Kneepads for Thunder Thighs & Hypothermia Prevention

[commanderzoom]

My current favorite is B&C Wunderwear kneepads. Once I learned the trick of how to put them on properly, they stay in place. They do need to be washed between trips so the straps work correctly - but with WNS everything has to be washed and deconned anyway. They cover the side of the knee as well as the Expedition Essentials - and are much more durable and more comfortable.

http://www.bcwunderwear.com/subpages/WunderArmour.htm

But if you really want to crawl over pointy rocks I still haven't found anything to beat Rockmasters. They take some getting used to - and if it wasn't for the lack of shin protection I would probably still be wearing them. I may ask Cecile (B&C Wunderwear) to make a semi-custom kneepad with a rubber layer between the padding and the outer cordura (like the Tactical Armour version of EE kneepads has - but only at the knee). That might provide just enough extra protection for my sensitive knees.

Where can I find Rockmasters online? I Googled it but didn't come up with anything. I could probably rig something up for shin protection if they're that good for protecting the knees.

Planning on calling Cecile this week to ask about semi-custom kneepads. Is there an email address I could use instead? I don't like talking on the phone unless I have to. I followed your link and those look pretty close to what I need but I definitely need extra protection if I can get it. I'm STILL mad at my father for running over me like that because before that happened, knee pads were mostly optional. I could take the pointy rock pain a lot better before I had the scar tissue going on.

I'm halfway tempted to post a photo of my leg so you guys can see what I'm working with & get a better idea of my needs.

[Jon]

Check page 27 of the Nov 2010 NSS News. I know of several people with Cave Legs. They LAST. They also don't move around (They are pre-bent) Phyllis hand makes each pair and will I'm sure make straps to fit your needs. They are $50 and worth every penny of the cost. They are my next purchase.

You can e-mail her at pjbean@pvtnetworks.net or call her at 575-748-3497

[Tenzin Beck]

I can also vouch for Cave Legs. Inch thick slab of neoprene, pre-bent knee, seriously heavy duty cordura construction... and you get a choice of pretty colors! A friend and I were literally racing each other on our hands and knees.

[LWB]

Where can I find Rockmasters online? I Googled it but didn't come up with anything. I could probably rig something up for shin protection if they're that good for protecting the knees.

Planning on calling Cecile this week to ask about semi-custom kneepads. Is there an email address I could use instead? I don't like talking on the phone unless I have to. I followed your link and those look pretty close to what I need but I definitely need extra protection if I can get it. I'm STILL mad at my father for running over me like that because before that happened, knee pads were mostly optional. I could take the pointy rock pain a lot better before I had the scar tissue going on.

I don't think Rockmasters are made anymore. They are rather hard rubber with tread and a thick neoprene pad inside and elastic straps. The first time I wore them I had a devil of a time belly crawling in them. And as many people hated them as loved them. They would stay in place unless the buckle slipped on the elastic strap (which was most prone to happening when wet).

Cecile's email is Cecile at bcwunderwear dot com She recently moved (she lost her house in the Nashville flood last May) and I don't know how organized she is yet. She has had a real struggle recovering from the disaster.

[commanderzoom]

Cecile's email is Cecile at bcwunderwear dot com She recently moved (she lost her house in the Nashville flood last May) and I don't know how organized she is yet. She has had a real struggle recovering from the disaster.

Poor woman. I'll send her an email in a little while. Even if she couldn't get around to filling my order in the near future, I'm sure she could use the business and I'm willing to wait. It's so hard to recover financially AND emotionally from something like that.

Check page 27 of the Nov 2010 NSS News. I know of several people with Cave Legs. They LAST. They also don't move around (They are pre-bent) Phyllis hand makes each pair and will I'm sure make straps to fit your needs. They are $50 and worth every penny of the cost. They are my next purchase.

You can e-mail her at pjbean@pvtnetworks.net or call her at 575-748-3497

Will do. I know I have that issue laying around somewhere in this mess I call a bedroom. I wouldn't mind getting a couple of pairs of kneepads, actually, so I might end up ordering those and the B&C Wunderwear pads. I can probably get Mom to buy one set for my Christmas present and the second for my birthday.

[wyandottecaver]

Hypothermia:
Bluejeans are great....for dry caves and/or short trips. If its wet/muddy...or your gonna be sitting still, the old cavers maxim applies: "cotton kills".
polypro is good but can be hot. If your cave is just muddy and damp and your not gonna be in a long time, consider polyester clothes and a thin fleece skull cap for under your helmet.

A set of actual cave coveralls is better yet, but in dry caves they wil be hot.

Knee pads:
as others have said...there are long threads everywhere. One good suggestion I have seen is where someone bought a old skanky wetsuit for cheap, cut off the knee/shin pieces, split them down back, and sewed them on a pair of jeans with heavy thread. They could be worn standalone or under coveralls and went from knee to the top of the boot.

Chad, I have/use the 6-6-1 pads too. I added heavy cloth tape as a replaceable wear surface(every few trips) on front and shoe goo glued 3mm neoprene to the back. I REALLY like their elbow pads.

[commanderzoom]

Hypothermia:
Bluejeans are great....for dry caves and/or short trips. If its wet/muddy...or your gonna be sitting still, the old cavers maxim applies: "cotton kills".
polypro is good but can be hot. If your cave is just muddy and damp and your not gonna be in a long time, consider polyester clothes and a thin fleece skull cap for under your helmet.

