Dave said: > I think everybody will agree that neoprene socks on your feet are the > best thing you can have on your feet in a wet cave like Honeycreek. > > http://images.cabelas.com/is/image/cabelas/s7_831192_imageset_01?$main-Large$
AGREED Dave said: > 2nd, > > rubber boots that lace up also work well. The laces allow you to > keep the boot tight > around your ankle to protect from sprains and also to keep mud and grit out of > your boots. Rubber boots that don't lace up will also work, but > occasionally you > will have to empty out the mud and grit. You could wrap up your ankle with > sports tape prior to putting on the neoprene bootie if you are wearing > non-lace > up rubber boots. > > The recommended boots are called "6 inch polyblend work shoe": > > http://www.gemplers.com/product/127507/Lace-up-6-PVC-Plain-Toe-Boots > > I think every Honeycreek caver agrees these are suitable for Honeycreek. > > [ I believe that the Onguard brand is less expensive than the Bata brand ] > > Better boots are available, but just harder to find and more expensive, so > I would recommend you try these $ 25 ones first. They should last you > several years. > AGREED Dave said: > 3rd, > > As for 6 mil wetsuit, I think everybody will say that is too thick for > going upstream > from the shaft. > > What you could do is wear a thin snorkling suit ( 1 mm or less ), > > http://www.tommydsports.com/products/pages/8802.htm > > and then put a 2 mm farmer john type wetsuit over it, that only covers > the thighs, butt and chest. That way you can easily move around and > not feel constricted in your suit. This makes it easier to wear > knee-pads and elbow pads. > > http://www.onlinescuba.com/eshop/products/b_neosport-s536mf.gif > > Or you could wear the 1mm snorkeling suit under a pair of nylon caving > overalls, > if you don't get cold easily. > > On a thru-trip, a 6 mm wet-suit would help you float the swimming > section easier, but > I think fat cavers will say 6 mm is too thick, especially on the arms. > > I think it important to have a front zipper. Back zippers are not suitable > for > caving. AGREED FOR THE MOST PART. I WEAR A THICK WETSUIT ON THE THROUGH TRIP AND NEVER GET OVERHEATED. AS FAR AS A ZIPPER IN THE BACK, I BOUGHT A SNORKELING WETSUIT AT ACADEMY THAT HAD A ZIPPER IN THE BACK. I HATED IT, SO I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE MOVE IT TO THE FRONT AND I CUT THE LONG SLEEVES OFF AND MADE IT SHORT SLEEVED. NOW I WEAR IT WITH THIN POLYPROS UNDER IT AND IT WORKS GREAT. Dave said: > In some cold caves, you could warm up while sitting around a tiny > sterno can. But I don't know if cavers do that in Honeycreek. > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterno > WHAT WORKS BETTER, AND MANY HONEY CREEK CAVERS DO THIS, IS TO TAKE A TRASH SACK, A LONG-BURNING CANDLE, AND A CIGARETTER LIGHTER (THE LATTER TWO ITEMS IN A SMALL NALGENE BOTTLE, POKE A HOLE THROUGH THE END OF THE TRASH SACK AND PUT YOUR HEAD THROUGH IT, BEND YOUR KNEES AND PUT YOUR LEGS INSIDE OF THE TRASH SACK, AND PLACE THE CANDLE ON THE FLOOR BETWEEN YOUR THIGHS. Dave said: > As for what to wear on your hands, wear neoprene gloves like what > water-skiers use. The neoprene gloves that divers use are too thick > and will not allow you to maneuver your fingers to do things like take > photos or survey. [ However, the divers gloves work great for > "salamandering," if you are fortunate enough to find a cave where you > can do that. ] NEOPRENE GLOVE ARE EXPENSIVE AND DIE FAST IN A CAVE. USE CAVING GLOVES. YOUR HANDS RARELY GET COLD. Dave said: > If you are the kind of person that gets cold easily in a cave, then > you could stash a sweater > and a hat at the bottom of the shaft in a plastic bag. I DISAGREE ON THE SWEATER, AND INSTEAD RECOMMENT A POLYPRO, CAPILENE, OR SOME OTHER SYNTHETIC LONG UNDERWEAR TOP. YOU CAN EVEN HAVE THEM LOOSE IN YOUR CAVE PACK AND SOAKING WET. WHEN YOU NEED IT, YOU WRING IT OUT, PUT IT ON WET, AND IN A MATTER OF LESS THAN A MINUTE YOU GET OVER THE CHILL AND IT'S WARMING YOU UP. Dave wrote: > > Sounds like fun. I wish I could have been there. > WE'VE RESCHEDULED THE THREE WEEKENDS, DAVE, SO MAYBE YOU CAN. 1) FEB. 13 - DIVE GEAR TAKEN TO THE HS SUMP 2) FEB. 20 - THE DIVE IS DONE AND THE CAVE IS AVAILABLE FOR TOURIST TRIPS 3) FEB. 27 - DIVE GEAR IS BROUGHT OUT OF THE CAVE. LET ME KNOW WHICH TRIP(S) YOU CAN MAKE. BILL > David Locklear > > On 1/30/10, Cristina Estrada <ara...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi to all, I'll go to Honey creek cave next weeks. This is my first wet > > cave in cold weather conditions. I checked, and the weather conditions > > suggest 60's/40's. I assumme the temperature inside the cave is more or less > > stable during the year, but still it's gonna be cold. What suggestions do > > you have to keep warm inside the cave? Should I wear a 6 mil wetsuit? How to > > keep hands, feet warm? How to avoid getting a cold? Should you have a > > specific blanket outside the cave so when you get out you wrapped yourself > > immediatly? > > > > Also they predict some rain. Is it safe to cave when is raining? > > > > Thanks for your advice, > > Cristina Estrada > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
