equipment NEEDED for caving...

[scubajoh44]

What "specialty" equipment is NEEDED for cave diving?

 

[Jason B]

Long hose
bungie back-up
HID (primary light)
2 back-up lights
doubles (probably need a BP/W set-up unless you have one of the few BC's that will allow doubles...even then, you'll probably want a BP/W set-up)
Primary reel (400ft)
Safety reel (150ft)
gap and jump reels (or spools)
line markers (arrows and cookies)
non-split fins
back-up mask (nice to have)
Bunches of bolt snaps and double enders

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Not all equipment is needed up-front.

IOW, for example, many cavern students take classes with a single tank.

Your best bet is to find an instructor you can work with, and ask your instructor to assist you in setting up your rig for their class. You will acquire this equipment over a period of time, and learn to use it one or two item(s) at a time.

There is little benefit in task-loading yourself with all of it at once. It just gets frustrating. Adding complexity one or two elements at a time generally works out better for most divers...

Best,

Doc

 

[brianstclair]

Long hose
bungie back-up
HID (primary light)
2 back-up lights
doubles (probably need a BP/W set-up unless you have one of the few BC's that will allow doubles...even then, you'll probably want a BP/W set-up)
Primary reel (400ft)
Safety reel (150ft)
gap and jump reels (or spools)
line markers (arrows and cookies)
non-split fins
back-up mask (nice to have)

You WILL need all of these things eventually, but your first step into cave diving will probably be a cavern course (unless you go the GUE route, in which case - someone correct me here if I'm wrong - you would start with DIRF and then Cave 1).

The gear requirements for cavern are not much more than those for BOW. You'll need a primary light and a backup light. You don't need a $1,000 canister light at this point - I use a $180 UK Light Cannon which is great for cavern diving. $20 light is fine for the backup. You'll also need a reel. A safety reel is fine - you don't NEED a primary reel at this point (you'll need both eventually if you continue with the cave diving). You don't need to dive with a long hose at the cavern level either, although you will if you progress past cavern. My instructor had me attach a hose clamp with some D rings about eight inches up from the bottom of my tank for attaching my light and reel so that they don't dangle below me when I'm horizontal in the water. I also got a bungie for holding my "octo" in place near my neck, instead of on my chest.

That's about it for cavern. Next step past cavern (again, if you're going NACD or NSS-CDS route - no idea about GUE requirements) is intro to cave, at which point you need a long hose, a primary reel, a second backup light (for a total of three lights - your primary and two backups), a low profile mask, some cave fins (jets or something similar - not splits) and line markers. You can still get away at this point without the huge purchases - the doubles, the wing, an expensive HID light.

Bottom line is, to take a peek and see if you like it, you can get away without taking out a second mortgage. But God forbid you get addicted! I'm pretty sure there are crack addicts out there who spend less on their addiction...

I'm cavern certified and doing my intro class in two weeks. I'm still diving a single tank with a BC and my Light Cannon, and expect to be for a short while anyways, although my goal is to switch to doubles, a wing, and a nice canister light as soon as possible. But then, I've seen enough to know that I'm addicted.

Brian

 

[brianstclair]

Not all equipment is needed up-front.

IOW, for example, many cavern students take classes with a single tank.

Your best bet is to find an instructor you can work with, and ask your instructor to assist you in setting up your rig for their class. You will acquire this equipment over a period of time, and learn to use it one or two item(s) at a time.

There is little benefit in task-loading yourself with all of it at once. It just gets frustrating. Adding complexity one or two elements at a time generally works out better for most divers...

Best,

Doc

Looks like we were posting at the same time. This is good advice IMHO. The cavern class is the intro class to diving in an overhead (i.e. "cave") environment. Part of the class involves talking about and configuring your gear properly.

And there really is a ton to get used to without trying to figure out your trim in doubles, and your bouyancy in a wing, and how you're going to tell your significant other that it's Ramen noodles for awhile and no new clothes for the kids...

Brian

 

[Jason B]

The question was "what equipment NEEDED for cave diving?" not cavern diving. I'd hate to give someone the wrong impression so I listed (most) of the gear.

Check with your instructor for sure though because unlike Brian, my instructor required a long hose for cavern.

 

[scubajoh44]

Yeah....I went on a cavern dive in Mexico this last summer and got addicted BAD. I want to see more caves and caverns but don't have the equipment. Thought I'de ask what I needed before I take the class. (just to be a little more prepared)

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Yeah....I went on a cavern dive in Mexico this last summer and got addicted BAD. I want to see more caves and caverns but don't have the equipment. Thought I'de ask what I needed before I take the class. (just to be a little more prepared)

Probably the best advice I can think of is FIRST shop around for your instructor. This is the single most important thing for you to consider. It is not only about skills and learning them, but are you compatible with the personal teaching style of the specific instructor. Once you have chosen your instructor then talk with that specific instructor about the gear. Some instructors have contacts with shops or a large personal inventory of gear that will allow you to rent during the classes, this will soften the financial blow a bit . Try not to get wraped up in specific brand X model Y debates, it is more about what level of quality and dependability you should look for. There are some specifics like the long hose configuration, but this will be covered in the class. I would guess that no matter how well prepared your gear is you should plan on getting lots of little extra touches and spending a fair amount of money at the last minute on the small things.

You are taking the first steps down a very expensive road, make your early decisions wisely so as not to need to purchase replacements six months later.

Dive safe and enjoy your new overhead world.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Jason B]

Hey Mark, when you leaving the left coast? We are heading back down to cave country this afternoon. You're missing all the fun.
Have a great Thanksgiving!

 

[BabyDuck]

have a great time, jason, henry, & john!