Hammock bivv vs 1 man tent vs bivy sack

[Bacwest]

I am going to MT this year for archery elk, we will have a base camp but then hunt from there so I can restock after 3 nights or so. My question, what are the pros and cons of the 3 tent options? Hammock bivy, bivy sack, and 1 man tent? I want to use something that's lightweight and comfortable but will also stand up to the elements as it's not uncommon to see some rain...

 

[Nickpaolini81]

I am going to MT this year for archery elk, we will have a base camp but then hunt from there so I can restock after 3 nights or so. My question, what are the pros and cons of the 3 tent options? Hammock bivy, bivy sack, and 1 man tent? I want to use something that's lightweight and comfortable but will also stand up to the elements as it's not uncommon to see some rain...

I I am in the same boat, going to archery elk this year in Colorado. I put way too much time and research into my tent. Keep in mind, we are moving camp every night, but I spent a few nights in the Snugpack Ionsphere and for the money, performance, and wweight I don’t think there’s anything else out there that can beat it.

Amazon.com : SnugPak Ionosphere 1-Person Tent, Coyote Tan : Sports & Outdoors




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[durangobrad]

I I am in the same boat, going to archery elk this year in Colorado. I put way too much time and research into my tent. Keep in mind, we are moving camp every night, but I spent a few nights in the Snugpack Ionsphere and for the money, performance, and wweight I don’t think there’s anything else out there that can beat it.

Amazon.com : SnugPak Ionosphere 1-Person Tent, Coyote Tan : Sports & Outdoors




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3.3 LBs for a single man setup is really quite heavy.

 

[Nickpaolini81]

3.3 LBs for a single man setup is really quite heavy.

Ya. This guy is not tough enough to sleep under a $180 rain tarp only.

For a bivy tent it’s one of the lightest, secure and financially realistic. Great reviews too.


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[RockChucker30]

Hammock - very comfortable, very fast to setup and tear down. Have to know what you're doing regarding top and bottom insulation or you'll freeze. Can be a heavier.

Bivy - Claustrophobic? Then skip this one. Will suck if you get weathered in. Very light, very fast to set up and tear down. Very light usually.

Solo Tent - more room, weather worthy, not bad to set up or tear down. Weight can vary widely. Of course we sell floorless shelters, so I lean that way, floored will weigh more.

 

[Nathan_Douglas]

In for ideas

 

[Bacwest]

Great feedback from all... I didn't think hammock would be heavier so I'll have to look into that better before pulling the trigger. I'm beginning to lean towards 1 man tent...but floorless? That sounds kinda risky if it rains. Won't water run into tent?

 

[ndbuck09]

Tarptent ProTrail

For $225 you get a 26oz, 1lbs 10oz shelter. If you're not in a snow storm this is a pretty great value. It's basically a glorified tarp with the bug net built in.

 

[mtnrunner260]

I like the bivy/tarp combo because there are multiple uses for the tarp.
Not that you do a lot of glassing for elk compared to deer but it is nice for shade and rain storms.
Plus it provides a lot more livable space. You can cook under it.

 

[TradLife406]

I really like the Borah Bivy and a Kifaru Sheep tarp.

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[larryschwartz]

My go to combo is a camping hammock setup; hammock with a bug net attached, a tarp, tyvek sheet, sleeping bag or quilt, and a closed cell foam ground pad.

On the ground bivvy = hammock w/bugnet, ground pad, sleeping bag/quilt, tyvek sheet.
Simple shelter = the on the ground bivvy with a tarp.
Camping hammock = all of the above hung from two trees, minus the tyvek sheet.

 

[gdog]

Lightweight bivy and tarp. Most versatile my $.02's

 

[PantherCity]

Great feedback from all... I didn't think hammock would be heavier so I'll have to look into that better before pulling the trigger. I'm beginning to lean towards 1 man tent...but floorless? That sounds kinda risky if it rains. Won't water run into tent?

Not unless you set up in a washout. There is tons of info about floorless on this forum, and you may want to read up on it.
Lots of good cheap options out there if you are cool with no floor. I'm floorless all the way.

If you want to try a cheap one-man look at the Mountainsmith LT.

 

[Beendare]

I don’t think there’s anything else out there that can beat it.

Amazon.com : SnugPak Ionosphere 1-Person Tent, Coyote Tan : Sports & Outdoors

^ thats a knock off of my made in USA Tarptent...that is much lighter 2#4oz all in with floor and bug mesh
_____________

OP, I sometimes backpack with a hammock in the summer......and used a bivy bag for years.

IMO, The most functional way to go on these hunts is a UL tent...for multiple reasons.

