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Wetsuits for Caving
- Thread starter Hoff
- Start date
Hoff
New member
Hi guys thanks for the info much appreciated 
Due to the nature of my coastal activities exploring sea caves and tunnels I prefer to wear a wetsuit for flexibility without an over suit because of the amount of swimming/wading involved so an over suit would weight/drag me down and restrict movement and wellies would just not work!
Since discovering a mine adit entrance in a cliff face we are now starting to do a lot of rope work descending and ascending combined with wading and swimming through flooded adits. The route to get to the entrance of the cliff face adit requires a descent, rock scrambling and swimming and wading through gully's and tunnels so minimal flexible protective clothing is the preferred option.
There are 2 possible mine shaft entrances we could descend to the adits but at present they are very inaccessible and the surface shaft edges are crumbly and unstable but in the future we might purchase specialised equipment for a safe descent such as a quad.
I have thought about protecting my wetsuit against abrasion damage with knee pads but where I seem to get most nicks and rips is in the derri?re region through rock scrambling and controlled slide downs into the gully's!
The only wetsuit I have come across which might be suitable is the Gul Profile 3/2mm Sailing wet suit which seems to have the abrasion protection in the right places and I was wondering if any other caver has used one?
I will look at the Warmbac wetsuit but is it suitable to swim in and does it flush out? I use 510 Canyoneer 2 boots because of the good grip, ankle support and great drain out properties but they are a bit pricey. Fellow member ah147 mentioned about Starless River Canyoning boot what are they like and where can you get them from?
Thanks again for your inputs and info.
Cheers
Hoff
Due to the nature of my coastal activities exploring sea caves and tunnels I prefer to wear a wetsuit for flexibility without an over suit because of the amount of swimming/wading involved so an over suit would weight/drag me down and restrict movement and wellies would just not work!
Since discovering a mine adit entrance in a cliff face we are now starting to do a lot of rope work descending and ascending combined with wading and swimming through flooded adits. The route to get to the entrance of the cliff face adit requires a descent, rock scrambling and swimming and wading through gully's and tunnels so minimal flexible protective clothing is the preferred option.
There are 2 possible mine shaft entrances we could descend to the adits but at present they are very inaccessible and the surface shaft edges are crumbly and unstable but in the future we might purchase specialised equipment for a safe descent such as a quad.
I have thought about protecting my wetsuit against abrasion damage with knee pads but where I seem to get most nicks and rips is in the derri?re region through rock scrambling and controlled slide downs into the gully's!
The only wetsuit I have come across which might be suitable is the Gul Profile 3/2mm Sailing wet suit which seems to have the abrasion protection in the right places and I was wondering if any other caver has used one?
I will look at the Warmbac wetsuit but is it suitable to swim in and does it flush out? I use 510 Canyoneer 2 boots because of the good grip, ankle support and great drain out properties but they are a bit pricey. Fellow member ah147 mentioned about Starless River Canyoning boot what are they like and where can you get them from?
Thanks again for your inputs and info.
Cheers
Hoff
ah147
New member
Canyoning boots? From starless river. Combine them with neoprene socks and you're flying. I use that combination for 12 hour+ caving/diving trips where my feet are never out the water.
The Warmbac wetsuit is very suitable for swimming, I use it cave diving, but obviously it is not as good as a thinner suit or a purposely designed swimming suit, but it is warmer and tougher. It has special abrasion stuff on the "derri?re". It flushes as much as you'd expect a wetsuit to flush
Another trick we use canyoning where you slide a lot is simply wearing board shorts over the wetsuit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The Warmbac wetsuit is very suitable for swimming, I use it cave diving, but obviously it is not as good as a thinner suit or a purposely designed swimming suit, but it is warmer and tougher. It has special abrasion stuff on the "derri?re". It flushes as much as you'd expect a wetsuit to flush
Another trick we use canyoning where you slide a lot is simply wearing board shorts over the wetsuit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
paul
Moderator
Hoff said:
That's be through the online caving shop at www.starlessriver.com.
Try http://www.starlessriver.com/shop/footweargloves/etche_canyoning_boots/333
Hoff
New member
Hi,
I opted for buying 510 Canyoneer 2 and Canyoneer SAR boots after weighing up all the pros and cons of buying a cheaper boot, I did get a good price for both pairs so the financial pain was eased a tad!
It did take a very long internet search to find my size and after speaking to one stockist I was told that there is an acute shortage of them due to the UK Environment Department buying 1000's of pairs (because of the floods) direct from 510 resulting in UK and European dealers receiving reduced ordered levels.
My 2 old pairs did last for 2 years and after a lot of explorations and abuse but I did rinse them out and treat them with TLC after each trip! There are a few niggles with them such as the retaining strap wearing out/breaking but this was easily rectified by using cable ties and also the cloth/material collar ripped easily when encountering brambles/thorns but again this can be partially protected by using gaffe tape.
Cheers
Hoff
I opted for buying 510 Canyoneer 2 and Canyoneer SAR boots after weighing up all the pros and cons of buying a cheaper boot, I did get a good price for both pairs so the financial pain was eased a tad!
It did take a very long internet search to find my size and after speaking to one stockist I was told that there is an acute shortage of them due to the UK Environment Department buying 1000's of pairs (because of the floods) direct from 510 resulting in UK and European dealers receiving reduced ordered levels.
My 2 old pairs did last for 2 years and after a lot of explorations and abuse but I did rinse them out and treat them with TLC after each trip! There are a few niggles with them such as the retaining strap wearing out/breaking but this was easily rectified by using cable ties and also the cloth/material collar ripped easily when encountering brambles/thorns but again this can be partially protected by using gaffe tape.
Cheers
Hoff
cavermark
New member
The FiveTen canyoneers are very comfortable and light on the feet, and give excellent friction on wet rock. Great for big river caves involving lots of boulder hopping/climbing in and out of water; or long surface hikes involving lots of river crossings. They are expensive though and I've found they wear out after 6 weeks or so caving in the tropics (everything about them just degrades there so even patching/gluing/stitching doesn't extend their life).
I find Wellies with neoprene socks sufficent for most UK caving.
I find Wellies with neoprene socks sufficent for most UK caving.
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