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ian mckenzie wrote:Heh. Cave in the Rockies for a season, then Tag'll seem warm...
Light polypropylene underwear is definitely a good start, and if you can keep the falling water off you with a waterproof over, that should do it I'd think. Ditch the wool socks; try pile (fleece) socks and wring them out when you can (otherwise just drain them by sitting down and elevating/tipping your feet). Throw a silk cap or neck-gaiter into your pack, and pull it on/off as the mood suits. And the old standby - cave in a small group, and keep moving...
ian mckenzie wrote:Heh. Cave in the Rockies for a season, then Tag'll seem warm...
Light polypropylene underwear is definitely a good start, and if you can keep the falling water off you with a waterproof over, that should do it I'd think. Ditch the wool socks; try pile (fleece) socks and wring them out when you can (otherwise just drain them by sitting down and elevating/tipping your feet). Throw a silk cap or neck-gaiter into your pack, and pull it on/off as the mood suits. And the old standby - cave in a small group, and keep moving...
CaverCraig wrote:ian mckenzie wrote:Heh. Cave in the Rockies for a season, then Tag'll seem warm...
Light polypropylene underwear is definitely a good start, and if you can keep the falling water off you with a waterproof over, that should do it I'd think. Ditch the wool socks; try pile (fleece) socks and wring them out when you can (otherwise just drain them by sitting down and elevating/tipping your feet). Throw a silk cap or neck-gaiter into your pack, and pull it on/off as the mood suits. And the old standby - cave in a small group, and keep moving...
I have a fabric Meander crawl suit, would a PVC suit make a large difference?
CaverCraig wrote:Hi all,
I was wondering what kind of gear TAG cavers are wearing into wet multi by drop caves? I currently where Army Navy poly-prose under a meander crawl suits and wool socks in my jungle boots. I still manage to get cold as the poly-prose still hold water just not as much as cotton, especially when I'm waiting for others to climb out of pits . I've been thinking about getting neoprene gloves and Sock's and switching my poly-pros for 3mm wetsuit for the really wet caves. I'd like to get some input from cavers that do this type of caving about how they deal with it.
Thanks
wyandottecaver wrote:I can only speak for myself, I have done very few wet multi-drops but I have done LOTS of very wet caving so my experiance may or may not be applicable.
pvc vs fabric makes a incredibly huge difference. I once forgot some clothes and caved a very wet muddy horizontal cave in a pvc oversuit, t shirt, shorts, and kneepads. I wouldn't even think about that in fabric. also, many fabric coveralls have a moisture resistant coating inside that flakes off the first time they see a dryer, never put treated coveralls in a dryer.
I prefer to use a thin layer of polypro that will dry quickly from body heat, covered either by a fleece undersuit (I use a petzl) or heavy polypro covered by an oversuit of pvc or fabric depending. This lets me unzip layers as needed to manage temperature.
Unless I am doing a lot of swimming or very wet surveying wetsuits seem too restrictive, too hot, and create challenges to releiving yourself. They also seem colder if you get out of the water and then stop moving. I have used a farmer john bottom, fleece top, and oversuit with good results. Thin diveskins however, can also be quite helpful when your are getting wet but still doing a lot of moving.
Sealskin gloves and socks are very good (I like them a lot, especially the socks) but they don't take much abuse so protect them. I wear fabric gloves over my sealskin gloves. neoprene booties are ok, neoprene gloves (wallmart style) suck. they are too bulky, too hard to get back on, too cold. true dive gloves may be better. synthetic and/or wool socks are fine and work well out of water, but as long as your actually in the water they wont do much for you.
a thin fleece beanie cap under your helmet and a trash bag stuffed up in the top works wonders.
Always always carry a dry polypro top (even a thin one but med weight is best) in a waterproof bag in your pack. If you get really cold, or have to stay longer than expected, being able to put on a dry top next to your skin is a gift from god.
Also, if you get cold...eat. when you get tired...eat...when you stop moving....eat.
YuccaPatrol wrote:I am a skinny guy and am one who always tends to get cold. I've found that for me a thin 2mm shorty wetsuit made for watersports windsurfing/water skiing or other watersports (not a diving suit) works wonders. These seem to work better to me than a dive suit. Maybe because they are made for watersports where you are generally wet but not submerged? Just my best guess. . . . They do have excellent freedom of movement that surpasses full diving suits.
Cheap ones can be had from sierra trading post. Last one I bought cost about $40.
This one is very similar to the one I have and is about the same price: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Product.aspx?baseno=24486&cdf=TopSeller
I actually ordered this one last year but it was sized too small and I had to order another. BY that time, the size I wanted was sold out. I ended up with essentially the same one but with a rear zipper (actually more comfortable that way, especially when crawling).
I would suggest ordering one at least one size bigger than the size chart if not two sizes. With them almost sold out and the excellent return policy sierra has, order two you think might fit and plan to return the other.
I have a fabric Meander crawl suit, would a PVC suit make a large difference?
robcountess wrote:I agree with Ian Mckenzie. For wet multipitch TAG caves I would suggest swimming trunks or a bikini.
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