Whats in your Cave Pack?

[L Roebuck]

Here's some of the things I normally carry in my cave pack. Of course this list changes depending on the cave I plan to visit.

Water, Gatorade
Snacks
2 spare Caving Helmet Lights (Mountable)
Spare Batteries and Bulbs
Cyalume Light Stick
Spare Polypropylene
Webbing
First Aid Rescue Kit
Extra Gloves
Leatherman tool
Flagging Tape
Caving Journal, Pencil

What's in your cave pack?

[madratdan]

Spare lights and batteries
food and water
first aide kit
duct tape
pee bottle
scissors instead of a knife
sometimes an Ipod and portable speakers if we are digging all day.

[Brian Roebuck]

Really old cave food - it may not be edible now
Webbing
small repair kit (tape, wire, zip ties, carbide reamer, multi-tool)
back up lights (2 or more)
balaclava
trash bags (universal poncho!)
Eyeglasses defogger and cleaner
emergency T.P.
A couple of rocks someone left in there for me

whatever else I need for the specific trip

[Bretton]

Ok, so here's my list...however, looking at Lynn's list makes me think that a few additions to my pack are in order (a lightstick or 2, flagging tape, and a journal or survey book). Currently I'm using a small (1200 cu In pack - my adventure racing pack) so all of my stuff goes inside my dry bag...inside the pack and it takes me forever and a day to clean my pack after a caving trip. That's why I'm gonna be buying a Lost Creek pack.

1 large trash bag
my pee bottle (something with a large opening and thick plastic, like a
gatorade bottle or nalgene bottle)
1 small trash bag to pick up trash from irresponsible cavers (and to
eat over)
spare batteries
2 extra light sources (1 mountable)
a full lunch and snacks
water
silk weight long underwear
softshell jacket
dry socks
Gerber multi-tool

Our group tends to collectively carry things like harnesses, first aid kits, webbing, rope, and other miscellaneous gear depending on what cave and where in that cave we are going.
I'm a fairly new caver, so, if you read this and think that I'm missing something important that compromises my safety (i appreciate constructive criticism), please let me know, thanks.
Happy Caving, Be Safe.

[L Roebuck]

Hey Bretton, yeah the things in your pack can be changed out depending on the cave you plan to visit. --Weenie horizontal caves (50 footers) vs Vertical multi-drop horror holes. --

Also in my cave pack I have duct tape or its in my pelican box with my camera. I do have silk long underwear but have never tried it for caving. Does it work better than poly pro?

[Bretton]

Horror Holes? I'd LOVE to get into vertical, but just don't have the skills or experience right now. Honestly, I've actually never used my silk weights or poly pro for caving because I stay pretty warm (never more than 12 consecutive hours in a cave, so I never stop to sleep, with only 30 min breaks or less). As of right now, I keep them in my pack along with my softshell (forgot to mention my beanie) in case of a situation where one of the guys in our group hurts himself and we might have to get help to get him out. So, if he had to wait (like with an immobilized leg) we could keep him warm to prevent hypothermia or shock. However, I am a gear head and have used them in a number of different environments. I would say that depending on the temperature of the cave, you could drop some weight and bulk with good quality silk weights. They both insulate when wet...which is a good thing, provided that the silk-weights are a synthetic. The silk weights (depending on fabric) are also moisture wicking. I have a very nice set made by Arc'Teryx ^TM They design technical clothing for climbers, it's gussetted for a full range of movement and has really bomber stitching (you do pay for it though). I've worn them climbing, backpacking, kayaking, chillin around camp on cold nights and on guard duty in Iraq (always underneath pants of some sort). They are normally enough to keep my legs warm in less-than-freezing temps unless there is wind. I usually need another layer on my core if not moving much to keep me warm though - that's why I keep my softshell with me. They also dry very quickly compared to ploy pro.

Hope that helps you make an informed gear decision.

OH! By the way, in my avatar pic, I'm wearing an old silkweight (capilene) top that i use as a long sleeve shirt for all above listed activities.

[L Roebuck]

Thanks! I checked out ArcTeryx online. www.arcteryx.com/
(The Womens, of course ) The base layers looks darn good. I run cold - so this might be a good alternative to poly pro.

I couldn't tell much about your top in your avatar. Do you have a bigger size of that pic?

[Brian Roebuck]

Heh,
I usually get too dang hot caving when I am moving quickly or climbing etc. Wet caves though can and do chill me down nicely. Lynn could use some nice warm thin clothing to cave in. Thanks for the suggestions Bretton.

[paul snook]

small container with sweat towl and hand held battarie powered fan,
otterbox /w/ flash gun and battaries, laser pointer flash light
nalgene for water,
compact camera
small first aid kit
critter cards for refrence
caving man action figure(old gi joe turned caver)on his own rope
tripod
back up lights
survey gear
scooby snacks ;D
small can of odor eliminator ( if youve caved with me you know why)

[Chad Dubuisson]

I vary what I carry based on the severity of the kind of cave it is. I have developed a survival drum, one of those 3.5L Darren Drums. Inside of it, I have everything I need to stay alive underground for several days. It contains:

Emergency Bivy sack
4' Duct tape
(2) 8 hr candles
Mini stove
(5~6) Fuel tabs for stove
(4) packs of Hot chocolate
Metal Sierra cup
2 cigarette lighters
4 powerbars/ candy bars
Emergency drinking straw
Water purification tablets
2 large stick on heat pads
Stenlight 9v battery adapter
9v Battery backup
Chemical Light stick
Matches
20’ of small nylon cord
SAM splint
Liquid bandaid
Small tube super glue for bad cuts
Balaclava
Polypro glove liners
Small pencil
3 pieces waterproof paper
(3) AAA Lithium backup batteries
Backup headlamp
P-38 can opener
Swiss keychain multi tool
Small folding knife
Alcohol swabs
Gauze pads


These items, when properly packed, all fit inside this small Darren Drum. Anytime I go into a cave where there is the possibility of getting wet, doing any vertical work, or when I'm going to be a long way from the surface, I take it along in the bottom of my cave pack. It gives me piece of mind that should I ever get hurt underground and have to sit it out to wait for one reason or another, I’d have plenty to eat, plenty of warm drinks and plenty of heat to keep me comfy till the time comes to exit. Or, someone else I’m caving with would have those comforts if they got hurt.

After bringing this Drum, which I rarely open unless I need my balaclava, I also bring a piece of 15’ webbing next to it in the cave pack, just in case.

Obviously, if it’s a vertical cave, the list goes on, depending on what might be needed.

The SAM splint and duct tape alone are worth gold in a cave, allowing you the chance to splint up most injuries which might be common to caving and perhaps self rescue.