Bivy Advice

“In my never ending quest to lighten the load on my back I have decided to go the way of the bivy rather than the 6+lb tent.
My question is do ya'll use a bivy and if so what ones would you recommend?”

“I have an OR Advanced Bivy. Been in rain, snow & sleet, wouldn't trade it for anything. Hike with a couple guys who use Bibler & Moonsomething, (forget the name)...everyone prefers the OR.”

“My advice...? Don't (unless you're curious what a body bag might feel like).”

“I just bought the OR Standard bivy this spring. I've used it twice in the backyard in serious downpours without getting wet from rain or condensation inside. I never used to be an advocate of Gore-Tex. I'm sold on it as a lw year-round shelter.”

“My brother's Bibler weighs twice as much.”

“There are some fans of the Eureka Gossamer here on TT, too. It's not much more than a bivy, really, and the full mesh body is nice, as is the price.”

“Try the 3 lb, very roomy, Hilleberg Akto as a bivy alternative.”

“BTW - Widespread fan? Me too. Was just in Chi-town last week. I live in Carbondale.”

“Yea, what m-nutz said. Getting mine for Christmas. Best tent for the price! At 3.5 lb, can't beat it.”

“Hi. I'm a newbie here (trash at will). I tried out a Kelty Dart2 this summer in the A-B Wilderness and it was everything I bought it for. Weighs a hair under 3 lbs., packs down small (I stuffed the poles into my 4-piece fly rod case), easy to set up. Much more comfortable and versatile than abivy for slightly more weight. Only complaint was a bit of condensation on walls in the morning, but has a cool moon roof.”

“i know 2 people with that tent, and they both complained about the condensation.

otherwise, it looks like a groovy pad, dude!

i love my gossamer, though.”

“null”

“Yeah, the condensation was a little disappointing, but not bad enough to outweigh the other stuff. It got down in the low 30's at night (July 22-26)so just about anything will collect some moisture. I slept great and had good cross-ventilation from the small side vents near the head so I can't complain.”

“I have a Kelty Clark which is an oversized Bivy, I think it is four pounds.

My Megamid is a castle and it weighs 3.5 pounds.”

“rad,
I've had my eye on the gossamer. Do you have any cons?”

“I'm using my Kelty Zen now... for 4.5lbs it's a very roomy tent(no condensation problems, decent vestibule, good air circulation) and allows me to fit another person in there if I so desire... now if I could only FIND someone to share my tent with!”

“Move over, Baldie!”

“rabbi,

i've slept in it in all four seasons, and not had many complaints. if you set it up in a puddle (oops!), mud will splatter on the mesh, when it pours.

treat it good, since it is mostly mesh, and it will last you.”

“Thank's Rad that's what I was wanting to hear.”

“i think that it is easier to enter and exit than the walrus version, but check that one out, too. they are very similar.”

“I use a Cdn military bivy for winter camping (no bugs). It's not breathable, but I use a VBL, so there's no moisture escape. My buddy uses an Integral Designs (also Cdn) bivy with a hoop over the face and mosquito mesh year round. I covet it badly, but am trying to decide if a lw, 2person tent might not be more practical (I just might meet some-female-one) and a lot cheaper. Any ideas? Otherwise, a bivy is the way to go.”

“Medic_girl, you might find someone to share your tent, and you might find someone to share your life, but will they be the same person? A male person? A very confident male person? (I guess this belongs on the soap opera thread).”

“I used the OR Advanced bivy for solo trips (which was great) until I got my Stephenson's Warmlite 2R. I'm 4'11" and I can fit across the narrow part and not touch the sides. It weighs 2 lb 13 oz. and is a 4 season tent. In snowstorms it snows (condensation turns to frost), and in rainstorms it rains inside. Solution, wipe the sides with a handiwipe before moving around. Combined with my Marmot dryloft bag, I stay pretty warm and dry in it. I love all the extra room I have now. Photo on my website, "Webshots", "Gear".”

“I tried a bivy once and it was way too confining for this restless sleeper. My solo tent is a Walrus Zoid 1.0 ($132 incl. footprint). 3lbs 5oz and has 2 vestibules. It is similar to the Microswift except Walrus improved the door making entry and exit easier.”

