What do we think of Lab Caches?

The concept of geocaching started off simple: there's a container out there somewhere. Here are its coordinates. Now GO FIND IT! Traditional caches are still like this. Multis and puzzles throw another stage or two into the mix, whether physical or mental. Then of course there are letterbox hybrids, virtuals, webcams, Wherigos, and a range of event types.

Groundspeak always wants to keep geocaching fresh and interesting, and so they should, but in the last couple of years they introduced "Challenges" which was a total flop and for me was unnecessarily confusing as they were not like the existing Challenge Geocaches where you need to meet a requirement before logging. Groundspeak is clearly trying to find what works and what doesn't with geocaching and their new "lab caches". I've found 11 now and I'd sum them up as being "mildly interesting". The concept could easily become as tedious and abused as Challenges though. No idea what lab caches are? Read on.

According to Groundspeak, lab caches are the product of the Geocaching HQ's Research and Development team. They are rare and experimental. The ideas are going to come through this type and then, presumably, if they work, they'll be turned into real cache types.

The Groundspeak HQ offered cachers the chance to try them during its annual Block Party but they've since become a little more widespread. In February they plugged the idea of sending a lab cache invite to your Valentine, although to my knowledge people tended to just pair up and make a lab cache for each other. The idea was to set a location and ask a question about it or post some info there that you'd only know if you visited. So for example, you could site your lab cache at a park bench and ask what year the memorial plaque has on it. In that way it's a bit like a virtual cache or the first stage of a multi. But you could also do the whole thing online and just make your answers Googleable. Does that not defeat the object of geocaching? I've never understood why some people "armchair log" their finds without heading outdoors. If the caches are to take off, they need to be things you will be finding outdoors.

One of the locations for a lab cache at the Kent Mega. The code you needed was in the socks on the line.

But there are no cache containers! You don't go to a certain location, find a box and sign the log book. No, you're simply information gathering. Once you have your info, you log it online and claim a find. A bit strange but as I said, perhaps Groundspeak's attempt at resurrecting virtuals. Seriously, guys, just bring back the original virtual cache type! (And webcams, while you're at it).

The Kent Mega I attended recently was a good chance to find 10 more lab caches which were created specifically for the Mega Event. That's another thing about this cache type: they aren't long-lasting. A set of 10 exhibitions were set up in a woods near the Mega venue and each of them concealed the code you'd need to log a find. For example there was a large ball pit and you needed to find a silver ball with a code written on it. That was then what you put into Geocaching.com and a find was yours. That ball pit can't stay in the woods forever so ideas will need to be more permanent if they are to work.

There's a code in here somewhere!

All in all, I found the ten lab caches at the Kent Mega interesting, and certainly good for kids. It could work well with a murder mystery type theme where you are trying to find answers in your surroundings. Beyond that, I don't know what the future is for lab caches but if they scrap the idea then I hope the finds will still count unlike Challenges did. A lot of stats will be screwed up and it's confusing enough at the moment that GC.com says you've got X amount of finds and yet the lab caches aren't really re-accessible or counted by other stats generators. You can't write a log either - you just submit your code and bam, another find. I'll be interested to see how this pans out and what other new ideas crop up. Any thoughts?