Best Ghost Hunting Gear to Use in 2023
So you have considered becoming a ghost hunter… Now what?? Like any profession, you’ll need equipment before you can start.
In the very early days of paranormal investigation, hobbyists relied on nothing more than wits and a notepad. However, it’s 2023 and the market for ghost hunting tools is vast and only continuing to expand.
With technology becoming more advanced, so are ghost hunting tools. Today’s article will cover the essential ghost-hunting gear one should have in their arsenal.
You don’t necessarily need a ton of equipment to go on a ghost hunting trip. However, the more you have at you’re disposal, the easier the job will be. You can’t always trust your senses when dealing with the paranormal.
Ghosts can be extremely mischievous and will use manipulation as a tactic. Having the ability to materialize objects from thin air or make the living think they are hearing coins drop is a pretty good reason to chase ghost with an up to date toolset.
List of Ghost Hunting Gears
Ghost hunting gear is a collection of tools an investigator will carry to adequately hunt for paranormal presence.
The right tools and gadgets will enhance the research and help double check signs that you might come across. Not to mention, these tools will almost always give more accurate results than relying on just senses alone might provide.
The best experts in the field know the importance of investing in ghost hunting equipment. Despite how developed and sensitive their own senses will become.
If you are new to ghost hunting or haven’t considered getting a ghost hunting kit, you don’t need to go out and buy it all at once. Collect the right tools at a responsible pace.
Start by buying a few of the more affordable items and then work your way through the inventory. Pick the equipment that is more user-friendly and learn how to properly use it.
Once you feel completely comfortable with that item, move on to the next. Before you know it you’ll have a full inventory of gadgets and be an expert with every single one.
Take a look at the accessories below to help you get started:
1. Something To Document Findings
Not all of the tools in your inventory will be extremely high tech. In fact, something as simple as pen and paper could be one of your most valuable assets.
Make sure to have an adequate amount of paper to write in. You’ll probably be taking a lot of notes and don’t want to run out in the middle of your haunt.
Bringing a notebook, instead of loose sheets of paper can help you keep your notes organized and all in one place.
As far as a writing utensils go, pens are the way to go. A few of them actually. Always keep one on you and then have two or three as a backup somewhere else.
They are small items that can be dropped or misplaced very easily. Pens also tend to be more reliable than pencils or markers. Things written with a pencil tend to fade away easily and markers smudge.
Taking proper notes of all your findings during a ghost hunt is extremely important. This is the only way that you will have some sort of proof of all your hard work.
Make sure to keep notes of any strange occurrences. Write down the time, location, and detailed description of what happened. Some ghost hunting experts even have preprinted forms to help them take notes more effectively.
2. An Artificial Light Source
Even though it is not always the case, most ghost hauntings take place during the night.
There’s something about the stillness of the night that seems to make the research and tracking of ghosts much easier. Ghost hunting at night, however, means that you will be working in the dark.
The visibility will be minimal to none, which can make it very difficult to pick up on certain small details. For this reason, having a flashlight throughout your investigation will improve the quality of your work.
You don’t want to carry around anything too bulky that will hinder your mobility. Instead, bring along a small but powerful flashlight. Something small enough to walk around with and fit in your pocket if you need to free your hands. I personally recommend a LED headlamp to free your hands.
3. A Night Vision Camcorder
A camcorder is one of the first of ghost hunting gear many invest in. You don’t need to get a very expensive one.
In fact, there are several cameras out there that are good in quality and won’t break your pocket. The most important thing when shopping for one should be the resolution feature.
The higher the resolution of the camera, the more detail that you will be able to record. 5 megapixels should be the lowest that you go for on a regular camcorder.
If your ghost hunting is taking place during the night, you will need a camcorder with low light capability. A night vision camcorder is a camera that has the ability to record video footage under poorly lit surroundings.
This device will allow for objects and figures to be more clearly seen in the dark. No matter how vigilant and hypersensitive a person might be, there will always be some signs and details that get missed by the bare eye.
Even a regular camcorder can prove to be ineffective when it comes to recording ghost activity in the dark. Here’s a great article that covers cheap night vision camcorders every paranormal investigator should consider.
4. A Reliable Source Of Communication
Ghost hunting is not an activity you want to do alone. It is usually recommended that whenever dealing with the paranormal, do it in a group.
Some people choose to have a single partner, while others prefer a couple of people to join them. Either way, at some point of the investigation you will likely have to split up.
This is when two-way radios will help you tremendously. They will allow everyone to stay in contact with one another, even while separated.
When purchasing two-way radios, there are two very important features to keep in mind. Look for something small in size and that will work up to at least 2 to 3 miles apart.
Check out some of the ways ghost have been known to hurt people if you’re looking for reasons why groups should stay in constant contact with each other.
5. A Smart Device
One of the biggest perks to living in the time we currently live in now is being able to have the latest ghost hunting gear all in one device.
As mentioned before, dealing with the paranormal can be extremely unpredictable and sometimes even dangerous. You never know what may happen and having a way to call for help is essential.
Itunes offers a wide variety of ghost hunting apps that somewhat do what many of the more costly tools on this list offer at a fraction of the cost! A smartphone can also be used as an additional flashlight and camera in case of emergencies. Besides, this is a tool that most if not all of us already have!
