Cave Hiking: What It Is And What Equipment To Use

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Cave hiking is a recreational sport in which people explore caves. Cave hiking is quite challenging and requires skills of varying levels, depending on the cave that is being explored. When cave hiking, you require special equipment in order to be able to negotiate the spaces. Cave hiking is enjoyable and physically demanding and is similar to mountain climbing and diving. In the United States and other countries, there are thousands of caves that can be explored however you require protective equipment and gear to ensure that you have a safe, enjoyable experience.

Cave hiking is not one of the most popular outdoor sports in the United States, however it is exciting and different from the norm. With so many caves in the area, there are many that can be explored, however if you are new to the sport or to the particular cave or area, it is best to take a guide with you to be sure that your trip is fun and safe.

In order to be safe, you need some equipment and to follow some basic safety rules:

• Always carry a LED headlamp and take a LED flashlight with you into the cave. Before you venture out, ensure that both are working and find out how much battery life you have left. LED headlamps and LED flashlights are the most recommended light source for cave hiking because of their long lasting battery life and bulb life.
• Take a hunting knife, survival knife or Swiss army knife with you as well, just in case you need to cut your ropes, the ropes of someone you are hiking with or for other reasons.
• Before you head into the cave, make sure someone knows where you are going, when you’re leaving and when you expect to return. That way if something goes wrong you have someone on the outside that can begin a search for you.
• Ensure that you find out prior to hiking what the preferred method of marking is for the area that you are in so that you can mark points in the cave where you change your direction or turn.

The equipment that you take with you should all be checked before you head into the cave. In addition to wearing comfortable hiking boots and carrying water and some nutrition bars for energy, cave hiking requires some specific equipment.

LED headlamp:  LED headlamps are a popular choice of equipment while cave hiking because it offers a light source while freeing up both of your hands for manoeuvring around rocks and crawling when needed. Avoid using other bulb headlamps because they will not offer you the battery life or bulb life that a LED headlamp can and the light beams tend to be less intense. A strong light beam is important in the dark recesses of underground caves.

LED flashlight: LED flashlights are also recommended to take with you while you are cave hiking. These allow you to shine a light into a tight spot or in a different direction without having to adjust your LED headlamp. Having a secondary light source is also important to ensure safety should something unforeseen happens.

LED lantern:  If you are able to carry multiple lights, it may be a good idea to take an LED lantern as a secondary light source.  These tend to be larger but offer a large amount of light and the safe long-lasting benefits of a LED flashlight.

Knife:  A hunting knife, Swiss Army knife or survival knife is a great addition to your gear on a hike and is required by most guides to carry while you are out hiking in caves. There are many reasons that you will need and utilize a knife on your cave hike including marking positions in the rock or ground and cutting ropes if needed.

Ropes:  There is other equipment that you will also need, including ropes for while you are on a cave hike. If you aren’t sure what type of ropes and other types of equipment you need for your cave hike, be sure to talk to a guide to ensure that you are fully prepared for your cave hiking experience.

While cave hiking is considered an extreme sport in some circles, cave hikers don’t like that category – extreme sport tends to mean, in modern society, sports where people have little regard for safety, and with cave hiking the opposite is true. There is a lot of protective gear and equipment that you need to have with you while on your cave hike to make sure you are having a safe and fun experience. No guide will take anyone into a cave without the right equipment. Be sure to check with your guide for the equipment you require before heading out on your cave hike.

-Ben Anton, 2007
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