CAVING

EQUIPMENT

A. BASIC PRINCIPLES

We will continually consider an important component of caving  that affects nearly everything you do underground : energy. Cavers rarely talk about it and although the topic hardly seems compelling, keep in mind that when you enter the subterranean world you possess a precious store of "energy capital" that will diminish throughout the excursion. It is vital that you know how to manage this resource

Criteria for Choosing Equipment

1. Safety

Safety is naturally fundamental to all our considerations since the risks involved in fall in a 50- meter pit are not the same as those on hiking trail.

2. Weight

Weight is enemy of every caver, especially in vertical caves.

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3. Functionality

We could also speak of simplicity here, which stems in part from the demand for lightness; any redundant toll or useless function should be eliminated since it compromises lightness.

4. Strength and durability

Dressed in hard stone, the subterranean world is never gentle on your equipment. 

5. Deciding among criteria

In the end, compromise is necessary when dealing with so many different factors. Naturally, the balance depends on each individuals ability - or inability - to use, carry, maintain and repair his or her equipment.

The Need for Proper Maintenance

Wrong. Neglecting your gear can ave serious consequences :

- Dirty equipment wears out quickly.

- Cleaning gear after a trip is the perfect opportunity to inspect its condition

- Some metallic materials are sensitive to the combination of moisture and mud.

- Finally, a few words on comfort : you caving suit, under suit and socks are much more comfortable and warm when they ate soft and dry, rather than stiff with dirt and dried - out perspiration.

Reference to a Standard : the "CE" Mark

Standards and product labels are powerful agents of consumer safety and offer some guidance in a field that is often confusing for the non specialist. Labels can aid you as a user in finding the product that is suited specifically to your need.

Rules of Conduct

As we mentioned earlier, fixed anchors (anchor sleeves, studs, eye bolts, rings, hanger plats), whether they are set by expansion plugs or by glue, do not fall under the directive as PPEs. They are instead considered to be collective equipment. This does not mean that their choice and placement should be left entirely to the imagination of the person setting them. Quite to the contrary, the person placing the anchors sets the level of difficulty needed to overcome the obstacle. His actions should therefore follow the rules of the art. he bears an obvious responsibility to all future users and could quite clearly be implicated in the event of a serious accident. in a society that is becoming ever more litigious, it is a risk that must be carefully weighed.

B. SUITING UP

1.       Undergarments

Key pints :

a.       When choosing an undersuit, look for the following :

-          Reinforced knees and elbows

-          A zipper with at least two if not three pulls

-          A high collar

-          Wrist and ankle finishing : they should be comfortable and made of the same or similar material as the rest of the suit (soft and hydrophobic)

b.      Some models exist with longer zippers, which prove especially useful for women in “urgen” situations.

2.       The Caving Suit

Key points :

a.       Choose a smoother fabric that will be less likely to retain mud. Once it dries, the dirt will fall away easily rather than become enmeshed in the fabric.

b.      Choose a suit with a slippery internal coating. Your undersuit will be better able to slide against it, making it easier for you to move. If the caves in your area are mostly dry, choose a thinner coating.

c.       Make sure the flap of the outer pocket ( if your suit has one ) is as flat against the suit as possible. This will prevent nagging during those tight squeezes and crawls.

d.      The suit should have the least amount of exposed stitching as possible. The more outer stitches you have, the more quickly they will wear from abrasion. Then the Velcro comes apart, the bottom tears open,  the patches reinforcing the knees turn into hanging flaps.

e.      Also avoid stitching near the armholes, since these areas are highly exposed to falling water ( as when climbing in pits) and frequent scrapting in meanders and crawlways.

f.        If you choose a suit with a reinforced rear, the second layer should be made of one continuous piece of fabric, without stitching down the center. This makes it more durable and resistant to wear. On models with stitching down the center, the stitches come undone quickly and the exposed material underneath, already worn by frequent rubbing, will tear more easily along the new thread holes when repaired.

g.       The diameter of the pant legs should be greater than that of your rubber boots, so that the suit can be worn over them.

h.      The Velcro closure on the torso should be at least 40 mm wide.

3.       Gloves

Key points :

a.       Be sure the length of the fingers is correct : too short and your hand movement is restricted; too long and you compromise your grip.

b.      Gloves that are too big are easily lost, but gloves, that are too small cause too much pressure and make your fingers cold.

4.       Boots

Key points :

a.       The loft of the small loops in the knit;

b.      Reinforced heels and toes;

c.       Elasticity, which will allow the sock to fit well and remain in place.

5.       Pontonniere and cagoule

The pontonniere is invaluable in long and relatively deep ( no more than 1,5m) stream passages or partially submerged crawlways. It saves a considerable amount of time when used in place of an inflatable boat since it makes it unnecessary to shuttle packs back and forth.

The cagoule is a kind of waterproof anorak ( of ten made of latex) that covers the upper body and most of the head and face.

