View Full Version : Has anyone made a Meteor Bivy?
lustreking
09-25-2009, 14:20
Has anyone made SMD's Meteor Bivy from their plans (http://community.sixmoondesigns.com/files/folders/smd/entry99.aspx)? How do you like it? How easy was it to put together?
I'm planning on ordering a bunch of silnylon, and getting some extra to use as the floor for the bivy. For the top, I realized that I have a driducks poncho that I've never used that should have enough material.
Any thoughts?
No experience with either. I use a ray-way tarp and net tent, and a homemade poncho. Total weight of the three is a little over two pounds.
First I don't want to combine my poncho and tarp. You can't setup or take down in the rain without getting wet. Also you cannot leave your shelter while it is raining without getting wet.
The rw shelter combination is a lot roomier than the combination you are asking about. I have adequate space, but would not want less. I think I would have a hard time keeping my self, and certainly my gear dry with the bivy/ponchotarp combo.
Poncho/tarps are not worth the marginal weight savings IMHO.
lustreking
09-25-2009, 15:16
The rw shelter combination is a lot roomier than the combination you are asking about. I have adequate space, but would not want less. I think I would have a hard time keeping my self, and certainly my gear dry with the bivy/ponchotarp combo.
Poncho/tarps are not worth the marginal weight savings IMHO.
I'm sorry if my original post wasn't clear. I'm not using the poncho as a tarp. I'm thinking about using the microporus polypropylene material of the poncho as the material for the top layer of the bivy.
bigcranky
09-25-2009, 16:13
We made a similar bivy, but not using the SMD plans (found those *after* we made it -- good timing.) The basic design was easy; sewing the very light fabrics was harder (well, it was easy for my wife.)
If this is for use under a tarp, I wouldn't use anything that claimed to be waterproof, even Driducks, for the top. We made mine from Momentum .90 from thru-hiker.com, which is a very light very breathable fabric with a good DWR coating.
We made a similar bivy, but not using the SMD plans (found those *after* we made it -- good timing.) The basic design was easy; sewing the very light fabrics was harder (well, it was easy for my wife.)
If this is for use under a tarp, I wouldn't use anything that claimed to be waterproof, even Driducks, for the top. We made mine from Momentum .90 from thru-hiker.com, which is a very light very breathable fabric with a good DWR coating.
I made two of them, one to the specs on their site and one that I stretched a little bit.
I used Sil for the floor and Momentum for the top with Noseeum on the upper part.
It's a great design, fun and easy to put together ... measure twice, cut once.
The Sil is a little slippery, I've slid out from under my tarp a time or two when on a slight hill. I would recommend some lines of silnet across the bottom on both the inside and the outside.
Tyvek could also be used on the bottom if you'd like, it just wouldn't be as durable.
I'm sorry if my original post wasn't clear. I'm not using the poncho as a tarp. I'm thinking about using the microporus polypropylene material of the poncho as the material for the top layer of the bivy.
I got confused. The website for the bivy mentions the ponchotarp.
bullseye
09-27-2009, 22:13
I bought a meteor bivy from someone last year (sil bottom, momentum top) and love it. I can't comment one making it obviously, but it's definitely my favorite bivy.
Here's a pic while camped on the Susquehannock Trail:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36615&c=683
Bullseye...how do you have that tarp set up in the pic you posted?
bullseye
09-28-2009, 17:01
Bullseye...how do you have that tarp set up in the pic you posted?
Hey KMACK! Basically it's an A with a raised corner. You peg down the corner of your choice, pull the 2 90 degree corners out tight, then raise the last corner. It's just like a flying A except with the rectangular tarp the low end wants to lay flat, so you prop it up with a trekking pole. I like it b/c you only need one guyline and with practice it goes up fast. I had this pitched before my buddy had his tent out of his pack.:D
bullseye
09-28-2009, 17:13
Here's a couple more:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36622&c=683
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36621&c=683
lustreking
09-29-2009, 09:07
It sounds like there aren't any complaints. Are there any changes to the original design that anyone would suggest, now that you have one?
If this is for use under a tarp, I wouldn't use anything that claimed to be waterproof, even Driducks, for the top. We made mine from Momentum .90 from thru-hiker.com, which is a very light very breathable fabric with a good DWR coating.
I'll definitely consider that. It does look like the version that SMD now sells uses DWR coated, rather than something waterproof/breathable like in their original plans.
I made two of them, one to the specs on their site and one that I stretched a little bit.
Did you find the original dimensions cramped?
I used Sil for the floor and Momentum for the top with Noseeum on the upper part.
The Sil is a little slippery, I've slid out from under my tarp a time or two when on a slight hill. I would recommend some lines of silnet across the bottom on both the inside and the outside.
I was under the impression that the bivy is intended to be staked down. Do you think that would help?
It sounds like there aren't any complaints. Are there any changes to the original design that anyone would suggest, now that you have one?
I'll definitely consider that. It does look like the version that SMD now sells uses DWR coated, rather than something waterproof/breathable like in their original plans.
The Waterproof/breathable, like Gortex, only works under certain conditions, otherwise it can become a unbreathable fabric
Did you find the original dimensions cramped?
My youngest son is 6 ft 6 inches tall ... I made the longer one for him. I'm 5 ft 11 inches and the standard was plenty big.
I used Sil for the floor and Momentum for the top with Noseeum on the upper part.
I was under the impression that the bivy is intended to be staked down. Do you think that would help?
I started staking mine down, although it can be a bit challenging in a shelter. I made a different design bivy after the meteor and used a 7 ft long spinnaker ground sheet from gossamer gear for the bottom, after I had run it through the washer a few times to soften it up. I don't know if that stuff is still available, but it made a great bivy bottom. You just end up with a seam on the bottom (I put it at the foot) that you have to deal with because the plans call for 8 ft of material