Bivi Sack Camping

[SunnyWalker]

I have a Clip Flashlight, HH and am not interested in bivi sack camping with the use of my poncho as a tarp. I notice there are no articles on this subject. Anyone know where I can go to see advice, experience, etc. I have found mainly reviews of different bivi sacks. Would rather read expeirences with bivi and all. Am wanting to use this on a thru hike on AT. Here are some question: In summer is it pretty warm and hot in a bivy? Anyo9ne recommend a sleeping bag BASED ON EXPERIENCE in a bivi over others? I was thnking thinking that a synthetic would be better to then handle the moisture buildup that might (will) happen. Thanks one and all. -Oh, am thinking the Bivi weighs (I might be committing mortal sin here) LESS than the HH! then of course I will use a big Agnes air mattress. Thanks one and all.

[SunnyWalker]

I meant to start out saying I have a Clip Flashlight tent, and a HH and now am thinking of Bivi sack camping......

[fiddlehead]

i slept in one once. That was enough.
It would be ok in an emergency i guess.

Imagine a 2 day rain (typical on the AT) and your only shelter is your bivy.
YOu have to close it up to stay dry. Are you going to look forward to going in there and closing that thing up? Not me.

I'd much rather take my 12 oz sil shelter and be able to cook, read, eat, pee, organize my pack, etc. while i'm waiting out that rainstorm or snowstorm.
I don't think a bivy weighs much less and the disadvantages are extreme.

[Tinker]

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/253492996JmxEGl

My experience is that it's a viable option for the possibility that you might face inclement weather. The biggest problem, logistically, is getting into and out of the bivy without getting your sleeping gear all wet. You have to wriggle into the bivy with a low condensation-covered ceiling threatening to shower you if you touch it. After doing it a few times, I wouldn't recommend it unless you like bragging about how little you can hike with. As a survival kit, I suppose it will keep you alive, but not especially happy, since there's no room under there to do anything but sleep (or maybe soak up [pun intended] a nice paperback). If you decide to do a zero day, a poncho over a tarp isn't the way you'd want to do it.
Oh, and try unpacking and repacking your pack under a poncho. It isn't easy.
It's basically a go-lighter's weekend novelty shelter.
Using an 8x10 tarp and an ultralight breathable bivy might be a consideration for a very light, useable shelter system.

[SunnyWalker]

Tinker: So if I consider pursuing this course you would recommend not using the poncho as a tarp, but rather actually get a tarp? (one larger than a poncho?)

[bigcranky]

I like a larger tarp than a poncho, but then I'm pretty tall.

I use my homemade bivy and a tarp all the time, winter, spring, summer, and fall. The bivy is *not* waterproof -- I can't use it by itself in the rain. It does provide a lot of protection against side splash and misting under the tarp. It has a lot of mesh over the upper body, great against bugs (and mice). See my gallery for several photos.

I would never recommend a Goretex waterproof bivy as a shelter, for all the reasons noted above. But a tarp and breathable bivy combo works pretty well for me. It's a lot like a hammock, actually -- a tarp above a breathable bivy with lots of mesh.

[hootyhoo]

and am not interested in bivi sack camping with the use of my poncho as a tarp

Did you mean 'and am interested'?
I'm no expert, but I did sleep under a Golite poncho tarp/bivy combo for all my hiking during a 12 month period - 4 seasons in the the Smokies, Citico area. I guess I spent well over 100 nights out that year in all kinds of weather - from bug infested scorching heat, to tarp collapsing snow. I set it up on ridge tops and challenged 40 mile per hour gusts, took it out in the snow, used it the rain. I remember two trips in particular - one I remember as the night of exploding raindrops, and the other was the 9 degree night when Rootball told me I could get in his tent if I called him daddy - I stayed under my poncho and told him to kiss my - you know what. I know there are some pros that claim to be able to do anything with grace and ease, but there are limitations. It takes a little getting used to, but works just fine. Here is some of what I found in no particular order- the half pyramid works great as a poncho setup. Pull the hood up for more room, if possible.You might as well cowboy camp when you don't expect rain. Know how to dress, cook and function in a tight space. I used an OR Advanced bivy to start with, but made a tyvek bottom/dwr top bivy then made a pu coated bottom/dwr top bivy. The OR is bomb proof -but the weight was more than I needed once I realized the poncho would keep me dry-ish. The tyvek bottom was the most breathable, but the pu coated bottom was more secure when on wet ground or on a poorly draining site (it does happen). If you use a tyvek ground sheet on less than flat ground you can slide out from under the poncho during the night. I woke up to wet feet more than once. Bivy adds degrees to bag - in summer a bag is not needed until the wee hours of morning. In winter the condensation can wet your bag. If you are taller than 5'10" a longer tarp is needed. the poncho tarp was 8'8x4'8 (I think). Even a tarp will condensate - and when it does the rain drops will knock the condensation off the tarp and onto your bivy/face/whatever. A side zip on bivy is as useful as one on a sleeping bag, so I would look for that feature. A quilt works better than any sleeping bag I ever tried in a bivy - except when its single digits of course. Snow can be an issue. I don't care how you rig it - there will be angles and snow can pile up and cause sags. Would I thru with one - no. Why not. It would become tiresome to me when I know there are tents available and I am swatting bugs while I try to read. Yeah you can get bug screens and all that, but there's limitations. I have sold my HH and don't miss it. It was nice. The poncho tarp peeks out of the gear closet every once in a while, but I slam the door in his face and put the trusty old Clip Flashlight in my pack and head off for my adventure. It was nice having a light pack for a year with a, sometimes challenging shelter, but I like a little comfort, a little privacy, a little room for error, and a little repreve from the freekin' skeeters. When the wind is howling and the rain is thumping nylon I am in my little tent with a book and a smile on face -- and all my gear is clean the next day.

