Bogley

[hank moon]

Extra batteries are a must! Strap on your headlamp and don’t forget a sweatshirt.


3 light sources w/extra batteries a must! Strap on your helmet & headlamp and wear appropriate clothing (just say NO to cotton!).

Note: most sweatshirts are cotton or poly/cotton blend. Just say no no no...

Reasons for suggestions:
- Wearing a helmet is a must for caving.
- 3 light sources (per person) considered minimum standard for caving.
- Most caves in Utah are very humid and quite cold. Cotton provides little insulation in high humidity and fast becomes wet and heavy underground.

Note: edited for clarification.

[Scott P]

Quote: Note: most sweatshirts are cotton or poly/cotton blend.

True, but you seem to be assuming that all caves are cold. Many are not. Cotton is the perfect material for many caves.

Caves are hard on clothing and gear and no way I would wear some new gortex jacket through.

Cotton is perfect for many caves, but not all. It is especially appropriate in warm caves of which many are common in AZ, UT, and CO. In warmer places (tropical) cotton is the only material of choice.

[hank moon]

Scott Patterson wrote: True, but you seem to be assuming that all caves are cold. Many are not. Cotton is the perfect material for many caves.

Most caves in Utah (and the rest of the U.S.) are "cold" - only a few geothermally heated caves are "warm" here in Utah. Cotton is never recommended, even for the warm ones, as it absorbs too much water. As a general rule, it is prudent to recommend synthetic clothing. Cotton is great for desert hiking, though. :nod:

[Scott P]

Quote: only a few geothermally heated caves are "warm" here in Utah.

Sorry Hank; disagree. Nutty Putty, Warm Springs, Blowhole, West, Mud, Snow Canyon Caves, etc, etc are all "warm" caves. i could list dozens and dozens of them. At least warm enough where cotton is appropriate and cave tempratures stay constant year round.

Wet or dry is more important than cold or warm. Unless you are wet, cotton does fine in warm caves and in fact, what else would you wear? Other than a wetsuit, what could you wear that either would hold up or that you don't mind ripping up?

Sythetics would be ripped to shreds. All cavers I know wear cotton in dry caves and I know quite a few (in fact I aided in the mapping of several caves). Old levis and old clothes is what they wear.

Unless you are in a wet cave, hypothemia is not a common problem in any cave in Utah.

Quote: Cotton is never recommended, even for the warm ones, as it absorbs too much water.

Not all caves are wet. A good example of one that is dry is Cave of the Domes (AZ) where I wouldn't wear anything but cotton in there.

[hank moon]

I made the suggestions from a "best practices" standpoint. One may be able to "get away" with cotton in a few select heated caves here in Utah, but in general, cotton is not a wise choice for caving attire.

Besides, hypothermia is a real risk even in the warm ones - especially Nutty which used to trap unsuspecting adventurers for hours on a regular basis before it was gated. The majority of Utah caves are cold and wet. I would not venture far beyond the entrance without some warm synthetic clothing in my pack. But I'm a wuss...and frequently pine for the warmer (~55°F) caves of the Southeast.

[accadacca]

How'd I do and do I have a future in politics? :lol8:

[jumar]

:popcorn:

[RedRoxx]

Southern Az caves some of us are in shorts and tank top!! Take a long sleeve if we end up sitting around on survey. We have a 50+ Lechuguilla trip vet in our group that turned us on to "shorts" caving.
Caves on the Rim are usually "sewer pipe" like caves, so jeans and sweat shirts, bag your clothes and swim thru in undies or nothing. Some folks will schlep a wet suit, or in a cave with no too many sharpies in the water a dry suit. Those caves are chilly.
Whatever you wear in a cave, plan on it being shredded eventually. Make sure you wear nice underwear for everyone to see when you blow out the seat of your pants.

[jumar]

Quote: Make sure you wear nice underwear for everyone to see when you blow out the seat of your pants.


Good call :2thumbs: