MYOG Meteor Bivy

[John Donewar]

I,ve been bitten badly by the MYOG bug. Yes I've been stung a few times by my own flawed designs or poorly executed projects. But this is a happier story of lessons learned from mistakes of the past.

Recently I constructed a full length bug net to use under my tarp with a tyvek ground sheet. When I did a trial run in my back yard I realized that I needed something roomier and much easier to use and set up. This thread shows the results of my efforts and the solutions to the difficulties encountered with the bug net/ground sheet combo.

In the pictures below you see inside of the bivy my Ridgerest short pad, homemade quilt, inflatable pillow with MYOG pillowcase.

This 8.45 oz setup actually added weight to my pack. The bivy is .75 oz heavier than my hard to manage bug net and ground sheet combination. :-)

I got all of my materials for this project from Quest Outfitters. My feet are now covered by a 2.89oz / yard lightweight waterproof breathable top layer and I have a roomy no seeum bug net that is supported from the ridgeline of my tarp.

I can open the net using the dual 2.5 mm zippers and leave it hanging if I have to get up during the night.

I can also roll up and stow the bug net using the attached lacings if the bugs don't happen to be a problem and all I need is a "ground sheet".

The tapered foot box area is very roomy. It is 11.5" high and 24" at its widest point. The bottom is 29 3/4" wide and the arc'd top is 41 1/4". This gives me a girth of 35 1/2" at the shoulders or a circumference of 71". I believe this is plenty of room for a back or side sleeper to be comfortable.

The bivy has four of these stakeout loops to help keep it from sliding around like my tyvek goundsheet. The 1.1 oz silnylon bottom of the bivy is now my groundsheet.

My bivy, sleeping pad, inflatable pillow and pillow case, quilt and 2 stuff sacks, tarp and pack weigh a total of 52.7 ozs. That is 3.29 pounds total for the big three. :-)

I now believe I am protected from the creepy crawlies, the flying insects and no seeums. This project cost @ $50.00 in materials and took about 15 hours of my time to complete. A lot of time was spent transferring measurements and cutting out full size patterns.

There are some challenging seams in the footbox area and where the zippers end on the sides of the bag. But I am happy overall with the outcome and I am by no means a sewing professional.

Party On ! 2010

Newton

[todd]

John,

You did a great job! And the weight is very respectable for the protection it provides.

Enjoy!

[Nico .]

Hey John,

That looks great. Nice work. I think if I had any sewing experience, I'd consider taking on something like this. It might be a bit much for a first try though!

Cheers,

Nick

[John Donewar]

Nicholas,

Thank you for the kind words.

Prior to November of last year I would have said the same thing about a project like this one. :-)

I wanted lightweight gear and all the really good stuff was quite expensive. I gave it a try and now I am hooked big time.

Party On ! 2010

Newton

[John Donewar]

Todd,

Thank you for the attaboy. :-)

My bivy goes out on the AT with me in one month. I hope you are right about the protection. ;-)

Party On ! 2010

Newton

[george carr]

Nicely done John! I've been using a MYOG Meteor Bivy for about 2 seasons now and love it.

[John Donewar]

Thanks George.

This is what it replaced. :-)

Nuff said. :-)

What material is the yellow top section of your Meteor?

That is an interesting tarp pitch in your picture. Is that a flat tarp pitched with one high corner and a "Brawny style" back wall?

BTW I got a real charge out of your hiking in Hurricane Ophelia pic in the hiking in the rain thread. ;-)

Party On ! 2010

Newton

[george carr]

Hey John! I don't remember what the top material is, but I believe it is momentum. I bought it from someone here, and it is my favorite bivy.

That pitch is a crazy hybrid. It's a cross between an A frame and flying A pitch. I guess "brawny style w/ a high front corner" is about as good a description as any :P. You basically stake down 3 corners, raise the last corner, then jam your pole under the footend so it doesn't flatten out on you. That's my "I doubt it's going to rain,so I'll just throw it up quick" pitch.

Yeah, I look thrilled in the Ophelia pics. I actually was having a great time, rain and all. I laid my head down at Chairback Gap shelter around 7:30pm and within 5 minutes it was coming down in buckets, and rained HARD all night. I couldn't afford to zero the next day, so I put on my game face and went for it.

[Rob Hubbard]

John I'm just considering making one of these, especially as I may be doing a weekender this summer here in the Peak District were the midges can be bad. I've got a question about the height. The SMD sight says it is 24" high, would you say that is about right. I would much prefer to be able to sit up in it and sort out my clothes, maybe sit in to eat my breakfast, etc. before exiting into the bug infested world. Do you think it would be relatively straightforward to increase the height of the netting?

[John Donewar]

Hi Rob,

There are a lot of arcs and angles in the Meteor bivy pattern.

http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/images/stories/pdf/Pattern_Meteor.pdf

I have a couple of questions.

1.) Are you planning on using this bivy by itself?

2.) What kind of shelter do you use normally?

I really like the Meteor bivy but I don't see any easy way to extend the height of the netting without getting into some really heavy geometry.

Maybe you could "stake out" the dimensions of the bottom of the bivy. Then use string line and trekking poles come up with some "form" of your new dimensions for the netting. You may want to think about increasing the bottom width also.

The bottom of the Meteor is flat by design. If you were to turn it into a bathtub style floor you might be able to add some height to the netting and avoid the "challenging geometry".

It is a very roomy and comfortable bivy when you are lying down. Unfortunately it isn't very tall. I believe you'd have to add at least 12 to 18 inches in height to achieve your goal.

Party On,

Newton

[Rob Hubbard]

'It is a very roomy and comfortable bivy when you are lying down. Unfortunately it isn't very tall. I believe you'd have to add at least 12 to 18 inches in height to achieve your goal.'

Some cosmetic surgery may be in order then…

To answer the questions no I don't plan on using it on it's own and right now I use a tarp that's roughly 10 foot square. It's what I bought when I got into tarping last year and it doubles as a family tarp for luch breaks, etc. when we're out walking. I'm planning on making a new tarp though similar to the one in the 5 Yards to SUL.

Maybe the answer is to use the Meteor idea as a starting point and redesign the netting part? I just feel like I don't really want to go down the net tent road for some reason. They generally seem to weigh more with less spray protection for the lower body.

[John Donewar]

Rob,

"I'm planning on making a new tarp though similar to the one in the 5 Yards to SUL."

When you do consider the example in the thread below.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=49480&skip_to_post=421112#421112

I am very interested in Lance's version of a tarp/tent. I think it would offer those same advantages that you are looking for in modifying the Meteor bivy.

It would be a one piece shelter setup. I doubt that the floor and netting in Lance's tarp/tent would weigh more than the total weight of the modified Meteor.

Party On,

Newton

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