“oops, photo isn't on webshots. try [a href="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=216277&a=11675434&p=41477309&f=0"]”

“On my Mainstee trip, my buddy used the Zoid and had the entrance zipper tear away. Have you had any problems like that, Baso4?”

“Nope, not a single problem. Sounds like he a got a defective one”

“Rabbitman, if you go to my spot on Phil's photopage, the last pic is of my Gossamer set up in TRNP earlier this summer. The fly is not pulled tight in the pic, since I had left it back until it got cold in the middle of the night, when I just reached outside and flipped it down over the mesh. It makes a tidy little package.”

“Oops, next to last pic is the Gossamer. Forgot about the newly added old pith helmet pic.”

“Well it looks like the OR Advanced or the Gossamer get the most nods. I have been looking at the OR biv for awhile and just wanted to see if it lived up to its reputation. Soon as that Tax Rebate check gets here I will be the proud owner of a new OR Advanced Bivy!

M-Nuts: Panic is my middle name! Look for them in chitown on 10/31. Drop me a line if you come back up to this big Sh**ty any time soon. aliveOne has good drink deal sall week...

Thanks ya'll....
Wranglerspace”

“I just got a Walrus Microswift, and have used it once. It's sure is light, and I just fit in it (6'4"). It's had great reviews and you can get it for $83.00 on REI right now! The guy at my local hiking store called it "the coffin" though! lol”

“the only thing that i dont like about the walrus m/s is that the door is on the end.

other than that, it's sweet.”

“It's hard as heck getting in there, and, it really prevents you from picking up fat chicks on the trail.”

“Ah, thats why they came up with the Zoid 1.0, 1.5 & 2.0. The side doors run nearly the length of the tent. The Walrus ad says that "even people of size can enter and exit easily".”

“Bivy bags are confining and take a little time to get use too. I've spent some horrible time in a cheap Slumberjack bivy tent. My bag got soaked in certain areas.

I own REIs Cyclopes w/o the face screen. Honestly, it's not a bad investment. I wanted a bag not alittle shelter w/poles.”

“I slept in a borrowed bivy up in Colorado for one night a couple of weeks ago. UGH It had a hoop in each end but it opened at the top. It was a bitch to get into I tell you. Never again.”

“Buddha Bear, I thank you for your community service. BBW need love too.”

“It's a hell of a way to work off that sentence the judge passed down, but as grandpa used to say mess with Johnny Law, and he'll come down on you heavy.”

“Like Briar Rabbit I would recommend against getting the Slumber Jack bivy. The original poles broke on mine, sent for replacements, they broke, SJ came out with a new set of poles, they don't quite fit right. Couldn't beat the price though(gift).

I still use it often anyway. I've rode out a few big storms in it with out problem. It's nice to have a clear view through all the 'skeeter netting and if need be put on the rain fly without getting out. I like the door too, I can't imagine trying to get my lanky @$$ through a door on the front.

PS, Welcome Aero. Keep up the informed gear entries, don't get dragged into the soap opera threads and you'll be fine. ;)”

“Hey crow, is the bivy your main tent, or the one you use most often? Oh yeah, welcome aboard Aero and Spacewrangler, get ready to have fun!”

“I once considered getting a bivy sack...I'll bet if I did, it would sit on the shelf with the rest of my unnecessary gear.

Cause you can't fit a dog in one!”

“I mostly use the bivy in skeeter season. I use my Walrus Rapeede most and I've been getting more into tarping over the last couple years.”

“i saw a bibler bivy last night, but they wanted $325 for it!”

“I considered a bivy once and the front runner was the OR Bivy with the hoop.

Here is a consideration. Make sure your bivy and sleeping bag zip on the same side.”

“OR standard Bivy, love it!”

“Here ya go trlhikr”

“thanks buddha, i'll start reading.”

“I've used the REI Cyclopes for years and love it. Those stars in the middle of the night are great! And I've seen more bears because of it.
Fortunately I haven't had the opportunity to test it bad weather.”

“does anyone have any experience using the bibler bigwall bivy? (try saying that three times really fast!!)”

“I'm going to be using my Gore-Tex Climb High bivy sack in the White Mountains for a week. I'll let ya know how it served me.”