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I don't know if I would trust any headlamp with a USB-C port on it into a cave... it seems like asking for trouble with it getting filled with mud and other nasty stuff. A similar light is the Nitecore HC50, which is $15 cheaper and has red lights. I have this light and have taken it in many muddy, wet caves and have banged it up something good and it is still rocking strong. The beam is awesome, and while it's only 565 lm this is honestly still brighter than useful pretty much always. I typically run it at the second or third brightness setting anyways. My only complaint with this light is that it is a bit heavy, which isn't really a problem when strapped to an ecrin roc, but can be annoying when not using it with a helmet around the camp.

My favorite light is my Zebralight, the hype for this thing is well deserved. While it doesn't have a red light, the form factor is awesome. It is super light on the head without the hassle of a battery in the back. I think many people will agree that the Zebralight H600 series is one of the best caving lights you can get. (note there four versions of the H600, two LED colors cool and neutral, and two beam spreads, flood and spot)

Nitecore makes a blatant ripoff of the Zebralight that is $30 cheaper. While I don't have one of these, I did have a chance to play with one after a buddy of mine got one and it seems to be pretty neat. Considering how much I like my Nitecore HC50 I'm willing to bet this would be a solid light to get as well. One thing I like about the Zebralight over the Nitecore is that it works with flat-top 18650 batteries so you can bust open old laptop batteries and use the cells to power the light, whereas the Nitecore requires a button top 18650. Not a huge issue but something to consider.


Edit (some more thoughts):

It sounds like you are new to caving, welcome! I would recommend that you attend a local grotto meeting, which I believe for you would be the Southern California Grotto. You may meet some awesome people and it's a good way to get involved in the sport.

Also, with your flashlight purchase don't forget to get an 18650 battery and a charger for it. You may already have these since you have the Nitecore MH25 but I figured I'd mention it just in case. Be careful with the batteries to get a reputable brand because there are a lot of fakes out there. Panasonic makes good batteries, but unfortunately there are a lot of ones that say Panasonic that are made somewhere else and a lot of ones that say other things that are made by Panasonic. Confusing! I got this one and it works great. You can take a risk with cheaper ones, just know they might not last so long. This charger works good for me. I've had both of my lights last for a 14 hour cave trip so the battery life is pretty good.

What is your budget?

<$20: a good book on caving, or some batteries. Lithium AA/AAA if they don't like rechargeables, AA/AAA NiMH if they do. I've had good luck with the brand Tenergy, which is sold in bulk by AllBattery.com. They're basically cheap Chinese imports but their QA is decent. (Source: I'm a professional photographer who's used them for years.) Go for the 2,500 mAh capacity. You might also consider a decent charger. More on that shortly.

<$50: One of the best chargers on the market is this bad boy, but it's somewhat expensive and only charges 4 cells at once. However, it charges them safely (not overcharging, not charging too fast, etc, which limits long-term life), can identify bad cells, and can charge almost any cylindrical battery out there, including the far superior 18650 cell, which is important for a good headlamp or flashlight. For a good headlamp, consider the ThruNite TH10 in neutral white for $40, or the same headlamp with a battery for $15 more. Note: this light doesn't use AA/AAA batteries; it uses the 18650 battery, which is slightly larger but 4 times the capacity of an AA battery and is able to discharge power fast enough to support amazingly bright lights. Every light I'm linking here supports multiple brightness modes, with a maximum brightness around 1,000 lumens, i.e. as bright as your car's headlights. They also drop to between 0.4 lumens and 1 lumen at their lowest setting, which will last for up to 70-ish days. Yes, really. That's a nice feature to have in a cave.

<$100: A good headlamp/flashlight. Most cavers I know are old-school when it comes to flashlights because they aren't aware of some of the incredible LED and battery innovations that have occured. Most of their headlamps are either small and underpowered or huge and bulky and... still underpowered sometimes. I'd recommend a ThruNite TC-12 v2 in neutral white. It also uses an 18650 battery. The light bundle I linked includes one battery and the light is USB chargable, though that charger I linked earlier will charge the battery faster.

You can add a helmet strap if you know they use a helmet. If you're looking for a headlamp instead of a flashlight, consider the ThruNite TH10 I linked earlier or the Nitecore HC30 in neutral white which is slightly more expensive. Nitecore and ThruNite are fairly similar, though in my opinion Nitecore looks more "tactical" while ThruNite's electronics are slightly better. Both are good companies, however.

