Cave pack Recommendation Needed!!

[Chads93GT]

The swaygo really is tough, very tough, but you can tear holes in it dragging it across sharp rocks, or standing up into stalactites. My pack has about 20 or 25 holes in it that are patched with aquaseal. Swaygo's are great because they don't absorb water and they can be used as a flotation in river caves. Great in crawling caves where you can just clip it to your foot and drag it behind you. I wouldnt do that with a lost creek or the on rope packs (I have both and i prefer on rope packs, many more features that make it much more user freindly). Both have their pros and cons. Swaygo's have 1" webbing for straps. On rope packs/lost creek have 2" webbing, but the onrope style is extremely easy to adjust, unlike the lost creeks.

I have the Swaygo Sink and have used it on over 50 trips. Yes ive popped holes in it, but thats the nature of the cave. ive done dozens of trips with the lost creek/onrope style pack as well and I love them for caves where I am not swimming, which is few and far between. Weigh your options and make your choice.

Wow, 25 holes in 50 trips? That doesnt sound very durable. Bummer. I was thinking about getting one but not now. I don't want to have to worry about my pack the whole trip.

Crawl ways loaded with glass tend to chew up anything you drag tied to your foot. Like I said, its the nature of the cave. Not all caves are as brutal as the one I am currently mapping, and not all cavers are as hard core as others. Some people simply tear gear up due to the way they cave. Im one of those people.

[Anonymous_Coward]

Yeah Jeff, I wouldn't worry about getting holes in your Swaygo in Puerto Rico. You guys just walk around and swim down there anyway! I think the Swaygo is perfect for Puerto Rican caves. For what it's worth, my Swaygo has been on about 200 trips and I have only poked four holes in it. These were from using it inabrasive sandstone canyons, not caves and all four holes are now patched watertight with aquaseal.

Some people just beat the s**t out of their gear. Chad is apparently one of them. The other person I know that can ruin a Swaygo on one trip is Jeff Bartlett. But as the saying goes, "That boy could F up a steel ball with a rubber mallet." You should see what his legs looked like after a week in Lech!

Heard that saying yet Bartlett? You've been in Tennessee a while now, so I assume you have.

[caveflower]

I love my swaygo! I do a lot of river caves with wall to wall water. It has been on 100's of trips not one hole yet. Used it many many time for PFD in water over my head and just a lazy float down the Erie Canal in Blowing Hole cave. I have the push pack and I can fit everything I need for a long trip. I travel light though. I also have a flint ridge and a tag from LC. I do still use those when doing vertical. I guess it all depends on what kind of caving you do. Wet cave you can't beat the swaygo dry Lost creek all the way.

[jeffkruse]

I bought a Swaygo pack for my wife. I'll report back on how it holds up and wether I buy one for my self.

[tncaver]

Yeah Jeff, I wouldn't worry about getting holes in your Swaygo in Puerto Rico. You guys just walk around and swim down there anyway! I think the Swaygo is perfect for Puerto Rican caves. For what it's worth, my Swaygo has been on about 200 trips and I have only poked four holes in it. These were from using it inabrasive sandstone canyons, not caves and all four holes are now patched watertight with aquaseal.

Some people just beat the s**t out of their gear. Chad is apparently one of them. The other person I know that can ruin a Swaygo on one trip is Jeff Bartlett. But as the saying goes, "That boy could F up a steel ball with a rubber mallet." You should see what his legs looked like after a week in Lech!

Heard that saying yet Bartlett? You've been in Tennessee a while now, so I assume you have.

I've lived in TN all my life and I never heard this one: "That boy could F up a steel ball with a rubber mallet", but I like that phrase and I hope to remember it
and it probably applies to several cavers I've met over the years. However, my one trip with Jeff Bartlett came off pretty good and so did he.

I've also been using the same Lost Creek cave pack for over 25 years and another one for 20 years.

[onebat]

I've had a plain ole' pack made by Wunderwear that I've used for years. Tough nylon.