Ok, folks, here is the short list of caving essentials along with some lengthy description by me. That is just my style, so enjoy!
First of all, you should know that the caves in MN are 47 degrees F year-round. That means that if you get wet (you won't really get wet) you could suffer from hypothermia. Similarly, if you get stranded or stuck or otherwise lost (don't worry though, really) you could also get cold. Your clothes will get dirty. Don't wear your favorite sweater and your roommate's khakis, because they will not look pretty. I wear poly longjohns, a t-shirt, and coveralls. These are coveralls, mind you, not OVERALLS. The difference is that coveralls cover your whole body--with sleeves, whereas OVERALLS have those button straps over the shoulders and so forth. OVERALLS are a bad idea, because they are going to catch on rocks and such. If you don't have coveralls, I would not run out and buy a pair ($20-$30 at Fleet Farm) but would wear old jeans and a ratty sweatshirt or something like that. Coveralls are best though.
Ok, that said, here is the list:
1. Appropriate clothes (see above)
2. Gloves
Gloves are essential, since you will want to have your hands warm. I use leather work gloves or rubber-coated cotten gloves. This keeps my hands dry, although I like the leather better because they breath. Knitted gloves will get wet and cold. You don't want to get wet, and you don't want to touch formations with your bare hands (don't touch them at all).
3. Boots
I wear a nice pair of hiking boots, gore-tex lined. This is for warmth and for traction. THEY WILL GET MUDDY!
4. Knee-pads/Elbow-pads
This is optional, but everyone I cave with wears both. You will be doing some interesting stuff in crevices and over rocks, so you will want the padding. Crawling on the ground is forgiving, but crawling over rocks for 30 feet at a time is tough on the knees. I have seen people wear the plastic roller-blading type pads, but these tend to break or get caught or move out of position. I wear simple volleyball-style foam-elastic knee and elbow pads. This gives me flexible protection. I wear them UNDER my coveralls so they stay clean and don't get hooked up on rocks.
5. 3 sources of light
This is a caver's rule. One is your headlamp (part of helmet, rental for $5.), two is a maglite or some other little flashlight, and three is another spare light of some kind. You don't want to be in a cave in the dark, or moving along and your headlamp dies. It happens. I use my headlamp, a minimaglite, and a micromaglite. That is 3 sources. Really, this is important. Try to leave those red plastic Ray-O-Vac flashlights at home if you can, but light is everything to a caver. You should not skimp on this one. Bring whatever you can carry comfortably or in a pack. A leader does not take kindly to people who have problems and then no spare light.
6. Helmet (rented or borrowed. No need to buy one)
7. Spare batteries
You will need to supply batteries for your headlamp. This will be 4 AA batteries. Make sure you have a few CHANGES of batteries. In other words, bring 12 or so, so you can change them underground if you have to (when you have to).
8. Water/food
I used to carry a 8oz Evian with me in my pack. This was perfect, although now I have upgraded to the more durable Nalgene bottle. It is always gone when I come out. I also bring granola bars to munch on. You cannot leave ANYTHING in the cave, like wrappers and food (let alone urine or feces).
9. Pack
I made my own pack, but a fanny pack works nice. I also use a small "dry pack" that is a cylindrical PVC-coated duffel with a water-tight foldup top. Regular duffles and backpacks can be too big, but they will work too. A cave pack is a very personal item to a caver. It takes time to find a pack that works best for you. Don't use a briefcase.
10. Change of clothes and shoes
Don't forget some clean clothes. I change into caving clothes on site (there is a building at the cave site that we change in). I then change back into clean stuff at the end of the day. Your clothes will get dirty. If you change in the building, be sure to consider other cavers that will also be changing in the same room.
11. Money
John Ackerman owns the Cave Farm, where Spring Valley Caverns is located, and he asks that all who enter donate $7.00 to help pay for his annual liability insurance premiums. That is not much to ask when he is dedicating his time, money, and LIFE to preserving this natural environment for us to enjoy. Also, if you use MSS helmets/headlamps, there is a $5.00 rental fee.
A few words about caving:
Basically, the caving experience can be enjoyed at multiple levels. There is a lot to see in the form of geology and archeology, and there are many different aspects of caving to experience. If you are not comfortable doing something, speak up and we can form our tour accordingly. On most trips, you have the opportunity to see lots of nice formations, traverse cracks and crevices, learn and improve your techniques in crevicing and chimneying, experience bear-crawls and belly crawls, and find yourself in giant rooms under the earth. On these trips, nothing is beyond anyone's abilities, and many things are a challenge. Safety is important and there are certain rules we must follow, but by and large, it is a fun experience.
© 1998 Randy Hanson
See also, Naomi's Checklist.