lightweight bivy

[Explorer Editor]

I am planning to buy a lightweight bivy sack (under 1 lb.) to stuff in my pack as an emergency shelter. Two I have been looking at are the Black Diamond (or Bibler) Winter Bivy and the MontBell Sleeping Bag Cover. Both are made with high-tech "breathable" fabrics--Nextec's Epic in the case of the BD bag and Breeze Dry-Tec in the case of MB. Does anyone have experience/knowledge of either of these products or the fabrics? Or any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[JimB]

I have a similar item that I always carry in the winter as survival gear and in the summer when I want to travel fast and light. Along with a tarp, you are pretty well set. Mine is not as fancy, it's just a big sack made out of some kind of nylon. No zipper, it's just so long i can pull it up over my head. My son gave it to me and I believe it was some kit from the early 80's. The nice thing about these bivy's is they fold up about the size of a soda can and weigh next to nothing. The breathable material sounds pretty good but a VB would probably still help when used with down bags.

 

[Chip]

I carry a $20 VBL from Campmor. That and a cheap poncho strung like a tarp would be my emergency shelter if I couldn't rig or build anything better.

 

[Trout]

Bivy

Chk this one out:

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/tentdetail.cfm/EQ3000

It always seems there is some condensation connected with the use of a bivy sack. This one is vey light & quite slippery because of the silnylon used.

 

[charlos]

I used the bd winter bivy maybe 8 nights or so last winter, in shelters and on the ground.it worked well and stuffs tiny. i am 5.8 and had a good amount of room for gear due to its somewhat rectangular shape.
kinda wish it had a screen for ventilation/bugs though i learned to use the main zipper as a thermostat.
woke up one a.m. with a couple inches of snow on me, the bivy didn't leak though there was more condensation.
cost me close to $100....wish i could sew!

 

[TomD]

winter bivy

I have the Bibler Winter Bivy. I used it recently in Yosemite in a tent near Badger Pass (about 7200 ft.) in a fairly heavy storm-my tent was wetted out, but the bivy kept my down bag and overbag dry. I'm not sure if it would have done so fully exposed to the weather. Epic breathes, but has its limitations-water resistant, not waterproof.

There is a good thread on emergency/unplanned bivies on telemarktips.com. One of the posters with a lot of bivy experience recommended the Integral Designs bivy made from Pertex Endurance-10-12 oz. depending on length;about $120. The posts are well worth the read-there are a lot of them.

http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=12768&highlight=

 

[Explorer Editor]

Thanks for the replies. From what I gather, here and elsewhere, the Black Diamond/Bibler bivy gets good reviews. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out much about the MontBell bivy. It may be the better product, but I haven't found anyone who has used it.

 

[hikeritz]

I carry an older Outdoor Research bivy as part of my emergency gear. It's an earlier model of their current Basic Bivy. I also use it on winter hikes when I'm planning on staying in a lean-to, to give some wind protection and cut heat loss.

 

[LtHiker]

I also have the BD winter Bivy. I really like it lots of room. I use it in the fall and spring under a tarp and in leanot's to help keep the bag clean.
I have also used it under the stars in snow but I do use a ground cloth under me(tyvek).

 

[Mark A.]

I've recently been turned onto what the Brits call a bothy bag. Take a look here at the one I've ordered.

For a true emergency shelter, as opposed to a sleep covering, I think it has bivy bags beat, at roughly the same weight and volume, and a lower price. Basically it lets you sit up rather than lie down. If you google "bothy bags" you'll find more -- all British.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Explorer Editor]

To those who own the BD or Bibler bivy--is the underside made of different (more durable) material than the top side?

As to the Botha bag, how does it differ from a bivy? How much do they cost? Where can they be purchased?

 

[TomD]

Bibler bivy

My Bibler Winter Bivy is all Epic-no difference between top and bottom.
Terra Nova sells bothy bags-prices start at 30 Pounds (about $56 or so)
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/terra/bothy.shtml

They look like a big bag with a window in it that you pull over you (as Mark says below-thanks for the correction) and sit in-they come in different sizes for up to 8 or so people.

It's a British idea from what I can figure out.

 

[Mark A.]

A bothy bag is essentially a nylon bag with no door, four walls, a top, and no floor. You don't so much climb into them as pull them over you. You sit on their lower walls to keep them down and to keep your behind dry. They are meant to shelter you from the wind and to create a small sheltered space that can be warmed a bit with body heat. You hold them up with a trekking or ski pole or simply with your head. Some have little plasticky "windows" and some don't. Some are waterproof and some are primarily wind-blockers. All I've seen have vents. Essentially, they are to a bivy as a tent is to a sleeping bag. To my mind, they make a lot more sense as pure emergency gear, though you would never integrate one into a regular sleeping system. I understand they have become standard gear for British S&R types.

 

[KevCon223]

I use Mountain Hardware's Conduit SL Bivy. It Has a waterproof zip that will mate with Your sleeping bag (except EMS bags ) and weighs about 1 lb. It costs about $110.00. I also have their Rock Sack Bivy, which weighs a few ounces more and costs about $200.00 and is made of Gore-Tex Paclite.