As we will see below, some cavers prefer low cost and low maintenance over traction and impact protection. Some cavers are blessed with rugged feet that could cave comfortably in anything from sneakers to mountaineering boots. Others have more trouble, and may have to try different types of boots to find what works for them. Let's look at some of the major types of boots and how they fulfill the requirements in different ways. You would think that high-tech plastic would have displaced animal skins long ago, but that is not the case.
Plastic is, however, used for expensive, stiff-soled, insulated mountaineering boots.
Some alpine cavers have for years walked to the caves in these boots, then gone caving in them. They work well in this environment, providing great support, impact protection, and abrasion resistance. Lighter, more flexible versions have become available, but they are still expensive and heavy relative to leather. Wellies are cheap, light, abrasion resistant, and dry quickly. The toes can be wedged into cracks for climbing.