Bivy sack choice: ID South Col vs BD Hooped Bivy

Hi Marco, welcome!

Are you planning to use the bivy as a stand alone shelter, and if so have you used a wp/b bivy like that in the past? I used to own an ID south col, but it's best suited to a couple of niche activities (climbing and certain winter trips) and isn't really that fun in cool rainy weather–other shelter options with a similar weight are much more livable most of the time.

I can't comment on the BD bivy, but I recommend describing the kinds of trips you like to take and people here might be able to give you some nice suggestions for other shelter options.

-David

Hey David,
thanks for your reply.

Answering your question, apart from South America, I am willing to use the bivy mainly in the Italian and Austrian Alps where the rain/light snow is often guarantee, for the following activities:
– ski touring and mountaineering in late winter / spring (can be at the bottom of the mountain the night before as well as in the middle of a three days tour)
– backpacking in the summer and shoulder seasons above tree lines

I would like to use the bivy alone, without any tarp.
I normally do not spend more than 1/2 night out doing those activities.

Until next April I will use it in the Colorado Rockies pretty much for the same activities.

Thanks again
marco

You've probably already considered them, but, just in case, Rab/Integral Designs offers two hooped bivies in eVent that look quite nice — the Rab Ridge Raider (ID Cocoon) and the Rab Ridge Master (ID Nestor). They're more expensive than the other options that you're considering, but a hooped bivy in eVent might be worth the price difference. I haven't used eVent personally, but I've read a lot of anecdotal evidence from bivy users that suggests eVent lives up to the hype.