<$150: If you decide to get a light and extra batteries, don't get any battery with a brand containing the word "fire". (Those brands are known for lying about the capacities and being fire risks.) I'd recommend a 4-pack of KeepPower 3,400 mAh 18650 batteries if you're going for that kind of batteries as they're a good brand and I own them myself.

Some other considerations: a nice base layer, i.e. thermal underwear. I'd strongly recommend merino wool as it's thin, light, and warm even when it's wet. Cost: $50-$100 per item for a top or bottom/long johns. And they'll always have a warm, fuzzy feeling when they think of you. ;-)

I'm not sure why they would tell you to throw away shoes and clothing when there are proven decon procedures.

I don't have any experience with MO caves but as far as wellies go I can recommend the Servus XTP that you can commonly find at places like Tractor Supply Co for around $30. It's very popular with cavers. Or if you're looking for a cheaper and lighter option, Tingley makes a boot (31151 model) that costs $15-20 and is also very good and easy to clean because it has no cloth liner.

EDELRID - Ultralight Hardshell Helmet: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00295Z73E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KvSkDbH471GXR
I work as a wilderness cavern guide and spend even more time caving for fun or doing various caving assignments. This helmet is great. Good suspension, good ventilation, and easy to mount higher end gear later on down the line. Been using mine for 4-5 years.

I wear polycotton coveralls (these, with a few modifications) over polypro long underwear. I find polycotton fabrics are generally okay as outer layers as long as you aren't relying on them to keep you warm. They'll save your more expensive insulating clothes from a lot of abrasion and wear. Your insulating layers should definitely be made from materials that keep you warm, even when wet.

Aside from having good photography equipment the real trick is getting your flashes off camera. Get a radio transmitter and flashes (two or three is a good start) which work with it. We understand depth through shadow, and on camera flash gives no real sense of depth.

I use this setup:
Yongnuo YN560-TX Wireless Flash... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KM1QZRY

YONGNUO YN560 IV Wireless Flash... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PGTOX26

You'll want a pelican case to transport your flashes and camera gear in as well.

And if anyone is interested, this is a series I shot using the above gear: https://flic.kr/s/aHskSTPDnC

I used to do quite a bit of caving in the TAG region. Lots of wet caves.

Many cavers there favored military (or knockoff) jungle boots like these.

The point is that your feet will get wet. Boots like these have drains on the instep that allow water to drain out so your feet don't stay wet. Wear wool socks, naturally.

Thank so much for the responses and all of the help! I opted for the HC30 since it's like the zebra but saves $30, I went with a fancy 4 battery charger: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZONPF2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and got two extra 3400mah button top batteries (made by nitecore as well).

I use this Energizer clip on light for working in dark places. I've also used it for kayaking at night. It works great and the battery lasts forever. And it didn't cost $90.

I understand what you mean, but by belt I don't mean the thick leather belts most people think of.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BBK9SR9/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1527143584&sr=8-12&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Belt

Stuff like this don't have many of the problems that you'd associate with leather belts.

If your in Ontario

https://www.amazon.ca/Rockwatching-Adventures-Above-Below-Ontario/dp/1550464493

https://www.amazon.ca/Caving-Ontario-Exploring-Buried-Karst/dp/1105453634

Info for Canadian groups that can lead/teach caving experiences

http://www.cancaver.ca/canadian.htm

Main light: Princeton Tec Apex

Backup light: Olight S2A Baton

Backup backup light: Petzl e+Lite

The first two are up helmet mounted, and the third lives in my oversuit pocket.

American Caves and Caving https://www.amazon.com/American-Caves-Caving-W-Halliday/dp/0064635562

Here in the uk I cave in a thermal undersuit and a tough cordura oversuit. I wear a Warmbac fleece and a Meander oversuit. http://www.caveclimb.com/oversuits---undersuits.html

On my feet I wear wetsuit socks (neoprene) and wellington boots, along with knee pads and sometimes elbow pads. http://www.caveclimb.com/socks,-pads,-hoods---belts.html

I have a petzl helmet and a Rude Nora 2 lamp - http://www.littlemonkeycaving.co.uk/Pages/RudeNoraII.aspx I wear gloves too.
Forget the rope for now. Find a buddy and use callout times. Take a spare light source. Read this book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpine-Caving-Techniques-Complete-Efficient/dp/3908495105