Marra
  • Marra
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
15 years ago
Might treat myself for xmas, but which is best under-suit for general use (with some deep water). Furry with a base layer, full wet suit, or a combo 1/2 wet 1/2 furry suit. Any ideas which is best for old and cold miners.
Living is fatal, Long Time Dead.
Wormster
15 years ago
Furry + shortie 5mm wetsuit + knee length wetsocks = toasty warm mine explorer :smartass:
Better to regret something you have done - than to regret something you have not done.
RJV
  • RJV
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
15 years ago
Sometimes wear a twenty quid paper-thin shorty wetsuit under a furry and never have a problem with the cold, generally just wear a furry though as I hate wearing wetsuits out of the water.
AR
  • AR
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
15 years ago
I prefer a furry for general use with a wicking top, I've tried one of the warmbac combo suits but didn't get on with it. I have a long-john style wetsuit for mines where I expect to be in deeper water for any length of time which I normally pair up with an old fleece top although the wetsuit jacket gets put on for ear-washing crawls in cold water like Whale or Watergrove soughs.

I'd say go with a fleece undersuit, they're the most versatile, plus wetsuits get very sweaty inside while fleece wicks it out to collect on the inside of your oversuit.
Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!
Brakeman
15 years ago
I use a furry suit under breathable oversuit in normal wet/cold mines & where the water is say up to thigh deep and for shortish distances, but a full 5mm wetsuit & the same oversuit for really long wet levels.


The management thanks you for your co operation.
jagman
  • jagman
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
15 years ago
I have to confess I've never worn an undersuit or an oversuit.
I wear a waterproof jacket on occasion.....
madrab
  • madrab
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
15 years ago
I have been using my canoe suit as its thinner lighter and more flexable than wetsuits. heres a link to the shop.
http://www.chillcheater.com/products/shop.asp?cid=3&p=1&pid=882 
been down swildons with that on and a boiler suit over it (before I had a warmbac) and stayed warm.
Come to the darkside, We have cookies..
AR
  • AR
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
15 years ago
I like the idea of something that lightweight and flexible but it does look suspiciously like a gimp suit without the mask.... :devil:
Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!
RJV
  • RJV
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie
15 years ago
You could do some cracking Max Wall impersonations if you wore it with boots and a jacket...
Mr Mike
15 years ago
I use a furry or 3mm full wetsuit depending on how wet it is.

An interesting combination for deep wet water that my friend uses is a furry, with a surplus oil rig immersion suit that he picked up for £20.00 on top, you do need an oversuit as well or the immersion will rip to pieces.

It totally dry, but peeing is a bitch and you can only do it in dry sections 😉
Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk
derrickman
15 years ago
I used to use a 3mm surfers' sleeveless wetsuit with a couple of light woolens ( no fleeces in those days ) and overalls over everything, plus wetsocks, and that worked pretty well for most things.

4mm jacket for really wet crawls and passages like the Kingsdale Master Cave entrance or Swildons' round trip

I tried various plastic waterproof oversuits but found that tearing was a problem, especially as I did most of my caving using ladders.

''the stopes soared beyond the range of our caplamps' - David Bick...... How times change .... oh, I don't know, I've still got a lamp like that.
pickering man
15 years ago
thin running shirt and boxers under a two piece wetuit and work overalls on top but it can get bldy hot if your not in waste deep water

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