AV separate jacket/trousers

[Rachel]

Has anyone tried caving in the AV separate jacket and trousers rather than an oversuit? If you have, how did it work? Did the jacket stay put or ride up? Did the front of the jacket get in the way of the srt kit? Hopefully no trousers being pulled down by tight squeezes. And is it worth the extra cost?

 

[carpet]

I find the trousers are great for stuff that's mainly walking with minimal water or flat out crawling, in a mine I'll often wear them with thermal leggings underneath and an old tshirt on top as I tend to run extremely hot, the extra ventilation is so nice in that scenario - not sure id fancy the jacket/trousers combo in somewhere really grotty though. If you, like me, run hot and sometimes do more open mines with walking passages, I would 100% recommend the trousers, although i can't speak for the jacket, as although I've toyed with the idea, I'm yet to buy it. I've worn the trousers with a cheap old waterproof jacket a few times and had no issues with it getting in the way of srt kit, so I can't imagine the actual AV one would either, and I regularly wear the trousers with a fleece jacket, again with no issues at all. The waistband of the trousers is sufficiently high that with the included belt done up, there's no chance whatsoever of the trousers pulling down past your hips.

 

[KBrook]

Didn't have any AV set but my mum made me something once that's still going. Top part goes over my SRT kit all the time so you can't see your carbiners but you can find them by feel. I never found it took much of a detriment to my already bad SRT skills.

Once had the jacket bunch up on me reversing out of a squeeze that was really past my limit but all I had to do was ignore the pain and I got myself out.

The AV ones look like they have a slimmer cut compared to what mum made so perhaps they are better.

Big pros are the ability to shed the top layer of you're running hot which is great in hot Welsh caves or if your abroad. I found a trouser bottom combined with a thermal top is perfect for the southern USA.

Great piece of kit. Love it.