Deciding the size of your geocache can be a bit like ordering a coffee drink from your local coffee-snob barista—overwhelming!  Before you’ve even had your caffeine pick-me-up, you are forced to decide whether you would like a Short, Tall, Grande, Venti, or even Trenta (yes, “Trenta” is now a real size). Choosing the correct size for your geocache can be just as tricky. What is the difference between “Regular and Small”? What in the world is a “Nano”? What does it mean when a geocache is labelled as “Other”? Knowing the answers to these questions can make all the difference in getting that smiley, so we’ve created the following geocache size-guide to give you the answers to the ultimate questions of life, the Universe, and geocache sizes. And no, the answer is not 42.

Traditional Sizes

While these may seem straightforward, it can be a tough call when your geocache falls somewhere in between. 

Micro –  Tiny containers that most likely will only hold a log sheet, e.g. a film canister.

Small – Just big enough to fit a sandwich. Holds only a small logbook and small items, e.g. a small plastic container. Note: Please don’t put a sandwich in your gecoache.

Regular – Think shoe box. If you could fit a pair of shoes inside, you’re golden, e.g. an ammo box.

Large –  Think Bigfoot’s shoe box. If he could fit his hiking boots inside, it should probably be labelled as a Large, e.g. a 5 gallon bucket.

Other Categorizations 

For times when the traditional categories simply aren’t enough, you might need to use the following:

Nano – For the very tiniest of geocaches. ‘Nano’ is not officially listed on geocache pages, so players should mark Nanos as Micros, e.g. a fake bolt.

Other – Unusual geocache containers that just don’t fit into other categories, e.g. a magnetic strip.

Unknown – For when a little extra surprise is needed, e.g. when knowing the size of the container would completely give away the find.

What benchmarks do you use to size out your geocaches?  Tell us about them in the comments below.