Bivy or not?

[woods89]

I'm planning on a late September archery elk hunt in northern Colorado with a buddy that lives in the area for 2017.

I've done quite a bit of backcountry camping here in the Ozarks in the last few years and my shelter system has been a 9x9 Kelty Noah's tarp (don't laugh!) and a diy bug bivy. This system has served me well, albeit mostly in good weather.

I have learned to like floorless shelters. With the flat tarp my bivy was great, as it was always pitched with quite a bit of airflow. However, for this hunt I'm tenatively planning on picking up a Mountainsmith Mountain Shelter lt for a little more protection. Maybe its necessary, maybe not, but I think I'll be a little more comfortable with a more enclosed shelter.

My question is, should I still run a bug bivy just to keep everything together and for a little ground protection? The other option would be just a ground sheet. If I take a bug bivy, I'll likely pick up a Borah.

My buddy runs a Marmot tent, so he isn't really a floorless guy. Thanks for your help!

 

[TheCougar]

I've always gone with a tent. With a bivy and a tarp, I can splurge an extra 8-10 ounces and have the luxury of a tent and vestibule. I guess it comes down to what is most important to you. if I want to go super lightweight, I can ditch the tent and just bring the rain fly and poles, which gives a lot of protection and more comfort than a tarp.

 

[ssssnake529]

You will not need bug protection in late September in Colorado in elk country. The weather will have turned cold enough that the mosquitoes will be a non-issue. Your shelter will be fine by itself. If you are worried about rain/mud, bring a super light plastic ground sheet. You can use it for keeping your meat clean when you're boning out your kill even if you don't end up needing to use it as a ground sheet for your shelter.

 

[woods89]

I've always gone with a tent. With a bivy and a tarp, I can splurge an extra 8-10 ounces and have the luxury of a tent and vestibule. I guess it comes down to what is most important to you. if I want to go super lightweight, I can ditch the tent and just bring the rain fly and poles, which gives a lot of protection and more comfort than a tarp.

I get this arguement, nothing at all wrong with a tent, but here are my reasons for going floorless.

1 This shelter is just over 2 lbs. Add a bivy and your still well under 3 lbs. And I carry trekking poles anyways. Unless I'm missing something, I'd have to spend a fair bit more money to hit that weight with a tent.

2 I can wear my boots in.

3 Floorless are typically more flexible as far as uneven spots.

4 This is an intangible, but I just like them better than tents. I have no real coherant reason for this! lol

Like you said, it comes down to what's important to you. I was probably soured a little on the very first backpack hunt I went on. I overnighted for turkeys here in the Ozarks. I took our dome tent, it rained, and I wound up with rain on my tent floor. I went floorless after that and have had good luck with it. But I'm well aware of the fact that a better tent would likely have kept me dry!

 

[Dameon]

I would take a regular bivy for added protection from the wind and rain. I use a SJK satellite tarp and their contour bivy. The quality is ok and the price is excellent. I'd be more worried about rodents getting in your gear than bugs, but I haven't hunted CO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Felix40]

I'd take the bivy but most likely leave it in the truck. I used to work in NW Colorado and there were some areas at low elevation where you would get eaten alive. it will probably be too cold for bugs but you never know. 95% chance you won't need it but 100% chance you will hate your life if you need it but don't have it. If your buddy can tell you for sure that you won't be down at low elevation then leave it at home

I've seen mice chew right through tent walls so I don't think there's much stopping them.

 

[bridgerbenson]

I have a BCS floorless tipi and took a bivy this last season with the thought that it would keep my new EE quilt dry and clean. The moisture was so bad though, the quilt ended up soaked every morning anyways. I have since sold the bivy and quilt, and am going to try a lightweight cot and synthetic bag to keep my stuff up off the ground and hopefully not have to worry about moisture as much.

 

[mauiarcher]

I get this arguement, nothing at all wrong with a tent, but here are my reasons for going floorless.

1 This shelter is just over 2 lbs. Add a bivy and your still well under 3 lbs. And I carry trekking poles anyways. Unless I'm missing something, I'd have to spend a fair bit more money to hit that weight with a tent.

2 I can wear my boots in.

3 Floorless are typically more flexible as far as uneven spots.

4 This is an intangible, but I just like them better than tents. I have no real coherant reason for this! lol

Like you said, it comes down to what's important to you. I was probably soured a little on the very first backpack hunt I went on. I overnighted for turkeys here in the Ozarks. I took our dome tent, it rained, and I wound up with rain on my tent floor. I went floorless after that and have had good luck with it. But I'm well aware of the fact that a better tent would likely have kept me dry!