A quick tip: When using your smartphone to record voice or video footage, you should set it to airplane mode. Airplane mode will prevent the phone from sending and receiving any outside signals. It has happened in the past that people’s recordings have been compromised by radio signals and even cell phone transmissions.
6. An EMF Reader
An EMF reader is a scientific device that measures electromagnetic frequencies. Electromagnetic frequencies are measurable energy in the form of electromagnetism that is created when magnetic current move.
For quite some time now, paranormal investigators have relied on EMF readers to help them determine if an entity is close by. These devices are usually not that hard to use and are deeply valued by professionals in the field.
Most of the readers have an analog display and even have speakers to announce the amount of electromagnetic frequency in the area.
Keep in mind that EMF Meters can be affected by normal every day outside forces that have nothing to do with the paranormal.
Things like electrical wiring, microwaves, powers sources, and other electronic items can easily throw off your readings. Make sure to take base readings of the area and make note of them, to help determine when there is actually a legitimate fluctuation in frequencies.
We go more in-depth about EMF readers and our recommended pick brand wise here.
7. A Spirit Box
Spirit Boxes make it possible to capture and record EVP’s. EVP is the abbreviation for electronic voice phenomena.
They are the recordings of unknown sounds captured on electronic devices. It is believed that these sounds are the voices of ghosts trying to communicate with the living.
Most of the sounds cannot be heard at the time of the recording. It is when the material is backtracked and played back that the messages will show up. This is why a digital audio recorder will be of great help to your investigation.
There might be several sounds and messages that the recorder captures, that you would have missed otherwise. Some of those recordings include screams, groans, growls, or other ghostly sounds.
Spirit boxes also work just fine as standard audio recorders. Making it possible to save personal notes so that you can review them again once you go back home.
There could always be things that require a more controlled environment to be reviewed and picked up. Learn more about Spirit boxes here.
8. A Thermometer
Ghosts are known for operating at different temperature levels than the living. This is why a thermometer will be of great help to track entities with while on your ghost hunt.
A ghost’s presence will usually cause the temperature in the room or area to drop. It is believed that they absorb the heat around them to use it as energy and power.
Analog thermometers are a lot better to depend on than digital ones are for a number of reasons. They’re dependable and don’t rely on a source of power.
They tend to give accurate measurements of the temperature before and after you believe a ghost is present. A shift in temperature on its own is not a clear indication that you have encountered a ghost.
It should be used as supporting evidence along with other data to help you have more accurate results. Here is a great guide that gives more signs to look for when a ghost is present.
Quick Tip: Remember that drops in temperature can also be caused by completely normal and logical factors. For this reason, always make sure to double check that windows weren’t left open and there are no electrical problems with the locations a/c system.
9. Extra Batteries
Those in the field know very well that ghosts tend to drain the batteries of electronic devices. It is very likely that if you come in contact with a paranormal being, phones, camera equipment, or other devices might suddenly run dead.
Even if they were fully charged and barely used. In order to prevent this from happening, always make sure to bring along plenty of extra batteries with you.
You might even consider bringing a portable charger just to be safe. There is nothing worse than having your equipment die in the middle of an investigation.
Quick Tip: Make sure to check what specific batteries all of your devices require. Most of them will use AA or AAA type batteries, but that might not always be the case.
10. Dowsing Rods
Despite all the controversy and skepticism that has surrounded this tool throughout the years, they can still be useful.
A lengthy Y-shaped twig or two L-shaped rods can be used as dowsing rods. Their movement is said to help detect the presence of a ghost or can even answer questions.
The user is supposed to hold the rods out straight; one in each hand. A question should be asked and then the ghost will either move them apart for “yes” or together for “no”.
This tool is believed to pick up and use the energy of the paranormal being to facilitate communication.
11. An Infrared Thermal Imager
Thermal Imagers are also known as thermographic devices or thermal cameras. They are tools which use infrared radiation to create an image or video, that would otherwise not be visible to the human eye.
These unique cameras detect levels of temperature and then convert them to electronic signals as images on a screen. The changes in temperature can serve as a warning that a ghost might be near.
The temperature of objects is shown with the use of colors. Really hot areas will appear as white. Warm areas will show as red, orange, or yellow. Really cold areas will appear as black, and cool ones as shades of blue.
As I have mentioned before, it is believed that unexplained cold spots are a sign that a ghost is present and close to manifesting in physical form.
Therefore, if you see the thermal image of a “cold” human shape on the camera it is likely a ghost. This can be extremely valuable evidence to support your research and findings.
Quick Tip: Keep in mind that unexplained warm or hot readings by a thermal camera can also be indications of a supernatural presence.
Final Thoughts
These are definitely not the only tools that can help you while hunting for ghosts.
However, they will give you a starting point on where to begin. There is no rush in buying them all or a specific one that you should purchase first. Go with what is necessary for you at the moment.
Take your time to do the proper research on all of them, and then decide where you’ll want to start. With daily technological advances, more and more useful tools will keep being created.
Old methods will continuously be replaced by newer and more precise ones. For more ghost hunting tips be sure to check out this guide!
Last but not least, remember that regardless of how geared up you might be, you still need to be extremely aware and careful out there. Do you currently have any of the items on this ghost hunting gear list? Which ones do you find are the most essential?
