Bivies...Borah Gear, Jimmy Tarps, or??

[Logan T]

Contemplating trying out a bivy. Don't need anything too robust. I just run my bag and pad under a megatarp, but am thinking about picking up one of those two bivies or something similar to run when I don't feel the need to set up the tarp. Mainly needs to keep the bag dry from dew, or late season condensation from inside the tarp. Definitely won't be used alone in a rainstorm. Idea is to always pack the tarp and bivy, and if it's just a nice summer/fall evening to just use the bivy without the tarp. Anyone have experience with these two bivies versus each other? Or anything else similar?

 

[bbrown]

I had been running the TiGoat bivys for years (Ptarmigan, Kestrel and Raven Omni) in my cimmaron and supertarp. The all got the job done and the Raven was my favorite because of the size but I battled condensation build up especially around my feet. Switched over to Borah recently and so far I haven’t had any issues with condensation. John with Borah was very good to work with offering several options and even offered to build me one out of a new material but after hearing my concerns and how I was going to use it he steered me towards one of the standard materials which saved me some cash. So far so good and it’s heading to Alaska with me here in a couple weeks.

For what it’s worth, a bivy in a floor less shelter works great for me keeping me on my pad, keeping my gear cleaner, adding a few degrees of warmth and cutting down on drafts with my quilt. Plus it’s nice to know that I can zip it up during the day and know I won’t have any uninvited guests waiting to share my bed with me. Very rarely do I actually close it up at night but the netting has saved me from mosquitoes on more than a couple nights. Well worth the 7oz weight penalty to me.

 

[sneaky]

EE Recon bivy would be another option

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[Logan T]

I had been running the TiGoat bivys for years (Ptarmigan, Kestrel and Raven Omni) in my cimmaron and supertarp. The all got the job done and the Raven was my favorite because of the size but I battled condensation build up especially around my feet. Switched over to Borah recently and so far I haven’t had any issues with condensation. John with Borah was very good to work with offering several options and even offered to build me one out of a new material but after hearing my concerns and how I was going to use it he steered me towards one of the standard materials which saved me some cash. So far so good and it’s heading to Alaska with me here in a couple weeks.

For what it’s worth, a bivy in a floor less shelter works great for me keeping me on my pad, keeping my gear cleaner, adding a few degrees of warmth and cutting down on drafts with my quilt. Plus it’s nice to know that I can zip it up during the day and know I won’t have any uninvited guests waiting to share my bed with me. Very rarely do I actually close it up at night but the netting has saved me from mosquitoes on more than a couple nights. Well worth the 7oz weight penalty to me.

Which Borah did you end up going with? I just started looking into them, and I think i'd like the side zip offered on the website. Unsure of their Argon 90 vs 67 though. I haven't been a huge fan of bivies, mainly because I spend a lot of time in griz areas - and have had several experience with them in camp at night - and feel like I would be a bear burrito in one of them where as there is a little more room to reach for things just under the tarp, and I have had no issues in the +/-5 years I've been running my setup other than a little condensation on my bag. Usually that happens because there is a rain storm pelting the tarp, knocking the condensation onto my bag. But I do have some areas where it would be handy to use it for the dew/condensation/bugs issue. Like you, I don't think I would close it all the way up most nights, but some nights it would be nice.

 

[Logan T]

EE Recon bivy would be another option

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Thanks for that. Any experience with that bivy? Wondering if much moisture would get through that mesh, as it looks like the mesh travels down the bag a ways more than just around the head.

 

[bbrown]

Mine is the side zip “Aragon 67” material. Wish the side zip went further down the side or even down both sides like the raven but not a deal breaker. I’m sure that’s something he could easily do for you and that would make quick exits much easier for you

 

[sneaky]

That also means condensation can escape too. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Didn't you say if there's a chance of rain you would have a tarp over it?

Thanks for that. Any experience with that bivy? Wondering if much moisture would get through that mesh, as it looks like the mesh travels down the bag a ways more than just around the head.

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[Logan T]

That also means condensation can escape too. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Didn't you say if there's a chance of rain you would have a tarp over it?

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Yeah, I did. But have you ever had big temp swings and a rain storm come in? That's when the condensation starts leaving your tarp and falling on your bag. And yeah, I've adjusted the height of the tarp off the ground to minimize the issue the best I can. Usually leave one half of the closed end of the tarp open during the day to help with airflow throughout the day as well so it's not a sauna in the early season. I realize that there's give and take with the breathability. Condensation with the tarp is usually a non-issue until later in the season.

