Caving Suit Colours

[afraidofthedank]

Is anyone else disappointed by the available colours of caving suits? I am thinking about buying a new one to replace my tatty old AV Rochas, but pretty much everything available in the UK or from European suppliers is Red, Blue, or Yellow. Why is that? Is it just economical to only make suits in these colours? Do manufacturers only produce material in these colours? Surely there is a market for a wider range of colours? Or am I just an idiot for wanting to look good in muddy, dark places?

 

[Babyhagrid]

You could get black suits from Warmbac (and dragon a while ago) . Not sure if that's happening anymore

 

[afraidofthedank]

You could get black suits from Warmbac (and dragon a while ago) . Not sure if that's happening anymore

Seems like Warmbac only sell their standard and lightweight suits in classic blue/red these days The Warmbac digger is also available from starless river, in a slightly different shade of blue. Honestly, I'm really curious to know why blue and red seem to be the default colours!

 

[LadyMud]

As well as the usual colours, Landjoff also do a BLACK oversuit
Inglesport have recently started importing Landjoff stuff, so could probably order one for you.
(Or try Action Stash for Landjoff suits)

 

[Babyhagrid]

I've seen some old green oversuits from beaver. Of unknown age. I assume it's the manufacturer of the cordura that decides the colours in the end

 

[Edwardov]

I personally don’t mind the weird colours, very handy for spotting cavers down a hole in the dark. If we wore black that would be a lot harder!

 

[afraidofthedank]

As well as the usual colours, Landjoff also do a BLACK oversuit
Inglesport have recently started importing Landjoff stuff, so could probably order one for you.
(Or try Action Stash for Landjoff suits)

The black one is pretty nice. I could settle for black!

 

[afraidofthedank]

I personally don’t mind the weird colours, very handy for spotting cavers down a hole in the dark. If we wore black that would be a lot harder!

Surely hi-viz yellow would be best for spotting cavers?! I don't mind the colours and I don't think they're weird - I just think it's a bit boring that everyone ends up wearing pretty much the same thing.

 

[pwhole]

I have a hi-viz yellow suit, which I wear mostly in the wet, and it's certainly difficult to hide in that one. I have better forms of camouflaging when I need it. I'm quite looking forward to trying the orange Landjoff, as it's my favourite colour.

 

[mikem]

We are a very small market, so they presumably stock the colours that sell best. Having said that, red is not actually a very good colour for visibility underwater...

 

[cavemanmike]

I’m not that fashion conscious. If you saw my patch work suit you’d understand 😉😉

 

[Ed]

Black or dark blue - means you don't have to standard around while some decides it's photo time.... Unlike nice, visible red ones 😂

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

My friend has acquired some cordura with cats on it and is making her own cat patterned oversuit

 

[mikem]

You can also get sheep and bats, but it is more expensive than the 12 base colours:

Waterproof Fabric Cordura Cartoon Patterns, PN-EN ISO, 600D Weave, 200g/m2, Width 150cm /60 - Etsy UK

This Fabric item by ecoPrintFabric has 30 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Poland. Listed on 02 Feb, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[afraidofthedank]

My friend has acquired some cordura with cats on it and is making her own cat patterned oversuit

I wish I had the skill to do that! Sounds like I need to buy my own cordura and get someone to make it for me if i'm going to get the oversuit of my dreams.

 

[topcat]

I wish I could get the colour I wore on the 80's.......Dayglo Pink. It was lovely, but if course the in-your-face glow soon faded.

As a guy, I needed to have broad shoulders to wear that

I think it was Daleswear.

 

[langcliffe]

Caving certainly has changed since my early days - I blame Instagram.

The following is a story about Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ralph Borlase Wingfield, who in 1909 was the first to scamper along Wingfield Ledge between Jib Tunnel and Rat Hole, from an article about the guy.

In 1913 a party including Ernest Baker and Wingfield visited Fermanagh with the intention of descending the previously unbottomed Noon’s Hole. Both Martell and Baker had previously tried, and failed. Unfortunately, the Yorkshire Ramblers Club ladders which had been sent out from England failed to arrive. Undeterred, Wingfield suggested that they visit Loch Earne, find a chandler, and buy the raw materials to make their own ladder. This they did, and armed with their new 105’ ladder and plenty of rope for pulling it up and down as appropriate, they managed to reach the bottom of the 250’ shaft.

Wingfield left an impression on Baker: "The handy man of the party was always Wingfield. His entire disregard of appearances was an example to us. He rarely shaved, he washed but sparingly, whilst a campaign was in progress; a singlet, a pair of shorts, and boots sometimes oiled but never blacked, always, however, well protected by a layer of cave mud, were his attire throughout our stay at Derrygonnelley." And this was the High Sheriff of Shropshire!

 

[Cantclimbtom]

I mine not cave but I have a blue boiler suit, it goes through a rainbow shades of blues, wetter shades of blue, greys patches, browns, ochre-browns and filthy browns. I colour coordinate and accessorise it with my surroundings. I like to think that makes me look good

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

I wish I had the skill to do that! Sounds like I need to buy my own cordura and get someone to make it for me if i'm going to get the oversuit of my dreams.

I also wish I had the skills ( have found some really cool cordura with dragons on it

 

[Pitlamp]

I wish I could get the colour I wore on the 80's.......Dayglo Pink. It was lovely, but if course the in-your-face glow soon faded.

As a guy, I needed to have broad shoulders to wear that

I think it was Daleswear.

Obviously the price must have been right . . . .

;-)