Thread: Lightweight bivy bag

Hi all,

I'm currently using a goretex bivvy bag (that is awesome) but feels overkill for using under a tarp. It weighs around 900g. I'm just wondering if anyone can recommend a lightweight bivvy bag, around 300grams??? I should be able to save half a kg here quite easily.

I've had an OR MicroNight bivvy in the past but it condensated quite badly.

I'm looking at the Terra Nova Moonlight/Survival/Discovery Lite bags but at 2m long I think they'll lack the length for my 6ft frame + allowing sleeping bag to loft etc.

Any opinions appreciated. Cheers in advance.

I'm tempted to flag a bivvy bag & instead make a cheap plastic bath-tub floor & focus on setting my tarp up in a weather-tight way. Bivvy just feels like good insurance & that's the only thing stopping me.

Outdoor Research Helium Bivy - Bivouac Online Store

not 300, but its ok

thought about using a tent? especially if your bivvy bag/groundsheet/fly is combined heavier than 1kg

Thanks for the reply. A colleague has one of those bags & he rates it.

Definitely thought about a 1P tent, but thinking that a lightweight bivy & a polycro tarp would be ~500g all up.

Plastic Pack liner?

Got a vaude bivvy, it's pretty tough and I can fit my pack in aswell

Go for a breathable water resistant number if you want lightweight. Will keep the splash/spray and bugs off but still be fairly breathable. Not the ticket if you want the bivy to be used stand-alone but brilliant if you are always under a tarp. I use a borah gear bivy which weighs 200graks and has been very good

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Go for a breathable water resistant number if you want lightweight. Will keep the splash/spray and bugs off but still be fairly breathable. Not the ticket if you want the bivy to be used stand-alone but brilliant if you are always under a tarp. I use a borah gear bivy which weighs 200graks and has been very good

Definitely after a waterproof-breathable number, with a focus on breathable (& 'water resistant') rather than waterproof.

Just looked up the Borah - that looks like what I'm after. Just enough to keep wet misty stuff & spray off. I like how it doesn't bother with a waterproof face part as that's the part that is well covered by a tarp. You've found it to breath a-ok? No wet foot area on your sleeping bag? Is yours the argon or M50? I'm assuming its the Silnylon 30D floor rather than the Dyneema/Cuben?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Feebz

Definitely after a waterproof-breathable number, with a focus on breathable (& 'water resistant') rather than waterproof.

Just looked up the Borah - that looks like what I'm after. Just enough to keep wet misty stuff & spray off. I like how it doesn't bother with a waterproof face part as that's the part that is well covered by a tarp. You've found it to breath a-ok? No wet foot area on your sleeping bag? Is yours the argon or M50? I'm assuming its the Silnylon 30D floor rather than the Dyneema/Cuben?

Thanks.

I have gotten a little condensation around the head end but none in the footbox that I have noticed, and its never been enough to dampen my bag or anything. It packs down to nothing also. I like it. Mine is the M90 top

I have the sil bottom and that seems to be holding up well.
My only real complaint is that the pad does slip and slide on the sil a bit as it pretty slippery stuff, its not so bad I end up on the ground or anything though.

Originally Posted by Nick-D

I have gotten a little condensation around the head end but none in the footbox that I have noticed, and its never been enough to dampen my bag or anything. It packs down to nothing also. I like it. Mine is the M90 top

I have the sil bottom and that seems to be holding up well.
My only real complaint is that the pad does slip and slide on the sil a bit as it pretty slippery stuff, its not so bad I end up on the ground or anything though.

Does it what!
Had to fold my groundsheet back on top of itself and peg it in to make a sleeve that my pad would fit into so i wouldn't slid out the fly and roll down the hill, don't know slippery till you try to sleep on a blow up pad on silnylon, all part of the fun tho eh

Folds down to half that size and weights not an issue, get all the info from borah gear website

Harringtons do a good drop, pig and whistle is another favourite

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Go for a breathable water resistant number if you want lightweight. Will keep the splash/spray and bugs off but still be fairly breathable. Not the ticket if you want the bivy to be used stand-alone but brilliant if you are always under a tarp. I use a borah gear bivy which weighs 200graks and has been very good

Have a borah gear bivy as well, use it under a fly as one spot is prone for bad condensation,

Know the feeling of a heavy bivy, got a army surplus one that weighs as much as my Kathmandu one man tent so following with interest

Yep I'm into this one too. I have the same bag as you feebz it's great but heavy. I've seen the vaude- v light and a good price. How is it for condensation MSL? The borah gear sounds great

I have a Bibler hooped bivy it weighs 700g the breathability is impressive and it's well made. You can just bring a big plastic rubbish sac to stick gear and boots in if using it rather than carry a fly. That cuben Bivy on the Borah website looks like it might fit the bill 117g!!! at that weight it would make a handy little emergency shelter to stick in the day pack, I'm pretty sure those big orange survival bags weigh more than that.

Yep I'm into this one too. I have the same bag as you feebz it's great but heavy. I've seen the vaude- v light and a good price. How is it for condensation MSL? The borah gear sounds great