Caving equipment

Caves in temperate regions such as Europe and North America maintain an average yearly temperature of 11–13 °C (52–58 °F).[4] While this is not especially cold, exposure to water and fatigue can increase the risk of hypothermia. Cavers usually wear a one-piece undersuit made of fleece or fibre pile, sometimes used in tandem with thermal underclothes. In warmer caves, such as those in France and Spain, lighter undersuits are used to prevent overheating.

A pair of Wellington boots

When caving in wet caves neoprene wetsuits provide superior insulation to fleece underclothes. While cavers often use wetsuits designed for surfing or diving, specialist caving wetsuits are available with reinforced elbows and knees.[5] Hybrid fleece wetsuit-undersuits are also used.

Cavers commonly wear protective oversuits, similar to boiler suits but made of heavily abrasion-resistant material such as cordura. In wet or windy caves, PVC oversuits may be preferred, as they provide a greater degree of warmth and protection against getting wet. Oversuits often come with reinforced areas, especially at wear points such as the elbows, seat and shins. Internal pockets and hoods are sometimes provided.

Knee pads and, less commonly, elbow pads are worn both to protect both the caver's person and clothing. Gloves are also worn. In wet caves neoprene gloves can be worn as added protection against the cold.

Wellington boots are a popular choice of footwear, being hard-wearing, cheap, having good grip and great water-resistance. Hiking boots are also worn, providing superior ankle support. They do however let water and grit in much easier and are often damaged by the harsh cave environment. There is also the risk of lace hooks ensnaring on ladders. In large, dry, tropical caves they are superior to Wellington boots, being cooler and restrict movement less. Specialist canyoning boots offer an expensive alternative to Wellingtons and hiking boots.

While helmets are used to protect the caver's head against occasional falling rocks, they find much more use in protecting the cavers' heads from bumps and scrapes while moving through low or awkward passageways. Helmets are invaluable for mounting lights—an array of lights can be attached to a helmet. Many helmets used in caving can also be used as climbing helmets.

The single-rope technique (SRT) is the most commonly used technique for passing vertical obstacles.

• Climbing harness - static and more abrasion-resistant than the harnesses used in rock climbing.
• Climbing rope - rope used for abseiling is low-stretch static rope, typically 9 mm-thick in Europe. In the US, SRT rope is thicker (11mm) and more abrasion-resistant, given the greater amount of rope-rub tolerated. Ropes are cut into varying lengths
• Ascender - used to ascend ropes. Devices that used lever cams were once used, though these have now been overtaken in popularity by toothed cam devices which slip less. A minimum of two ascenders are used, one attached to the harness at waist level, and another attached to a foot-loop and moved by hand. A third ascender may be attached to a foot and a rope-walking technique used.
• Descender - used to abseil down the rope. There are two main types of descender – a bobbin descender such as the Petzl Stop, and a rack descender, favoured in parts of the US for its smooth descent and excellent heat-sinking capacities. Bobbin descenders are favoured for European style SRT as they make it easier to change ropes at rebelays and are lighter.
• Cowstails - lanyards used to clip into safe points of contact when changing over at rebelays and while using traverse lines. They are made from a length of dynamic rope with two lanyards of differing length ending in carabiners.
• Knife - used as safety equipment to cut ropes, cut hair caught in descenders etc.
• Whistle - on long pitches where shouting is ineffective, whistles are used to signal other team members.
• Chest roller - helps stabilize barrel-chested or top-heavy users who have a tendency to lean back during vertical caving. The device features a chest plate, which is strapped high on the torso, and a metal roller, which locks around the rope.[6]

Early cavers used rope ladders with timber rungs. These were superseded by wire 'Elektron' ladders at the start of the 1960s and remained the most common method of descending large shafts until around the end of the 1980s. Today they are largely used for descending short or tight pitches. The rungs of the ladders are usually made of aluminium tube because it is light and strong. Ladders are usually made in 5 m (15 ft), 8 m (20 ft), or 10 m (30 ft) lengths, and can be clipped together to make longer lengths. While ladders can be used without a belay, this is unsafe and is not recommended. Ladders may be carried coiled, without other protection, until needed, or may be carried inside tough PVC tackle-bags.

Dynamic rope, more commonly used in climbing, is used in caving for belaying cavers on climbs or using ladders.

Static rope, once past its useful life for abseiling, is often used for fixed aids, such as handlines on climbs. The rope may be knotted to help climbers. Rope may also be recycled for digging.

Most caves require artificial anchor points to secure abseiling rope. A common method of placing bolts is to hand drill them using a hammer and a self-drilling bolt, using bolts adapted from the construction industry. A hanger can then be screwed into the bolt. Since affordable battery drills came on the market it is more common to see cavers drill the holes and use a variety of different bolts and concrete screws. Stainless steel resin bolts are used on routes that see a lot of traffic as they have a long life and, if placed correctly, are safe and reliable.

A standard Brunton Geo, a combined compass and inclinometer, popular as a cave surveying compass until recently

The most common device used by cave surveyors is a sighting compass, such as that manufactured by Suunto or Silva, that can be read to the half-degree. Compasses used for cave surveying have to be rugged to cope with the harsh conditions. For high grade surveys, inclinometers are required, and are sometimes made in combined units with compasses. Recently, digital compasses and inclinometers have been developed by enthusiasts, some with wireless connections to PDAs, though these have not yet attained widespread use.

A standard fibreglass tape measure is commonly used to measure distance, usually in lengths of 30 to 50 metres (98 to 164 ft). Laser rangefinders have recently gained popularity, though tapes remain preferable in especially wet or muddy conditions.

Tough waterproof paper is used to record data, the advantage being that, if the paper becomes excessively muddy, it can be washed off in a stream or pool. Paperless surveying is now becoming a reality as digital measuring devices can be wirelessly connected to PDAs where the data is stored and drawn.