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Bivys
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Can you post a link to it?
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jimmyjam wrote:
Anyone out there use a bivy? The OCD MYOG part of me is thinking about making one to add to my collection of gear.
IF you build one and I am no claustrophobic. It needs lots of vents.
OUCH! Hammocks....are cool.Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
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I like the looks of that bivy, but I would extend the netting down farther towards the foot area. I've been thinking of having Borahgear make me one with 5" sides all the way around with about 15" at the footbox.
I have a bivy I can use late fall to early spring. It's a bare bones MLD litesoul bivy. Cuben bottom, 20d top. No netting and only the chest zip. I sure do wish it had a half length side zip... Anything over 40-45* and the condensation gets too bad. ... I can use it in the summer as my sleeping bag if I wear base layers, but with no side zipper, it sucks. So it stays home in the summer. It cost too much to be a ground cloth. -
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jimmyjam wrote:
I am thinking of something like this: sixmoondesigns.com/support/mak…-gear/60-meteor-bivy.html
The post was edited 1 time, last by Mountain-Mike ().
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I am thinking of using one to extend my backpacking season into the late fall and early spring, for the extra warmth that it will add with a tarp. I just prefer tarps over tents."Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference -
jimmyjam wrote:
I am thinking of using one to extend my backpacking season into the late fall and early spring, for the extra warmth that it will add with a tarp. I just prefer tarps over tents.
its all good -
Serious. try one in the backyard and send it back.Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you!
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jimmyjam wrote:
I am thinking of using one to extend my backpacking season into the late fall and early spring, for the extra warmth that it will add with a tarp. I just prefer tarps over tents.
Lest we forget.....
SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
PFC Adam Harris - USA
MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC -
I love bivy sack for winter. Helps with condensation ice falling on your sleeping bag. I often go with my floorless megamid in winter so it's a plus if I happen to roll off my pad during the night. I find they add about 10 degrees of warmth to you bag. If tarping more so since they block the wind. My current one has armholes so I can be lazy & start my coffee before geting out of bed & dressed.
If my bag temp is questionable I'll bring it in shoulder season. I loaned it to my hiking partner on the lLT to extend our hike when she was getting cold at night. She had already done most of the CT & burned up most of her body fat before we started the LT. Kept us out for a few more days before temps plumeted & snow cme & we bailed.
In summer? I used it on my Lash of the Sierras once my girlfriend left. It was augast so bugs weren't much of a concern & not much chance of rain. I did have to use it la few time for brief showers & one time for an all night rain. That night sucked. But It was lightest option at the time & One lousy nigh in a month...
Since you make your own gear I think it would be worthwile. If used with a tarp you could use more breathable fabrics than Gore Tex for the top. You know more than me what is currently available. IMHO arhole zips are great! -
jimmyjam wrote:
I am thinking of something like this: sixmoondesigns.com/support/mak…-gear/60-meteor-bivy.html
Pattern_Meteor.pdfIf your Doctor is a tree, you're on acid. -
Wise Old Owl wrote:
Serious. try one in the backyard and send it back.
Folks with any new gear if you buy it, you want to try this in the back yard for a few nights. If you get a stove practice at home in the yard before going on the trail. To suggest there may be a learning curve with bivy's is absolutely true.. There is no room for mistakes when it comes to this level of sleeping. I have done it... Canada, back country, Pennsylvania trails. I still use them on occasion. I have sent one REI version back... it was horrible.
Bivy Sacks: How to Choose
[IMG:https://www.rei.com/content/rei/en_us/site/learn/expert-advice/bivy-sack/_jcr_content/articlebody/thumbnailtitleteaser/image.img.jpg/1397160200828.jpg]
Who uses bivy sacks? People who:
- Frequently travel solo in the backcountry.
- Climb big-wall routes that require more than a day to complete.
- Camp during long-distance biking trips.
- Seriously desire to shed every possible ounce from their loads.
- Go winter camping in snow caves.
This article covers the basics of bivy-sack selecti
Bivy Basics
Bivy sack is short for "bivouac sack." It was invented to serve climbers who wanted lightweight emergency weather protection for sleeping bags during multiple-day ascents, particularly on big walls.
Early bivy sacks were little more than waterproofed nylon slipcovers for sleeping bags—good for shielding sleeping bags from rain, not so good when ventilating vapor produced by body heat.
Bivy design today involves 2 tiers of fabric:
- The bottom tier typically consists of a durable grade of nylon coated with urethane to make it waterproof. This is the same material used for most tent floors.
- The top tier is usually made of ripstop nylon (a lighter fabric) and treated with a waterproof, breathable laminate such as Gore-Tex®.
Bivy Sacks vs. Shelters
A traditional bivy sack is intended primarily for mountaineers or committed minimalists. It performs 2 basic functions:
- It keeps a camper's sleeping bag dry.
- It increases its warming capacity by about 10°F.
A bivy sack's head opening means moisture can potentially find its way inside. You can minimize that risk by pulling the headhole's drawstring very snugly. This tends to turn the headhole into more of a nosehole, which some people find far too restrictive. Many minimalists, though, are willing to make this sacrifice.
Features worth considering:
- Multiple zipper sliders allow you to create armholes so you can sort gear or cook while being protected by the bivy.
- Full-length zippers provide multiple ventilation options.
- Factory-sealed seams for waterproofness.
- Straps that let you secure your sleeping pad in place.
