They used to call them scavenger hunts. But instead of reference cards and a compass, today’s treasure hunters set off with GPS receivers, telescope mirrors, spare batteries, pens, a first aid kit and a torch. Geocaching is the sport of hunting for containers hidden in tricky locations.
Maybe you’ve not come across geocaching? Or not tried it yet? You ought to give it a go! It’s great adventure, and highly addictive. Whether in the urban wilderness of a big city, fields or woods – on land and in the water! Ideally with Trotec’s UV-Torchlight 5F by your side. During the night and when searching in dark corners you will always have powerful light to hand.
The best light for today’s treasure hunters
How uplifting it can be to ramble through the natural environment, wandering through woods, crossing fields and meadows. But maybe you find it hard to get motivated? Or you find it hard to persuade your kids or friends to use their legs and explore the area? The solution to this problem is called “geocaching”. What sounds rather strange and complex is, in fact, very simple and could quickly turn into a very exciting hobby. Geocaching is a new type of scavenger hunt, a sort of digital treasure hunt.
How geocaching works
The principle is very simple. Digital treasure hunt fans hide a small, water-tight container in some secret location. This is the so-called geocache, the treasure, containing a notebook and some cute bits and bobs. The hiding place coordinates are published online. Now anyone who wants to join the fun can get searching. There are, of course, all sorts of levels of difficulty. There are treasures which are stowed away close to roads and public paths, in woods and in fields, but also on rough terrain, and even on cliffs or in lakes. And now night caching, where searchers operate in darkness, has become a particularly popular variant.
The treasure hunter enters the coordinates into a GPS. Almost every type of adventure is on offer, from car journeys that take you straight to the target, through rambles and searches that require a rock climber’s equipment or a snorkel, to scavenger hunts involving tricky tasks and problem solving. When the searcher finds the location, they open the geocache and enter their name in the notebook. They quickly swap an item, then hide the box in the same place again, ready for the next treasure hunter.
The right equipment
A digital treasure hunter should always prepare properly before setting out. Obviously, a GPS receiver is a pre-requisite for finding the way. Stout footwear, waterproof clothing and provisions are usually advisable. But you also need the right complementary equipment. If you want to immortalise yourself in the treasure notebook, a pen is a must-have. And you need to pack some small item that you can swap for something that you find.
Experienced geocachers and night geocachers will fill their backpack with some other useful items which can help them find the treasure: a telescope mirror for peering into angled hiding places, spare batteries for the receiver, gloves for rummaging about beneath foliage and in the soil, a first aid kit, binoculars in case one cannot get close enough to a site, and a torch for caches in narrow cracks and holes or dark places, or to improve vision on nocturnal searches.
Successful searchers use the UV-Torchlight 5F
Trotec is also involved in these treasure hunt adventures, offering bloodhounds the very best technology. Exceptionally compact and powerful, the new UV-Torchlight 5F is the ideal accessory for geo and night caching. Just ten centimetres long, it takes up hardly any room in your backpack. The non-slip aluminium casing fits snugly in your hand, and a light thumb-press is all that’s needed to switch it on. If your digital treasure hunt starts to get rougher, just slip the wrist strap around your wrist. This will prevent your little helper, lighting your path, from getting lost. At the push of a button the UV torch, with its 1 watt high power, UV black light LED, throws out an extremely intense light. You won’t miss the tiniest detail! Of course, the UV-Torchlight 5F is very robust, as it has a scratch-resistant aluminium alloy. This is aircraft-grade aluminium. The torch is also splash-proof. You just need three AAA batteries, and you’re all set for your digital treasure hunt.
The benefits at a glance
- Scratch-proof, shock-resistant aluminium alloy
- Splash-proof
- Handy, light design with practical wrist strap
- Easy to use, with buttons at the bottom of the casing
- 1 watt high-performance LEDs and clear glass lens for optimal light
Attention treasure hunters! Trotec’s online shop currently has the UV-Torchlight 5F at the reduced price of £ 11.92 instead of £ 14.92. Just log in, order, and your geocache buddy will be with you in a jiffy.
