If you geocache for any time at all you'll eventually find a cache with a logsheet that is either wet or moldy (or both). While you can't stop the rain from falling, you can keep it from ruining your cache.
In addition to waterproofing your cache, you can take the extra step of using water-resistant paper. The logbooks you purchase through Geocaching.com are made with Rite in the Rain paper that is water resistant. These logbooks work great and come in a nice layout for Geocaching logs.
However, Rite in the Rain is water resistant-not waterproof. If you want waterproof, check out National Geographic Adventure Paper. It's actually a plastic (teslin) rather than paper. Beyond being waterproof, it won't mold and won't tatter and tear like regular paper. Also, it's designed to work in your inkjet printer, so it allows you to customize your logsheets.
National Geographic Adventure Paper is more expensive than regular paper (about a dollar a sheet), but when you consider the cost of driving out for a rain-soaked maintenance run, the price doesn't look that bad.
I came up with this while playing around with a zine format. You take a standard 8.5"x11" piece of paper and turn it into an eight page mini logbook that's perfect for quick and easy cache maintenance.
As with other logsheets, National Geographic Adventure Paper works great for these. It's waterproof and really stands up to the elements. However, plain printer paper will also work fine. In fact, it might be best to test this one out on a few sheets of plain paper before using something more expensive.
When printing, be sure to set your printer options to no page scaling. This takes away the artificial margins that many printers place around pdf's.
The most difficult part of this printable is folding it. It might take you a few tries before you get it to come out just right. Check out the video below for instructions.
First fold the sheet on the solid and dotted line lengthwise. Fold it back and forth to get a good crease. Then fold it in quarters along the solid lines. Again, you'll want to fold it both ways for the crease.
Keep in mind that your printer settings might cause the solid and dotted lines to be a little off center. If that's the case, fold the paper at its centers and quarters. Use the lines as examples rather than a guide.
Then fold the sheet in half so it's 5.5" x 8.5". Cut along the dotted line.
Now comes the tricky part. With the paper still folded 5.5" x 8.5", bend it at the cut. You'll now have an "X" like pattern to the page. Fold it so the cover is showing and you have your quick and cheap 8 page emergency logbook!
As with other pdf's, your caching name can be added in the space provided to let people know who left the cool new logbook!
For the sake of space, I've laid this one out on an 8.5" x 14" piece of paper (legal size). This gets you a few more lines for logging.
This one cuts out and folds in half so there are lines on both sides. I try to always keep a few of these in my Cache Bag at all times. You never know when you might need to do a little maintenance.
Match Safe sales must have gone through the roof since the advent of geocaching! These little guys are perfect for micro caches. They're small, but not too small and come with a nice snug o-ring to keep them water tight. You can paint them, add magnets or hooks to them and wedge them into some great spots.
The match safe stash log sheet comes with a bit of official text at the top and room for your cache and contact info. I've created these to fit on legal-sized paper (8.5"x14"). As with other pdf's, your information can be entered in by typing in the spaces available (or you can hand write it after printing). Cut the logsheet into three strips and staple it together.
Extra Tip: Roll the logsheet with the printed side facing out. This way the website address and contact information will be readily available to anyone who stumbles across your cache.
To the rest of the world, a Bison Tube is most familiar as a pill holder. I can't imagine what muggles must think when they stumbled across one at a park or parking lot. When I've used them I've tried wrapping a small sticker around the outside that simply says "GEOCACHE" or gives the website address. It certainly can't hurt to take an extra moment or two to defuse (sometimes literally) the situation.
I've abbreviated the stash note text to just the essentials here. This item is called a "GEOCACHE," it's part of a game and here's the website address if you'd like to know more information. I think that should satisfy anyone who accidentally stumbles across a bison tube.
This sheet prints out in either a 8.5"x11" letter size or 8.5"x14" legal sheets for maximum log space.
Part of the fun of using bottle preforms is getting people to guess what they are. Normally they will guess test tube or cigar tube, then you show the m the cap and slowly the lights come on. It's a really neat experience to educate people on how these thick plastic tubes become the soda bottles that we all easily recognize.
These logsheets fit easily down a standard preform. Roll them so the words "Join the Game! At WWW.GEOCACHING.COM" are plainly seen from the outside and you've instantly provided a label as well as a logsheet.
These come in both legal and letter sizes with plenty of room for lots of logs!
Some people call them "nanos," some call them "blinkies," some people have other names for them that I wouldn't print here. It's hard to tell what's the greater torture: finding them or re-rolling the logsheet!
I've known some people to keep a bent paperclip handy for re-rolling these tiny logs. If you're careful, though, you can split the clip on a pen cap and use it to roll the logs back up. Since you'll have a pen with you to sign the cache anyway, this might be a handier solution for you.
I've created these sheets in both letter-size (8.5"x11") and legal (8.5"x14"). The amount of rolling you want to do is entirely up to you!
. It's actually a plastic (teslin) rather than paper. Beyond being waterproof, it won't mold and won't tatter and tear like regular paper. Also, it's designed to work in your inkjet printer, so it allows you to customize your logsheets.
Cache Bag
muggles must think when they stumbled across one at a park or parking lot. When I've used them I've tried wrapping a small sticker around the outside that simply says "GEOCACHE" or gives the website address. It certainly can't hurt to take an extra moment or two to defuse (sometimes literally) the situation.
them that I wouldn't print here. It's hard to tell what's the greater torture: finding them or re-rolling the logsheet!