A set of actual cave coveralls is better yet, but in dry caves they wil be hot.

Will do. I learned my lesson about wearing the jeans while crawling through a stream passage about a year ago. Never mind what I did to motivate myself to get moving when my body decided it was too cold to go on, but I have a permanent scar from it. Now I wear the jeans for short trips in caves that don't have much water or that won't require me to be in the water consistently. I have a pair of coveralls I got for cheap but they're not actual cave coveralls & are something like 80% poly/20% cotton. Not ideal but better than jeans. CRAP, they're too hot to wear most of the time though, and they limit my movement my movement too much for my liking so I end up right back in the jeans. I also have a ridiculous looking pair of spandex bicycle shorts that I sometimes wear but I don't like to traumatize my caving companions like that. I'd eventually like to get a real cavesuit if I ever find one that fits me right but I'm afraid to drop that much $$$$ only to find out it's too hot and/or too constrictive. Maybe the the ones that are just overalls without the sleeves & all that would be better for me. I've never been to a NSS Convention--do the vendors there let you try the stuff on? I'm really paranoid about spending that much $$$$ online for clothing because it's hard for me to find things that fit correctly & I don't know of anywhere in my general area that sells caving clothes.

I'd like to get something like the Dirty Daves Caving Shorts (http://www.innermountainoutfitters.net/ ... ty%20Daves) and wear them either alone or with polypro bottoms underneath. Good idea or bad? Any thoughts about wearing those Starter compression shirts/pants from Wal-Mart instead of polypro? I keep finding them on clearance for about $3-$5. Like this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Starter-Men-s ... e/11037553 Obviously not going to last long but HELLO! Dirt cheap on clearance and much easier for me to find locally than polypro.

[NZcaver]

Any thoughts about wearing those Starter compression shirts/pants from Wal-Mart instead of polypro? I keep finding them on clearance for about $3-$5. Like this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Starter-Men-s ... e/11037553 Obviously not going to last long but HELLO! Dirt cheap on clearance and much easier for me to find locally than polypro.

Yes. I have a few of these tops, and a pair of the pants. They work great. I wear them under my Meander nylon caving suit in cold/wet caves, and also as a base layer for hiking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing up north in the winter. In warm/dry caves I usually wear a T shirt, but in slightly cooler/dry ones I wear the long sleeve top.

Also recently mentioned in this topic.

[Chads93GT]

Hypothermia:

I'd like to get something like the Dirty Daves Caving Shorts (http://www.innermountainoutfitters.net/ ... ty%20Daves) and wear them either alone or with polypro bottoms underneath. Good idea or bad? Any thoughts about wearing those Starter compression shirts/pants from Wal-Mart instead of polypro? I keep finding them on clearance for about $3-$5. Like this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Starter-Men-s ... e/11037553 Obviously not going to last long but HELLO! Dirt cheap on clearance and much easier for me to find locally than polypro.

Those shorts are the biggest piece of shit I have ever owned in my life. Every seam ripped out on the FIRST TRIP. Worst $45 ive ever spent.

[LWB]

My husband loves the Wunderwear Bibs - he says cave suits are always too hot. Like other B&C Wunderwear stuff, you can certainly try them on if you go to one of the events that Cecile attends. And she can modify stuff on the spot if something can be done to make them fit (Bibs are easier than suits where the body length is critical). The bibs come up high enough to mostly protect you from dirt at the waist when crawling. If you want to order something, she will want a precise bunch of measurements to make sure it fits - and should it not fit, she will make changes.

My husband had a B&C Wunderwear cave suit he never wore because it was too hot. Cecile converted it to bibs and a jacket (adding more material in the process). He love it now and has quit wearing jeans. He takes the jacket if expecting to get cold - otherwise a polypro shirt.


http://www.bcwunderwear.com/

I don't think there is a photo of the Bibbs on Cecile's website. Maybe that will get fixed soon. I know she lost the computer with all her photos in the flood. So if you have a good photo of someone in Bibs you might send it to her. She makes shorts in different lengths (or custom), but I have no experience with those.

[Billy]

I'll also throw in my thumbs up on the sixsixone pads. Have bought two pairs which I have trashed, and am trying to figure out a decent modification before I get another pair. Really liked the no-slide and full protection, but the velcro attachment on the FRONT drives me crazy. Wet muddy caves made them frustrating, coming off at the most inopportune times, and once they started coming undone they continued to be insecure. Tried covering the front, but with limited success, really need to attach in the rear of the knee/ankle area somehow. Plus I'm large boned but not huge, but even the biggest 661 pads were hard to attach around the ankle. I'm trying a pair of Cecile's large kneepads right now, still evaluating.

Will also throw in a thumbs up on Cecile's bibs. I had a pair, and they are my first go-to choice of coverall/bib, not just for the temperature control or body movement, but also for the general design, nice double stitching and reinforcement where it counts. My once concern is the plastic buckle attachment, but I've gone through a lot of tight pressure crawls and haven't managed to shatter them yet. I'll also add that Cecile actually listens to cavers suggestions (take a lesson Princeton-Tec) and will modify and experiment to try to improve something.