To Bivy or not to Bivy?

[Akirie]

I sleep hot and condensation is an issue for me in a bivy. If not in a bomber tent I like pyramid tents. But there are so many options now....many intrigue me.

 

[Franger]

Huntingfarandwide,

In my opinion, the number one thing that kills animals is time in the field. It helps a ton to be in great shape, be an excellent marksman or archer, understand the animals, etc. But if a hunter is uncomfortable and not well-rested and the camping portion of the hunt is a big chore, it affects the hunt negatively more than any other variable. And that’s when hunters are less likely to hunt.

So with that said, I ditched the idea of a bivy. I learned that unless my sleeping bag was perfectly suited to the temperature, condensation was an issue. (My WM bag is too nice to get stuffed wet every morning) It added another barrier to exit when it was time to midnight piss after drinking the amount of water I need for hydration. Dust and dirt stuck to it. I didn’t have a “sterile area” anywhere but inside the sack itself. The list goes on.

Using the SO Eolus and a Borah bivy as an example, what’s the weight penalty for a a nest vs a bivy? 10 ounces. What if it’s one of the robust bivy sacks like the OR Helium? Zero difference in weight from a nest from Seek Otside or Tarp Tent. What’s the setup time difference? Virtually none.

This isn’t to say that using a bivy is universally wrong. It works for many, many people. But in my experience whether just recreationally backpacking or hunting, the weight savings and simplicity is marginal and the difference in comfort and functionality is massive.

If you’re that worried about 10 ounces to a pound, do more squats.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Huntingfarandwide,

In my opinion, the number one thing that kills animals is time in the field. It helps a ton to be in great shape, be an excellent marksman or archer, understand the animals, etc. But if a hunter is uncomfortable and not well-rested and the camping portion of the hunt is a big chore, it affects the hunt negatively more than any other variable. And that’s when hunters are less likely to hunt.

So with that said, I ditched the idea of a bivy. I learned that unless my sleeping bag was perfectly suited to the temperature, condensation was an issue. (My WM bag is too nice to get stuffed wet every morning) It added another barrier to exit when it was time to midnight piss after drinking the amount of water I need for hydration. Dust and dirt stuck to it. I didn’t have a “sterile area” anywhere but inside the sack itself. The list goes on.

Using the SO Eolus and a Borah bivy as an example, what’s the weight penalty for a a nest vs a bivy? 10 ounces. What if it’s one of the robust bivy sacks like the OR Helium? Zero difference in weight from a nest from Seek Otside or Tarp Tent. What’s the setup time difference? Virtually none.

This isn’t to say that using a bivy is universally wrong. It works for many, many people. But in my experience whether just recreationally backpacking or hunting, the weight savings and simplicity is marginal and the difference in comfort and functionality is massive.

If you’re that worried about 10 ounces to a pound, do more squats.

Your WM bag will be fine getting wet. I’ve used them since the mid 90s and they last decades getting wet and dirty. It’s what they’re made for. Shake it off, wipe down with a lightweight shammy, stuff it in the sack and keep rolling.

 

[j-moose32]

those using the borah bivy, how is it for reppeling water? Im looking to get a lightweight bivy and that name keeps coming up

 

[AK Troutbum]

Floorless and bivy for all my spiking out, for the last 10 years now and I don’t really have a desire to go back to a traditional setup. That’s not to say that I haven’t experienced some less than ideal scenarios while using floorless shelters, but I just chalk them up as character building and move on. I also settled on a BG bivy about 6 or 7 years ago, then asked John to make me a custom DCF several years ago, and at 4.5 oz., it’s all I could ever ask for in a bivy.

Spinrift can sometimes be a bit of a PITA though.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AK Troutbum]

those using the borah bivy, how is it for reppeling water? Im looking to get a lightweight bivy and that name keeps coming up

They are definitely not waterproof on top, but they do a decent job with the occasional drops/spray.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BBob]

those using the borah bivy, how is it for reppeling water? Im looking to get a lightweight bivy and that name keeps coming up

Another option is an MLD Superlight. DFC bottom with DWR fabric on top is 5.5-6oz. I use a full face mesh and haven't had condensation issues but I've also never been to Alaska

 

[OregonSteeler]

This thread has me glued to it. I'm so on the fence between a regular tent vs tipi and bivy. Did a weekend campout with Luxe Minipeak XL and lite outdoors stove. Worked AWESOME but was ideal conditions. It was just cold enough to use the stove, light rain, light wind, and ground was grass like I was on a putting green. I doubt it's that easy or nice in the backcountry with crappy conditions.

I loved the space of a tipi compared to a tent but have trouble getting dressed and not having my feet end up outside of the bottom of the tipi.

Loved the option of using a stove, but not sure how much I'd use it throughout the year.

 

[j33]

Floorless and bivy for all my spiking out, for the last 10 years now and I don’t really have a desire to go back to a traditional setup. That’s not to say that I haven’t experienced some less than ideal scenarios while using floorless shelters, but I just chalk them up as character building and move on. I also settled on a BG bivy about 6 or 7 years ago, then asked John to make me a custom DCF several years ago, and at 4.5 oz., it’s all I could ever ask for in a bivy.

Spinrift can sometimes be a bit of a PITA though.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

how does that mid height tipi from the first few pics handle the wind? Lets say compare to like a Kuiu mountain star or something similar if you have experience with those? thanks

 

[chibirds]

I also use a Borah Gear Bivy (the silpoly bug bivy, ~6.25 oz) with a mid (Locus Gear Khufu silpoly, something like 16 oz). and I really like the setup. I used to use a more traditional bivy that had a water resistant/breathable fabric on top with a little netting over my face and found the condensation to be just terrible! Switching to a bug bivy with netting over the whole top really solved this.

I've waited out some nasty T-storms in my mid and bivy and haven't had to deal with splashback or water in my setup. I think the most wind my mid has been in was a night when there was 45 mph wind gusts. My mid handled it like a champ. Definitely think floorless mids + bivys are some of the most flexible shelters.

 

[AK Troutbum]

how does that mid height tipi from the first few pics handle the wind? Lets say compare to like a Kuiu mountain star or something similar if you have experience with those? thanks

I don't have any experience with any of the Kuiu tents, but Mids, like most tipi's, handle wind very well. My biggest one is that green HMG Ultamid 4, which stands about 6 1/2' to the peak (depending on how high off the ground I pitch it), and I've experienced sustained winds of up to about 50 mph without any issues, other than worrying that the thing is going to come apart with the next big gust.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

From my experience:

• Bivy only + tarp backup - just did this when I could cowboy camp without a tarp or floorless with pretty good certainty rain wasn't on the way. I found that I don't sleep well with even nest fabric directly on my face or even wearing a cap which the ultralight guys do to keep the fabric off their faces in a bivy. Didn't work for me. Sleeping under the stars though, quite the pleasure as long as no bugs

• Borah Bivy + floorless shelter - super easy and nice as long as no bugs (ticks). If no bugs, I basically just keep the borah bivy unzipped with the fabric off my face and so it can breathe better.

• DCF ultralight tent + nest - If you can swing the cost, the weight penalty from vs bivy+tarp is so small that I find myself far more comfortable in this setup. Personally I sleep better. Setup is still super easy and flexible with the Tarptent Notch Li. Even for my basecamp when I use the MLD Supermid I ended up getting a nest vs. bivy as it just works for me.