So you're getting into caving

The Boreo is the go-to entry-level caving helmet in the US — UIAA and CE EN12492 certified, comfortable foam liner, and the headlamp bracket fits every major caving lamp including the Actik Core below. It sits squarely in the sweet spot between 'budget climbing helmet' and 'professional survey helmet.' Buy this first.

The budget entry. Meets UIAA and CE standards and will protect your head, but it was designed for rock climbing — the vent slots let in more mud and water than a dedicated caving helmet. Most headlamp accessories clip to it fine. Good for a first cave trip while you decide if caving sticks.

The step up serious cavers make after their first year. Full suspension cradle, maximum ventilation for demanding trips, and the helmet worn by cave survey teams. Noticeably more comfortable on four-plus-hour trips than the Boreo, and the native Petzl bracket accepts every lamp in the lineup.

600 lumens, a USB-rechargeable battery with AAA alkaline fallback, and a bracket that clips natively to the Petzl Boreo. This is the lamp most NSS grotto members will point you toward as a first caving-specific purchase. Red mode protects other cavers' night adaptation during group navigation.

The upgrade for cavers who want a tighter spot beam for reading cave topography at distance. IP67 waterproof rating that handles submersion, and a PowerTap brightness control on the rear panel that lets you manage battery without cycling through menus. A solid primary for serious cave trips.

Your emergency third light. Tiny, under $25, runs on AAA batteries, and decades-proven in the caving community as the tertiary you keep clipped to your helmet strap or sealed in a ziplock at the bottom of your pack. You may never need it — but underground, that one time matters.

The construction-grade benchmark for caving beginners. Thick gel cups, hard outer shell, and articulated straps that don't slip while you crawl — the specific failure mode of cheaper kneepads. Used daily by flooring contractors and tile setters, which is exactly the kind of sustained crawling caving demands.

A genuine budget option that holds up better than most. The gel cups are softer than NoCry's hard shell but straps are comparable, and you won't feel cheated on your first few trips while deciding if caving is your thing.

When you're doing regular, serious crawling — multi-hour trips through tight limestone systems — budget gel pads wear through fast. Portwest's hard outer shell is designed for sustained industrial use and outlasts budget options three-to-one on abrasive surfaces. The upgrade most cavers make after six months.

Leather work gloves are what the caving community has recommended for decades — tough enough for limestone crawls, grippy when wet, and cheap enough to replace when they wear through. Wells Lamont's 1166 series is a well-made leather work glove available everywhere. Fit them snug so you don't lose them in a tight passage.

The tactical glove cavers move to once they're doing regular cave work. TPR knuckle protection, padded palm, and enough dexterity to operate headlamp controls without removing them. More expensive than leather work gloves but lasts two to three times as long. The right answer for frequent cavers.

Caves in the Appalachians, Rockies, and Pacific Northwest often run 38–45°F. At those temperatures, bare leather gloves won't keep your hands functional for navigation or rope work. These thin merino-blend liners layer under your main gloves or work alone in moderately cold caves. Touchscreen-compatible tips matter on the approach.