I have yet to see any reviews of the Montbell Breeze Dry-Tec UL bivy so I thought I would throw out my 2 cents. Please note that this is the first bivy I have ever used.
Sizing
– I originally bought the standard size but found its girth to be too small. I am a side sleeper and found that the bivy really compressed my down quilt when on my side. Room was adequate when I was on my back. After upgrading to the wide and long size I had plenty of room, even with a 2.5” thick full-length air mattress inside.
Drawstring Closure
– I found the opening large enough to make getting into and out of the bivy easy. I did not find myself wishing for a side zipper. I was also pleased with the ability of adjust the closure such that only my face was exposed to the elements.
Fabric Breathability
– So far I have slept in the bivy 3 nights. Note that in all tests I slept such that none of my breath entered the bivy. The first night was on my bed with cotton clothes on. I woke up to find everything bone dry. The second night was spent on my covered balcony in temperatures that were a few degrees above freezing. Once again, everything inside and out was dry in the morning.
My third test was in Point Reyes where I stealth camped on a peak/cliff 480 feet above the Pacific Ocean. It was very, very, windy and I estimate that the temperatures where in the 40’s. In the morning I found the top of the bivy to be bone dry but the underside and my quilt was very wet. So much so that significant loft had been lost. This surprised me and made me sad as I hoped that the dry-tec fabric would be as breathable as a BMW vapor bivy and as waterproof as EVENT.
Would any bivy have failed under those very windy conditions?
Thanks in advance,
Casey
Berkeley, CA
