracking ID. Many geocaching coins are trackable at Geocaching.com, so you may want to check there first, but not all geocaching coins can be tracked there. When you go to the correct site, it will provide you with instructions on how to log where you found the geocaching coin. Then you can take it on your next geocaching hunt and leave it for someone else to find and log.

The Geocoin Store

The Geocoin Store offers dozens of different trackable geocaching coins. The coins range in price from about $7 to $10, they are trackable at Geocaching.com, and come in a variety of cool choices. For example, the Red Name Tag geocoin looks just like one of those "Hello My Name Is" tags you are forced to wear at meetings and conventions, and is about the size of an actual name tag. You can even write your Geocaching.com user name on it so that whoever finds it can get in touch with you.

USA Geocoins

USA Geocoins offers patriotic trackable geocaching coins featuring Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty. Other geocoins available include a version honoring firefighters, the official Groundspeak "cache in trash out" geocoin, and a "Fallen Heroes" geocoin, for which

$1.00 of every coin sold will go to Operation Homefront.

Prices of trackable geocaching coins at USA Geocoins range from around $5 to just under $15, with proceeds going to charities for many of the coins. Most of the coins sold here are trackable at Geocaching.com.

Coins and Pins

Coins and Pins features one of the most affordable, simplest trackable geocaching coins available: The Travel Slug. This no-frills geocaching coin comes in silver or gold, and costs just over $3. Coins and Pins has a wide variety of trackable geocaching coin categories, such as Benchmark geocoins, Scouting geocoins and Geo-Achievement geocoins. Most of the geocaching coins available run right around $10, and codes can be retrieved from Coincodes.com.

Monterey Company

If you are looking for a really special trackable geocaching coin, you might want to check out Monterey Company. They will make a set of custom geocoins based on a sketch you send them. Plan on investing some cash if you decide to go this route, though, as you will be required to purchase 100 custom trackable coins for $569.

Other Resources

Find out about more geocaching tips, tricks, gifts and accessories by checking out the Bright Hub library of geocaching articles. New titles are being added all the time, so check back often!

Learning New Skills with Geocaching

Geocaching is a sport that is both physically and mentally stimulating. Aside from being a fun family or classroom activity, geocaching teaches many skills, too.

Geocaching Teaches Map Skills

When geocachers embark on one of these high-tech treasure hunts, they are given the geographic coordinates of the treasure they seek. While geocachers do have the helpful technology of a GPS device rather than an old-fashioned paper map, they still need to learn how to follow the directions provided. Geocaching teaches the skills needed to pay attention to items on a map, how to use a compass and teaches geocachers to determine distances and directions by comparing a map to the "real world."

Photo Credit:bjwebbiz

Geocaching Teaches Problem-Solving Skills

Depending on the type of geocaching event you are attending or hosting, geocaching can teach problem- or puzzle-solving skills in a manner of different ways. For example, you can create several different caches along a planned route. Provide geocachers the coordinates to the first cache only, and then at that cache, geocachers must solve a problem in order to receive the correct coordinates for the next cache location. These can be math equations or even a physical puzzle, but no matter the type of problem, participants will be motivated to solve them so that they can reach the next, and ultimately the final, geocache location.

Geocaching can also teach problem-solving skills due to the nature of the activity itself. If, for instance, there is a fallen tree or rain has caused running water in the path on the way to the geocache, participants will have to try and solve the unexpected problem in order to reach the cache.

Learning how to solve problems is a helpful skill for students to learn. They can apply this skill in school, when learning a new subject or dealing with new students and teachers. Being able to solve problems will also teach them self-confidence, self-discipline and how to excel in general.

Geocaching Teaches Team-Building Skills

When a group participates in a geocaching hunt, they will rapidly learn that in order to be successful, they need to form a team. With team-building skills, they can decide who is best suited to be the navigator, who ought to be in the lead, who should bring up the rear and more, with the understanding that each member of the team is equally important. Some other team-building skills that geocaching teaches include conflict resolution, the importance of working towards a goal together, what it means to be a leader, how to ask a team member for help and how to be flexible and compromise.

How to Use Geocaching as a Classroom Teaching Tool

Geocaching is an activity enjoyed by clubs, families and individuals. It is a sport that aids physical health, with lots of outdoor activity, as well as mental stimulation, with geocachers tracking a fun "prize." These factors and more make it a beneficial classroom tool.

Getting Started

If you are not entirely sure what geocaching is, the Bright Hub article What is Geocaching? by Michele McDonough will clear that right up. Once you are familiar with the term, you will know that you will require at least one handheld GPS in order to reap the benefits of using geocaching in your classroom.

Photo:sxc.hu/CMSeter

While most geocaching enthusiasts track down existing geocaches listed on websites such as Geocaching.com, you are not restricted to doing so with your classroom (although you certainly may benefit from one). You can decide what you want to teach your classroom using geocaching and then create your own geocache based on your needs. You might think geocaching would benefit a geography lesson, which is true, but you can tailor geocaching to nearly any other type of classroom as well.