Do you have any experience with this bivy? Any with it under a tarp in mid season when condensation and moisture tends to increase? Or spring/early summer when the dew is pretty heavy? Just asking if/how much moisture may or may not get through that mesh. I'm not worried about getting rained on with only the bivy as a shelter, yes I will have the tarp. Just wondering about what I mentioned above. And it may just be a non issue too, maybe that mesh hangs onto the moisture before it hits your bag. I don't know. Do you?

 

[Logan T]

That also means condensation can escape too. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Didn't you say if there's a chance of rain you would have a tarp over it?

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I do like that zipper though. And I'd be willing to bet that more moisture would leave the bivy than condensation getting into it from the tarp or a dew.

 

[sneaky]

Mine will be in next week, then 9 days in Utah high country chasing deer. I'll keep you posted.

Yeah, I did. But have you ever had big temp swings and a rain storm come in? That's when the condensation starts leaving your tarp and falling on your bag. And yeah, I've adjusted the height of the tarp off the ground to minimize the issue the best I can. Usually leave one half of the closed end of the tarp open during the day to help with airflow throughout the day as well so it's not a sauna in the early season. I realize that there's give and take with the breathability. Condensation with the tarp is usually a non-issue until later in the season.

Do you have any experience with this bivy? Any with it under a tarp in mid season when condensation and moisture tends to increase? Or spring/early summer when the dew is pretty heavy? Just asking if/how much moisture may or may not get through that mesh. I'm not worried about getting rained on with only the bivy as a shelter, yes I will have the tarp. Just wondering about what I mentioned above. And it may just be a non issue too, maybe that mesh hangs onto the moisture before it hits your bag. I don't know. Do you?

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[Logan T]

Mine will be in next week, then 9 days in Utah high country chasing deer. I'll keep you posted.

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Awesome. Thanks and good luck!

 

[Logan T]

Mine is the side zip “Aragon 67” material. Wish the side zip went further down the side or even down both sides like the raven but not a deal breaker. I’m sure that’s something he could easily do for you and that would make quick exits much easier for you

I do wish that zipper was longer, but if he's willing to make it longer that would be great.

I'd be interested to hear how it does in AK too. Good luck!

 

[mrbillbrown]

John at Borah Gear did a custom size and center zip on my SnowySide eVent bivy to match my Kifaru center zip Slick Bag. He was great to work with and I haven’t had any issues with my bivy yet. Granted, I only use it for a couple of trips to CO every Sept but it’s worked flawlessly for me.


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[sneaky]

I saw another thread where someone was saying that he's out of the eVent material right now. Might want to confirm, as that will push the delivery time back

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[mtwarden]

for under a tarp I use a MLD Superlight bivy (cuben bottom)- like everything they make, the workmanship is excellent, as is the performance- just under 6 oz

I also have a MLD eVENT bivy, but it's used a standalone bivy (or with a tiny tarp)

 

[KH_bowfly]

I just received my Borah side zip bug bivy with a custom foot cap added to it for water splashing in under tarp. John was great to work with and that’s how he steered me based on my intended use.

I’ve only set it up at the house so far, so I don’t have any useful review yet. The only thing I’d mention so far is that it would be nice if it was a double zipper so it could be opened from anywhere instead of just at the end of the zipper.

I ordered the wide (I’m 5’6” and not a wide guy) and I’m glad to have the extra space for minimal weight penalty. Mine came in under advertised weight including the stuff sack, which is refreshing.


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[Bruce Culberson]

I got my Boral biviy with a ~6" wide strip of bug netting down the center, ends 1' before the end. Makes for great ventilation, some moisture protection on the bottom and up the sides, and cuts drafts that sneak under the pyramid.

 

[CTobias]

I used a borah gear bivy and bear paw wilderness design bear den 2 for my sheep hunt. Great products and the bivy was nice to keep the bugs off my face at night.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I’ve been using both the BG and TiGoat bivy’s now for several years and couldn’t be happier (at least I don’t think I could be happier). Just spent 11 nights in both, me in the BG and my son in the Kestrel, and even in the worst weather for condensation, we had no issues whatsoever. Pictures don’t depict the worst weather we had, but trust me, we had some very wet weather.

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[Ruskin]

I got the event material which seems to be working well. Also I found a side zip very helpful for getting in and out. Center zip would be great too.


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