Boots For Caving – What Should I Wear?

Depending on the area in which you cave, boot selection will vary. Just remember, whatever you wear, it has to be something dedicated to the sport of caving. These boots will not be good for anything else after just one caving trip. The tough environment of jagged rocks, slippery mud, water, and other unseen obstacles will literally chew up a pair of boots in record time.

If you cave in a wet environment, the boots should be water proof. A lot of European cavers use “Wellys”. They are really Hunter Wellington Boots and are made of solid rubber. In my area of the world we called them galoshes. They will definitely keep out the water. They aren’t very warm though, so if you need warmth and dryness use multiple layers of wool socks.

If you don’t have a lot of money, you can go the Army surplus store and pick up some military boots cheap. Waterproof them, and wear them until they wear out.

You can spend good money on quality hiking boots with Goretex and/or Thinsulate. They will keep you dry and warm. Keep in mind that when crawling on your hands and knees, the tops of the boots and the toes will wear out very quickly. Some type of rubber toes works well to alleviate this.

The boots need to have good tread on the soles. Many caves are very muddy in places and that mud will make it very difficult to traverse if the soles of you boots have inadequate tread. (HINT – carry  a putty knife along with you to clean off mud as well as use as a hand hold in tight, semi-vertical, muddy crawls)

Be prepared to replace your boots sooner than you would normally do hiking boots. Make sure they are comfortable and have adequate ankle support. You don’t want to twist an ankle deep in the bowels of a cave. Returning to the surface will be painful and long.

Happy Caving!!!