6.       Wetsuits

Key points :

a.       Your wtsuit should be an exact fit. If its too loose, water will circulate too easily, chilling you to the bone. If its too tight, your movements will be even more restricted and youll surely be miserable. At worst, it could also restrict circulation and lower body temperature. Consider having one custom made or making alterations to fit your body size.

b.      Choose the thickness of the neoprene according to the temperature of the water. Theres no need to wear a heavy, cumbersome suit if you don’t need it.

C. LIGHTING

1. The Helmet

Key points :

a.       Choose the lightest helmet possible since all helmets comply with the same safety standards. But beware of polystyrene linings, which are hot as well as fragile.

b.      Not all helmets fit all head shapes; be sure you have a good fit before buying one. Some models have a very practical tension adjustment around the head, regulated by two side adjusters. But this doesn’t allow width adjustment and so may not ensure asafe and correct fit for those with narrow heads.

c.       Be sure the cradle has a comfortable headband that will limit or prevent irritation to the forehead.

d.      Remember that adding holes to the outer shell will nullify the manufacturers guarantee.

2. The Acetylene Generator

Key points :

a.       In caves as on the surface, do not dump your carbide; empty it into a plastic sack and pack it out to the nearest waste bin.

b.      When choosing a generator, be sure the water reservoir is sufficiently large ( ideally, as large as the carbide reservoir ); that the screw valve is long ( to prevent you from losing it so often); that the filler cap cannot ( theoretically ) be lost; and that the joint between the two compartments does not stick out too much (this will reduce wear ).

c.       Choosing a slender generator (ariane, stella) will result in fewer jams in tight passages and fewer bruises on the hips!

d.      When weight is the primary consideration, plastic models are the top choice. Duraluminum  and titanium generators are second best, the stainless steel and finally steel. Those who spend less time maintaining their equipment should be aware that the steel models rust if not cared for properly.

e.      If you want a generator that works smoothly without too many surprises, choose metal over plastic models. They are not only studier but are much less capricious. Specifically, the flexibility of the ( otherwise sturdy) plastic can result in deformities caused by the occasional hard blows that occur during a trip. This can lead to problems with pressure variation, especially when carbide nearly spent and overall pressure in the lamp is low : the result is a flame that repeatedly goes out.

f.        Choose a tube that :

-          Wont harden in the cold.

-          Is supple, with the appropriate diameter for easy attachment to, and detachment from, the gas stem on the generator;

-          Does not soften or melt when heated, since the metal stem from the lit burner jet can become quite hot;

-          Wont crush easily when it gets jammed between your body and the cave, causing untimely blackouts.

3. The headlamp

a.       Acetylene lamp

The acetylene headlamp is made up of an alumunium mounting plate, a pipe that connects to the gas tube, a jet held in a waterproof bezel by an oring, a piezo spark igniter, and a concave alumunium reflector to spread light forward.

b.      Electric headlamp

Electric headlamps rechargeable batteries especially nickel cadmium batteries can replace regular batteries. Rechargeable batteries allow a more economic use of energy and are less harmful to the environment.

4. The rescue Blanket

Although it shines a brilliant silver or gold this accessory has nothing to do with lighting. It appears in this section only because we traditionally store it in our helmets, where we leave it without further thought in hopes that we will rarely need to use it.

D. PERSONAL GEAR

Even when suited up from head to toe, a caver is still limited to horizontal caving. As soon as the passage goes vertical, he will need additional equipment to face these obstacles and the risks of falling that they present.

1. The harness

A harness is made from an ensemble of straps that encircle and hold a cavers body. Fastened with a connector, it attaches the user to a fixed point, a belay, or a caving rope.

A  harness system is made up of various elements :

a.       Seat harness

The seat harness ( or sit harness) has, at the very least, a waist strap and two leg straps. It is the master unit of our entire personal safety system. Since it protects against fatal injury, the seat harness has of course been subjected to the legislators magnifying glass.

The attachment points may include metal rings or they may be loop closures made from the harness webbing itself, reinforced with a sheath of tubular webbing.

b.      Chest harness

The chest harness holds the chest ascender in place during rope climbs. In this capacity, it must fit rather tightly to ensure that the upper body is in vertical balance, thereby relieving the arms of unnecessary work. When you are not on rope, it can be removed or simply loosened, especially if the pitches are not far apart. Its best to only moderately tighten harnesses that have a horizontal strap around the chest, as this could compress the ribcage.

c.       Waist belt

The use of waist belts has fallen out of favor in recent years, as they are only useful in horizontal caves, and then only to hold the cave suit in place and carry the carbide generator ( or battery pack). A better way to hold your suit in place ( as discussed before ) is to add a thin cord or strap that runs between your legs and forms a kind of harness.

Waist belts and chest harnesses are not considered safety devices, because they alone do not protect the body adequately in the event of  a fall.

