SOL Escape Bivvy for Extra Warmth?

[Utah Hikes]

I'm considering adding this 8-ounce SOL bivvy to my gear, for "as needed" extra warmth, given my late Feb NOBO start on the AT.

My sleep system comprises a 20-degree UGQ Bandit quilt (over-stuffed, wide, long), a CoolMax liner, and a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite. (Tent is a Six Moons Designs Lunar Solo, with a Tyvek ground cover.)

Not sure of how the bivvy, liner, quilt, and pad would all come together. Thinking of using the liner inside the quilt then the bivvy over that combo, with the pad on the underside.

Anyone use this particular SOL bivvy in conjunction with a quilt? Any feedback to share?

[Leo L.]

I have no knowledge about this specific bivy, but generally speaking, having a kind-of water-/airtight layer as an outer shell leads to condensation and will soak the insulation.
The basic idea of a bivy is to block out the wind and provide you a primitive means to just survive a situation you might otherwise not survive.

It might work if you had a waterproof bivy inside the bag/quilt, and another bivy as a windblocker outside. But then I'm not sure if the added weight and bulk of two bivys gives you better insulation than a better quilt/bag would do.

[Utah Hikes]

This particular bivvy uses an improved material and is rated as "very breathable," so condensation should not be a problem, per SOL anyway.

Configuring the bivvy outside the quilt would ensure the liner and quilt would trap body heat. The bivvy would act as an additional layer to help contain bodyheat, adding as much as 10-degrees of extra warmth.

[Dogwood]

I would surmise sleepwear to be the largest warmth increase to that sleep system. Next would be/could be the sleep pad's R Value(warmth increase ?) and being enclosed in the SMD Lunar Solo(6-10* increase). The SOL bivy adds maybe 8-10* under optimal conditions.

Which Cool Max Liner do you have? That prolly under optimal conditions adds 10*. The downside could be there are so many layers that if you toss and turn a lot you could get wrapped up in the clinginess of it all.

[Paleolith54]

A good rundown on it here: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/bivy-sack/sol-escape-bivvy

You might want to look closely at how well it will pair with your sleeping bag, how big you are, what kind of choice it is for cold and wet conditions, how valuable it is from an "emergency" perspective, how breathable it really is (they hit all these points).

[Leo L.]

I have yet to see it myself to belive those words.
May I Quote from the above linked geartest:
"It's important to note that universally, all of the models we tested ended up collecting condensation on the inside of the bag. The Escape is no exception"

I'm doing cowboy camping in desert environment on most of my hikes and tried various bivys or other "tight" layers atop the bag to improve the insulation, and it always was a tradeoff between gaining some insulation, vs. getting the bag soaked.
Even a simple cover like the Tyvec groundsheet atop the bag does the bag get wet to some extent.
The likely fact that the down bag doesn't get soaked through is more to the quality of the bag that features (Silicone-)treated down.

BTW, where did you get the "adding as much as 10 degrees" from? Hard to belive this number to be true.
Getting into this bivy with few or no clothes on, you might feel a substantial warmth as your body heat gets reflected back.
Having the bivy on the cold outside of your standard sleep system will not give you this same effect, as there is close to zero body heat left on the outside.

[Deadeye]

Since you're in a tent, all the functions of a bivy (keeping you dry and out of the wind) are already met, and the 8 ounces would be better spent on another layer of insulation, like a shirt or fleece.

[Utah Hikes]

A good rundown on it here: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/bivy-sack/sol-escape-bivvy

You might want to look closely at how well it will pair with your sleeping bag, how big you are, what kind of choice it is for cold and wet conditions, how valuable it is from an "emergency" perspective, how breathable it really is (they hit all these points).

Sure. I read that OGL review while doing my preliminary research; as I recall, they look at a standalone application vs using the bivvy in conjunction with a quilt, liner, pad, tent.

