When i first started going in old mines i would throw all my kit in a bag and drive to where ever i was going...

Now, i have to sit for 4 hours deciding which kit to take with me..

which harness, which SRT gear, which bag, do i need oversuit, overalls or just old clothes, under suit, which wellies, do i even need wellies, would i be better in boots, which bag should i take, how many batteries should i take.

getting my gear togeather for a trip is more work and harder than the trip it's self.. sigh..

agree.

SRT? LADDER? LIFELINE? RIGGING? WHOS BRINGING WHICH ROPES? LENGTHS? HANGERS? SDS DRILL - CHARGE DRILL. SPARE DRILL BATTERIES? CHARGE SPARE BATTERIES. SLINGS? WHAT SIZE DRILLS? WHAT TYPE OF BOLTS?

DIGGING GEAR? BIG SPADE? LITTLE SPADE? BREAKER BAR? TUBS? SCAFFOLD? SCAFFOLD SPANNER? CLIPS? 90'S OR SWIVELS? HACKSAW? TIMBER?

DRY? WET? WELLIES WITH HOLES OR WELLIES WITHOUT? BOOTS? WET SOCKS OR NORMAL SOCKS? UNDERSUIT? WETSUIT? OVERSUIT? OLD CLOTHES? CHANGE OF CLOTHES? LAMP? SPARE BATTERY? BIG TORCH? SPARE BATTERIES FOR TORCH?

CAMERA? COMPACT OR DSLR? TRIPOD? PHOTOS OR VIDEO HEAD? LENS'S? FLASH(S)? RADIO TRIGGERS? COMPACT IN SCUBA HOUSING? CHARGE AND CLEAR MEMORY CARDS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE.

TRANSPORT? TIMES? MEETING PLACES? CONTACT NUMBERS? DIRECTIONS?

BAG? PELICASE? FOOD? DRINK?

GLOVES?

SPARE KIT FOR OTHERS?

aHHHHHHHH!!!!!

the first mine i did was rhiwbach, i had a pair of wellies, old cloths, a woolie hat and an 11 luman headlamp.

i even managed to get pictures, kind of..

i really do now have so much shite i just don't know where to start. and what makes it worse, my lad's now starting to want to come more and more offten, so i'll have to start getting him some proper gear togeather, that'll be even more shit to sort through when i'm packing for trips.

its all about getting the right info. simple as

and more shit to store and wash afterwards

It's the cleaning I hate. Sometimes my kit Is left by the back door for two days before I can clean it, and by that time, my malions and harness has gone rusty

cleaning?

i can admit to that too. Rain does a half decent job if left long enough. How many times have i crept in late, stripped off at the front door and then sarahs been greeted the next morning to wellies, trousers, top and socks covered in mud on the front step!

I'm good with cleaning critical gear (Harness, ropes etc), the same day. The rest however... I leave until I've manually dunked it, then fling it in the washer when Her Ladyship is out of the house, or she would flip out.

Brings back fond memories of when I was a kid with a candle and some damp matches,
them was the days.

bit geeky about my kit. always cleaning efin ropes and srt kit. not really arsed about a clean caving suit as long as it's dryish

the yorkshire cavers tell me that, if your ropes are getting dirty, you are rigging the pitchs wrong.

they've clearly not done much welsh caving lol..

Mad-Dan wrote: in the bad old days they used to do a welsh trip (everything is shitty) with a lovely yorkshire trip (everything wet) which kept the ropes nice and clean , then some SMART ARSE invented a rope cleaner .