If you want to invest in any one particular item to improve the
quality of your letterboxes, I say let it be the ziplock bags!!
Regardless of whether or not you include ink pads (I don't, but
Bravo! to those who do) I recommend using several bags for each box.

Put the logbook in a sandwich bag. Put the stamp in another one.
Perhaps you'll want others for an ink pad... postcards/info sheet...
whatever.

Then stuff them all in a freezer bag. (I like the Hefty OneZip brand
with the easy-close slider.) If you want to be REALLY safe, stuff the
whole mess into a second freezer bag.

If you do all of this, the quality of the box is of little
importance. Even if the box leaks, everything will stay safe and dry.
The box just keeps it all a little more self-contained.

--- "Jay Chamberlain" wrote:
> I also carry a fanny pack/purse size refillable container of baby
wipes. Just the thing to clean old stamps and ink off fingers.

Maybe we sould start including these, too? Let's see... I've got a
logbook, rubber stamp, ink pad, writing instrument, info sheets,
postcards, doggie biscuits, baby wipes, maybe a little
mascot/figurine (just for fun), clues to the next box, and a
hitchhiker box. The dividing line between Letterboxing and Geocaching
is getting blurrier all the time :o)

I think I'm going to have to start using bigger containers :o)

Speaking of containers, someone mentioned the new (somewhat pricey)
rubbermaid boxes with see-thru tops and a blue rubber seal. If you
really want to assure that you've got everything cryogenically sealed
against the elements, these are awesome. I reserve them for hiding
places where I know the box is going to be subjected directly to
water. But I still double-bag... just in case.

Der Mad Stamper