Anyway, thought I'd bring the topic over here to WhiteBlaze and see if any members of the community have any firsthand experience with pairing a quilt with a bivvy. Hence, my OP.

Appreciate all the comments, nonetheless. Don't get me wrong. Just looking ahead to the potential winter weather in the Smokies. And am fine tuning my gear, and thought about the possibility of adding a $50 8-ounce bivvy, just in case.

[CalebJ]

If you're trying to push your temp rating a bit, consider using that 8 ounces for a vapor barrier suit. You could put that on before going to bed, then layer any needed insulation on the outside of the VB. At that point you won't transmit any perspiration to the insulating layers and will effectively dry them while sleeping rather than the other way around.

[HooKooDooKu]

Since you're in a tent, all the functions of a bivy (keeping you dry and out of the wind) are already met, and the 8 ounces would be better spent on another layer of insulation, like a shirt or fleece.
Perhaps a better multi-use item that could function like this bivy might for you inside a tent would be the Space Blanket (https://www.rei.com/product/157767/space-all-weather-blanket). You can drape it over you like another blanket with the reflective layer helping to reflect radiant heat back towards your body. It could alternatively be used as a small tarp (a place to get out of the rain for cooking without risking cooking in your tent) or ground sheet when the ground is a bit questionable under your tent. It's only another 4 ounce and much more multi-purpose.

[Leo L.]

Its a good idea to carry a bivy for emergency, if you do not have any other sheets or layers you could wrap yourself into just in case.

Regarding Space Blankets, I had totally negaitve experience with this.
Its very fragile, will easily get torn if handeled without much care, and gets shredded to pieces in wind within minutes.
Plus, it has the condensation issue as much as a plain plastic sheet would have: Maximum.

Again, having a reflective coating as the outermost layer of your sleep system doesn't reflect much, as there is not much body heat to get reflected.
Reflecting surface works only near to the skin. Thats plain Physic Science.

[Slo-go'en]

I've used various bivies a lot back when tents averaged 5-6 pounds. Simple sacks to minitents. Never had any real condenstation issues. The trick is not to seal yourself in and breath inside the sack. That's where 99% of the condenstation comes from. You still want a breathable faberic. Mine are Gortex or equivalent.

I often use my OR Advanced bivie in the fall. This one has hoops to lift the front off the head area. It's actually heavier then my tent, but I can put it anywhere big enough for me to lay down.

The bivie's are great for use in the shelter. They keep the wind off you and protect your bag from any wind blown percipitation coming in the front of the shelter Or a wet and dirty floor. Plus it adds a few degrees of warmth.

[CalebJ]

I've used various bivies a lot back when tents averaged 5-6 pounds. Simple sacks to minitents. Never had any real condenstation issues. The trick is not to seal yourself in and breath inside the sack. That's where 99% of the condenstation comes from. You still want a breathable faberic. Mine are Gortex or equivalent.

I often use my OR Advanced bivie in the fall. This one has hoops to lift the front off the head area. It's actually heavier then my tent, but I can put it anywhere big enough for me to lay down.

The bivie's are great for use in the shelter. They keep the wind off you and protect your bag from any wind blown percipitation coming in the front of the shelter Or a wet and dirty floor. Plus it adds a few degrees of warmth.

I agree with that last statement in particular. Now that the water resistant bivy sacks are so light and breathable, I carry mine nearly all the time to have available for a quick camp even without deploying the tarp.

[devoidapop]

I've used various bivies a lot back when tents averaged 5-6 pounds. Simple sacks to minitents. Never had any real condenstation issues. The trick is not to seal yourself in and breath inside the sack. That's where 99% of the condenstation comes from. You still want a breathable faberic. Mine are Gortex or equivalent.

I often use my OR Advanced bivie in the fall. This one has hoops to lift the front off the head area. It's actually heavier then my tent, but I can put it anywhere big enough for me to lay down.

