Warmbac Have Moved HQ

Pegasus

Administrator
Staff member
wl


Have Moved!


Warmbac was established in 1975 by Dave Warman.  Dave worked as a footwear leather cutter and caved in The Mendips in his spare time.  The caving attire of choice at the time was a wetsuit, however cavers had to use 'jacket and trouser' type suits designed for general watersports. The 'sharkskin' neoprene used stuck to rock.  Dave saw an opportunity to design one piece wetsuits made of 'double lined' neoprene (nylon both inside and out) which didn't stick to rock as much especially for cavers - and so the Warmbac caving westuit was born and Dave went full time.  Dave's son Richard (aka Kermit) joined the company in 1984.  Kermit, also a caver was a member of the CDG for many years and caves both on Mendips and other areas of the country.  Warmbac really is equipment designed by cavers for cavers  :)  Warmbac employ a number of machinists who have been with the company for many years.

In 1984 Warmbac began making oversuits and overtime expanded into manufacturing various industrial products, however caving equipment remains the largest part and heart of the business today. 

Warmbac are always looking for innovative new materials suitable for use in the tough cave environment - the development of warmtex kneepads for example.

Over the years cavers have got larger!  A size 42" oversuit may have been ordered once a week a few years ago - these days Warmbac are manufacturing size 44, 46 and even 48!

Warmbac can now be found at:

Unit 6, Beckery Enterprise Park
Glastonbury, BA6 9QT

01458 442475

info@warmbac.com

If you are in the area, please do call by to say 'hello'.  Kermit will also be at Hidden Earth 2017.

Warmbac caving equipment is available from many stockists including Inglespor, Starless River and Up and Under.

We will be running a competition to win one of the new Warmbac oversuits soon!

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A new Warmbac oversuit being made.

 
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Better views from the new offices - Church Tower on Tor Hill  :)




 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
The information above is interesting - and (for me) a bit nostalgic. I remember all of that well.

I disagree that using double lined neoprene is wise for caving. There are three reasons for this:

* Single lined neoprene dries much faster, thus minimising water evaporation and therefore heat loss. If ever you're trapped in a cave then single lined neoprene is far warmer and reduces your likelihood of suffering hypothermia.

* The reason double lined neoprene wetsuits rapidly become uncomfortably stiff is because of severe shrinkage of the nylon on each side. Single lined neoprene remains far more flexible and comfortable.

* The exterior nylon on double lined suits is far harder to get really clean before repair than single lined neoprene.

I realise that avoiding double lined neoprene prevents flashy colours being used for the fashion conscious but - hey, were supposed to be cavers. As soon as it's covered in mud it makes no difference anyway.

The best thing about Warmbac suits is they're not made in China. Well done Warmbac for bucking the global trend.
 

Cave_Troll

Active member
one reason for ordering larger oversuits is that i find they shrink
a suit that fitted me when i bought it, after a year had an inch or two of arm below the cuff.

I sold it and bought the next size up.
 

Hunter

Member
I liked my old two piece shark skin wet suits.
There are three of them hanging in the shed which sadly don't fit anymore
Yes, they all shrunk 🙄
 

robjones

New member
Hunter said:
... the shed which sadly don't fit anymore

I've got a shed like that too ... its all that stuff that accumulates ...  ::)

Back on topic - excellent products, not least the double lined neoprene kneepads which got me through an extensive DIY plumbing project in a fair degree of comfort.
 

Simon Beck

Member
The shark skin stuff was far easier to repair and patch than the lined stuff. I've just done a load of patching using bostik 2402 but found they've already begun to peel even after building up both surfaces first..

Excellent products nevertheless..
 
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