What do you take with you?

[LadyMud]

Many thanks for all the advice, which I shall re-read carefully. I was really glad of a snack, whilst waiting for my two-wellied companions to finish the second bit.

 

[Ian Ball]

Haha! I've been searching that pool for lost wellies more than once

Glad you had fun

 

[moletta]

A drink, several small snacky things, small spare light, gloves if you aren't wearing them, tie/clip the key to the bra

 

[Brains]

LOL lots of interesting advice here...
I usually have a spare light, knife and whistle round my neck, and carry some snacks a drink, spare batteries and car keys in a small bag / box combo. For SRT if you know how to use it a pulley jammer or traxion. First aid kit can be just a roll of duct tape and a j cloth.
Oversuit over wellies always
Be cautious, outside help will be at least 2 hours away and extraction much more. Play safe!

 

[topcat]

Put the key up inside the front wheel-well, where it can be then knocked inside the bodywork upon attempting to retrieve it, whilst your mates are all getting changed in the rain at Knotlow, and after the old barn's been sealed. Alternatively, put it behind 'that loose stone' in the drystone wall in the Mandale Sough tail, whilst your mates are all getting changed in the rain, etc. etc. Giving it to me is probably the safest option

I never leave my keys on the vehicle or in the nearby stone wall. 'Everyone' does this: it is well known . Not secure at all. 90% of cars in Alum
Pot lane could be stolen in a few minutes by a big enough gang of toe - rags......

 

[PeteHall]

I never leave my keys on the vehicle or in the nearby stone wall. 'Everyone' does this: it is well known . Not secure at all. 90% of cars in Alum
Pot lane could be stolen in a few minutes by a big enough gang of toe - rags......

But when was the last time someone actually had their car stolen while caving?

If everyone does it and it's well known, yet there are no problems, is it actually a problem?

I've been known to (accidentally) leave my keys on the car roof by a busy route in busy season. Came back at the end of the day and they were still exactly where I left them. Most people out and about in the countryside are pretty honest.

 

[Loki]

But when was the last time someone actually had their car stolen while caving?

If everyone does it and it's well known, yet there are no problems, is it actually a problem?

I've been known to (accidentally) leave my keys on the car roof by a busy route in busy season. Came back at the end of the day and they were still exactly where I left them. Most people out and about in the countryside are pretty honest.

I left my keys in the drivers door lock all day in the centre of Buxton - all was fine! Second the head torch round the neck. Only just started doing this after 30yrs. Why other people I caved with didn’t do it either I cdont know. I have a torch that uses the same battery as my main light so not only to I have a spare light but also a spare battery for the main one. A bothy bag on wet trips can be a godsend in a spray lashed chamber waiting for whatever. Would have made sitting out a flood in peak cavern more pleasant too….but we had silver blankets and a load of rope to sleep on so all was fine.

 

[Leclused]

If you do a lot of lengthy trips and you don't want unfold/fold the silver/gold blankets all the time a speleoponcho is perhaps a good extra piece of equipement. Especially in cold alpine cave it is very usefull to sit under with a candle.

The original one : http://arsip.fr/le-speleoponcho/

Nowdays they are no longer made by Annette but the production was taken over by MTDE

Chasuble de survie - MTDE

Cette chasuble de survie est l’amie indispensable du spéléo ! La chasuble est un équipement individuel de protection thermique, ses velcros latéraux permettent tant une utilisation “bras sortis” que “bras protégés”,? elle peut également s’employer en version cagoule fermée pour se mettre en...

boutique.mtde.net

In the following pdf you can find a test between the classic blanket and the speleoponcho (page 33).

https://efs.ffspeleo.fr/images/les_cahiers_de_l_efs_n_17_la_mort_annonc_e_de_la_lampe_ac_tyl_ne___.pdf

 

[A_Northerner]

Second the head torch round the neck. Only just started doing this after 30yrs. Why other people I caved with didn’t do it either I cdont know.

When I saw what happened to Chunky's jaw after taking a stumble into his neck-mounted Pixa (it went through his face), I now have a sincere aversion to having anything sizeable round my neck while caving.

 

[EvilStu]

Unfortunately, one welly came off while I was struggling up a little waterfall, and is now lying at the bottom of Dr Bannister's Handbasin. (If it ever emerges, please let me know. I don't actually want it back, but I can send you the other boot.)

We did have a really good look around in Dr Banisters Handbasin, after having spoken to you outside while minus a wellie. Despite being very determined and getting very wet 2 of us failed to find it.

 

[LadyMud]

Hello Stu! Thank you all for trying to find it!

 

[cavetroll]

When I saw what happened to Chunky's jaw after taking a stumble into his neck-mounted Pixa (it went through his face), I now have a sincere aversion to having anything sizeable round my neck while caving.

I’m assuming (perhaps incorrectly?) that your buddy fell/slipped onto some rock? Would this outcome have been much better without the head torch?

Apologies if that isn’t what you meant but I’m trying to understand how that worked out.

 

[ian.p]

A small group shelter is in my opinion the most important piece of emergency equipment you can carry underground. A small First aid kit is a good idea however if I had to chose one id take the shelter. It doesn't matter what the emergency is flooded in, broken leg, got lost all of these situations are improved by being able to keep warm. Severe hypothermia + severe trauma has a 100% mortality rate and keeping someone warm is a first aid intervention that you cant really mess up but does make a huge difference.

 

[Swallowneck]

A small group shelter is in my opinion the most important piece of emergency equipment you can carry underground. A small First aid kit is a good idea however if I had to chose one id take the shelter. It doesn't matter what the emergency is flooded in, broken leg, got lost all of these situations are improved by being able to keep warm. Severe hypothermia + severe trauma has a 100% mortality rate and keeping someone warm is a first aid intervention that you cant really mess up but does make a huge difference.

Having been unlucky enough to be in a serious situation that required the use of what was then, the traditional plastic suvival bag, to save a life I can confirm that the small orange sized shelter that I use now is so much more effective and much lighter. It really is a chalk and cheese difference.
If caving with a group then it is so easy for one person to carry a small two person shelter. I totally agree with Ian they really can be a life saver and should probably be the number one piece of emergency kit carried by a group. Even if a situation is not serious life is much more pleasant sat in a shelter nice and warm rather than out in the open in a draughty passage.

 

[Ian Ball]

Lifesystems Survival Shelter 2 - Inglesport

Technical Equipment Retailers to the Sport and Professional markets for Caving, Climbing, Rope Access, Work at Height and Rescue since 1977

www.inglesport.com

Like one of these?

 

[Ian P]

Not the cheapest but an excellent bit of kit.

Supalite Bothy Bag 4 Person – Deal | Summit Bothy Bags

SUPALITE Bothy Bag 4 Person Available in New Spec Flo Orange roof & Orange sides or Flo Yellow roof & Silver sides, Plain Olive NB: The roof is stronger and more robust and combines with supalite silver sides designed for heavier use, but still a supalite With nearly half the pack size and...

www.summitgear.co.uk

 

[aricooperdavis]

I completely agree, they're life savers. Even on the surface they can make life much nicer if you're waiting around.

Here's a photo of a group of us sheltering in one during a thunderstorm in the Dachstein Alps. Once the lightning had passed we realized we were sheltering about 10m from a cave entrance, which ended up going very nicely!