This year I used Jimmy tarps bivy and granite mtn shelter....less than a lb. combined if u already take poles. Great set up IMO. Held up great in some wicked wind. Doesnt get much simpler set up after a long day in the back country (much easier than a flat tarp). Only took bivy to keep my pad and quilt clean (no bugs late September in eastern Or/Id).

Fyi you can get a free standing double wall tent for 2lb or less (fly creek platinum). I am still a couple oz. Lighter with a tarp bivy and trekking poles but not by much. I still prefer floor less in most situations, love the extra sf, but would have no issue using my fly creek in wetter conditions.

MLD makes an awesome enclosed shelter with net and floor for sub 2 lb as well.

Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[TheCougar]

I get this arguement, nothing at all wrong with a tent, but here are my reasons for going floorless.

1 This shelter is just over 2 lbs. Add a bivy and your still well under 3 lbs. And I carry trekking poles anyways. Unless I'm missing something, I'd have to spend a fair bit more money to hit that weight with a tent.

2 I can wear my boots in.

3 Floorless are typically more flexible as far as uneven spots.

4 This is an intangible, but I just like them better than tents. I have no real coherant reason for this! lol

Like you said, it comes down to what's important to you. I was probably soured a little on the very first backpack hunt I went on. I overnighted for turkeys here in the Ozarks. I took our dome tent, it rained, and I wound up with rain on my tent floor. I went floorless after that and have had good luck with it. But I'm well aware of the fact that a better tent would likely have kept me dry!

If you like a floorless, then stick with what you like. To each his own. My only point was that for a half pound more, I can get a perks from a tent that make it worth the weight to me. Finding a quality one or two man tent in the high 2lb range is no more expensive than any other set up. I don't really mind taking my boots off in the tent. I only put my boots on or take them off once a day. as far as more options to locate a floorless, you are probably right, but then again, I've never been in a place where I couldn't find a 4x7' open area to pitch my small tent. Don't let an experience with a bad piece of equipment invalidate good gear! It sounds like you have your heart set on a tarp and a bivy since you like it more. Rather than look at tents, figure out a better tarp and bivy setup that meets your needs for your upcoming hunt. There is always room to upgrade the gear you have rather than buying gear you don't want!

 

[justinspicher]

I use my bivy as part of my layering system just like my clothes. I don't get it out unless the weather gets cold or it's extremely muddy in the tipi.

 

[durangobrad]

Ive been using floorless in Colorado for a couple of years now. Even in the summer when the mosqitos were out I didn't have any issues with them once the sun went down and it was time to sleep. By archery season they have always been gone. I think you will be fine without a bivy. I dont always carry a ground sheet either just make sure so clear the spot of debris and sticks that might pop your pad.

 

[LongWayAround]

Three years ago I backpacked with a double wall tent that was way too heavy and I hated it.

Two years ago I just took a tarp, pitched it with trekking poles and used a ground sheet under my pad/sleeping bag. A bivy would probably have been better to keep my stuff together.

Last year I bought a floorless tipi from a site member and it has been awesome. I don't know how many nights I've put in it but only once did it get wet. That day, it rained so hard that we had standing water on top of the ground in the sage. The water ran right under the tipi and soaked my partner's gear so we packed out for the night. Again, it probably would've been nice to have a bivy. I've only used a ground sheet during cold weather with the tipi.

I don't have any actual bivy experience and all of my limited floorless experience has been in Colorado. I have yet to have trouble with bugs, even in warm weather. I did have an issue with rodents one night in my unprotected pack.

I have had a few nights of cold temperatures where the bivy probably would've been a nice addition though so im kicking around the idea of building a custom one.

 

[woods89]

Thanks to all who replied!

Looks like the bivy thing is a little back and forth. We will likely be camping at 10-11000'. For $65 and 6.5 oz I will probably just take a bug bivy with me.

TheCouger and Mauiarcher, I did not realize that you could get a tent that light at that price point. Probably going to stick with floorless as that's what I like, but that is good info.

 

[92xj]

I have a BCS floorless tipi and took a bivy this last season with the thought that it would keep my new EE quilt dry and clean. The moisture was so bad though, the quilt ended up soaked every morning anyways. I have since sold the bivy and quilt, and am going to try a lightweight cot and synthetic bag to keep my stuff up off the ground and hopefully not have to worry about moisture as much.

What bivy were you running?
Did it just not breathe well and you got soaked from your body moisture?