Cavers use the Single Rope Technique (SRT) to go up and down pitches underground.

SRT training usually takes place at the Magna Tower. More information can be found here.

Mike Soulby (Ordinary SUSS Member) using SRT

Complete SRT kit, Image taken from HitchnHike

Below, there is a table telling you of each kit item that you need, what it looks like and what it does. It is much easier to understand the equipment after practise, so make sure you get a lot of that!

Individual choice of some of the items are important and the length of rope will need adjusting to your comfort and need. This will all make sense when you’ve been caving a few times and used SRT.

How to wear the SRT kit and what goes where? A youtube video will soon be out!

SRT Kit	What does it look like?	Why do I need it?
Harness	Petzl Super Avanti Caving Harness	This holds all the necessities of an SRT kit and essential equipment holding you to the rope you are ascending or descending The Petzl Super Avanti Harness is the general caving harness SUSS members tend to use
10mm Half Circle Maillon Rapide PPE		A Half Circle Maillon, used to secure the harness around your hips. It also holds many other items as described below. 10mm Half Circle Maillon Rapide PPE as shown in the image are what cavers tend to buy.
Croll	Petzl Croll, image taken from HitchnHike	Look at the picture on the left. This directly attaches to the Maillon by the use of the bottom hole. It requires a chest harness/chest strap which has a loop that fits through the top hole. This equipment is for travelling up a rope. It has angled teeth which securely grips the rope. It does not need to be manipulated whilst prussicking. The face of it (the side shown in the picture) must stay face away from your body.
Chest Strap	Petzl Chest Strap, Image taken from HitchnHike Chest Harness, Image taken from starlessriver.com	This goes around your shoulders and attaches to your Croll. When ascending, the tighter this is wrapped around the better. There are two options: 1. Chest strap - a strap that wraps around your shoulders of which there are a few techniques. 2. Chest Harness - put each arm through each armhole. Both then have loops at the front that fit through the top hole of the croll.
Ascender/ Hand jammer	Basic Petzl Ascender, Image taken from HitchnHike	The Ascender/Hand Jammer is used in conjunction with the croll. Both pictures are showing essentially the same equipment except the latter has a handled version. A footloop is attached to the ascender through the bottom hole using a 7mm Maillon. Whilst ascending: - You push the ascender up on the rope as far as possible. - Put your foot into the footloop - Step up + pull yourself up
Foot Loop + Safety Cord	Footloop, Image taken from HitchnHike	The footloop attaches to the Ascender via a 7mm Maillion. There is individual choice on whether you use your right, left or even both your feet to help your pull yourself up during prussicking. The Length and size of the footloop will need adjusting to your comfort.
7mm Long Maillon Rapide PPE	7mm Long Maillon Rapide PPE, Image taken from HitchnHike	This links the Ascender to the Foot Loop
Descenders: - Stop - Rack	Stop, Image taken from HitchnHike Rack, Image taken from HitchnHike	Descenders are equipment you use to fly down the vertical pitch. There are two types and it is individual choice on what you decide to buy: Stop or a rack. Owning a stop also requires you to own a braking krab for the rope to be let through. The advantages of having a rack is that there is less stress on your hands when going down long pitches. The attach to your 10mm Maillon with a oval screwgate carabiner.
Oval Screwgate [Carabiner]	Oval Screwgate, Image taken from HitchnHike	This attaches your descender to the 10mm Maillon. The image shows a Petzl M33SL Alloy Oval Screwgate
Braking Krab [carabiner]	Braking Krab, Image taken from HitchnHike	Braking Krab required if you own a Stop descender. The rope fits on the stop and then goes through the braking krab. This helps you control the speed of which you are descending down. The image shows a DMM 10mm Steel Screw Gate Krab.
Cowstail	Cowstail, Image taken and modified from HitchnHike	Cowstails, a piece of rope that attaches to your 10mm half circle maillon (at point 1 in the picture) and holds two carabiners at point 2 and 3 in the picture. The long arm of the cowstail (2) and the short arm (3) are used to safely attach you to rope that is being used to either traverse or whilst attaching ascenders and descenders to the rope for vertical caving. Each carabiner should be attached to the rope in opposite directions to enhance safety. The image shows 2.75m of 10mm Dynamic Rope. The Length of the cowstails will need adjusting to your comfort.
Carabiners for the long and short cowstails	Carabiner, Image taken from HitchnHike Carabiner, Plain-gated, Image taken from HitchnHike	Either carabiner on the picture to the left can be used for either long or short cowstail.