Bivy shelters are low-rise tents that include mesh panels attached to the head opening, plus poles or hoops that lift fabric off your face. They allow you to shut out bugs and rain, though downpours may require careful venting to stay dry.
Shelters are best for ultralight backpackers and touring cyclists. Their fortified wedge of head space provides just enough of a comfort zone to make a bivy's restricted air space feel acceptable. In rainy areas, bivy shelters lose some of their appeal; it can be tough to wait out a storm inside a shelter that offers no sit-up space.
Bivy Considerations
Is a bivy too tight for you? Both sacks and shelters require a Spartan mindset. But don't dismiss this style of shelter too quickly. While a tent offers a roomier, roof-over-your-head sensation, a bivy is almost like sleeping under the stars—a very liberating experience. At the same time, you are protected from bugs and rain by a very lightweight barrier. However, if tight spaces make you uneasy, you are likely to feel uncomfortable inside a bivy. In that case, move up to a tent.
How does air circulate inside a bivy? Breathable/waterproof laminates such as Gore-Tex® fabric make it possible for vapor produced by body heat to be pushed through (and out of) the fabric. This works best when a warm, humid body is resting somewhere cool and dry. In rainy conditions, you should enough overlapping material and zippers so it is unlikely you will have to completely zip them shut. Manually venting a zipper or flap helps maintain an acceptable interior humidity level.
Can condensation be a factor with a bivy? Potentially, yes. A bivy is basically a single-wall tent. When vapor escapes from your body or lungs, it rises to meet colder air. At some point, the air can no long carry all this moisture, so some may collect on the inner wall of the treated bivy fabric. In 2-walled tents, by contrast, this moisture passes through the canopy and settles on the rainfly.
Will a bivy really keep a sleeping bag dry? When wet, Gore-Tex fabric sometimes produces a clammy feeling when it touches your skin, but it's just that—a sensation, not a soak-through. Good ventilation helps minimize this condition.
How minimalist can I go? In warm conditions, some people skip a sleeping bag altogether and simply sleep inside the bivy shell.Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! - Frequently travel solo in the backcountry.
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Ok I am sharing some additional information, that IF you are going to do this... you need a poncho tarp or cover over core and and head...
Please review....
Here are the German systems.
[IMG:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/5f/2c/d0/5f2cd020862077730cb5beec22c86cc1.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
[IMG:http://blog.thesurvivaloutpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/B3-800x450.jpg]
This is a British Darpa Method. Shelter.Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
This is a Window seal Kit on steroids - you buy the kit and use cordage.... (Concrete Level String) and tape it to the re-enforced corners and woops... you have a 12 ounce tarp on the cheap for your bivy.
[IMG:http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o320/etdbob/SAM_1601.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
The final is Cuban ... A bivy under a Cuban... Again as light as possible and very UL take note I would have piled up more leaves under the bivy to mash down and support me through the night...
[IMG:http://sectionhiker.com/wp-content/uploads/thumbskeep/2015/03/Ultralight-Bivy-Sack-under-a-floorless-Cuben-Fiber-Tarp.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
Here is one more - I don't recommend it as Tyvek by design is a water barrier and you may get soaked,....
[IMG:http://sectionhiker.com/wp-content/uploads/thumbskeep/2011/11/P1070078-1.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
Now that Trailspace is back this image is from there website and shows good thinking about reflectix and ground contact
Here is the very informative thread
trailspace.com/forums/beginners/topics/120382.html
[IMG:http://assets.trailspace.com/assets/a/d/4/756436/P7140074.jpg]Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
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I got a Borah Gear bivy to go with a tarp I made for fall and early spring use. The bivy is about 7 oz s and the tarp is 13 ozs so it's a pretty light set up."Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference -
Thanks for sharing!Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you!
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I removed the netting that I am allergic to from my bug bivy and I'm in the process of redoing it with some nylon netting. I'm going to make it sort of like the new MLD Bug Bivy 2 with partial walls and closed off ends. If I don't screw it up I'll post some pictures when I'm done."Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference -
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You are so talented, JJ.Lost in the right direction.
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jimmyjam wrote:
TrafficJam wrote:
You are so talented, JJ.
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
Dr. Seuss -
Rasty wrote:
jimmyjam wrote:
TrafficJam wrote:
You are so talented, JJ.
"Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference -
jimmyjam wrote:
Rasty wrote:
jimmyjam wrote:
TrafficJam wrote:
You are so talented, JJ.
2,000 miler -
jimmyjam wrote:
Rasty wrote:
jimmyjam wrote:
TrafficJam wrote:
You are so talented, JJ.
"Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference -
jimmyjam wrote:
I removed the netting that I am allergic to from my bug bivy and I'm in the process of redoing it with some nylon netting. I'm going to make it sort of like the new MLD Bug Bivy 2 with partial walls and closed off ends. If I don't screw it up I'll post some pictures when I'm done.
Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! -
Wise Old Owl wrote:
jimmyjam wrote:
I removed the netting that I am allergic to from my bug bivy and I'm in the process of redoing it with some nylon netting. I'm going to make it sort of like the new MLD Bug Bivy 2 with partial walls and closed off ends. If I don't screw it up I'll post some pictures when I'm done.
"Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference -
Well I am confused as to what could be causing it.Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you!
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I am allergic to the polyester netting or something on it. I can literally feel my skin reacting immediately to it. Nylon netting no problem."Dazed and Confused"
Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
Plant a tree
Take a kid hiking
Make a difference
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