Heavy Duty Bivy?

The USGI bivy doesn't have a hoop but is everything else you require. I've never used it around saltwater so I can't speak to that.

Thanks Ian.
Is there a particular generation of the USGI bivy I should be looking for or are they all pretty much the same?

I'm guessing it's probably the best deal for what I need- they seem to go for around $40 used online.

I've only used the woodland camo one (active duty and bought one off of Amazon) and don't know if they've made any improvements to the newer ones other than a new camo pattern.

Are you coming to GGG? If so I can bring it down so you can check it out.

EDIT I don't have any experience with them but I hear that there are knock-offs out there. You want one made by Tennier Industries.

I just spoke with a co-worker who's a SGM in the ARNG and uses the current sleep system. He's pretty sure that the only thing that has changed with the bivy since the original woodland camo one is the camo pattern.

I checked out Tennier's website last night. We've always called it a GTX bivy but they just advertise it as a WPB fabric. I have no idea what it is but it worked fine for me as long as I didn't breathe into the bivy.

the Uber bivy would probably work for you.

http://www.milesgear.com/UberBivy.html

I've never used it on a boat, but have used the USGI goretex bivy in pretty much every type of weather that Missouri and Oklahoma has to offer with satisfactory results other than in temps around 0F. It should be easy to modify one to accept a hoop or other support. As mentioned there isn't a design difference between the new and old, just different pattern on the material.
Being entirely made of goretex also makes them quite repairable. I refurbed about 20 we bought from DRMO in destroyed condition by simply sewing them up and covering the stitches in rubber cement.

Thanks guys. I'll be looking to pick up a surplus one.

No Ian, I can't get out to the GGG. Coming off of winter break and traveling and spending, it's a bad time of year for me to be able to do a 10+ hour drive somewhere. Thanks anyway.

FYI on GoreTex-

To find pinholes (sleeping on pointy stuff, with pad inside) spray the inside of the fabric with alcohol. Give it a minute and it will darken around the holes. You can then immediately apply a tiny dab of AquaSeal to patch that spot.

….end drift

Are you tall Craig? I only ask because I'm 6'4" and I am a very, very snug fit in my USGI bivy. To the extent of not being able to use it in the deep winter temps when I have to sleep with more then usual bulk.

“Are you tall Craig? I only ask because I’m 6’4″ and I am a very, very snug fit in my USGI bivy. To the extent of not being able to use it in the deep winter temps when I have to sleep with more then usual bulk.”

That sends up a couple red flags. A true USGI bivy is pretty roomy in length and girth to accommodate GIs of various sizes and heights, a bulky synth sleeping bag and gear. That’s true for the one I bought off of Amazon and for the few I was issued at various duty stations in the Army. I’m 6’3″ and a chunky feller; I fit fine.

You are not the first person to remark that their USGI bivy was snug on them which suggests two possibilities to me:

1) On Tennier’s website (they make the MSS for the military) they offer a standard and long bivy. I personally never saw a standard length bivy in the military but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t any out there. It’s very likely that there are some on Ebay or Amazon. FWIW, per their specs, the girth is the same on both, only the length is different.

MSS specs

2) I’ve read reports that there are some knock offs out there. I’ve never had my hands on one and don’t personally know anyone who’s ever used one. If you encounter one of these, it’s hard to say what it’s made of and dimensions.

I’d personally contact the seller to make sure that it’s a long and a genuine Tennier (USGI) bivy.

Eeenteresting. It is absolutely a genuine Tennier, it very well may be a standard and not a long though, will have to check that when I get home from work. I thought it was odd too that a universally issued item like the bivy could be snug on a not abnormally tall person such as myself.

I'll measure mine too for comparison to the posted specs. I'm not short at 6'3" but by no means was I the tallest guy in the several platoons I was assigned to.

So my usgi bivy is a Tennier 8465-01-416-8517. Through some google-fu I unearthed a bushcraft guy's phone conversation with Tennier in regards to that model#:

According to the military specification for the mentioned NSN, the regular bivy should measure approximately 79 ½”. We made the XL 14” longer. According the spec, the bivy is measured by laying flat camouflage side down, and snap the cover flap closed. Measure the length from the center of the bottom seam (where the foot piece attaches to the body) to the center of the top seam (where the head piece attaches to the body). That measurement should be about 79 ½”. The width at widest is 35 +/- ½ “and the narrowest is 19” +/- ½” measured from folded edge to folded edge.

So mine matches all of those measurements exactly. Unfortunately a 79 1/2" long bivy just isn't ideal for a 76" long individual. I guess moral of that story is that there are multiple lengths of genuine usgi Tennier gore-tex bivies, so attention must be paid to the NSN when purchasing.

"On Tennier's website (they make the MSS for the military) they offer a standard and long bivy. I personally never saw a standard length bivy in the military but that doesn't mean that there weren't any out there."

The military does indeed currently buy the bivy in two sizes – regular and extra-long.

“The military does indeed currently buy the bivy in two sizes – regular and extra-long.”

Good to know. It’s like you work for DOD or something :)

Here are the NSN #s per Tennier’s website:

Woodland Camouflage Waterproof Bivy Cover-NSN # 8465-01-416-8517
X-Long NSN # 8465-01-452-1695