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