Advice wanted

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wormster

Guest
I'm getting into this caving lark, and I wanted to pick the collective brains of a seasond bunch of cavers.

which is better to keep kit dry??

a drysack or darren drum?

now i realise that if you have a DD at the bottom of your kitscak its going to provide some bouyancy, handy in wet caves, whereas a drysack could possibly take up less space allowing more kit to be carried.

I'd value your thoughts / opinions guys :please:
 

paul

Moderator
I usually only have a small bit of kit I need to keep dry and find that a small Nalgene bottle is ideal as it is robust and waterproof.
 

Brains

Well-known member
I find dry sacks just to delicate for caving, but ideal for canoeing. Depending on the amount of kit that is needed to be kept dry, then there are a variety of options: Pelicases, Daren Drums (Actually old chemical containers) in all sizes, Nalgene pots or even the good old Ammo Tin! If you know people that work in Labs then a variety of knock off products will be available, but be aware that they are designed for preventing the spillage of nasty things. HF acid comes (or used to) triple wrapped in the 250ml size, the outer one of which is ideal for flash guns and batterys. Washing out with mild alkali is an obvious precaution. The old BDH containers were also a nice handy size but are as rare as hens teeth now. If ex-military appeals then besides the rattle and clank of an ammo tin there are also a variety of shell and rocket tubes available. Also think about how it will be carried - in a tackle bag or direct off its own sling...
The options are there for the picking!
 

Sewer Rat

New member
I am quite new to all this too and Where possible i carry a tackle bag with a daren drum  and a peli case for my camera keys and phone ::).
The daren drum is big enough to store a lunch box big enough for 2 compressed sandwitches and a few apples! Hey first things first eh?
It is also big enough to store my home made 1st aid kit a complete backup lighting system, this is in addition to my helmet mounted one.......its not that im afraid of the dark or anything :eek:
The coolest thing is in a long duck you can just nudge it along as it floats nicely.
I am not very nice to my bag drum and case an am quite happy to chuck it of a small pitch like swildons 20
 

AndyF

New member
wormster said:
I'm getting into this caving lark, and I wanted to pick the collective brains of a seasond bunch of cavers.

which is better to keep kit dry??

a drysack or darren drum?

now i realise that if you have a DD at the bottom of your kitscak its going to provide some bouyancy, handy in wet caves, whereas a drysack could possibly take up less space allowing more kit to be carried.

I'd value your thoughts / opinions guys :please:

To an extent it depends on what you want to keep dry, and how fragile it is...

If its small stuff, like camera and spare lamp that are possibly fragile, then the answer may be different to other items.

The thing I would say is to try not to take stuff down a cave that is not necessary! Novices oftentend to take more stuff than is absoultely necessary....

What sort of stuff do you want to keep dry...?

 
W

wormster

Guest
Well currently:

in dry caves I use a bergen sidepocket, its large enough to get things like; carkeys, wallet, mobile phone, (i take these to stop them getting pinched) compact digicamera, 1st aid kit, thermos, and food (i have a sigg alybox).

for wet caves i have a large ammo box that i usually dump everything bar the food and drink in
(leave that topside apart from a couple of mars bars shoved in my caplamp or overalls pocket)

the only problem with the ammo box is that its heavy and clunky, you can hear me a way off.
(CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!, CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!, CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!)

just that i'm thinking of bying a dragon caving bag and wonderd what y'all used?

Sewer Rat said:
The coolest thing is in a long duck you can just nudge it along as it floats nicely.
I am not very nice to my bag drum and case an am quite happy to chuck it of a small pitch like swildons 20

well that's waht i was thinking..... :goodidea:


 

cap n chris

Well-known member
If you're going to buy a Dragon bag buy it immediately `cos they're leaving the country for good in a fortnight....
 
W

wormster

Guest
:mad: :mad: EEK

well swmbo won't stand for me shelling out ackers at the moment :mad:

so it'll have to wait

i know inglesports do some good kit and so do bat caving.

next time i'm mendip way i might just have to wander in.

:oops: it just fell into the basket love
 

Chris J

Active member
I rekon you seem to have too much kit underground.

How I cave -

Phone and Wallet stay hidden very well in the car. Car key is a non electronic one which goes round my neck with my knife, whistle and single LED torch.

Spare light or lights all attached to my helmet (plus the small one led one round my neck) Mars bar or two in my oversuit along with my Balaclava and survival bag. If you really want to keep the balaclava dry you can put it in a very small dry bag but I'm happy for it to get pretty wet.

After that you can get a tiny first aid kit (between the group) in a little pot (tupperware beaker) if you are being safety conscious. Finally if the cave is minging some water in a bottle - if it's ok, just drink from the walls

Daren drums and dry bags are either a luxury when you have lots of people or novices and want to take down a whole three course meal, spare clothes etc.. or if you are doing really long trips where you need brew kits and other items. For a regular day trip in the UK I rekon you just don't need a daren drum or dry bag.

