10 Items that every investigator should carry

The phone rings. It’s you friend and he is babbling about a UFO hovering over his house, a bigfoot just ran across his back yard, a ghost is siting across the parlor having a drink with him or what ever, some weird crap is going down and chances are that if you are reading this site YOU WANT TO BE THERE NOW (I sure would)! So you don’t want to be running around getting your camera, worrying if your batteries are charged, etc. That’s why you should keep a “go-bag” handy of what ever you could possibly need to record an extraordinary event. Here are some basic items that any investigator should have ready to go at a moments notice:

1. Camera – How many UFO, cryptid, or ghost sightings have you heard of that didn’t have any photographic evidence? Tons. How many of those sightings are you apt to believe? Very few. Simple fact is a picture is worth a thousand words, and with the price of digital cameras dropping every day you can’t not afford to have one with you. I recommend a small but sturdy pocket shooter like the Olympus 770SW. It is waterproof to 33 feet, shockproof for falls up to 5 feet, crushproof up to 220 pounds, and can operate in temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. With a camera that sturdy there is no reason to worry about taking out in the field and it’s quite affordable at about $300. Even if the 770SW is out of your price range, a disposable film camera always does the trick. Just make sure to store it according to the manufactures directions to make sure you get the best possible pictures.

2. Digital Voice Recorder – Aside from their usefulness for recording EVPs in paranormal investigations, a digital voice recorder is an invaluable addition to any investigators tool kit. Be it interviewing witnesses after the fact, or just recording your own account as it happens, these are handy little gadgets. Best of all, through the wonders of modern technology, you can get a recorder that holds over 100 hours of recordings that can be transfered to your computer for less than $50.

3. A Small Ruler – While there are any number of everyday objects you can use to establish scale in any photos you take (dollar bills, coke cans, CDs), you can’t beat the clean, professional look of a ruler in your photographic evidence. Try and find one whose markings will be easily legible in your photographs. (If you have to, take your camera down to the local office supply store and take pictures of the rulers until you find one that photographs well.)

4. A Tape Measure – Some times you will need to take measurements of things (foot prints, rooms, etc.) too big for your small ruler.

5. A Notebook – You will probably want to take notes or draw sketches at the scene of an event. My personal favorite notebook is a Moleskine Large Plain Notebook, but any notebook should do. If you want to be sure you will be able to write in even the worst weather, I suggest looking into Rite In The Rain’s line of all weather writing products.

6. A Pen – You need something to write with don’t you. I personally love Fisher Space Pens (the bullet model is my favorite for pocket-ability). I still have not found anywhere or any condition that they will not write in (and I have even washed them accidentally with out ruining my laundry or the pen). Even if you don’t go with a space pen, I recommend making sure that the pen has waterproof ink (just in case).

7. Plastic Gloves & Baggies – If you are lucky enough to find some evidence to collect, you need some way to keep your oils and finger prints off of it as well as somewhere to store the evidence. Usage should be pretty much self explanatory.

8. Extra batteries – For anything in your go-bag that needs batteries, you should carry 1 to 3 extra sets just to be safe. If you are using rechargeable batteries, make sure to keep them charged. There is nothing worse than not being able to take as many pictures or as much video as you want because of not having enough juice.

9. Compact Video Camera – While not entirely essential (especially if your digital camera can shoot decent video), it is nice to be able to collect as much evidence as possible. For just shy of $200 you can get a simple camera like this Canon that is small enough to fit in just about any bag.

10. A Bag – While not exactly something that would go in your go-bag per-say, picking a bag that is sturdy and large enough to carry your gear is important. While you can probably find a suitable bag down at your local mega-mart, I personally like Timbuk2′s messenger bags. They are built to withstand the rigors of day to day use by bicycle messengers and in my experience are some of the toughest bags you can buy.

Depending on your specific area of interest, you may want to add other useful items like a night-vision scope, EMF Meter, etc. but these items should meet any basic needs you have at the scene of an event.