Bivy camping

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sleepyTX
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Bivy camping

Post by sleepyTX »

Never have used a busy for camping but I was impressed by how small this one rolled up. Anyone ever heard of this brand before.


http://www.milesgear.com/UberBivy.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
army
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Re: Bivy camping

Post by army »

No, I have never heard of that brand before and glad of it. Way too expensive. I've used bivy tents for years and can assure you that very good ones can be had well within the $40 dollar range. Unless you plan on camping months out of the year and in extreme places, like Alaska, save your money. A small bivy is great for kayak or canoe camping. I use one on the Brazos, Llano and Colorado. One $39.95 bivy is still going strong after 8 years.
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Earl
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Re: Bivy camping

Post by Earl »

X2 on Army's comments. If you are new to bivy camping then purchase a $40-60 first to decide if it is for you. I like traveling light and have a bivy but find that I do not use it much. I just sleep out on the ground and put up my single man bivy style tent if it going to rain and i am in a place without trees for my hammock and tarp. I forgot the brand of bivy I have but think I paid around $60-70.

They say waterproof but my experience is I would want to touch and feel scratch and sniff before I buy. Also say breathable but the rate of moisture "breathing" getting moisture from respiration must increase as the volume of air in the bivy or tent decreases. This rate has a limit no matter what material is used and at some point the only way to increase the rate further is to sacrifice "Waterproof".

Let us know if you buy one and your opinion if you decide.

Earl
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sleepyTX
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Re: Bivy camping

Post by sleepyTX »

Thanks for the comments. I usually use a Mountainsmith Morrison 2. I have seen the less expensive Bivins and would go that route. This just looked kind of neat
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Re: Bivy camping

Post by Harold Ray »

I have backpacked for years and used bivy and bivy-type systems most of the time. I began backpacking the Big Bend in the early 1970s when all of the camping equipment was less developed and heavier; now, I am strictly ultralight. Bivys and tents come in a variety of prices. Some cheap ones are okay, but the difference pricewise, cheap to expensive, is in the details, and it all depends on what you like, or want, and sometimes, how long you want it to last and do a good job.

I was in the Big Bend about 5 years ago with a group. This was the first time I had been there and had to deal with heavy rain. We made it to our campsite, and my son and I set up our sites. I had a bivy; Erik had a small REI tent; both were more expensive that those others had. They had hit some sales and had tents that cost in the $30.00 to $40.00 range. Next morning we woke up after a good nights sleep to find that nearly everyone else had been soaking wet and cold most of the night. Their tests leaked. They were great for the dry weather we had the rest of the trip, but bad for wet weather.

You can find good lower priced tents and equipment, but I have never gone wrong buying the better quality when I could afford it, and when I say that, I am talking in the above $100.00 and sometimes $200.00 range. Most of the time you get better materials, workmanship, quality, and reliability at the higher price. That isn't always true, but so far I have had success with my equipment, no matter the conditions.

Ray
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Re: Bivy camping

Post by rockportkayak »

http://www.ddhammocks.com/product/dd_su ... le_hammock" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is what we use. Can be a hammock or a bivy, with or without mosquito net. We also use a Qcore Big agnes pad.
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Re: Bivy camping

Post by ATXHG »

Another long-time backpacker here. Ditched the tent for most walkabouts long ago. Bought an Outdoor Research Advanced bivy in the 90's that's still going strong.

Will echo the already expressed sentiment about buying good quality if the bivy will be used often, hard or is expected to last a long time. Another good nugget mentioned is the caution on the limitations of breathable materials.

The bivy the original poster linked to looks like an oversized knockoff of the OR Advanced. It's a design I can vouch for, in particular the clam shell hood system which is a godsend during mosquito season.
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