Cavechat.org

I've no doubt it has been done before, but just for fun - What's in your pack for just a general trip underground. Assume no vertical.

Mine:

2 - 32 oz. Nalgene bottles of water
1 pee bottle
pocket knife
compass
small first aid kit
2 extra headlamps
zip ties
small amount of duct tape
2 trash bags
candle
granola bars
batteries, batteries, and more batteries
extra halogen bulbs
sometimes a harmonica for a brief speleoserenade

And I think that's about it.

Jason, Why do you feel the need to haul a pee bottle around in AR? I can see where it's necessary in some places, but I don't get it as a regular part of a cave pack, especially in AR.

Things do wash into caves. And things do decompose in caves. Some caves are very sensitive and need to have special care (like pee bottles) but I wouldn't have though AR would have been so delicate.

My caving pack is pretty similar to Jason's
Water sufficient for trip
Urine bottle
Extra batteries (All of my lights and camera use AA, so about a dozen extra)
Extra light (one on helmet, one in pack)
Camera and GPS (if needed outside of cave) in small drybox
Combined first aid kit / repair kit / emergency supplies (with Swiss army knife or leatherman, zip ties, duct tape, candle, WP matches, 2 large trashbags) in a small dry bag
Food sufficient for trip (Not GORP, carbs are needed)
Since going to LEDs, no need for spare bulbs.

I also like to take about 30' of 1" tubular webbing in case a handline is helpful. This comes in handy in some challenging spots in otherwise horizontal caves, such as the Manhole in Fitton Cave, AR.

I have a watchband type compass on one of my pack staps, and that is usually sufficient unless surveying.

I cave mostly in Arkansas and feel that a pee bottle is very important. Many of our wet caves have delicate and in some cases endangered critters. Peeing in the stream likely would not cause them any harm, after all "The solution to polution is dilution". But why risk it and why start an arguement with overly eager environmentalists who may be caving with you? In the drier caves, the pee bottle is a courtesy to others who use the cave. The smell of urine lingers a long time in the high humidity, even if the deed is done far off the main passage.

what are the zip ties for?

I carry:

• A long sleeve t-shirt and & extra pair of gloves (packed down into the bottom -top- of my Swago push pack)
• pee bottle (collapsible nalgene type)
• water bottle
• ditty bag with extra batteries, extra LED headlights, small leatherman pliers, Swiss army knife, duct tape, flagging tape, small first aid kit, 8-hour candles & matches, large garbage bag folded, pen & paper
• second ditty bag with fruit cup, energy bars, beef jerky, chocolate bars, camera, and FRS radio (used to communicate with daughter when we're out of earshot, checking out different leads)

I have a lost creek flint ridge that is about to explode with:

2 Bottles of water
Mylar Blanket
Trash Bag
Hard Case containg my glasses (I wear contacts)
Lots of Batteries
Compass
Granola Bars
Two Flashlights
Two spare Headlamps
First Aid Kit

In my swaygo pit pack I have:
A pint sized nalgene bottle with batteries,bic lighter, pencil, bit of paper, swiss knife, zip ties, matches and throwing stars. The outside of the bottle is wrapped with 50 feet of duct tape. In another, not so waterproof bag I keep a minimag 3watt, a p.tech 1 watt headlamp, couple trashbags, 2 8 hour candles, small silva compass, backpackers toilet paper, small first aid kit (Sawyer I think), a bit of tin foil and a polypro top and balaclava. In yet another waterproof sack, I keep my lunch and cliff bars, etc.. And then I carry a liter of water in a platypus bottle.
I used to carry a glow stick or two, but found they were not very useful, especially since the evolution of the LED.

Edit:
forgot the webbing... 30 feet of tubular webbing and a locking D.

JoeyS wrote:In my swaygo pit pack I have:
A pint sized nalgene bottle with batteries,bic lighter, pencil, bit of paper, swiss knife, zip ties, matches and throwing stars. The outside of the bottle is wrapped with 50 feet of duct tape. In another, not so waterproof bag I keep a minimag 3watt, a p.tech 1 watt headlamp, couple trashbags, 2 8 hour candles, small silva compass, backpackers toilet paper, small first aid kit (Sawyer I think), a bit of tin foil and a polypro top and balaclava. In yet another waterproof sack, I keep my lunch and cliff bars, etc.. And then I carry a liter of water in a platypus bottle.

I used to carry a glow stick or two, but found they were not very useful, especially since the evolution of the LED.

THROWING STARS!!! what for killer bats or something?

Here's a switch.....sometimes I don't take a pack at all. Sometimes my pack looks like I'm goin' cavin' fer days! Depends on the trip.

I have a Lost Creek TAG bag. I always carry

. 2 / 25' length of webbing
. 4 prusiks
. 2 to 4 carbiners
. 45' of 11m pit rope sometimes
. 2 gloy sticks
. Gerber multi tool knife
. zip ties
. 2 extra lights & batteries for them & the three lights on my helmet
. 2 trash bags
. pelican case with a camera
. waterproof writing pad & a Sharpie pen
. extra gloves
. 2 bottles of water
. snacks
.small first aid kit


I think that is it

I always wear a GGG Pod Pack containing the following items. These are always with me. My “main” pack contains items appropriate for the trip.

- extra batteries
- Petzl Tikka XP (IMHO the best back-up light out there. small, weighs only 95g, and powerful enough to be useful)
- AA MiniMag flashlight
- Leathermans tool
- a polypro balaclava
- small first aid kit
- .75l water bottle
- energy food (Power Gel, PowerBar, etc.)

and a heavy ply lawn (garbage) bag in helmet

Sometimes I have a thermos full of canned ravioli in my pack. Sure it is probably too heavy and takes up too much space in my small pack, but sometimes a warm meal can mean so much.

In the winter I carried a small thermos full of hot chocolate made with coffee and milk. Again, probably too heavy and bulky, but fantastic when you emerge from the cave cold and wet and need a rush of sugar/caffeine/milk protein for the freezing deathmarch to the parking area (Kennamer Cave in December)

JoeyS wrote:In my swaygo pit pack I have: throwing stars

Are you serious? What in the world would do you plan on using them for?

Apparently most folks here are poorly prepared for encounters with unfriendly cave ninjas