Recommend a Bivy

Will you have your sleeping pad inside or out of the bivy? As more of a sleeping bag cover than a full featured bivy, the Montbell seems difficult to accomodate a winter bag, pad, and boots.

I would look at the different models from integral designs, or if you can wait, the Mountain Laurel Designs Alpine bivy would be pretty sweet.

nm

I'm 5'11" and there is NO way my winter western mountaineering bag will fit inside it without serious compression. I'm going to try the wide/long version but if that doesn't work I'll have to checkout MLD instead. Otherwise I LOVE my basic bag cover bivy and use it solo by itself pretty much exclusively.

Standard disclaimer: Bivy only is not for everyone.

The ID Unishelter is plenty big for boots, jacket, winter bag and sleeping pada inside the bivy. I'm 6'2" and there also is room at the foot-end that could be used for storage of small items. Fully stormproof, four season use, and plenty of headroom. Packs relatively small: only drawback is weight (just under 2 pounds).

-Ken

I haven't researched this but I'd get a large bivy made of eVent id such an animal exists. I want that sucker to BREATHE!

Just remember, eVent is less wind resistant than Gore-Tex but still fairly good. If ya ain't usin' it on windy mountain tops or northerly shorelines then eVent would be my (pricey) choice.

Eric

yeap 2 pounds is more than I had in the budget.. hm, but it looks more 4 seasonable than just a sack. Hope it has a tie up so you could forget the pole below treeline.

The Sola looks nice, but just under 3 pounds, creeping up: http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=690

Hilleberg Akto is 3 1/2 lb but really 4 season.

Kimmlite Sub Kilo? 2.13 lb and "breathable" fabric?
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/kimmlite_sub_kilo_gg.html
they seem to have changed names to OMM and no longer have tents..

If your willing to go to 2 lbs then why not look at the Big Sky single wall 1 person shelter (starts at 28 oz). For 2 lbs, you can sit up in it and it has a vestibule.

I know, I know Big Sky problems!

He seems to be getting better. I just received my Evolution 2p2d on time. I ordered it on 8/28. It shipped on 8/29. Just make sure that you email Bob first to confirm that the tent you want is in stock.

That looks light nice, 2lbs!, but as you say caveat emptor.

Big Sky's Znorkel must be an alias for one of the mass produced WPBs, but which?

The other fabric was Epic?? I had thought the consensus was that plain Epic is not a great fabric for the reason that its pores get clogged by freezing water vapor?

that seems to be mainly a Bivy sack issue, not so much in tents.

But Epic Tents will frequently start to experience water breakthrough in extended heavy rains of between about 5 and 12 hours.

Rich

If we're talking sub freezing and winter use, who cares?

People in the east and NE care about the temperatures for Epic Tents (maybe not so much an issue out west or the Sierras) even in winter months. In the east and NE our temperatures can rise or fluctuate so that we can have mixing and changing from snow, sleet, rain or even all rain changing to ice, etc.

Rich

I have the Mountain Laurel Designs side zip Soul Bivy. I got the wide option that adds 5" to the girth, and the side zip makes entry/exit much more convenient. I've tried it with a pad inside with a 5 degree winter bag and had plenty of room (and I *need* a lot of room, I'm an XL size).

I got the regular fabric because I will use it under a tarp. It also comes in an Event top version.

Well I had a nice comparison between the Mont Bell Long and Wide and the MLD Alpine Bivy but I deleted it….

Upshot is I am sending an email to MLD to see if they might have something available for October.

MLD Alpine – weight 10.6 oz w/long + wide options – $260.00
Size: 38.5" by "big enuf for a 6'6" person"
Pros: 1) eVent top and 2) Zipper (!)
Cons: 1) seamsealing and 2)wait time

MB L'n'W – weight 9.4 oz – $180.00
Size: 37" by 98.5"
Pros: 1) Goretex top 2) seam taped
Cons: 1) Drawcord no zipper – SUX

nm

I don't think they one you have listed is the one i'm talking about. I use the non-gortex one. It's breeze tec dry or something like that.