The Bivy: Netting or No Netting?

Hi,
I've got the TiGoat bivy you are thinking of buying and have the model without netting. For me, I can always add netting when I need it at lower altitudes. At higher altitudes, bugs aren't a problem, so it really depends on the use. I use a small net suspended from above, and 2 tiny clothes pegs to keep it from sliding off the bivy. That way it's off my face and I can even sit up in the net if I have to.
The Ptarmigan is a great bivy, combined with my Top Bag (not the latest model) it really adds warmth and blocks wind and protects the bag from moisture. I had a night in a storm recently and had minimal condensation in the bivy, while the tarp was misting due to the conditions.
Good luck with your choice.

Hi Rick,

I recently bought the Ti Goat Ptarmigan bivy with a net (not the full version).
I've used it in Scotland, in Glencoe, which is notorious for midges (vicious; bloodsucking; mini-vampires!).
I found it ideal. There is plenty of room in the bivy and the net ensured that I had a comfortable nights sleep. You can use the bivy bag with, or, without the net in place. I have slept in bivy bags with the zip left wide open – but only when the midges etc., were no problem.
Full marks for a superb piece of gear.

I would not personally own a bivy without netting. Some places I backpack are very mosquito prone, and I would go crazy without it. There are other options like headnets, but I find the sewn-in netting to be a no-fuss solution. Trying to breathe in a fully closed up bivy is not much fun, and it leaves a LOT of moisture inside the bivy (any bivy, no matter how breathable).

I have a Integral Designs Bugaboo bivy in eVENT that I have used for the last couple years. I modified it by sewing in a much larger netting panel, because the one it came with was a tiny little porthole that was hard to line up with my nose and mouth.

I recently purchased a TiGoat Ptarmigan bivy with the full netting. I have only used it on one 10-day trip, but I have been very satisfied thus far. There were no bugs on the trip (unless you count ticks), so most nights I slept with the zipper open. However, I did zip up the netting on a couple nights for warmth, as the netting really nocks down the wind while still allowing me to breath easily. Nice part about the full netting Ptarmigan is that you still have a full hood too, so you can set the netting opening to any size you want, up to the full top of 1/4 of the bivy.

For what it's worth, I now plan to carry the Bugaboo only when I need a fully waterproof, stormproof bivy. That is usually only when I am sans tarp. Most of the time, when I have a tarp along, I will be using the Ptarmigan.