wet suit versus traditional caving suit + furry

[stealth]

Hi,
As me and my gang have started to do swildons now as well as all the Burrington caves, i am wondering and would  like to know your opinions, if there are any advantages/disadvantages  in wearing wet suits instead of the more traditional caving suit and furry. We did swildons last week in wetsuits with boiler suits over the top and were very comfortable in them, by the time we came out even after a good soaking,  ( judging by the ridiculous amount of steam we were producing ),we were all hot and sticky. i was actually  surprised at how many cavers that were up there, wearing wetsuits compared to the traditional+furry.

What do you guys prefer?
i would be interested to know. thanks

stealth

 

[Stupot]

This subject has been covered numerous times in one form or another, and I don't think there is ever a hard and
fast rule as to what clothing you should wear in a cave.

If I am going to be spending 50% of a trip getting wet or pissed upon from a great height then I wear my 5mm, if there are a few puddles here and there and maybe a some wet crawls then it's a furry / oversuit.

If it's a cave like GC then it's just the thong and maybe my flip flops  :doubt:

Stu.

 

[cap n chris]

Depends on:
* How many wetsuits, neofleeces and furry suits you own and which one you feel like wearing on any particular day
* Time of year/temperature underground/overground/in the water
* Amount of freedom of movement you want to have during the trip
* What type of wetsuit you own (i.e. how thick/hot/tight-fitting etc.)
* How much water/weather there is
* What you're going to be doing (i.e. SRT/waiting/digging/sump diving etc.)
* How sharp the cave is and therefore how much damage you're willing to subject your kit to
* Whether you're doing a wet or dry trip the following day and whether you've got time to dry out your furry overnight, assuming you've only got one
* Your budget
* Fashion (!)
* etc. etc.

 

[Elaine]

I am prone to getting cold in caves, but I would not do Swildons in a wetsuit unless I was going through the sump or mud sump. It definitely depends on the individual though. If you are fit enough to keep going to keep warm you will be ok.
It has been a long time since I jumped into Double Pots, I think I feel an urge coming on...

 

[graham]

There has been no simple answer to this question for a long time. In the 1970s there was no serious alternative to the wetsuit so they were used for every trip (& yes I've been down Goatchurch in one!)

I am assuming that you have a restricted budget & thus aren't going to equip everyone with everything. In that case you want the most flexible kit. You can do most wettish caves in a fleece/oversuit, as Anne notes, but you wouldn't want to do most dry caves in a wetsuit.

 

[Dep]

LIDL are doing wetsuits for £25 this week.
Lightweight and ideal for wearing under oversuit or overalls.

I always wear a wetsuit in Swildons - but I get very cold very quickly.

 

[stealth]

I am assuming that you have a restricted budget

yes graham very restricted hence why ive been buying wetsuits from carboots, so far ive fallen on my feet doing it this way, warmbac, oneill suits etc, all in good nick and 3-5mm  thick ive bought 10 in the last 3 weeks and its only cost me £22. lots of spares.

so far weve only been down to the 20 in swildons ( due to lack off equipment)  but still managed to get nice and wet and theyve managed to keep us warm thus far, dont know what it wouyld be like if we ever did a sump, probably another story.

thanks for your input guys

stealth

 

[graham]

Personally, mate, I would not go sumping without a wetsuit. That is a wetting too far for me.

Caving is like all many activities, the more you do, the more kit you need. Just wait until you start 'em on long pitches.

 

[Wolfart]

As above depends which cave or system you are in,Swildons most can be done with furry and oversuit even the sump,just keep going on the way out.
Dan Yr Ogof,idealy  wet suit for the lakes, change for the rest of the cave for comfort,Green canal wet suit for bouyency(is that spelt right). Wore a wet suit for the whole trip to the great north got very hot and wrecked my wet suit in the long crawl, BIG HOLES IN THE KNESS AND ELBOWS,forgot my knee pads,the usual you dont need pads for this cave  DHOh

 

[cap n chris]

When visiting a cave with a notorious section known as the "Long Crawl", how could you possibly overlook packing kneepads?

 

[Stupot]

bouyency(is that spelt right).

No, It's actually spelt boiansee 

 

[cap n chris]

Isn't that a sauce you have with sphagetty?

 

[Stupot]

No that's bollocknaise sauce.

 

[cap n chris]

Ah, yep; I remember, now. Ta.

 

[Wolfart]

When visiting a cave with a notorious section known as the "Long Crawl", how could you possibly overlook packing kneepads?

cos it was me first trip in there

 

[ian.p]

swildons is a good cave for working out how much you need to were especially if you are doing it bit by bit if you go on trips that are each a bit longer and or wetter than the last then if you come out at the end of a trip feeling a tadge cold then wear an extra fleece for the next trip obviously things like sumps need special consideration as they get you very cold very quickly. i used two fleeces and a pair of tracksuit trousers under a set of second hand waterproofs for ages (preferred waterproofs to oversuits) worked fine for sump 1

 

[damian]

I don't wear a wetsuit unless I am going to either swim or spend a substantial chunk of the trip in (and I mean properly in) water. For pretty much ever trip I do throughout this country and abroad I wear a furry suit.

Even if doing a short sump like Swildon's Sump 1 or a few short ducks then I still wear a furry suit because they keep me so much warmer when I'm not in the water and maybe hanging around later in the trip. Furry suits drain pretty well so a full soaking for a few seconds is fine after about 30 minutes' caving.

However, they are pretty expensive and whether you can justify it at the moment or not given that you have loads of wetsuits, I doubt. If I were you, I would use the wetsuits until you find they're unbearable. In Swildon's they're probably not too bad - although I bet you get hot doing the Long Dry Way!

 

[stealth]

However, they are pretty expensive and whether you can justify it at the moment or not given that you have loads of wetsuits, I doubt. If I were you, I would use the wetsuits until you find they're unbearable. In Swildon's they're probably not too bad - although I bet you get hot doing the Long Dry Way!
Posted on: Today at 09:02:33 PM

damian, yep we were in swildons today and wearing our wetsuits was very pleasant considering the amount of water there was,(well compared to last week anyway) and yep we were very hot on the way out.still it was all good fun.

 

[shotlighter]

However, they are pretty expensive and whether you can justify it at the moment or not given that you have loads of wetsuits, I doubt. If I were you, I would use the wetsuits until you find they're unbearable. In Swildon's they're probably not too bad - although I bet you get hot doing the Long Dry Way!
Posted on: Today at 09:02:33 PM

damian, yep we were in swildons today and wearing our wetsuits was very pleasant considering the amount of water there was,(well compared to last week anyway) and yep we were very hot on the way out.still it was all good fun.

If you're just starting out then wear what you've  got (wish I had a wetsuit when I started -Luxury etc.).
As they say in these parts "Owt fits a naked mon ('cept a too small pair a shoes)".

 

[Dep]

You'll really notice the difference between summer and winter walking across the field to Swildons in a wetsuit.
You soon see why so many people leave their top down around their waist until they arrive at the enatrnce.