Does any one ever use a dry suit seems mad to me that when ever we want to explore a bloody wet passage we all ways don our wet suit which retricts movement rubs when your not in the water and a night mare when ya want to take a pee.

There a lot tougher than what they used to be even breathable nowadays got to be worth a try

Clean, dry, warm, when every one else is freezing getting changed got to be a bonus for the ladies who dont like to bare all in front of the lads

I'm happy to get wet and a little cold, its part of the experiance and to keep warm you keep moving.

I am fair minded, the women can get changed like the rest of us.

Funnily enough, when I started caving in the 70's ldgit: , everybody wore a wetsuit - even in bone dry caves! Mind you, most were ripped and had patches on top of patches, so there was probably plenty of ventilation...

Nowadays it's furry suits / oversuits all round - but you can still get really cold if there is ever a reason to have to hang around.

Very much depends on the cave in question.

If there are some very tight squeezy sections in the otherwise wet cave then a dry suit would be a hinderance.

Also, overheating can be a problem if you are working hard (even in a wetsuit). So I reckon that it would have to be doing an awful lot of caving a damned wet and cold cave to warrant the cost of buying one. plus one rip and the thing becomes a big baggy wetsuit. Caves are harsh environments and Ive not known one item of equipment that doesnt start to suffer within a year of regular use be it ropes/srt kit/or clothing (alright my balaclava is still going strong.)

I use a neo/fleece under a yellow pvc suit for really cold wet stuff.

About 8 years ago a mate of mine tried an army (airforce) surplus drysuit.
Oh it was such a lovely orange colour and so easy to get into - NOT!
He looked quite a pratt - even more so when it ripped wide open within 5 minutes of entering P8.

Yes Paul, I remember that a wetsuit was the first item of gear that new cavers bought in the early 1980's when I started. Closely followed by the patch material and glue!
Worn out patches and rips were meant to be a sign of status at the time, and 'expert' cavers were easily recognisable by exhibiting more bare flesh than wetsuit. Its not quite so easy in these days of smart PVC! Perhaps I'll resort to the 'looking at the bushyness of the beard' approach to working out who are the hard cavers! :wink:

hmm

Of all the hard cavers I know - none of them have beards.

Theres a few ex hard cavers I know who have beards, but thier hard caving past has caught up with them these days.

Come to think of it, I only know one bloke with a beard who still caves.

Maybe it was connected to the demise of the wetsuit as every cave wear?

I recon that wetsuits shrink over time. No, I don't just mean that they struggle to cover growing beer guts. I hadn't worn mine for about 10 years, when I found it in the attic and tried it on. The arms and legs were about 6 inches too short (they were always 2 inches to short!) and it was incredibly hard to put on. I haven't changed ordinary clothes sizes in 20+ years.

Has anyone else had this problem?

SamT said:

hmm

Of all the hard cavers I know - none of them have beards.

Theres a few ex hard cavers I know who have beards, but thier hard caving past has caught up with them these days.

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Any of them women?

I am fairly new to caving but certainly plan to try a dry suit this winter, partly because I have one already.

Modern dry suits can be very tough and hard wearing. I have been using the same one for the last 5 winters for regular ( at least twice a week)kayaking, kitesurfing. Its had some hard use and is still dry. There is no doubt an oversuit to protect it would be needed, caves are very harsh on gear.It could get too hot, but you just wear less under it, a thin fleece rather than a thick wooly bear.I think it will be very sataisfactory, but will let you know, its still too warm in my wet suit yet !. and no I dont have a beard.

Well done get wet, I like it when some one sticks there neck out (or should i say beard)

Well as the coldest trip seems to be dow to provi i think that that would be a exalant test good hard long trip in and out of water cold has always been the barrier in that place

Maybe there will be a place in the market for 'cave prove' dry suits in the future

Some one tell beaver quick although there motto might be a problem!
'Happness is a wet beaver'

diggerdog adam said:

'Happness is a wet beaver'

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I tried an ex-Navy dry suit in a neck deep mine level in wales a few years ago. Yes it kept you dry - it felt very weird walking through the water like a michelin man getting a swedish massage - until I realised you were supposed to vent the air out at the neck !

However, it was not particulaly warm, (it was pre-fleece romper suit days), so after a few hundred yards I was getting quite cold and looking forward to getting out into the nice warm sunny day I had left (when I did get out it had turned into a freezing cold wet welsh day and night - the storms knocked out the power to the pub, so no hot meals and only bottled beer :shock:

So dry suits still need warm foundations ...