Obviously, the type of clothing will depend largely on your own cold or heat tolerance, the speed of travel through the cave, and the type of trip you are on, but I’ve put together some very general suggestions to get you started. It is important to not dress too warmly at the start of the trip, especially if you are going to be moving quickly to your destination. Getting warm and sweaty will cause you to cool rapidly when you stop and may end up leading to hypothermia.
Average Cave
Temperature: Mid 50s
Typical Caving: Some small streams or pools to cross, lots of dripping water
Outerwear: Caving pants or coveralls, long-sleeved wicking shirt
Underwear (tops and bottoms): Lightweight wicking
Typical extra clothing packed: Light to medium-weight long-sleeved wicking top, balaclava
Dry Desert Cave
Temperature: 60s to 70s
Typical Caving: No rivers or streams, but high humidity
Outerwear: Nylon caving pants or shorts (may wear tights under shorts to prevent grit from getting to your skin), wicking t-shirt
Underwear:Lightweight wicking
Typical extra clothing packed: None. On a survey trip, some may want to add a lightweight, long-sleeved wicking top
Wet Cave
Temperature: 50s
Typical Caving: Swimming or long sections of wading required
Outerwear: Caving coveralls, PVC suit, or thin wetsuit
Underwear: Medium weight wicking or wool
Typical extra clothing: Medium weight wicking shirt, balaclava
Cold, Damp Cave
Temperature: 40s
Typical Caving: Dripping water with some wet walls, but little or no pools or streams
Outerwear: PVC or nylon caving pants, long-sleeved wicking shirt
Underwear: Medium weight wicking
Typical extra clothing: Balaclava
Dry, Alpine Cave
Temperature: 30’s
Typical Caving: Dripping water with some wet walls, but little or no pools or streams
Outerwear: PVC or nylon caving pants, long-sleeved wicking shirt
Underwear: Medium weight wicking
Typical extra clothing: Balaclava, wool or wicking glove liners
Wet, Alpine Cave
Temperature: 30s
Typical caving: Stream crawls, pools and constant dripping.
Outerwear: Nylon or PVC caving suit or wetsuit
Underwear: Heavy weight wicking, fleece undersuit or equivalent
Typical extra clothing: Heavier weight balaclava, warm glove liners, sometimes extra wicking kept dry for emergencies