Emergency Bivvy

[Tilzbow]

Last sheep hunt I was on I spent two nights on the mountain and just put all my clothes on and my rain gear and it wasn't too bad but the weather wasn't too bad either but it could've been much worse so I'm looking for a super lightweight bivy for a August 2014 Stone Sheep in Northern BC to carry in my pack just in case I have to spend a night on the mountain. Hopefully if I do it's because we've got a monster ram put to bed!

The only option I know of are the Adventure Medical Kits line of bivys and in particular I'm looking at the SOL Escape Bivvy, it's breathable and fairly light at 8.5 oz and it appears to the best option I can find. I'm just curious if there are better ones out there I don't know about.

 

[Lawnboi]

Do you want something that you won't have to throw away after a couple uses? Waterproof?

I'm not a sheep hunter (someday maybe.... Hopefully). But I would also look into bringing a ul tarp. My para tarp weighs well under a lb with stakes. Can be pitched with trekking poles, pack stays, arrows, sticks ect...It will give you a little more room and packs down to about the size of a pair of socks.

I do have an id bugaboo bivy that I keep my sleep system rolled up in. If I'm going far it's in the pack or the tarp is. It's a hair over a lb, packs fairly small, waterproof and breathable and will keep you dry for the most part. I'd be more inclined to take the weight of this bivy as the event material does not trap in condensation like those cheap bivys do. IMO those emergency bivys are just as they sound, for emergencies. I want something that is not going to soak me from the inside or the out iif I'm actually using it.

 

[Bmcox86]

I've heard great things about the adventure medical kits one. I have the smallest one for a just in case but I wouldn't hesitate to get a bigger one

 

[larryschwartz]

I used the Escape Bivvy last October in the Appalachians (VA) as a SB liner when the weather was below freezing and it worked well. Helped keep in the heat, didn't hold in moisture. I would have not hesitation at all in carrying it as a force multiplier if you will to help make an overnight on the mountain more comfortable. I would, however, suggest that you couple it with something like a woobie or similar poncho liner to boost the amount of heat kept and something to keep the wind off of you like a lightweigth tarp of some sort or material.

Feel fre to PM me for my cell phone and we can talk if you want.

 

[Akshphntr]

I carry an equinox bivy sack or a tarp for emergency shelter. 8 ounces and find a protected spot for the night. When I started hunting we carried a sheet of bis queen and made some great shelters. Between the bivi cack and the tarp I like the tarp cause it keeps the rain further away. Or if it was too windy you could roll up into it like a bivy sack. Plus I can use it to cover meat. It also is a poncho for light rain.

 

[6mm Remington]

I purchased a tent footprint which seems like it will work out pretty good if I have to spend the night out. I believe I pickup up an 8x8' footprint as I thought that would be large enough. It's pretty light (never weighed it), is waterproof, quiet, and has grommets so it can be staked down and you have place to attach parachute chord.

 

[JWP58]

I used the Escape Bivvy last October in the Appalachians (VA) as a SB liner when the weather was below freezing and it worked well. Helped keep in the heat, didn't hold in moisture..

I did the same and had the same experience. I stayed toasty warm with no moisture.

 

[Stid2677]

Been using a T.I. Goat Ptarmigan bivy 4.8 OZs, been using them for years and have spent quite a few night on the sheep mountain in one.


http://www.titaniumgoat.com/Bivy.html

 

[luke moffat]

I'd much rather carry a shelter to get me, my partners, and our gear all out of the elements if having to spend nights at elevation. To me the extra 1-2 pounds of a bivy shleter shared between two or more people really opens up your options when you don't have to hurry back to camp in the dark after taking an animal late, or means you can stay on the animals at last night and be right there to take them in the morning. Saves a lot of time/effort/hiking if you have the option to stay if needed then be hell bent on getting back to your camp.

An actually bivy to sleep in under your UL shelter (tarp, paratarp, tipi) is a luxury IMO and not really needed for overnight emergency bivy situations. Getting out of the weather and having a place to cook dinner or whatever makes the shelter more more valuable than the weight of a single bivy to slither into in my experience.

