Considering the switch to tarp/bivy

Dirk,

The hike through Enchanted Valley and Lacrosse Basin is one of the most (at least IMO) beautiful trips in the Olympics….A couple of others I've enjoyed is Seven Lakes Basin over Appleton Pass to Boulder and Happy Lakes ending at Observation Point……Dear Park to Grey Wolf River to Cedar Lake…….The transverse of Elwha River to North Fork Quinalt…….A couple of shorter ones (Good weekend trips – overnighters)….Upper Lena Lake and Scout Lake…..Royal Lake/Basin – one of my favorites. I'm partial to the Olympics for its diversity (Alpine Lakes to the Rainforests) and IMO unmatched beauty.

Hope to see you on the trail,
Christopher

guys,
you can take a peek at this book (not in full but long enough excerpt) and get a feel for what he is talking about
http://books.google.com/books?id=kCBGaAYpqSQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=ronald+turnbull

happy new year
Mike

Great thread. I too am trying to figure this out. I had another thread going about my Equinox tarp and one I started about the OR Micronight Bivy (Just got it, looking for opinoins).

People talk about using bug netting that drapes over you or goes around your chest with a tie or elastic cord. I keep wondering how that is going to stop chiggers and ticks.

Chiggers, ticks, and skeeters are my primary modivation for a bivy. I got a giant 8×10 tarp so I am not very concerned about rain (except maybe splash up in hard rain). I have some horror stories about ticks and chiggers. They are tenacious in some of the areas I camp.(Like finding them days later on your man bits or noticing that new freckel on your leg that moves when you touch it… hm could be a interesting new thread)

Anyhow, not to hyjack the thread but I was wondering if anyone had any opinion on the OR Micronight because I am leaning towards returning it for a Titanium Goat bivy.

For anyone interested in Ronald Turnbull, who wrote ‘Book of th bivvy’, here is his website.

and no stakeouts! A major oversight if you ask me, and they are pretty slippery. Hate to lose it in high winds..

The eVent tag looks like you could use that, or put a hook in the edging of the hood, but not made for it.

Sorry took so long to reply, lost track of this thread..

Christopher –

Thanks for the list of hikes. I am familiar with a few of the names, and a few are new to me. I've been checking out hte maps and making plans for the future.

This is my year (with any luck) to hike the PCT, so perhaps we can get together for some hiking with others from BPL in the not-so-distant future. Obviously, with all the snow we received in recent days that most hiking needs to be put on hold, but it would be great to organize some hikes in the not to distant future.

Thanks,

Dirk

Michael and Mike –

Thanks for the book sample and link to the website. I will definitely check out this book, it looks really entertaining. I've been reading the website this morning…

I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with the forum.

Happy New Year!

Warmest regards,

Dirk

Daniel –

Obviously I have no experience with the OR Micronight bivy (although I do know the president of OR does return emails!), but I have no problem with you asking questions in this thread.

I saw this review (scroll to the bottom of the page) from a user

http://www.spgear.org/reviews/3835/MicroNight-Bivy.html

The TiGoat bivy sure gets a lot of praise. And while I am about the least fashionable guy out on the trail, even I am glad they changed the color on their bivy.

Happy Holidays!

Dirk

Paul –

I am surprised there are no tie-outs (or stake-outs) for the ID bivy. My impression was that they were designed for rough conditions where wind could be a factor. I understand the need to reduce weight, but tie-outs seem to have a very small weight penalty given the purpose they serve. I don't know enough about bivving to have much to compare with, do many other bivies have tie outs?

Warmest regards,

Dirk

Yeah, it's a little crazy, considering. You can just see it flying away with your sleeping bag at night. As we speak I am adding an accessory cord belay loop/tie-up loop to the eVent tag, which is seam-taped on verso. On the inside of the foot seam might be nice for hanging dry-out. Thanks for asking the question!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't really find any meaningfull advantage of the OR Micronight's 19oz -vs- the Ti Goat Bivy's 6oz sacks. They have almost the same features and cost about the same. I can't justify the nearly 1 lb difference.

I am returning the OR bivy and will be ordering the Ti Goat this week.

And yes, the old bright purple Ti Goat model was a slight deterent for me. I'm glad they went to black.

It could be they are sketched about adding tieouts or tieups or even belay loop for some reason. Sealing? Why would there be no way to keep a hold of it? I keep looking and there keeps being nothing there..

I tuck it under me when it is too windy, just to cut the noise.

Jeepers though, the edging on the ID eVent South Col hood is conspicuously heavy – Integral Designs hear my plea! N'at nain't no UL!
Might cut it off or try to convert to staking loops.

By the way, Earplugs are awesome with a noisy bivy, tarp, trailhead campsite, snoring/coughing tentmate, and for the over-anxious, ignoring animal sounds: .01 grams or something. When you are kicking yourself that you don't have them, just make biggish spitballs with your TP and use that, if not frigid temps.