The bivie's are great for use in the shelter. They keep the wind off you and protect your bag from any wind blown percipitation coming in the front of the shelter Or a wet and dirty floor. Plus it adds a few degrees of warmth.

Also, if you tend to roll or slide off your sleeping pad, pad goes inside bivy. No more waking up on the cold ground

[orthofingers]

I tried that SOL Escape bivy a couple years ago.

Conditions: it was summer and probably got down to maybe 45 or 50 degrees at night, I only used it for two nights in a hammock, it was clear and low relative humidity both nights, I tend to not sweat or put out a lot moisture when I sleep.

my impressions: It seemed to work as advertised. I experienced no condensation or clammy sensation. This is just a guess but I’d say it may have provided 10 degrees of extra warmth. I think i slept in it with a sleeping bag layered over the top of me and a thermarest foam pad underneath me. (that was before I had top quilts and under quilts. In fact it was my first experience with a hammock.). The one thing that didn’t work was the size/length. I’m 6’2” but skinny. I think there may be a different company out there that uses the same breathable material but in a larger size. I never pursued it because once I got my quilts, I never went there.

[Five Tango]

I own the SOL Escape Bivvy.I have used it on a few occasions,none of which were excessively high humidity but from what I can tell,it does indeed Breathe as I've noticed no dampness.I use it in my hammock as the outer shell.I purchased a self adhesive zipper from Amazon and installed it on mine so the total weight is about 9 oz.
Having the zipper makes it much easier to use.

My quilts are rated at 20 degrees.I like having it when the weather gets really cold and it also serves as some protection from rain that might blow in but so far I have no experience with that.And it packs down pretty small
as well.I concur with Deadeye that since you already are in a tent then you really don't need it.

[Utah Hikes]

I own the SOL Escape Bivvy.I have used it on a few occasions,none of which were excessively high humidity but from what I can tell,it does indeed Breathe as I've noticed no dampness.I use it in my hammock as the outer shell.I purchased a self adhesive zipper from Amazon and installed it on mine so the total weight is about 9 oz.
Having the zipper makes it much easier to use.

My quilts are rated at 20 degrees.I like having it when the weather gets really cold and it also serves as some protection from rain that might blow in but so far I have no experience with that.And it packs down pretty small
as well.I concur with Deadeye that since you already are in a tent then you really don't need it.

Understood. But I'll be in the Smokies in late Feb. Having this bivy will not only help add a bit of warmth inside my tent, it will provide direct protection when setting up my quilt inside shelters. Staying in shelters is required in the Smokies. For 8-ounces, this bivvy seems like a smart addition. I can always ditch it in VA, along with some other winter gear such as microspikes, balaclava, etc.

Full disclosure: I'm based in Boone, NC. The AT passes nearby at a few points (Carvers Gap, 19E, Hampton, Watauga Lake, etc.) Damacus is only 35 miles from home. This offers an opportunity to modify my kit easily; in this case, I can lose some gear, and pick up some as needed.

[Five Tango]

If you get one,I highly recommend adding a zipper to it.You simply cut a straight line,remove adhesive,put the zipper on like tape.It works!There's a video somewhere on You Tube about it.

[cmoulder]

If you're trying to push your temp rating a bit, consider using that 8 ounces for a vapor barrier suit. You could put that on before going to bed, then layer any needed insulation on the outside of the VB. At that point you won't transmit any perspiration to the insulating layers and will effectively dry them while sleeping rather than the other way around.

+1000

My recent actual experience (https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/150447-Vapor-barriers-what-is-your-opinion?p=2001997&viewfull=1#post2001997) with VB, remaining completely warm with a 30deg top quilt at 12°F.

VB, by definition, is not breathable, so ordinary shells with GTX, eVent and the like are not the same. They can help, however.

[Leo L.]

Vapor barrier inside the insulation layer - that makes sense!

[Cheyou]

8oz liner 8 oz cheep bivy together 16oz . I don’t care for either. Bring a synthetic over quilt. Warmer and lighter.

thom