Exception poss being a camera - but why not get a diving or sports case for it then put it inside your suit.

Oh - and yes Dragon make the best bags. They have made some extra for inglesport so ask there.
 
Yeah ditto...as i'm lazy I carry the very minimum I can get away with...Car keys in an Aquapac to keep them dry (Electronic key i'm afraid!) round my neck, mars bar in sleeve pocket, drink (squashy pouch type) in breast pocket, spare bulb & survival blanket inside helmet...Never worry about batteries/spare light as I have a spare light (Dive Light type) bungeed to side of helmet...
 
W

wormster

Guest
Guys,

I've come into caving from the mountainwalking side of things, (snowdonia's TOO FAR from where i live, mendip's closer)
as somebody who has been MLC trained and a first aider too boot, i value all opinions so its very interesting to find out what other folks take with them :-\ that's why i started the thread to pick up ideas before the next trip.
 

AndyF

New member
wormster said:
Well currently:

in dry caves I use a bergen sidepocket, its large enough to get things like; carkeys, wallet, mobile phone, (i take these to stop them getting pinched) compact digicamera, 1st aid kit, thermos, and food (i have a sigg alybox).

for wet caves i have a large ammo box that i usually dump everything bar the food and drink in
(leave that topside apart from a couple of mars bars shoved in my caplamp or overalls pocket)

the only problem with the ammo box is that its heavy and clunky, you can hear me a way off.
(CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!, CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!, CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!)

Carkeys, wallet, mobile phone - leave them hidden on the surface!

1st aid kit - don't bother in the UK (see another thread on this)

Thermos - don't bother, really...

Food - Two mars bars tops for any UK trip

Camera - small Pelican Box shoved in your tackle sack


Andyf

 

Sewer Rat

New member
:jaw: im starting to get a complex here!
am I the only person who takes food with them?
Ok the 3 or 4 hour trips i tend to go lightly with just my peli case in a tiney handbag.

But 6 hours without food  :eek:
Yea I think this weekend is the last for Dragons.
such a great loss :confused:

 

AndyF

New member
Sewer Rat said:
:jaw: im starting to get a complex here!
am I the only person who takes food with them?
......

Yes, it's only you...no-one else.......you're mad.....MAD I say!!!

But seriously, eat a load of pasta and drink five pints the night before....then go to a cafe in the morning and eat a huge breakfast full of fat and carb. Then you are set up for the day. Carry two mars bars for an energy kick when it's time to come out. Best to leave them in the bottom of a tackle sack to let them get soggy, they taste better when you have to eat the wrapper too... (y)


 

SamT

Moderator
wormster said:
the only problem with the ammo box is that its heavy and clunky, you can hear me a way off.
(CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!, CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!, CLUNK scrabble scrabble curse!)

Hmm - I posted up ealier today but must have cocked it up.

Anyway - Please dont use Ammo boxes. They really should be consigned to the realms of the "This is what cavers used to use"

Apart from anything, they damage the cave (scratches - chips etc on flowstone floors). Darren drums are cheap - light - durable - waterproof - and a damnsight less painfull to carry though a cave.

Ortleib Dry bags are OK for some stuff - like sleeping bags/clothes etc when you are going to be bivvying. So long as they are in a good tackle sack (eg dragon 'berger' bag that seems to have been designed for just that job i.e. its exactly the right size). Make sure its not packed with anything that can rub or wear the dry bag though.

Darren drums are the dogs for nearly everything - stoves food first aid drills batteries - you name it - theres one to fit.  Again Dragon do a 'Darren' bag - exactly the right size for the 5 and 10 litre darren drums.

then there are aqua packs - keys etc, nalgene bottles - food stuffs, drinks and pelicases if you've got stuff you precious about - cameras, survey gear etc.

 

SamT

Moderator
cap 'n chris said:
If you're going to buy a Dragon bag buy it immediately `cos they're leaving the country for good in a fortnight....

How do you mean... they are ceasing manufacture - or they are shipping their manufacture out somewhere.

Dragon bags are basically the only tacklebags worth buying and it will a be a sad day if they are going to stop making them.  :(
 

graham

New member
SamT said:
cap 'n chris said:
If you're going to buy a Dragon bag buy it immediately `cos they're leaving the country for good in a fortnight....

How do you mean... they are ceasing manufacture - or they are shipping their manufacture out somewhere.

Dragon bags are basically the only tacklebags worth buying and it will a be a sad day if they are going to stop making them.  :(

Dudley and Maire have retired. Ben's gone abroad.

Dragon is no more.
 
W

wormster

Guest
as somebody who needs lots of fuel I'm with sewer rat on this one I'll continue to carry food and water with me.
 
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