Bivy sacks

[warofattrition]

Having carried waaaay toooo much crap and NOT ultralight in the past, I was wondering what kind of ultralight bivy works best? I am tending towards an emergency bivy (for minimal size and weight and cost) with a very water resistent feathered friends hummingbird sleeping bag. Thoughts? and thanks.

[sherpaxc]

I'm using the Montbell Breeze Dry Tec sleeping bag cover.  Not waterproof but water resistant.  I would recommend a tarp with it if traveling anywhere that may have rain.  I loved it this summer under a tarp on the Colorado Trail. 
Ton's of good choices out there though. 

[AZTtripper]

I had an E bivy ripped it up the first night out. Also they don't breath at all so I wouldn't get in it if not for a real down pour emergency.

You might get by with a simple ground sheet and a light tarp.

Don't be fooled by Minimalist in the name of the REI Minimalist bivy the thing has 6 zipper heads. I have used my for years tho and then finally cut out all of the zipper heads and gave up on the screen as I had never used it.

Of course if you are in a buggy area that might be a bad idea.

Tim 

[Done]

Over the years, I've used a Sierra Design Diodora bivy, and old MEC something-or-other, and a homemade coated nylon deal--and they all worked well. In hopes of shaving off a little bulk and weight, I just bought a Marmot Alpinist.

I don't carry a tarp, so I my bivy is waterproof. I generally try to sleep with my head under a tree. Breathable fabric is good, especially with a down bag.

Check out this link. Great stuff!
http://www.tenpoundbackpack.com/gear-lists/lightweight-bivy-bags/

[JReeves]

The link that Toby posted above is a great one!  Really puts them all into perspective.  The big choice to make is waterproof vs. water resistant...  There's a big difference. 
Another key factor is breathability, your bag may be water resistant, but if you get a ton of condensation inside your bivy, your bag is going to soak it up.  Many of the lighter bivies you find these days are made to be used in conjunction with a tarp.  And while this combo is great for it's effectiveness against rain, and for it's versatility, you have to take into consideration the setup of it all.  A light tarp and bivy can be paired together for under a pound, but it's the setup that deterred me from going that route.  I know after a long day in the saddle, I don't want to fidget around with setting up a tarp.  Obviously you don't have to set the tarp up if the weather is clear, but then you're carrying gear that you might not need to be. After not finding exactly what I wanted(under $200, fully waterproof, breathable, mesh window option, under 1lb) I ended up making my own.  I just posted a link up to it in the MYOG section.  With that said, I do plan on making an ultra-light bivy that is just water-resistant, for summer trips when I'm pretty confident the weather will hold out. 

[anth]

I'll second what Toby said about going with a waterproof bivy sans tarp. If I'm going to carry around a bivy, tarp, and possibly groundsheet, might as well get a light solo tent.

I've also got the Marmot Alpinist bivy. I've used it on some climbing trips and so far seems to work as advertised. I got a small amount of condensation on a cold night at elevation but only enough to dampen the outer fabric of my bag. I use a ultralight down bag that is NOT water resistant with the thought that is/when it does get damp from some condensation, it will dry out faster.

I haven't used mine for bikepacking yet but plan on using it this summer in the CTR. If I'm really worried about condensation in the rain (where I couldn't sleep with my face out), I've figured out a good way to use my rain shell draped over my bike to cover my head and keep the hood on the bivy open.

anthony

[sherpaxc]

I'll second what Toby said about going with a waterproof bivy sans tarp. If I'm going to carry around a bivy, tarp, and possibly groundsheet, might as well get a light solo tent.
anthony

I truly believe there is no perfect way, just what is right for each individual.  I was on segment 23 on the CT this summer when a big mac daddy nasty storm rolled over head.  On a pretty good ridge.  I solo tent would have worked great, but my tarp was great too.  Just flipped the bike over and made it work.  And I got to SEE all the hail, rain, lighting and everything else that was falling from the sky while snug as a bug in my bivy. 
I really enjoy the openess of a bivy/tarp and creepy crawlies just don't bother me, especially after a LONG day on the bike. 

Good discussion.

[skyl4rk]

Couldn't you just take a silnylon tarp, and fold it over your sleeping bag like a tortilla?  Maybe stitch some light cord through the grommets to prevent the wind from blowing it off of you.

[warofattrition]

thanks for the input...I will check out the site (s) and have fun out there...

[JReeves]

Couldn't you just take a silnylon tarp, and fold it over your sleeping bag like a tortilla?  Maybe stitch some light cord through the grommets to prevent the wind from blowing it off of you.

This would work in a pinch, but you will have some serious condensation issues in the long run.

[MilesGear]

I make a waterproof/breathable bivy with no frills that weighs under 11 oz.  I just used it last weekend on a trip on the Mt. Whitney trail.  I used it inside a tent just to protect my bag from spills while eating.  No condensation.  If it rains, water resistant won't cut it.  If it doesn't rain, then a non-breathable bivy just gets you wet from the inside.  The non-breathable bivy will let you survive the night, but it's far from comfort.  The Mylar type are good for maybe 1 night.

[trebor]

This would work in a pinch, but you will have some serious condensation issues in the long run.

