Cavechat.org

Anyone have one of these suits that can comment on performance? I'm thinking of getting one of these rubber ducky suits for the sloppier holes... Would love to hear experiences

Try looking on ukcaving the PVC Meanders seem to be much more common over there.

A visiting caver has a pair, and he seems happy with them, but we managed to put a tear in them the other weekend but that was a very (by my standards anyway) tight and sharp cave so it was no great surprise. Normally the PVC suits are too hot for Australian caves (except Tassie or very wet / swimming caves).

fuzzy-hair-man wrote:Try looking on ukcaving the PVC Meanders seem to be much more common over there.

A visiting caver has a pair, and he seems happy with them, but we managed to put a tear in them the other weekend but that was a very (by my standards anyway) tight and sharp cave so it was no great surprise. Normally the PVC suits are too hot for Australian caves (except Tassie or very wet / swimming caves).

Yes - a lot of UK cavers where PVC suits made by Meander or coated nylon suits bay various local manufacturers such as Warmbac, Cavinf Supplies or Beaver.

My understanding was that the Petzl PVC suit (Criou) was no longer available, and when it was, it was very expensive.

paul wrote:My understanding was that the Petzl PVC suit (Criou) was no longer available, and when it was, it was very expensive.

Meander call their PVC suit a 'Criou' (http://www.meander.sk/pages/ecriou.html) so I'm guessing that's what Adam's talking about...
I guess Meander might have decided they could capture some of the market if they used the same name as Petzl

Hang on I thought the Petzl ones were 'Styx'....oh well doesn't matter.

fuzzy-hair-man wrote:

paul wrote:My understanding was that the Petzl PVC suit (Criou) was no longer available, and when it was, it was very expensive.

Meander call their PVC suit a 'Criou' (http://www.meander.sk/pages/ecriou.html) so I'm guessing that's what Adam's talking about...
I guess Meander might have decided they could capture some of the market if they used the same name as Petzl

Hang on I thought the Petzl ones were 'Styx'....oh well doesn't matter.

You're probably right - I saw the word "Criou" and immediately thought of Petzl an ddidn't notice the "Meander" in the title! D'oh! Yes, Petzl's offering was the "Styx". Strange, "Criou" looks like a French word as well...

Everybody here refers to these as "Meander" suits as opposed to "Meander Criou" suits. Anyway, getting back to the original question. Yes, these PVC suits are very good underground especially when the tempratures are cool and there is water around. They can get a bit hot in dry caves (all our caves are around 38 or 40 degrees Farenheit) hence the alternative name of "boil-in-the-bag" suits!

The best thing about them (besides being waterproof, roll-away hood and small chest pocket) is that they are easy to repair. They are pretty tough but if you do tear the material, you only have to glue a patch on, and the suit comes with a repair kit with a bit pf PVC material and a tube of glue.

Thanks Paul!! That's the kind of information I was looking for. I've got a set of Meander's with Shazam from Howies for dry or strenous caving, but for cold wet surveying, I was looking at these. I think I'll have to get a pair

Those would probably be too hot for Indiana caves, even wet ones...

I use a PVC suit only for alpine caves.

Adam you have to be needing this suit for American Bottoms it is the wettest sloppiest muddiest cave I've ever been in. And one of the coldest. If you get one let me know how it works for AB.
Caveflower

I used a Petzl Criou suit in a couple cold Montana alpine caves, notably Lost Creek Siphon. I wore it over a set of ex-army polypro (light and medium weight) and a pair of gore-tex waders (from Cabelas). LCS is notorious for being cold and following a snow-melt river down to the impassable gravel plug at -650feet. The waders were worn to negotiate a deep pool at the bottom of Puberty Pit and before the Maelstrom Shaft, you could pass it by clinging to handholds in the bitterly cold spray and only get wet to the crotch.

I've also worn the Criou for other similar caving ventures. Bought mine in 2001 when my son was born, so they're over six years old and holding up well. I developed a couple small holes in them during the rigging/mapping of LCS and easily repaired these minor rents with AquaSeal cement.

I'm pretty satisfied with the Meander line. I've got another set of nylon coveralls, a couple tackle sacks and a bolt kit they make, all excellent gear that holds up well. My only beef is the tackle sacks are a bit heavy but guess that's the trade-off for the robustness.

Dr Jay

caveflower wrote:Adam you have to be needing this suit for American Bottoms it is the wettest sloppiest muddiest cave I've ever been in. And one of the coldest. If you get one let me know how it works for AB.
Caveflower