Last Updated on November 17, 2021 by Ellen Christian
Have you heard of geocaching? Check out my explanation and my thoughts on the Geomate Jr, an outdoor GPS-based geocaching unit.
Posts may be sponsored. This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you should you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Geocaching with the Geomate Jr
I first heard of geocaching a few years ago when my sister told me about it. If you’re not familiar with geocaching, I’ll give you a little explanation. A geocache is a little container hidden somewhere. It might be something as simple as a logbook and a pencil or it might be a metal box full of trinkets and treasures. People hide these things and then log their locations on geocaching sites using longitude and latitude so that other people can find them.
Normally, the geocache is a Tupperware container or a metal box. Once you find the cache, you either sign the logbook or take one of the trinkets and leave one of your own. Geocaches can be hidden almost anywhere – under a bench, attached to street signs, inside logs, behind bushes, or hanging from trees but they are never buried.
How do you find a geocache?
So now you know what it is… the next question is how do you find them? Geocaching is an outdoor GPS-based treasure hunt so you need to use a geocaching GPS unit like the GeoMate Jr. to find them. The unit searches for coordinates of existing caches and then helps you find them by telling you what distance and direction to go in.
When I first heard about geocaching, I was certain I wouldn’t be able to do it in my area. I live in rural Vermont so I doubted that there would really be much around to find. While I am sure there are lots more geocaches to find in the city, I was really surprised to find several in my area to locate all within a few miles of my house.
Geomate Jr.
The Geomate Jr is a very user-friendly GPS unit that is ideal for kids or people who are new to geocaching. It’s a handheld device that fits comfortably in your hand. It comes with a neck strap so you can wear it around your heck when you need your hands free. Not being an overly technical person, I was a bit worried that this unit would be complicated to use. It is very easy to do.
You simply turn the unit on (it uses AAA batteries) and let it find a GPS signal just like the GPS in your car does. After it finds a signal, it tells you the distance to the closest geocache to where you are. I was totally amazed to find one 1.6 miles from me! I have no clue who hid a geocache in the middle of nowhere but they did.
Lots of different people enjoy geocaching. There are beginners and experts so not all geocaches are the same difficulty level or the same size. Obviously, the tiny ones hidden up the side of a mountain are harder to find than the Tupperware boxes placed behind a rock in the city park.
That’s why there’s a handy difficulty level indicator and size indicator on the Geomate Jr screen. If you’re just starting, aim for the geocaches rated easier and larger. There is also an indicator for terrain so you can look for geocaches with easy terrain or difficult terrain depending on your level of expertise. Depending on the location, you may need to walk, bike, climb or swim.
Geomate Jr. features
The Geomate Jr has a bunch of other neat features. You can set a home position so that when you’re done finding your geocache, you can get back to where you started. The unit will automatically show you the closest geocache to where you are. But, you can cycle through them to see the next if you’re not interested in finding that one. Once you’ve found a geocache, you can mark it as found so you don’t accidentally find it again in the future.
I really love the Geomate Jr. Being new to geocaching, I wanted the kids and me to be able to enjoy this without spending $300 on a geocaching GPS unit. At about $50, this is an amazing product that lets us enjoy geocaching.
It’s like an adventure to kids and it gets them off the couch and outside as well as being educational. There are websites that let you look up approximate locations of geocaches in your area. So all you have to do is drive (or walk) to the approximate area and then use the Geomate Jr to find the geocache. Supposedly there is one about five miles from my home on a hiking trail. We’re going to try to find that next weekend.
Geomate Jr Update Kit
You will want to start here.
- Get your Geomate Jr. here.
- Get the update kit right here.
- Check out these geocaching safety tips
- For a more advanced geocaching unit, check out the Magellan eXplorist GC
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
I learned that Geomate doesn't include geocaches that are difficult to find or haven't been found in a while (less frustration!)
rlawrence110 at yahoo dot com
I love to geocache!!! I can't wait to share this hobby with my daughter, who's 1 1/2 now. This would be perfect for her.
