Caving Supplies

Please note: All gear and clothes will get muddy, scratched, torn, etc. Don't wear your favorite shirt unless you really want it to be brown forever!

Basic Caving Supplies

1. helmet light (main headlamp)
2. minimum of two other sources of light (mag light is a good choice)
3. spare batteries for the lights (8-12 AA, for example)
4. old boots with lug soles to wear in cave (not tennis shoes!)
5. old clothes to wear in cave or coveralls for ease of changing (When you take the coveralls off the clothes underneath remain fairly clean. Some people wear jeans and a T-shirt.)
6. backpack to drag, roll, shove, drop, etc. (it'll take a real beating; keep it as light and small as possible)
7. food in appropriate containers (like a sandwich box, to keep your sandwich from being mashed paper thin)
8. water
9. knee pads
10. helmet (ecrin roc or equivalent, but bike helmet with duct tape will work)
11. duct tape (tape your knee pads on; tape your shoes to your pants at your ankles)
12. pee bottle, funnel (for ladies), toilet paper, and plastic bags (pack everything out)

Optional Caving Supplies

1. gloves (optional but highly recommended)
2. spare light bulbs
3. elbow pads
4. first aid kit
5. reflective tape for marking yourself and/or the route (but pack it out!)
6. glow sticks
7. camera (that can withstand the dirt and abuse)

After-Caving Supplies

1. clean change of clothes for outside the cave
2. wet wipes, extra water, wash cloth, towel for clean-up outside of cave
3. garbage bags (for all the muddy stuff)

Technical Caving Supplies

1. ascension system
2. harness
3. descender appropriate to the drop