I second that! Shivered like you wouldn't believe on a 40* night like that once after the condensation got me all clammy and damp......

[mnmtb]

Did you see this yet?

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/product.php?product=263&catname=Shelter&prodname=Escape Bivvy

I used one of the older one's on the CTR. Worked OK, but I could see condensation getting to be a problem in certain conditions.  This and a pad might do it for me this year.

Zip

[bartspedden]

I tried the space bag two years ago for a couple nights with just a pad in colorado. I was warm enough (woke up a few time a night cold, but no big deal) but the condensation was too much for me. I like something that's more breathable now so that my crotch that's been stuck in a diaper all day has a chance to properly dry out 

I'm loving a little ultralight bivy that has a waterproof bottom and breathable top. If it rains I use a homemade tarp from my old Mylar bivy. Wouldn't Mind a cuben fiber upgrade, but I'm in no rush. I also swapped out a synthetic quilt for my down bag.

[Rawhide]

I used an 8 oz. bivy (brand is escaping me, but it's a good one), on my PCT hike last year. I carried a tarp with me the whole way as well. Being wet over an extended period of time, even in warm weather, is asking for big trouble.

I used a GoLite Ponchotarp for the early stages, then a Yama Adventure Gear cuben fiber tarp...less than 7 oz., loads of protection. If you want to go light, look into cuben for sure.

The E blankets rip like a man who'd had too many beans. Also condensation is terrible, there's really no breathability. Stay away.

[MilesGear]

"The E blankets rip like a man who'd had too many beans."

That's exactly what happened last year to one of our rescuers on a rescue during a blizzard. 
He pulled out his "emergency" bivy, the wind shredded it, and left him with a small piece of mylar in his hand. 
If it's really for an emergency, it needs to be strong enough to trust.

[Flounder]

I am tending towards an emergency bivy (for minimal size and weight and cost) with a very water resistent feathered friends hummingbird sleeping bag. Thoughts? and thanks.

Even if you use the Hummingbird with the Endurance UL fabric you'll find the "water resistance" to be pretty much what all bags offer. It's enough to ward off a bit of condensation, but keep in mind, there's nothing protecting seams so to say they're water resistant, even at $450 for the EUL bags is pretty.....hopeful. I'd say it's no better than any bag with a proper DWR coating which is every bag, really. Great bag, though. I love mine.

And to add my two pennies about bivy options, I've used many over the years for climbing, back and bikepacking. I've used the OR Advanced bivy most when I knew conditions were going to be very gnarly. That thing is a fortress but it rivals the weight and bulk of some one-man tents. Currently, I've been using the MSR AC Bivy. It's a bit quirky in some ways. It doesn't seal completely, which frankly makes me feel better. I hate waking up dead from no oxygen. It's got a very generous cut, and the entrance isn't as cumbersome as you'd think. The extra width has allowed me to store some gear inside with me.

If I'm going out for more than four days and expect weather to be poor, my hands down favorite is the Nemo Equipment GoGo LE. This is either a teeny tent or a ginormous bivy. I love that system the most. At 2 pounds, it's twice the weight of a normal bivy, but oooh is it luxurious for that extra 450 grams....the weight of a normal mtb rim. It mounts to my bars in a tight bundle about the sizes of a football. Love it.

By the way, I'm a buyer for a large backcountry store and the technical editor for an adventure travel magazine, so I've been very lucky to try many different systems, some for editorial purposes, and some for kicks. The GoGo LE is the one product I tried that I feel is under valued. It should be worth much, much more.

[pickupel]

Hey,

Sorry to revive a pretty old thread, but this seems the most appropriate place for my question. I've been looking at getting a new sleep system together before tackling the Tour Divide next June and I've narrowed my bivy selection down to a couple of options:

Nemo GoGo Elite (~600g)
MSR Alpine Bivy (450g)

After a few bad experiences with mosquitos hiking and biking in northern Norway, as well as the Rockies, I'm pretty set on a bivy having some kind of bug netting. Plus, the bivy has to be waterproof as I'm not convinced by tarps — at the end of a long day on the bike I want a shelter I can roll into without too much messing around. I'd love Flounder's opinion on this as he's used both, as well as anyone else's opinions / suggestions. Do you guys think that the weight penalty associated with the GoGo is worth the extra comfort / weather protection? Thanks in advance,

Ed

[bartspedden]

I would probably make my choice based on the expected weather.  If it's looking to be a wet race, I would probably opt for the gogo.  If it's looking to be drier I would go with msr. I'm fine with being wet and cold for extended periods of time, say 7-10 days depending on temps, anything more then that and I want a little more protection to make eating/dressing/undressing/gear-organization easier.

On a personal note, none of the bivies that I have owned are really convenient to work in, they just aren't big enough.  And if you find a bivy that is big enough the weight is so high that the weight to space ratio of an ultralight tent crushes the bivy for convenience. I would take your TDR kit and go to a shop and get in both bivies and try to dress/undress/organize-gear and see for yourself what you prefer.  Think about doing these activities while it's raining out.

Good luck!

[pro_out]

Ed, you might consider adding this bivy to your list. 

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=173- 

It meets all of my requirements. Weight, breathability, roomy size for extra storage and changing, ease of entry, bug netting, made in USA...
 
Tony