Benefits of Using Geocaching to Teach Math and Science

If you are weary of hearing students in your math classroom lament, "I'll never use this stuff in the real world," consider the benefits of using geocaching for a math lesson. Bring angles to life by hiding or finding the coordinates of a geocache at the top of a small, sloping hill, or use one to determine the area of a large park.

Select a geocache location. Break the classroom down into several groups and give them each a list of items they need to find along the way. These can vary depending upon your environment, but could include types of rocks, plants or pictures of birds taken with digital or disposable cameras. The first group to complete their list wins, and the whole class will benefit by working as teams and experiencing nature firsthand.

Photo:sxc.hu/damo_4701

Your classroom can be on the hiding instead of the seeking end of geocaching, as well. Create several geocaches and include items the classroom can track together, such as "Geocoins" or "Travel Bugs," which can be tracked online. Determine which geocache travels furthest.

Plant several small geocaches along a route, and give the classroom the coordinates of only the first one, which will contain a math problem and note cards with two or three possible solutions. Each solution will have new coordinates, but only the correct solution will lead to the next geocache.

Benefits of Using Geocaching to Teach Social Studies

Motivate students to learn about local history by finding or planting geocaches that are located at historical sites near your classroom. Or, as with the math geocaching project, leave traceable geocaches and track their locations. The students can benefit by learning historical information regarding each location to which the geocache items travel.

Photo:sxc.hu/trublueboy

Benefits of Using Geocaching to Teach English

Use geocaching as a fun, active literature exam or for extra credit. Similar to the math activity, hide several geocaches along a safe route near your classroom. The first geocache can contain a question regarding a book the classroom was assigned to read, along with a few multiple-choice answers. Each possible answer will have a coordinate, but only the correct response will get the students to the next geocache location. Make sure incorrect answers send students somewhere secure so they will not get lost. For example, send them back to the bus or to a rest area where a chaperone is waiting.

Everything Else

Use your creativity and you can surely find benefits for using geocaching for most classrooms. Physical Education teachers can use geocaching as a way to get out of the gym and make physical activity fun without necessarily being competitive. Art teachers can benefit from geocaching by having their classrooms design and make imaginative geocache containers, log journals and goodies. The only downside may be trying to get your students back into the classroom!

Letterboxing: Interested in Geocaching and Don't Have a GPS Yet? Get a Rubber Stamp!

Letterboxing is the low tech forerunner of Geocaching, and it is done with clues and a rubber stamp. You can find lists of letterboxes by state on the Internet, along with clues on how to find the letterbox.

Letterboxing has a history starting in the 1800s, on Dartmoor moor (yes, where Sherlock Holmes solved the mystery of the Hound of the Baskervilles). An article in Smithsonian magazine in 1998 introduced the current version of the sport to North America. Letterboxing itself also has a longer history in the United States.

At Amazon, you can find It's a Treasure Hunt! Geocaching and Letterboxing.

Letterboxing

In letterboxing, you follow clues in a specified geographical area to find a waterproof container with a rubber stamp and a logbook inside. Once you find the letterbox, you use the stamp inside on your personal logbook, and use your own stamp to mark the letterbox logbook. You note the date in the letterbox logbook, along with your trail name, and date your own book, along with any notes about the experience. There are methods on the Letterbox North America site for noting letterboxes you have found or placed, but not everyone follows the same practice.

There are also letterboxes that have cryptic clues or puzzles to solve. And more recently, there have been hybrid letterboxes, where you follow geocaching clues to find its location, but inside are a log and a stamp, instead of trinkets. For more on Geocaching, check out Bright Hub's Geocaching topic. Here you can find an article explaining Geocaching.

A Typical Set of Non Cryptic Clues

Almost immediately you'll be walking a path beside a split rail fence. Count six posts and on your right you will see a trail which is marked with a blue trail marker. Follow the path downhill, walking through a fallen tree which had the center sawed out so the path could be followed. The trail will split. Keep following the blue trail markers, not the red ones. Continue up the hill through the woods and come to a clearing. Remain on the path going back into the woods and immediately you will pass a man high boulder on the left. Go to the far side of the boulder. The box you seek is straight North in a split tree, resting in the cranny. Please cover again with leaves and twigs after you have stamped in. The round trip will be about a half mile.

This would be a very easy letterbox to find. Many, even without more cryptic clues, require you do considerably more traveling to reach your objective.

Letterboxing Supplies

It's easy to get started letterboxing. All you need are a few items:

• Pick a trail name. You don't ever want to leave personally identifiable information where anyone can find it- and possibly you.
• Make a stamp from an eraser or kit, or find a commercial stamp that is personally meaningful. Both sites mentioned in this article have information on making your own stamp, and links to more expert directions for those who end up wanting to make themselves an intricate stamp.
• Get yourself an ink pad from an art store, along with a sketchbook to be your logbook. Eventually, you may want to get a hardbound sketchbook, as it will hold up to travel better. Bring along a pencil or pen.
• You will also want to have a compass. One designed for orienteering will work. Don't buy the cheapest kid's model. Some clues involve a lot of compass directions, and you wont want to be off by a few degrees when you start counting your paces.

Now that you know what supplies are needed, continue on to the next page to find out how to start letterboxing.