How is your experience sleeping/wildcamping in Bivvy Bags?
I've recently spent couple nights hiking and wilcamping in Wales, UK and I've enjoyed it quite a lot - however the tent and gear I was carrying was a bit too heavy.
I'm trinking now to streamline my setup and exchange tent for a bivvy bag, pic related.
What is your experience sleeping without tent shelter, is it mangeable?
IME bivy's are situational based on your region's climate and the weather when you're going out. Their big issue is condensation, and a lot of designs there's no way to get into it without getting it wet if you're wet.
There's reasons to want a bivy but weight isn't one of them, tarp+bivy combos never really weigh less than an equivalent tent. just get a lighter tent if that's your only reason to want one.
Bivy's are nice because they can be set up anywhere, which plays into the versatility of tarps. that's their main advantage.
Don't recommend them to MOST people as your primary shelter system. Great thing to have for the right trips. Some people really like them regardless.
To add on to this, the can be a bit tight if you are tall and somewhat difficult if you are a side sleeper.
Different anon, but any weather where I have to keep the hood closed.
> the can be a bit tight if you are tall and somewhat difficult if you are a side sleeper.
I'm only 5'6 so it shouldn't be a problem. I sleep on the side though...
I'll get the bivvy this week and will go for 1-2 nights out on the weekend. Will make another thread with my report!
They're originally meant for climbers to be able to set up and sleep in very extreme areas like the side of cliffs so basically don't expect to get the best sleep in one.
3x post deal with it. If you want to cut weight look into ultralight 1-2p trekking pole tents. The 2p are always more like 1.5p sized. Most of them are expensive but there's actually some solid choices between $100-250 that have good designs, just with heavier but still light materials. A lot of the good budget ones are usa cottage brands that might not ship there, worst case just get a lanshan or find a plebbitor who'll ship you a used one.
bivy+tarp weighs more than tent, tarp alone has too much skill curve consider learning how to use one down the road, and tarp tents are more of a good weather thing imo.
Thanks! My current tent is ~2kg but that is 2 person tent, maybe I'll consider a light version for one person.
you can get well under a kilo in even the budget backpacker tents. they're not going to be the most palatial experiences but they're nice and light.
if you post a lighterpack i wouldn't mind giving you some other tips to drop weight cheaply.
> if you post a lighterpack i wouldn't mind giving you some other tips to drop weight cheaply.
Here it is (missing few details) https://lighterpack.com/r/tzjejm
>How is your experience sleeping/wildcamping in Bivvy Bags?
Unless you have a good Carinthia hooped one with military grade Goretex, it sucks. All of them.
>I've recently spent couple nights hiking and wilcamping in Wales, UK and I've enjoyed it quite a lot - however the tent and gear I was carrying was a bit too heavy.
Buy a lighter tent.
I can recommend the MSR Hubba line, the 1p weighs about 1kg, the 2p 1.2kg.
Cheaper alternatives exists, but that is what i have.
>MSR Hubba li
Hubba NX Tent weights 1.25kg with pegs, the Forclazz from Decathlon I have is 1.95kg - maybe I'll exchange it for 1person variant which is 1.3kg
That is still not that much difference. I guess I need to also look to reduce other stuff - last time was carrying some stuff that perhaps I could reduce:
- DJI mini drone
- Tripod
- Sleeping bag cover (useless)
- inflatable pillow (nice)
- Down jacket (nice in the morning)
- 2x Redbull (useless)
But I think I'll still get the bivvy and just try it for a night or two somewhere,
>Hubba NX Tent weights 1.25kg with pegs,
The tent is freestanding, so you don't need the pegs. If you need pegs you could cut sticks to length. Don't bring the "packaging" either, just throw the tent into your backpack. That should get you below 1kg.
I've only used mine as an overbag, with my head sticking out, because I'm afraid of suffocation. 4/10 on the regret scale. I would now just sleep in a tarp taco because a tarp is not single-purpose.
I’ve used my bivy quite a few times and honestly it’s a love hate relationship. I love how small they are, but the humidity they capture is terrible
> the humidity they capture is terrible
What was the weather (climate) where you were camping? And the temperature in the night?
It's okay if u wanna pack light but it's beh in total, a give style tent is better than small bag bivvy
> tent is better than small bag bivvy
Yeah, this is what I'm thinking too, but I will get one regardless and try it for an overnight hike just to get a feeling how is it like
Blackwolf bike swag is a good compromise between bivvy and tent