Unlike the NFL or NBA, Geocaching doesn’t have an off-season and you will need geocaching supplies to go geocaching in the winter. You can go geocaching 365 days a year, and every 4 years you can go for 366 days. Rain or shine, hot or cold…you can always go geocaching! You can even go caching when it is freezing outside, and when there are 13 inches of snow on the ground. If you are the cacher who wants to go out trekking on geocaching trails during the winter season, you need to make sure you are prepared with the right geocaching supplies.
It’s a good idea to keep some of these geocaching supplies packed in your caching bag at all times so that they are always ready when you are. After all, in the event that you run out of the house in pursuit of an FTF, you might forget that it is winter…and freezing outside. Below are some items that we love to use for winter caching, and a few that we have on our wish list for the future.
Winter Geocaching Tips from Joshua, The Geocaching Vlogger
No matter what, it’s important to be prepared with the right geocaching supplies – not just for your own safety, but to make your winter caching experience more enjoyable!
Geocaching Supplies for Winter
Getting your geocaching winter supplies together before going out into the cold is so important. Some of these geocaching supplies are a no-brainer, but some will hopefully help you when packing for your next geocaching adventure.
Geocaching Beanie
Obviously, it’s cold outside during the winter. So you need to keep not only your body warm, but your head too! We never leave home during the winter without a beanie. They are so soft, comfortable, and warm. Plus, you can show your geocaching pride with this one…you never know when you meet a fellow cacher on the trail.
Winter Touch Screen Waterproof Thermal Gloves
Okay…these are AWESOME! In the winter, we love wearing gloves to keep our hands toasty warm. But as a Geocacher, gloves can be a nightmare when you are trying to use the touchscreen on a smartphone or GPS! The alternative is to let your hands freeze or get a pair of these really cool gloves.
These waterproof thermal gloves keep your hands warm and dry (great when digging in the snow for that ammo can) while allowing you to use touchscreen devices. They are also thin enough to fit under bigger gloves in extremely cold weather.
Of all the geocaching supplies on our list here, I think these might be my favorite!
Lifeproof Waterproof Smartphone Case
This waterproof/snowproof case makes for the perfect all-terrain case for geocaching in all elements. If you are geocaching in the winter and your main geocaching device is your smartphone, then you will want to make sure that it is waterproof or snowproof. This case is perfect for geocaching in the snow.
HotHands Foot & Hand Warmer (40 pairs)
Let’s be honest, no one likes cold hands and feet. These little hand and foot warmers will keep you nice and toasty even in the coldest of temperatures. Feel free to stuff them in your pockets too and stay warm all over! Liz has a tendency to go overboard with these, they are her best friend in the cold weather.
Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Black Metal Clicker Pen
The only thing worse than forgetting the pen is having a pen that doesn’t work! This all-weather pen is made to handle the toughest weather conditions, including writing in the rain, snow, and sleet. Don’t miss out on signing that log, even if it’s wet!
For a geocacher, the pen is one of the most important geocaching supplies…aside from the GPS of course!
RefrigiWear Open Hole Face Mask
In the southern part of the US, we are lucky enough to rarely need something this extreme. But for those cachers in the north, you know that these open face masks can be a real life-saver in the middle of winter. Keep your face warm, and protected from the extreme elements so that you can enjoy finding that geocache!
Columbia Men’s Waterproof Omni-Heat Boots
Besides your head, keeping your feet warm and dry is one of the most important survival tips in winter. There is a range of products out there at different prices, but I’m loving these Columbia waterproof omni-heat boots.
Not only do they keep your feet dry, but they are made to insulate your feet keeping heat inside and the cold outside. Great for keeping those toes nice and warm, even while trekking through snow in the freezing cold.
RefrigiWear Men’s 3-in-1 Insulated Jacket
While we are talking about clothes, let’s not forget to have a good jacket that can handle your adventures. When you are outdoors in the winter, your body temperature rises and falls, especially when you are hiking through deep snow or up mountains. So wearing layers is quite practical.
This jacket, in particular, has caught my eye because it is a 3-in-1. Sometimes the sun comes out and you need to shed a layer, other times you need to bundle back up. This jacket will help keep you warm, dry, and comfortable during your winter caching expeditions.
Garmin Oregon
We LOVE our Garmin Oregon — definitely the best GPS we have owned so far. And it’s great for the winter too. This all-weather GPS is waterproof (I know, I tipped over in a canoe at Going Caching 2013 in Georgia), and quite tough! Plus, we enjoy the ease of use and the fact that it can hold millions of geocaches.
EBL 4 Bay / Slot AA & AAA Rechargeable Batteries
The cold weather can really zap the juice out of your batteries quickly! Nothing makes us more irritated than making our way toward a geocache only to have our GPS die, and realizing that we have no spare batteries with us. But we also hate spending so much money on buying batteries, especially when they are not good for the environment. So this battery charger is a great idea to help keep your geocaching bag full of back up batteries while saving money throwing away fewer batteries.
This particular version supports both AA and AAA batteries. So while you are at it, charge up all those remote control batteries around the house too.
Arctic Men’s Cargo Snow Pants
If you are really into the extreme weather and snow caching, then you might consider a pair of these. They are cargo pants but made to stay warm and dry in the snow. A great combination of functionality and comfort. I’ve put these on my wish list this year, so I’ll be fully prepared for some snow geocaching!
Mountainsmith Day TLS
Of all of our geocaching supplies, this is our go-to item. Our geocaching bag is important to us, so we always keep it stocked with all the things we need to go geocaching. This way, we are always ready to go on our next caching adventure. We even call it our “adventure bag.”
It’s full of functional pockets and storage while being weatherproof. It’s comfortable and dependable…and I honestly love my Mountainsmith Tour TLS!
Do You Have Recommendations for Winter Geocaching Supplies?
These are our favorite geocaching supplies that are specifically related to winter. Is there something that you never leave home without in the winter for caching? Feel free to leave us a note in the comments to share with everyone.
Happy caching & stay warm out there!
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