Cavechat.org

Do you use the built-in hood on your coveralls?

I currently don't have one in my coveralls. I used to. I used it maybe 3 times in 10 years. Now I use a balaclava or a hooded jacket, which is nice in a waterfall to keep water from rolling down my back.

If I'm doing a lot of vertical trips, maybe 1 in 10 times I'll throw my hood on for a wet pit.

I wear poly/cottons, so it's obvious which one I voted for. : )

Unless I am swimming caving coveralls are WAY too hot for me . 90 percent of the time I prefer to wear single layer poly pro bottoms under jeans and maybe a poly pro top ( only in wet stuff) under a military BDU top, most of the time I just wear a t-shirt under the military top. I carry a lightweight stocking cap in my pack if I suspect I may get wet. Been doing that for 30 years and so far I have not suffered from hypothermia yet. Also I can not wear ready to wear coveralls, if they are large enough for my chest they are way too long and too big everywhere else.

Never had coveralls. Just working on designing some now with a seamstress friend of mine. Hey, cheaper to work with a friend and just buy the 1000d cordura at $7/yrd and then I know it fits me! Like Jeff, nothing off the shelf fits me. I am the definition of curvy, before curvy turned into the "polite way to say fat" haha.

Amy I would get some 650-700d cordura. The 1000d would be way to stiff to cave in. They would last forever but not be very compfy. Just thought I'd save you buying the wrong thing. You would want to put some of the 1000d on the knees and butt area, but not the whole thing. Sewing it with a heavy duty machine shouldn't be a problem. Have fun and make them some really wild color like mine. Hot pink!

caveflower wrote:Amy I would get some 650-700d cordura. The 1000d would be way to stiff to cave in. They would last forever but not be very compfy. Just thought I'd save you buying the wrong thing. You would want to put some of the 1000d on the knees and butt area, but not the whole thing. Sewing it with a heavy duty machine shouldn't be a problem. Have fun and make them some really wild color like mine. Hot pink!

But the question is... should she include a hood in the design?

My suit has a hood but I never use it. Like most European cavers, we try and rig pitches avoiding the water. Occasionaly there may be a wet but short climb but I just don't bother putting the hood up.

caveflower wrote:Amy I would get some 650-700d cordura. The 1000d would be way to stiff to cave in. They would last forever but not be very compfy. Just thought I'd save you buying the wrong thing. You would want to put some of the 1000d on the knees and butt area, but not the whole thing. Sewing it with a heavy duty machine shouldn't be a problem. Have fun and make them some really wild color like mine. Hot pink!

My suit is a self-made custom. All 1000d cordura and even heavier proprietary material on the elbows, knees and bum. While being heavier than most, its not too heavy. Pads built into the elbows and knees. No hood. Yes its definately the strongest suit I've had but will eventually wear out like the rest. It will just take a few more years instead of a few more months like the ones bought off the rack!

Cavemud wrote:

caveflower wrote:Amy I would get some 650-700d cordura. The 1000d would be way to stiff to cave in. They would last forever but not be very compfy. Just thought I'd save you buying the wrong thing. You would want to put some of the 1000d on the knees and butt area, but not the whole thing. Sewing it with a heavy duty machine shouldn't be a problem. Have fun and make them some really wild color like mine. Hot pink!

My suit is a self-made custom. All 1000d cordura and even heavier proprietary material on the elbows, knees and bum. While being heavier than most, its not too heavy. Pads built into the elbows and knees. No hood. Yes its definately the strongest suit I've had but will eventually wear out like the rest. It will just take a few more years instead of a few more months like the ones bought off the rack!

When I was looking at what they were made of seemed a lot used the 1000d. It doesn't seem too bad. (I ordered it like 3 wks ago so way too late haha). And yeah mine is hot pink and bright green. I wanted purple and green but what the supplier called "violet" is uh, magenta. I thought it would be a bright purple rather than the darker purple. Now I know to just order purple. Ah well. Pink and green is still sweet. I forget what kind of stitching she's doing but she said the suit will wear before her stitches fall out xD

But yes the real question is....do I add a hood to the design or not????

Over the years I have got the two piece type and have noticed that the heavy weight material I have seen gets heavy when wet and is also hotter. I long time ago I had a set of ready wear from Bob and Bob ( back in early 90s). They were real light weight and did not get heavy when wet. Durability was reasonable using it alot in wet Indiana crawls. Had to patch it a few times but liked that one better than any. By the way, it had a built in hood and I rarely used it.

Sungura wrote:Never had coveralls. Just working on designing some now with a seamstress friend of mine. Hey, cheaper to work with a friend and just buy the 1000d cordura at $7/yrd and then I know it fits me! Like Jeff, nothing off the shelf fits me. I am the definition of curvy, before curvy turned into the "polite way to say fat" haha.

Where are you getting 1000d Corura for $7 / YD?

I just got some black 1000D Cordura for $5.50/yd on Ebay. Planning on using it for reinforcement on various articles of clothing.