Newbie to Caving

travelbunni

New member
Hi All,

i'd love to learn about caving but have never done this before. Do you recommend joining a club first or doing lessons with companies like pure outdoor?


Cheers ;)

Jazz
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
Joining a club is the cheaper and probably more sustainable option in the long term. If you are very keen to get started as soon as possible then professional instruction may be more flexible and will usually supply kit? Some clubs will have kit to borrow (possibly only initially), some don't. Basic caving isn't really complicated (unlike say climbing) although if you live in an SRT area I could see gaining SRT skills quickly might be useful.

Unless you have all the money in the world to spend, you will need to find people to cave with eventually and this is the real benefit of a club.

Where are you based?
 

Brains

Well-known member
Both are valid ways in to caving, but club caving would be a cheaper if longer method. You would also get more of the social side of the sport, and a number of people to cave with in the future.
A compromise could be a guided starter package where you will get the intense high quality training and experience you would expect, and advice on which clubs are active in your home area / caving area of choice. You could then join a club to expand you skills and experience. There are many professional people out there, and good clubs as well who will on occasion "buy in" outside trainers at a subsidised rate for their members.

Which area are you based in / want to cave in?
 
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