[SunnyWalker]

Hootytoo: Does your Clipflashlight have the aluminum poleso or the lighter ones (titanium?)? Also, I was thinking of the REI $90.00 introductory one that is waterproof. It has a bug screen for the face. And then use poncho/tarp. Thanks.

[SunnyWalker]

Hootytoo, sorry,- when I said the REI one I mean the REI $90.00 bivi sack. There is only one at that price. OK, I will go and look at the model name and all.

[SunnyWalker]

OK it is a: REI Minimalist Bivy - Long ($99.50). It weighs under two pounds.

[Ekul]

why not just use the HH as a bivi?

[SunnyWalker]

On the ground?

[Live the Journey]

I use the REI minimalist bivy and a homemade 10X8 siltarp and quite enjoy them. Though, I've only had the bivy for a few months, I think for my thru I'll swap it out for a bug bivy or mosquito netting. As a cold sleeper, the bivy adds a nice amount of warmth and the siltarp is lovely for laying out everything, unpacking and re packing camp. You've got a nice big space to work under that's out of the elements...it's really nice for rainy days, because you can put up the tarp first and have a nice big dry space to work under, and if you have to leave in the morning and it's rainy you can have every thing all packed up out from under the rain and then just stuff the tarp and everything stays dry.
For as much as I love using a bivy, I wouldn't think of doing it without a proper tarp. And as for specifics of the minimalist bivy, It's nice and roomy, but I don't ever sleep with it fully zipped. The one time I did I woke up pretty damp, but again, I've only ever used it in cold weather. Invest in a good neck gaitor or Balaclava.

[theinfamousj]

Also, I was thinking of the REI $90.00 introductory one that is waterproof. It has a bug screen for the face. And then use poncho/tarp.

I have it. It is called the Minimalist Bivy. Probably as heavy as it is thanks to the gazillion zippers on it. I think I last counted six. Not the teeth strips, but the actual zip-pieces. Only one teeth strip. I've not quite figured out what all the zippers are for.

Oh, and in the event of rain, there is nothing to cover the mesh panel (except for your poncho tarp).

I find the bivy cozy and use it when car camping. Other times, I just use my tarp tent.

[Live the Journey]

for my thru I'll swap it out for a bug bivy or mosquito netting.

...I mean for the warmer weather, that is!!!

[Live the Journey]

Infamous J...I agree that the number of zippers are a little redundant, but the three different sets of zips on the same rows of teeth are made to allow your arms to be outside of the bivy while you stay inside to do things like start breakfast or pack your pack when it's REALLY cold outside.

[theinfamousj]

Infamous J...I agree that the number of zippers are a little redundant, but the three different sets of zips on the same rows of teeth are made to allow your arms to be outside of the bivy while you stay inside to do things like start breakfast or pack your pack when it's REALLY cold outside.

Ah ha. I figured there had to be a reason. Thanks!

(Thinking about it further, it does appear that they could have done away with at least one set and used one of the arm pairs as the entry/exit zipper set.)

[SunnyWalker]

Yeah, I was envisioning using a bivi such as the REI Minimalist which is waterproof with a pnocho (already carrying it anyway) for tarp (to cover face and upper body cuz of rain (mesh opening). I thought the poncho would cover entire body. I'll go outside and set it up and see. Anyway, I guess a larger tarp would be nicer. Thanks for the info. --with my HH, by the time I get all the stuff together to stay warm (not counting the hassle) it seems like the weight advantage is starting to disapear. The REI Minimalist weighs under two pounds. That IS an advantage, yes?

[hootyhoo]

The Clip Flashlight is about a 2000 model - it has DAC poles I believe. Tent weight is 4 pounds 6 ounces.
The dwr bivy with 70 denier pu coated bottom is very roomy and has a side and foot zip - it weighs 12 ounces. The other homemade bivy with tyvek bottom weighs 8 or 9 ounces. The thing about a bivy is that it really needs to be breathable. Even if it has a large entry opening and a foot vent the fabric that it made of is most important. If you get your waterproof bivy- and remember waterproof is not really necessary if you use a tarp or poncho tarp - but if you get it you might want to test it in he garage with your garage doors open on a really rainy night - that way if you wake up soaking wet you will know that condensation is gonna be a problem and you can send it back. Have you looked at the meteor light bivy - it could not be easier to make - http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/ultralight/myo_Meteor.asp

I am not a huge fan of silnylon on the ground - I would use pu coated for the bottom. But one of these and an 8x10 would be super nice for tarping.

[SunnyWalker]

Hmmmmm. . . . I have always had condensation problems in tent, HH, etc., but I have never woken up soaking wet? This is not an exageration? Thanks.