Oversuits and wellies

[thehungrytroglobite]

Was going to give a detailed and well-written arguement but YOU'RE JUST WRONG!! We thought better of you.
Sincerely, the cavers of Cambridge xxx

As a Cambridge caver I would like to reiterate that this message is not representative of all of us. I think baby hagrid is 100% right. The only correct place for an oversuit to be is OUTSIDE the wellies

 

[mikem]

But it really depended on what cave I was in, I just preferred my method more often than the other method. I also have feet that are small enough that I can get my AV Oversuit on whilst already wearing my wellies, so I can drive to a cave in my full caving kit and don my oversuit to get going.

It also depends on the relative size of your boots (around calves as well as feet) & suit ...

If feet are too big then it may be possible to put the boots in suit & step through the whole lot (I find this by far the easiest method of getting out, unless there's too much suction in the boots!)

 

[BikinGlynn]

I wear short boots that mean my oversuit goes neither inside or outside, what option can I go for. Feeling very excluded here 😔

I always wear sturdy walking boots, I dont rate the grip on wellies so the issue docent really affect me either!

 

[hannahb]

I definitely can't fit mine inside my wellies. In fact I usually put my wellies on before my oversuit.

 

[JoshW]

I definitely can't fit mine inside my wellies. In fact I usually put my wellies on before my oversuit.

Now this is a real controversial opinion, what is that about?!

 

[Babyhagrid]

I definitely can't fit mine inside my wellies. In fact I usually put my wellies on before my oversuit.

I am so confused by this. How does the oversuit get over the wellies? When do you put kneepads on?

 

[hannahb]

Hahaha oops, sorry to freak you out. I put my furry suit and socks and wetsocks on, then my wellies, then put my oversuit on, with the wellies on my feet. Then I put my kneepads and armbands on.

I'm not really sure why I do it this way!

I've got a yellow oversuit - the legs are fairly wide so maybe that has something to do with it, if most people don't wear yellow?

I don't like getting mucky (I know), so it probably started so that I could get my wellies on sooner and not get sheep poo and soil on my socks.

And, until my latest pair (when I FINALLY found size 5/6 Dunlop wellies that are not for children, courtesy of the shop in Lochcarron) my wellies were pretty tight on my calves, so it was a struggle to hitch up my oversuit leg enough to pull them on. That's also a factor. Now I've got grown-up wellies perhaps I should revert to the more conventional approach?

 

[Fulk]

I can remember when I had a 'plastic' yellow oversuit that the legs were wide enough to get it on over my wellies, and this I found easier to do than putting the suit on first. Since I've changed to an AV suit, this is no longer possible.

 

[kay]

If you wear football shinpads inside your wellies, they don't - and you don't hurt your shins, ever

I don't use football shin pads, and I have never hurt my shins, ever.

 

[kay]

Those who feel being able to drain wellies is important - doesn't that just mean you have a whole new wellie-load of cold water to be heated up? Isn't it better just to hang on to the warm water you already have?

 

[Tritim230]

A divisive argument has broken out in my club about how oversuits should be worn in relation to wellies. The sane ones believe that an oversuit should go over the top of a welly whilst the traitor faction believe they should go inside. So we decided we should gather more data from more cavers.

If people could vote using the reaction emojis. Thumbs up for outside and a sad face for inside.

Thank you

🙁

 

[pwhole]

I don't use football shin pads, and I have never hurt my shins, ever.

One of my colleagues once dislodged a football-sized lump of spar once in Speedwell that rolled down a steep slope and bounced off my shin - it would have smashed it to pieces if I hadn't been wearing shinpads, and I've had plenty more close shaves digging, so I'm sticking to the plan - they were only six quid or something. Seems if padding's not obtrusive it may as well be used, and then there's less chance of me being carried out

 

[Babyhagrid]

I find the knee high warmbac wetsocks do a good job of keeping my shins from getting too battered. And my feet stay warm as a bonus.

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

I find the knee high warmbac wetsocks do a good job of keeping my shins from getting too battered. And my feet stay warm as a bonus.

Good idea I should get some of these. Since using etches instead of wellies my shins have suffered greatly

 

[A_Northerner]

Hahaha oops, sorry to freak you out. I put my furry suit and socks and wetsocks on, then my wellies, then put my oversuit on, with the wellies on my feet. Then I put my kneepads and armbands on.

I'm not really sure why I do it this way!

I've got a yellow oversuit - the legs are fairly wide so maybe that has something to do with it, if most people don't wear yellow?

I don't like getting mucky (I know), so it probably started so that I could get my wellies on sooner and not get sheep poo and soil on my socks.

And, until my latest pair (when I FINALLY found size 5/6 Dunlop wellies that are not for children, courtesy of the shop in Lochcarron) my wellies were pretty tight on my calves, so it was a struggle to hitch up my oversuit leg enough to pull them on. That's also a factor. Now I've got grown-up wellies perhaps I should revert to the more conventional approach?

Same here. Size 6 wellies, head to cave wearing undersuit and wellies, put oversuit on over wellies no problem, secure ankles with a snoopy loops then crack on.

 

[Stevie]

What’s anyones thoughts on drain holes in wellies?
I’ve not gone there yet as it surely means wet feet from the very first puddle. But then again draining boots into un untucked oversuit is just a total pain.
So should the holes be underneath for maximum effectiveness or at the heel for watery spout spurs?

 

[alanw]

What’s anyones thoughts on drain holes in wellies?

Once a pair of wellies start cracking and leaking, I add self draining holes.

I have a hole punch set and with a piece of scrap wood inside the wellie, make two holes one both sides.

I then use them when I expect to be doing a lot of walking in water that would come over the tops.

Repair, re-use, adapt and then re-cycle

 

[aricooperdavis]

What’s anyones thoughts on drain holes in wellies?

If I'm going to suffer wearing wellies on a trip I want them to mostly keep water out. If I don't care about keeping water out, as I'm usually wearing wetsocks anyway, I'll wear some old running shoes I don't mind trashing.

 

[PeteHall]

What’s anyones thoughts on drain holes in wellies?
I’ve not gone there yet as it surely means wet feet from the very first puddle. But then again draining boots into un untucked oversuit is just a total pain.
So should the holes be underneath for maximum effectiveness or at the heel for watery spout spurs?

I'm a big fan of the drain hole if the trip is going to be wet anyway.

I once riveted brass eyelets into a pair of wellies, though it was more faff than it was worth if I'm honest, but it seemed to get me a bit of a reputation, as @hannahb later made me a welly birthday cake, complete with drain holes!

I've always gone for inside the arch of the foot, but I don't think it really matters where the hole is, so long as it's not on the toe, where it will fill with mud while crawling.

I do have other wellies without holes for dry trips.

 

[Stevie]

Once a pair of wellies start cracking and leaking, I add self draining holes.

I have a hole punch set and with a piece of scrap wood inside the wellie, make two holes one both sides.

I then use them when I expect to be doing a lot of walking in water that would come over the tops.

Repair, re-use, adapt and then re-cycle

View attachment 15407

Neat. Nice. 👌