Cavechat.org

Another vote here for PVC gloves and neoprene liners. I have tried the polypro liners, but I find they don't keep my hands warm.

I don't go vertical much, but when I do, I tend to wear PMI Rope Tech gloves. NOT cheap, But nice.

But I also have a pair of gloves from HD that I'd probably wear for vertical also. (they'r yellow and black, all synthetic, no idea the brand or model).

Just some words of wisdom. If using leather gloves, be sure to get them out of your cave pack as soon as you are done caving. I had a wet pair of PMI leather gloves that turned moldy after several days of being in the muddy clothes bucket. I use cheaper, more disposable gloves now.

So it seems many people here are using gloves that are either rubber, PVC , or other synthetics and no real problems with the material wearing through from rope burn(at least not instantaneously like I thought it would). Ill have to experiment. I've always used leather for rapping.

Atlas Xtra is very durable, tactile, both warm when wet (fingers are rubber dipped) but not too hot in dry caving (cloth material with open weave on back of hand and wrist). I'm amazed at how well they withstand muddy, wet, cave rope through the palm, though on dry drops I will sometimes smell that "burnt rubber" smell. Don't even think about leather gloves in a wet cave, and neoprene will simply be wasted money if you use it on rope. Plus, Atlas gloves in size Medium (both the Xtra and the Therma Fit) have finger lengths that properly fit my hand, while other gloves leave me with an extra 3/4" of floppy glove on my pinky fingers.

Especially if you're doing smaller drops in the NE you should be just fine. It's been more than a few years since I went out of my way to use leather on rappel. If you're really concerned you could get some rubber-dipped kevlar work gloves. They're pretty reasonable on eBay.

If it's going to be really wet, I'd prefer neoprene gloves (and maybe a wetsuit!).

For general caving, I like these dyneema gloves. Not waterproof or warm, but dextrous and almost indestructible. Adding a thin liner glove or wristover makes them warmer, but only when dry. I might try a thin neoprene liner, if I can find one.

You also have the option of carrying a spare pair of thicker, warmer gloves.

I wear lined PVC gloves like these:



I was put off neoprene gloves many years ago when a caving companion hurt himself when he fell while climbing down a handline-assisted climb and couldn't hang onto the rope while wearing neoprene gloves.