MLD Soul Bivy vs BMW Vapr Bivy

I haven't used it, but from what I've read, including by BPL writers, Momentum might perhaps be the best water resistant/ breathable fabric out there. I think that is why MLD uses it.

Hi,
Have been using MLD Superlight bivy over the past 4 weekends, Momentum fabric is really amazing, it is actually very breathable and water resistant, water beads up and rolls off as MDL states on their website. It has rained 3 out of the 4 times using it with a solo tarp combo & have stayed dry on all occasions. Your wait time will definitely be worth it for this purchase, highly recommend.
Good luck

Hi Jim,

thanks for your comments. Momentum sounds more promising the more I hear and read about it.
I see you have a fondness for winter backpacking in the NE.
For December I have some (UL) winter bivy trips planned in Vermont en NH and would like to try out some trips with an overnighter with tarp and bivybag (if conditions permitt ofcourse). Do you use a tarp and bivy combo then as well?

Jeroen

Your choice may be dictated by when you need it by. MLD is 8 weeks out. Who knows when the BMW bivys will be in.

To me a side zip is not a necessity—I've not had entrance/exit issues with the usual across the top type. You will get a little more ventilation control w/ the side zip at the cost of extra weight.

The current MLD has a nifty eVent foot box to lesson condensation.

I have a MLD Soul Bivy (previous generation)—they don't get much better.

Hi,

I think TG Basic Bivy is worth serious consideration except its color.

Hi Jeroen,
Usually in winter prefer warmth of Hex shelter combined with a bivy opposed to a small tarp. December can be an unpredictable month in VT/NH, you probably will be fine with the combo you mentioned

Kevin,

I need the bivy for a future trip that will start end December so there is no real hurry. I want a bivy with a side zip for 1. so my girlfriend is more likely to use it and 2. if i use it myself for extra ventilation with the added bonus of easier enty and exit. For me that will be worth the little extra weight.

Do you have any knowledge how momentum compares to Epic.

Overall the MLD Soul looks very well thought out, I saw there is a sort of hoop wire; how does that work out?

Thanks for your comments

Hi Jim,

I found december very unpridictable in VT/NH, last year was very warm. This year i hope for more challenging conditions, probably will take the Hex along as well but i look forward to the prospect of a bivy on ridge somewhere where there will be less room for a tent like the Hex.

Any good suggestions on good winter destinations in VT/NH?

Hi Jeroen,
Would recommend sections of Long Trail near Warren VT by Sugarbush ski area, lots of great options up in that area, usually stay at trail shelters in VT, you usually wont get much company that time of year. NH trips, tons of options would highly recommend Bondliff trail from Lincoln woods for a spectacular ridgeline walk to Guyout shelter & tentsite
Check out ridge at this link:
http://hikethewhites.com//bond.html

Hi,
Epic is more water resistant than Momentum. As far as I know, Momentum, unlike Epic, is not silicon encapsulated but relies more on it's tight weave to be water resistant—that and it's DWR. Epic will retain it's highly water resistant nature for the life of the fabric and does not depend on any DWR treatment. Momentum's DWR will eventually need to be re-applied. Momentum is a little lighter than Epic.

If you are using the bivy w/ a tarp, it won't matter that much to have Momentum over Epic (or eVent). If you were using the bivy as a stand alone shelter, I'd go for the more water resistant fabric. Ron will now only do Epic as a special order—you should read on his site why. My Soul Bivy is Epic.

Hoop wire is great—mine is made of Ti—-it keeps the hood netting away from my face and weighs practically nothing. You can also tie up the hood via a loop to an overhead branch or rock.

Supposedly Epic is more water resistant than Momentum, which is more water resistant than Quantum. I suspect breathability is inversely proportional.

The eVent fabrics are about the most breathable of waterproof fabrics, but are typically heavier than the aforementioned highly water resistant options.

I got the Soul side-zip bivy as a winter bivy because Ron offers a "wide" version that adds 5" to the girth. Most bivies are too narrow for my full winter bag and myself, but the MLD bivy fits me well. I can highly recommend MLD as a company, and the Soul bivy in particular.

Having owned both, I'd recommend the Soul. Testing them side by side, MLDs Momentum 90 was noticeably more water resistant than the Pertex Quantum BMW is using, at least when new.

I can't imagine there is much of a practical difference in breathability, but I can't say for certain. If there is an accurate method for testing breathability that the average person can try at home, I'm not aware of it.

In the fabric Mojo section of the MLD site, Ron Bell states the following:

"Momentum Compared to 2006/7 Pertex Quantum
The closest lightweight dwr fabric to Momentum's performance found in our testing was Pertex Quantum. Momentum has the exact same 20d X 20d weave and the exact same final weight of 1.05oz/sq/yd. We do not know of anyone else that has directly tested Momentum against various other SUL breathable DWR fabrics (over a dozen) including 2006/7 Pertex Quantum in bivy tops and SUL bag shells like we have. In a bivy / sleeping bag applications, we found them equally breathable but the Momentum had better water resistance and snag resistance. We suspect that this is due to Momentum's highly symmetrical weave (non ripstop) that creates more uniform moisture venting intricacies in the weave that are of a smaller size but more numerous than Quantum's.
We feel that Momentum is the Best of the Best for our applications. You get what you pay for, and with Momentum that's true too. It was the most expensive raw fabric of all the light DWR fabrics we tested."

Although RB doesn't reveal the methodology by which he arrived at this conclusion, I'm rather inclined to believe him.

Thanks everyone,

my mind is definitly set on the Soul Bivy, and it is available albeit a two month wait but al least you can get it opposed to the BMW Vapr Bivy which seems to be out of stock all the time.
The MLD Soul Bivy seems really well thought out.

Kevin, it was one of your gear lists which put me on the MLD Soul Bivy, so thanks for the inspiration.

I saw on the specs that there are pad straps inside the bivy bag; that sounds pretty handy as well.

Hi everyone,

just bought a MLD Soul Side Zip Bivy from the Gear Swap Forum. So no 8 weeks waiting time and even cheaper than the MLD Superlight Bivy which I was considering (and which is even lighter than the Soul Side Zip albeit with less features).

Looking forward to using it.

So thanks everyone for your positive comments about the Soul bivy. Sounds like BMW has some catching up to do (except for the Vapr Nano maybe….)

With the high prices of bivies out there, I'm wondering if it is possible to purchase a few yards of eVent fabric somewhere to sew your own bivy. Anyone know?