Do you really need waterproof logbook?

[Webelead]

My son recently joined a geology and geocaching camporee which is upcoming this June. Venue is in Pennsylvania. I'm not really familiar with this activity as I am used to pathfinding during my days.

 

Reading from my son's pamphsheets, there's a few stuff needed including handheld GPS. One thing that caught my eyes was that they listed to use waterproof logbook. I say that I still have some notepads which my boy can use rather than buying, why is there a need to use a waterproof then? Is there a new guideline or BSA article implementing such?

[qwazse]

Apparently your son has never gone camping with me. Rain clouds save the dates months in advance of any trip I'm on!

 

Notebooks, two zip-lock bags, some grease pencils/crayons. There, you waterproofed it.

 

Fact is, water resitant paper is pretty cool, and Geocachers can find themselves in some serious messes. I've tried all kinds of water resistant gear. So far those zip-locks have been my best friend. I think the same applies to most geologists.

[83Eagle]

As a geocacher, a double-bagged regular log book is fine for most purposes. Write-in-the-rain paper is cool but expensive.

 

However, if it is on the list of stuff to bring then in my opinion it is required to have. It might be worth bringing the attention of the organizer but I would not simply change the requirements.

[CalicoPenn]

I got curious about this event so googled it - sounds like it might be an event put on by Lincoln Caverns.

 

I can hazard a couple of guesses on why the organizers have listed waterproof notebooks. The first is that the organizers are scientists that work in the field (and by field, I don't mean the field of geology, I mean they work in the outdoors and not a lab) and waterproof notebooks are pretty much standard equipment for these folks. They're listing the tool they're most familiar with for working and writing in the field.

 

The second guess is that part of the trip includes a visit to a cave - and caves are notorious for being damp and having lots of dripping water. It sounds like this is something these folks have offered before and are speaking from experience. Can you get away with non-waterproof paper? Probably. But I'd be tempted to buy a waterproof paper notebook (they're about 3-4 bucks) and then hope for a light mist just to see if it works.

 

My suggestion to you is to talk to the leaders of your unit and find out what they're planning on doing. If they're going to outfit their own lads with regular notebooks wrapped in ziplock bags, then no reason you shouldn't do the same - if they're going to buy the waterproof notebook, go ahead and ask them to buy one for your son and reimburse them for it.

[woodfire]

Your son must have been more into geocaching activities. He could have used Nomad waterproof journal which really pays of as it doesn't break up even when totally soaked in water, it's still legible.

 

In our case, we used that at PTC trek 24 last year's hiked from Cypher Mine to Mt Phillips then to Red Hill. One of the boys left it flow through at Cimarroncito river, funny that it did not break up and still in used until now. It adds up to our line of waterproof gears.

 

You can check their site http://nomadjournals.wordpress.com/ for future events