Adding & managing items

Items are the core of GearCache. Every checklist, every search routes through them. This article covers every field on an item and how to manage them once you have a few hundred.

The item form#

Open Inventory and tap Add item (or tap an existing item’s edit button). The form has these fields:

• Name — what you call it. Keep it short and searchable.
• Description — a one-liner if you need it, e.g. MSR PocketRocket 2. Optional.
• Category — required. Pick from your category list or create a new one. See Categories & tags for the difference between categories and tags.
• Location — where it currently lives. Optional, but worth setting — items with locations get auto-checked on checklists and surface in location-based searches.
• Condition — required. See below.
• Quantity — required, defaults to 1. See below.
• Photos — up to 5 per item. See Photos & attachments.
• Tags — free-form labels. See below.
• Notes — maintenance log, purchase date, repair history. Free-form text.
• Last checked — date the item’s condition was last verified. Useful for things like fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, and anything that quietly expires.
• Dependencies — other items this one needs to work. See Item dependencies.

Save. The new item appears in your inventory list immediately.

Conditions#

GearCache uses six condition states. They cover everything from “ready to go” to “throw it out.”

Condition	When to use it
Good	Ready to use. The default for new items.
Fair	Works, but not perfectly. Worth flagging for replacement at some point.
Needs maintenance	Functional but due for a service — winch cable, gas regulator, tent zip.
Needs replacement	Broken or worn past usefulness. Don’t pack it.
Expired	Past use-by — flares, sunscreen, food, fire extinguishers.
Consumed	Used up — half-empty gas canister, last fire-starter. Reset to Good when refilled.

Conditions show as small coloured badges on the inventory list, so a glance tells you whether the trailer is trip-ready or needs an afternoon of attention.

Quantity#

Quantity is informational. It represents how many of an item you own — five carabiners, three dry bags, two gas canisters.

GearCache deliberately doesn’t auto-split items by quantity on a checklist. If you own two canisters and take one, you check the item off, then later update the location of the one you moved. Per-unit tracking would mean every canister becomes its own item — way more friction than the trade-off is worth.

Photos#

Up to five photos per item. Snap them in the field with the camera button, or pick from your photo library. Photos are stored locally on your device.

A photo of the item in context — sitting on the shelf where it lives — beats a clean studio shot. Seeing the surroundings is half the “where is it?” answer.

Tags#

Tags are free-form, cross-cutting labels. Categories answer “what kind of thing is this?” (Kitchen, Shelter, Tools); tags answer “what do I need to know about this for a trip?” Examples that earn their keep:

• essential — never leave without it
• fragile — pack carefully
• borrowed — return it when you’re done
• weekend-only — too bulky for short trips
• winter / summer — seasonal
• kids — only relevant when bringing the kids

Tags are deliberately minimal — just a string. The flexibility is the feature; if you find yourself reaching for the same tag often, that’s a signal it might want to be a category instead.

Searching and filtering#

The search bar at the top of Inventory finds items by name. Combine it with the filter chips below for narrower views:

• Category — show only items in a given category.
• Location — show only items currently at a location (the whole tree, including children).
• Tag — show items carrying any of the selected tags.
• Condition — show items in a specific state.

Filters compose. Category: Kitchen + Condition: Needs maintenance is the pre-trip checklist of things to fix in the next half hour.

What to learn next#

• Locations & hierarchy — building a tree that mirrors reality.
• Categories & tags — when to reach for which.