Ok, I follow your blog AND I learned the GeoMate Jr. is available at Target!
lindseygalvez at gmail dot com
I learned that the GeoMate Jr is sold at Target
I'm a GFC follower, and I learned that geocaches aren't supposed to be buried.
luckyjd2k at gmail dot com
I learned that if you hold both buttons down, you can store a position, so you can return easily.
eagjolly at gmail dot com
I learned that all you have to do is turn it on & you are ready to go!
My daughter loves to Geocache & this would be so mnice to have!
This has been around for a while and I had never heard about it!
I learned they have an update kit to show new caches around the world.
Has over 250,000 pre-loaded cache locations
jenhedger at hotmail dot com
we love to geocache: learned how easy this would be for my son to use and have pre-loaded caches!!!! awesome.
hoss311@aol.com
you cannot use the Geomate.jr to track people and other people cannot track you. So your privacy is all yours!
GFC follower
I learned that all Apisphere Geomate.jr products are warranted to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for one year from the date of purchase.
I didn't know this was so easy! The website explains everything – I am normally lost with this type of thing!
e-mail: lucky02130 (at) gmail (dot) com
I learned that there are 250,000 pre-loaded cache locations! Sounds like a ton of fun for me and my kids!
I learned that the Geomate jr is available at Target
The batteries last for over 12 hours of continuous use!!!
I learned that to make sure that your first geocaching adventure is the best possible, Geomate Jr. has actually taken out geocaches that haven’t been found for awhile or are too difficult to find.
slbastin at gmail dot com
I would love to have a geomate Jr. I have heard wonderful things about Geocaching and like to take my kids for little adventures. Please pick me!
I would love one of these this is something Ive been interested in trying for awhile now.Over on their site I learned that the Geomate.jr is preloaded with over 250,000 cache locations covering all 50 U.S. states that is so cool.
flanagan@mebtel.net
i learned that you can buy these at target!
lauren51990 at aol dot com
I had no idea there are are hidden geocaches, this sounds like fun!
carriedust@yahoo.com
I learned that there over 250,000 pre-loaded cache locations covering all 50 U.S. states
I can buy mine at REI and my whole family will enjoy it!
Woot, I just learned out to Geocaching from our big guy on a scout campout, we had a blast. the boys were showing me how to read the compass.. I learned from the website Caches are never buried.. you will be surprised on how well they are hidden when you find them
karenmed409 at comcast dot net
Wow, I went to the website and saw that this would be such a great activity for my family to get into. I saw that it's pretty kid friendly and looks like a lot of treasure hunting fun!
other people cannot track you
Google Friends Connect – following you publicly as (Louis)
Geomate.jr now available at Target.com!
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com
My boys would LOVE this!!
Over 250,000 preloaded geocache locations
I would love love love to get into geocaching, but I don't have a GPS. Crossing my fingers on this one! Thanks for the contest and the blog!
-I learned that the Geomate Jr. is now sold at Target.
I Follow You Publicly via Google Friend Connect
***Google Friend Connect Name: Beauty To Love
***[PLEASE NOTE: I *DO* Follow you Publicly in GFC. GFC has been having problems and may not show My User Name in Your GFC List, even though I *DO* Follow You Publicly……and it shows that I do on my end. I'm working with Google to fix the issue.]
aliaskys (at) yahoo . com
THANK YOU! 🙂
I am following your blog, publicly and I learned that the geocache jr comes pre-loaded with more than 250,000 geocache locations. That's unreal! I had know idea there would be so many.
I have a friend who belongs to the local geocaching club and he's always trying to get me to bring the kids. I think they're finally old enough to try!
I had assumed the geocaches were buried but the Geomate.jr site cleared that up for me…
I learned where geocashe are hidden
I learned that they are sold at REI!
I learned : The Geomate.jr has a nifty little feature called ‘Home’. The GeoMateJr will navigate you ‘home’!
littleangel_mw at yahoo dot com
I would love love love to have one these for family fun with the kids. My husband is such a geek about things like this even he would join in. It is also amazing that the jr comes with about 250,000 preloaded geocaches to find!