2. The Seat Harness Maillon

The harness maillon has been known to unscrew it self during use if it has been incorrectly installed. This dangerous situation occurs when the maillon has been placed back wards on the harness and the caving rope or a foot loop rubs against the sleeve during a climb. A correctly placed maillon must have its opening on the left side of the body ( and towards the bottom ), and not on the right. You must then screw down on the sleeve, and never up! The downward rubbing of the rope will thus tend to close the maillon further rather than open it. An open maillon is even more dangerous if the harness has metal attachment loops rather than web loop closures because the former are more likely to slip out of the maillon.

3. Cowstails

Key points :

a.       Cowstails made from rope must be made from dynamic rope. Depending on your height, you may need between 2.2 to 2.5 meters of 9 mm rope or 2.5 to 3 meters of 11 mm rope to make a classic doubled pair cowstail. The latter will be more durable and psychologically reassuring, but will also be heavier and bulkier, exposing the knots to increased wear.

b.      A cowstail made from webbing must be made dynamic, and thus incorporate some energy absorbing component. This is achieved by sewing the webbing together using special thread and stitching patterns that will progressively rip out under a shock load.

c.       The long cowstail should be long enough to allow you to push your upper ascender up to your maximum preferred height. There is no need for it to be any longer. More importantly, it must never be longer than you can comfortably reach, as this would prevent you from getting hold of the carabiner while suspended from it (at a rebelay or attached to the upper ascender)

d.      The length of the short cowstail should be adjusted so that when the cowstail is loaded and your elbow is positioned over the harness maillon, the carabiner can easily be held in the palm of your hand.

e.      The attachment loop ( or loops) placed in the harness maillon tends to wear rather quickly. Check this wear point regularly (as well as those at the other knots). To do this, always detach the cowstails from the harness maillon and carabiners when cleaning your gear.

f.        When clipping to wire or steel cables, always use steel carabiners.

4. Descender

Key point:

Never allow a descender spool to wear down to the steel bolt (its axle) fixing it in place; the bolt threads will damage ropes.

5. Ascenders

Key points :

a.       For optimal performance, there should be no play between the chest harness and the chest ascender. No intermediate elements are allowed : the chest strap must go directly through the upper hole of the ascender. Any chest harness that requires the use of an additional maillon or a carabiner should not be used.

b.      The croll should be worn low so that it doesn’t ride up against the upper ascender (note however that the lower it is, the less vertical balance it providers). The footloop strap can also be made longer, though this requires the user to push the upper ascender higher, fatiguing the arms.

c.       The chest ascender should go to the right of the descender (as viewed by the wearer) on the harness  maillon, leaving the cam free so that the rope can be easily attached if you need to change over to ascent during a rappel(for instance, if the rope is too short or you come to an impassable squeeze)

6. Footloops

Key points :

a.       Footloops made of webbing are easy to adjust, so they are preferable for club use. However, webbing footloops are not well suited for use in rescue situations because they have a larger contact surface area when passing over a carabiner, creating more friction and requiring more exertion. They also sometimes catch between the croll cam and the rope during climbs.

b.      Which is better, a footloop with a single or a double loop? There are four different setups :

-          One large single loop. The feet tend to crush against each other.

-          With a double footloop, each foot has accord with a separate loop,  a somewhat bulkier arrangement.

-          Making two separate loops at the end of a single cord is apossible compromise. Such a set up can be used with either one foot or with both, but having both feet independent would no longer be possible.

-          A single cord or strap with a single loop is the lightest and most compact assembly. It allows one foot to remain free for more maneuverability against a wall, and also allows both feet to be used for upward strides during longer climbs. In this case, place one foot over the top of the other at the edge of the loop. The single footloop is an ideal assembly if you are using a foot ascender.

c.       The length of the footloop assembly is critical. The bottom of the upper ascender cam should rest on top of the croll when your legs are fully extended. Note that this is not the bottom of the handle on handled ascenders as such and adjustment would alter the ideal length by several centimeters. A rough adjustment can be made while standing on the ground, but fine – tuning must be performed while hanging on the rope. This is more easily achieved with the compact basic ascender than with  a handled ascender.

d.      The length of your upward step is limited either by your maximum leg extension, or by your arm length, depending on the way you are built. There is therefore no universal rule for adjusting the footloops.

e.      When you shorten a long footloop that has no adjustment buckle, don’t place the knot in the middle of the strap, but at one of the ends. The knot will then not interfere with a release maneuver ( pick – off ) in the event of rescue situation.

7. Carabiners

Carabiners are used to connect two or more pieces of equipment : harness, ascenders, descender, pulley, etc. Most cavers need about six. Anytime safety is a factor, locking carabiner must be used, except for the two cowstails carabiners. We are clipping and unclipping our cowstails so often that a locking mechanism interferes with their use, causing us to lose time and expend considerably more energy, particulary in more sporting passages. When security is not an issue, go for the simplest and lightest models. Two basic materials are used in making carabiners : steel and the light alumunium alloy zicral.

Ref : Georges Marbach, B. 2002. Alpine Caving Techniques - A Complete Guide to Safe and efficient Caving. Speleo Projects.