Enough with the micro caches! Am I right, folks?

[DCexplorer]

Honestly, does anybody enjoy these things, especially placed in spots where a full-sized cache is manageable?

I understand they are appropriate in certain locations, but geocaching contains the word “cache,” which implies some sort of item-holding container. A micro doesn’t seem to qualify. I agree they are nice intermittent steps of a multi-cache, but eventually, they should lead to a regular cache.

Before you think this is purely a rant, I invite those who are frequent hiders of micros to explain to me what the appeal of hiding micros is. Why do you enjoy hiding micros? Is there a reason you prefer placing micros instead of full sized caches? I really want to know.

[cheezehead]

Not that I’m for micros but I’d say the #1 reason is swag,which very rarely do I ever take a swag item, unless it’s something that catches my eye. Then I’ll throw a dollar bill in the cache.

[gotta run]

We have pretty much decided to hide only micros from now on. Basically we’re tired of being the equivalent of geo-WalMart for all the swag mooches out there. I don’t mind maintaining caches with fresh pencils and new log books but when we start an ammo box filled with a dozen new items and a year later it has 2 dirty golf balls in it, well the heck with it.

When we started this game, finding the boxes was nice. However, what difference does it really make if you find a micro with just a log or a box with a log and a bunch of junk in it, except perhaps that it’s easier to find.

So I say bring on the micros, the more the merrier.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[furfool]

I don’t mind micros so much if there is a good reason for one. In a high muggle area, or maybe a place needs a cache but the only available place is only big enough for a micro.

What I really don’t like is the micro in a pine tree hide. I found some nice size caches hanging in pine trees. So why hide a micro in there? I thought caches were meant to be found not placed with the “I bet you can’t find this one” train of thought.

I also added a pair of ratcheting shears to my cache bag just for such hides.

[Team Deejay]

I only hide micros when there are muggle problems preventing a larger container, and usually those are very easy to find. I agree that there are many people out there who hide caches to prove how clever they are, rather than doing it to give back to the game. Of course, that is their choice of how they want to play. There is a reason why geocaching.com provides an Ignore List.

[jenhen1]

If the area can support a larger cache, why not place a larger cache? Micros in the woods, pine trees, rock piles etc… can be hard to find for absolutely no reason, plus they have a larger likelyhood of being muggled…by squirrels.

I understand the cost of filling a cache with swag is prohibitive, but it really doesn’t have to have much in it to keep kids happy. Plus, even if you never trade for swag, lots of people enjoy the opportunity of finding TB’s, jeeps and geocoins.

I worry about the new people coming into the game. I doubt they get into it thinking that what they’re going to be finding is match stick holders in a bush. Think back to when you first started and I’ll bet opening that first box and fingering through the swag was pretty cool.

There’s definitely a place for micros, (multi legs, creative hides and methods, etc…) I just think the majority of geocachers, especially new ones, enjoy a big ‘ol ammo can. Hide ’em how you like ’em.

[marc_54140]

1. I’m not into the sway game, so I micro is fine with me.

2. I’m not into the TB game …………

3. I think a majority of cachers are satisfied with micros.

4. Many of my hides are in areas where a larger container would not work. Although I have a number of ammo cans out there.

[gotta run]

@jenhen1 wrote:

I doubt they get into it thinking that what they’re going to be finding is match stick holders in a bush.

You’re talking two different things here. There are micro hides, and there are lame hides.

Basically, it’s frustrating to have both swag and caches disappear. Micro caches have, in our experience, been much less prone to muggling.

So, cachers know what they’re getting into based on the size description of the cache. And if you see it’s a 4/1 micro, you know you’re in for one of those “I’ll place it so no one can find it” micros. We don’t have any of those and don’t enjoy them either, but the attributes are there.

