I recently bought myself a warmbac neo fleece and used it for the first time this week,and was very impressed
Has any one been on any trips in the past that they thought hey i am so glad i wore my neo fleece
Dowbergill Simpsons pot ,whitsun series GG.??
I would be really interested in your tales of not freezing your vitals.

The cave that I found it absolutely ideal for is Pucelle in the Lot.

I've used mine in White Scar Cave. I wished I had used it when I went in Smeltmill Beck Cave, think I started to notice the cold at the very far end and thats when I realised the error of my ways - same day went to Angels Drainpipe and Devils Grinding Mill - this time wearing the neofleece, although typically the water was noticably warmer in those caves!

Used it in a few other places too, although I've not worn it for ages as theres only a small number of trips it's suitable for, personally I find it too hot for a lot of trips.

We were told that a eo fleece is good for November hole in the Alum area, but we couldn't find the entrance so couldn't say so for myself.
Seemed a cheat to go in from Longchurn.

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It is a slightly obscure to find on the surface. I went through November in standard garb and it seemed fine - weather was dry so maybe water was slightly lower than usual? The only notable wet bit was near the junction with Long Churn. Same applies with Borrins resurgence - it's not too far in water so I would go for a fleece in there too.

dunc said:

I've used mine in White Scar Cave. I wished I had used it when I went in Smeltmill Beck Cave, think I started to notice the cold at the very far end and thats when I realised the error of my ways - same day went to Angels Drainpipe and Devils Grinding Mill - this time wearing the neofleece, although typically the water was noticably warmer in those caves!

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Been into Smeltmill Beck twice, both neofleece  - and very glad of it too, as the people on the trip who didn't have neofleece or wet suit got very noticeably cold and unenthusiastic.

Devils Grinding Mill - what's the relative buoyancy of a neofleece and a fleece? I know it's not much of a swim, but it's still a swim.

Same applies with Borrins resurgence - it's not too far in water so I would go for a fleece in there too.

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Borrins is not that wet - you can usually keep your shoulders dry. Smeltmill Beck is neck-deep on me. It's more fun in Borrins to resist the lure of daylight and go into the side passages which are much drier, and come out of one of the three entrances on the side of the hill facing down into Ribblesdale.

Devils Grinding Mill - what's the relative buoyancy of a neofleece and a fleece? I know it's not much of a swim, but it's still a swim.

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If the swim is in the river exit then it can be a tiptoe job, just, depending on water levels I guess! Oh and a persons height, and I'm not that tall and managed it.
Wasn't there something in Descent quite a while back about fleece/neofleece bouyancy etc??  :-\

dunc said:

Devils Grinding Mill - what's the relative buoyancy of a neofleece and a fleece?
I know it's not much of a swim, but it's still a swim.

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If the swim is in the river exit then it can be a tiptoe job, just, depending on water levels I guess!
Oh and a persons height, and I'm not that tall and managed it.

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Definite swim for me! Smeltmill Beck was almost a swim - definitely tiptoe.

Wasn't there something in Descent quite a while back about fleece/neofleece bouyancy etc??  :-\

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There was something about wetsuit vs fleece buoyancy, which if I remember rightly was effectively that a fleece was enough to tip you into negative bouyancy (also known as a stone). Presumably a neofleece would be intermediate, and because the fleece bits are on your arms and legs. I'd hope that you'd still be just on the right side. But I don't know.

I used one in White Scar a few years ago and stayed warm enough, even though the water was fairly high (armpit height in the wading sections). I did notice when crossing the big pool before Big Bertha that it was fairly easy to hang onto the rope on the wall and go hand over hand across. The buoyancy effect perhaps?

I also had a great time wearing it in Old Ing, jumping in every single pool, just for the hell of it 

[ I wished I had used it when I went in Smeltmill Beck Cave, think I started to notice the cold at the very far end and thats when I realised the error of my ways
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Been into Smeltmill Beck twice, both neofleece  - and very glad of it too, as the people on the trip who didn't have neofleece or wet suit got very noticeably cold and unenthusiastic.
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Ah, Smeltmill Beck - remember it well. Did it in thick snow many years ago - bloody freezing. The wife's hands took an hour to return to normal. Did it in wetsuits but I reckon a neofleece might have cut the mustard. Daughter has one and has done OFD bottom to top in it.

They are excellent bits of kit aren't they!!!!

Found mine particularly useful in the following places, all of which are a bit moist in places.

Swan Dike Pot.....quite moist in the extensions, especially the final crawl.
Pasture Gill......Tadpole passage etc.
Langcliffe Pot......makes the entrance crawls more comfortable. T'is a bit moist in Nemesis, but the final section to dementor sump is dry.
Strans Gill Pot.......Some moist pitches (e.g. sluice pitch) and crawls.
Crescent Pot......the duck. Wouldn't want to wear a wetsuit as would get toooooo hot. But neofleece was perfect.
Clapham Bottoms Pot......Troubled waters series.
Echo Pot.......the duck and wet crawl.
Birks Fell Cave......didn't use it here, but its wet enough to make a neofleece a comfortable choice. Especially the last 150m in the Sewer Series.
Providence - Dow. Stream-level route only.
Birkwith, Ribblehead etc. although tend to use my wetsuit more here.

Plus, they're alot cheaper than a wetsuit and you can add bits of neoprene to it to make you warmer. I sometimes add a 3mm neoprene t-shirt giving around 6mm around the chest.