 

[Nickpaolini81]

^ thats a knock off of my made in USA Tarptent...that is much lighter 2#4oz all in with floor and bug mesh
_____________

OP, I sometimes backpack with a hammock in the summer......and used a bivy bag for years.

IMO, The most functional way to go on these hunts is a UL tent...for multiple reasons.

Snugpack was founded in ‘77 .....tarp tent in 2002. Who’s knock off who? Tarp tent....I looked at those extensively. $224 for the ProTrail. $134 for the SnugPak ionosphere.

Poles needed for setting up Tarptent, they will sell you those , 4 stakes with TarpTent, 16 with Snug....then u need to seal seams with Tarptent, oh and they’ll sell you a kit for that, plus the poles too. Nickle and dimed.....don’t doubt the quality tho.


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[dog812]

over 3# for a one man tent. You can't compare that to a 1# tarptent, apples and oranges.

I have a seek outside lbo. I can change it from one man. Up to 4 man with connecting tarp and another base.
I can add a inner nest or use a bivy. Add a stove if it gets cold, it works well in a lot of situations. Worth a look.... But deff over $200
Took it out last weekend for bear. 26oz for the base plus vestibule setup. Another 5 oz for the diy carbon pole and 8oz for my bivy. Cold and windy but didn't use the stove.

Won't upload a pic....but you can search it

 

[ndbuck09]

bottom line is, if you want to have a cheaper option, you'll carry more weight. 3 pounds is light for a 3 person tent, not a 1 man in today's backpacking world but the beauty is, it may not be that you need/want the lightest tent and your value in a tent lies more in the cost savings rather than the weight savings. And that's quite alright, plus a light tent or a heavy tent don't kill the elk.

 

[RockChucker30]

Great feedback from all... I didn't think hammock would be heavier so I'll have to look into that better before pulling the trigger. I'm beginning to lean towards 1 man tent...but floorless? That sounds kinda risky if it rains. Won't water run into tent?

Couple good setups to run by you. This is my personal gear, so I think it's good stuff, others may prefer different stuff.

Hammock setup:
- Tree to Tree Trail Gear Switchback Netless Hammock - 23 oz
- Custom OES MacCat Deluxe - 19 oz
- Top Quilt EE Enigma 0° long/wide - 28 oz
- Underquilt - Hammock Gear Incubator 0° with overstuff - 32 oz
This includes suspension stuff for hammock (whoopie slings and tree straps) plus an AE neck pillow.
Total weight 102 oz / 6 lbs 6 oz

Floorless tent:
- Seek Outside Silvertip (no pole, use trekking pole) - 28 oz
- Mountain Mat 40x80x1/8" eva foam pad (groundsheet and airpad protection) - 8 oz
- Prolite torso pad - 11 oz
- Western Mountaineering Antelope long 5° bag - 46 oz
Total weight - 93 oz / 5 lbs 13 oz

So really not a ton of difference in weight, about 3/4 lb. Big difference in performance though. The hammock will sleep more comfortable, and I've taken that system down into the mid to upper 20's and been ok. The WM Antelope I've taken to 0 and been ok. EE's 0 is like WM's 15-20 IME. I could sub my EE quilt for the WM bag and shave 18 oz off the shelter setup.

Silvertip wins hands down on riding out rough weather. I've been in some rugged thunderstorms in the hammock and it gets intimidating if the wind gets under the tarp. The ST handles wind like a champ.

Key to remember if you'll be above treeline a hammock is a no go unless you use it as a bivy. If you're in trees but on steep rugged ground then the hammock will be super easy to pitch. You can level a hammock on unlevel ground, can't do that with a tent.

Water coming through a floorless - not unless you pick a bad campsite.

 

[Boxerboxer]

In the case of the bivy/tarp combo what does the bivy give you? If you pitch the tarp pretty open, I could see having it to keep your bag from getting wet, but if you pitch your tarp in a more sheltered config do you need the bivy?

 

[RockChucker30]

Bivy in a tarp can mean three things:

1. Bug bivy - usually a waterproof or at least resistant floor, mesh netting everywhere else. Will keep out skeeters, will keep a quilt together, help some with splash from heavy rain, help make a quilt or bag a touch warmer.

2. Water resistant bivy - ripstop or ripstop/mesh top with bathtub waterproof floor - helps with rain splash, makes it warmer, keeps a quilt together, seals out drafts

3. Full on waterproof bivy.

Of the three I think the first two make sense in different situations. The third makes sense in really foul weather, but in those conditions I'd probably be in something different anyway. For a lot of guys I think a bivy gives them peace of mind more than anything.