Here’s my basic take on the game. This is like Easter egg hunting when you were a kid. No kid really wants to eat the hard boiled egg. They just want to find the egg. So micros, smalls, regulars, or super large–they’re all the same. From the standpoint of a cache placer, I’m going to put out what 1) gives back to the geo community, and 2) causes me the least in maintenance headaches and subsidizing the Freddie Freeloaders and cache raiders.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Ray]

These are all good comments; we can agree with all of the opinions expressed. Speaking purely of preferences, we have lost interest in looking for micros. They are too often placed where there seems to be little purpose other than to get a cache published. They are frequently placed in trashy areas [WalMart parking lots] or where a larger container might just as easily been hidden. We recently found a nano where a film cannister could have been placed. Cachers need to give some thought to what is an appropriate location as well as what is an appropriate cache for the location. If the cache is intended to test the finder’s skill, it should be so stated on the cache page. There are very few micro caches listed among our favorites.

[Ry and Ny]

I personally don’t mind micros when they’re appropriate. I do, however, still enjoy going through swag even though I seldom take items. Working for a promotional products company (when you run into stuff that says “Adventures in Advertising” or “4imprint” on them, odds are you’ll see our name on the log somewhere), I do tend to leave a few things at caches that have little more than a broken plastic Cracker Jack toy in them.

I’m not actively in the TB/GC game, but I do enjoy finding them and moving them along when given the chance.

I would like to see more caches that are at least small or medium if not ammo boxes and don’t care much for micros in the woods. That’s my personal preference though. The only time they really tick me off is if I’m under canopy and the GPSr is dancing all over the place. At that time, my own $0.02 is to suck it up and place a reasonable container in that situation.

[zuma]

@DCexplorer wrote:

Honestly, does anybody enjoy these things, especially placed in spots where a full-sized cache is manageable?

I understand they are appropriate in certain locations, but geocaching contains the word “cache,” which implies some sort of item-holding container. A micro doesn’t seem to qualify. I agree they are nice intermittent steps of a multi-cache, but eventually, they should lead to a regular cache.

Before you think this is purely a rant, I invite those who are frequent hiders of micros to explain to me what the appeal of hiding micros is. Why do you enjoy hiding micros? Is there a reason you prefer placing micros instead of full sized caches? I really want to know.

Thanks for starting the interesting topic.

I too prefer a nice size cache, and really finding an ammo can in the woods is the nicest. Most of my hides are ammo cans, because that is what I like finding.

However, I dont mind the variety in size though, especially when there is a good reason for it. When I do place micros, it is usually because there was something there that I wanted to show folks, and there was no way to hide something bigger.

I think more to the point is not so much whether it is an ammo can or a micro, is whether the location is cacheworthy. If I never look at another guardrail for the rest of my life, that would be fine with me. And dont get me started on Christmas tree hides in nonspecial locations. I dont need to visit anymore pine trees with a film can hanging from it for the rest of my life either. I am guessing people hide caches like this because they see other people doing it, and it doesnt take much effort. Kind of, “Monkey see, monkey do.”

Personally, I visit em all, but I much prefer the caches that someone put some thought and effort into, rather than just throwing another lame micro in a lame location.

zuma

[Ry and Ny]

For me, I don’t even mind guardrails. We’re still shy of 40 finds, but have enjoyed each and every last one of them. We still enjoy the activity of looking for caches and yes, we still like to get the number. Oh, we’re in no danger of competing against anyone for numbers, but we still feel some small accomplishment with each and every smiley put up and it’s nice to keep count. So, I can still handle the Dead End guardrails all over the place.

Again, to me the only truly lame micro is the one in the middle of the woods sitting under a solid tree canopy that keeps your GPSr jumping your location all over the place.

[gotta run]

I should temper earlier comments a bit…basically we’ve given up trying to place larger size caches in any sort of urban setting. Swag mooches seem to be an inevitable and unfortunate frustration, but if an arduous journey is the point of the cache we’ll put a larger container out there if for no other reason than to make it less frustrating to find.

So ultimately, the container should fit the “cache worthy” spot, it’s just that more and more the suitable container is a micro.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[bugsmasher69]

@furfool wrote:

What I really don’t like is the micro in a pine tree hide. I found some nice size caches hanging in pine trees. So why hide a micro in there? I thought caches were meant to be found not placed with the “I bet you can’t find this one” train of thought.

I also added a pair of ratcheting shears to my cache bag just for such hides.

Thats right instead of just not doing micros, instead go out and destroy someone elses hide. Real mature and I bet you would be the first person screaming if someone did that to yours or takes it.

[-cheeto-]

Variety is the spice of life.

[Author]

Posts