Dales gear hire

[Alex]

Is there really no place to hire gear now in the Dales? Bernies used to do it, but now defunct, Inglesport only do lights. If you are not a big club with all this gear to hand how the heck do you get newbies into caving? This is a distinct brick wall/road block I am hitting and frankly I think I am going to give up on the idea, as a small club you can't be expected to buy multiple sets of caving gear for all the different sizes, that's just way too much money!

Anyone know of anywhere?

 

[Alex]

Peak may also work, does Cave and Climb (Or name similar) still exist and do gear hire?

 

[Benfool]

You could try Yorkshire Dales Guides? They might be willing to rent you gear.

B

 

[alanw]

does Cave and Climb (Or name similar) still exist and do gear hire?

Are you thinking of Cave and Crag, in Settle market place? They've gone, I'm afraid. Google streetview shows them there in 2016, but it had become an antiques centre by 2021.

 

[Steve Clark]

"Vertical Skills" on Main street in Ingleton did originally advertise gear hire on facebook when they first opened, but I can't see any mention of it on their website now. I guess they're likely to be using it exactly when you want to hire it.

It is a bit of a pain in general, but can totally understand how it's a load of hassle and impossible to make any money out of it. We have started to collect together a bit of spare stuff for the club, but it's difficult to run a big intro day out. It puts people off if they're not wearing proper gear and get cold.

 

[Alex]

Yeh I spoke to Vertical skills, they have stopped renting them now they were going to then decided to not to do it.

 

[ian.p]

Hi Alex
Cave and climb is Andy and Rachel sparrows outfit they are mendip based. How much kit do you need?

 

[Alex]

Cave and climb is Andy and Rachel sparrows outfit they are mendip based.

Mendip's a bit too far away, but yes I must have been thinking of them then, I thought it was that Derbyshire one, what's that shop on the square in Castleton, not far from the TSG? Is that still going?

How much kit do you need?

No immediate need now, well I had but cancelled taking the 3 I was going to bring and am just taking 1 as I had enough spares of personal gear. But generally 3 kits but it's varying sizes. People let me know last minute which is why I am looking for a shop or something where you don't have to know in advance.

 

[JoshW]

So reading this it looks like there are clubs wanting kit to be able to borrow kit in order to be able to arrange try caving type days?

Is there other clubs in this situation? I’d discussed with someone within CNCC about options for things like this (which actually matched up with some plans of mine anyway).

 

[Steve Clark]

We are primarily a mountaineering club, with a caving section of about a dozen people. We occasionally take folks out from the membership on evening trips who want to try caving. We have managed to convert a few to part-time cavers. We've now got a couple of suits (XL+ & L+) that make this relatively easy in-house. Prior to this, we just organised one annual 'intro trip' where we hired a big batch of suits from an outdoor centre. This was ok, but folks kinda needed to get their own suit if they wanted to come again.

It would be easier if we could just point folks at a shop to hire gear for their first few outings, but we have just adapted with our own club suits now.

 

[Ian Ball]

What do you regard as a set?

All you need is a torch.

 

[paul]

I thought it was that Derbyshire one, what's that shop on the square in Castleton, not far from the TSG? Is that still going?

No - it closed down a few years ago.

 

[mikem]

It's such a tiny market (& cavers are cheapskates) that it's almost impossible to make money out of. A few outdoor centres will hire kit, especially if you put the effort into getting to know them.