 

[Nick Muche]

I'd much rather carry a shelter to get me, my partners, and our gear all out of the elements if having to spend nights at elevation. To me the extra 1-2 pounds of a bivy shleter shared between two or more people really opens up your options when you don't have to hurry back to camp in the dark after taking an animal late, or means you can stay on the animals at last night and be right there to take them in the morning. Saves a lot of time/effort/hiking if you have the option to stay if needed then be hell bent on getting back to your camp.

An actually bivy to sleep in under your UL shelter (tarp, paratarp, tipi) is a luxury IMO and not really needed for overnight emergency bivy situations. Getting out of the weather and having a place to cook dinner or whatever makes the shelter more more valuable than the weight of a single bivy to slither into in my experience.

So what would you reccomend? A supertarp when hunting with a partner and then a paratarp when solo? Along with something to keep you warm for the night?

 

[Darren Best]

A lot is going to have to do with conditions you expect and what you are comfortable with. As the Boy Scouts say, be prepared for the worst.

The four of us spent a night under tarps in a Montana snow storm in K Slick bags, no bivy sacks, which is a testament to how well they fend moisture. The wind was howling pretty hard and there was just no way to get out of the storm short of a fully enclosed shelter of some sort. All four of us came through it unscathed.

Borah gear makes a eVent bivy sack that would be just about perfect for any conditions you might encounter. But a Para Tarp is lighter and for the same weight or a few ounces more you can run a Mega tarp or a SL-5 fly sheet.

Luke does have a point, it's nice to get out of a storm and cook up some hot food and something to drink rather than just survive the night. Do not underestimate what a morale booster hot food and a warm place to sleep can be in a tough situation, I've seen it multiple times.

I think a person should always be prepared to spend a night out by having their three layers with them, a sleep system and a shelter of some sort. It's up to you to decide what you are comfortable with. What ever you get, experiment with it and make sure it will get the job done before you are 3+ miles from the trailhead and the weather is getting nasty fast.

 

[Muledeernv]

I bought a sl3 without the nest from luke last year and have it in my pack just in case I have to spend the night out. it isn't super light weight but when you really need it the little weight that it is I think it is well worth it. Just my two cents.

 

[luke moffat]

I bought a sl3 without the nest from luke last year and have it in my pack just in case I have to spend the night out. it isn't super light weight but when you really need it the little weight that it is I think it is well worth it. Just my two cents.

That is a great little tent...we've bivied out in the SL-3 a couple times. Or even just set it up in the middle of a rain storm while out away from camp for a day. When the weather takes a turn for the worse and the viz goes to zero anyways, its nice to set it up and get out of the weather and fire up some coffee or tea or something and get out of the craptastic weather outside at times.

Taking a couple 6 oz TI goat bivies or similar would be 12 oz total for the both of us while something like and SL-3 can be just about 28 oz or so (depending on the number of stakes you bring) and for me being able cook/hangout/sit up and what not out of the weather as well as keep my gear out of the weather is more than worth the extra pound roughly. And going to someting like a paratarp or the like can close that gap even more.

Here is the SL-3 you bought after a night bivied 10 miles away from our main camp that was 8 miles in from the road. Nice to be able to go that far away from camp not HAVE to get back to camp, but rather tackle the return to camp later, or atleast have that option. Takes the pressure off the hunt IMO.



And it setup after a brutal rain/sleet storm rolled through mid day and we threw it up to get out of the weather.

 

[luke moffat]

So what would you reccomend? A supertarp when hunting with a partner and then a paratarp when solo? Along with something to keep you warm for the night?

Either a super or paratarp would be a great choice indeed. I'd be more inclined to go with a super as the 4 extra oz between the two isn't gonna make or break ya when going solo and keeps ya from buying two shelters.

 

[Nick Muche]

Thanks Luke.

 

[bcimport]

Hilleberg Bivanorak