Gear when using a bivy

As redundant as it may sound, if notable rain is likely I take a small tarp.

Regardless of weather everything lives in bivy or pack, pack gets closed so water doesn't run inside and shoes go under pack to keep them dry. That sits next to my head.

No bears here, though.

I've thrown my rain shell over my pack during a storm. You could bring a small piece of poylcryo if you don't want to do that.

I keep food, soap, sunblock, etc out of my pack and in my bear bag. I haven't had a rodent chew their way into it thus far. This is including an area where I had a rodent wake me up several times in one night running over me and playing patty cakes with my hair when I was trying to sleep.

Dennis,

I combine my bivy with a polycryo groundsheet I bought from MountainLaurelDesigns and carry a lightweight tarp. In the past I have carried various silnylon tarps, but I am now switching to a cuben tarp.

I also use quilts, not mummy bags.

I really like bivys because I lay out my groundsheet, roll out the bivy, toss in my quilt and that's it. No stakes. No fuss. And I get to marvel at the stars. I like the open feel. Some people do not.

In nice weather I don't use a tarp. I only use the tarp when the weather gets bad. Site selection can of course alleviate this issue.

When not in bear country, I tend to sleep next to my pack. Might use it as a pillow. Mainly I close up the pack and don't worry about it and set it on my polycryo groundsheet. I've been pretty lucky in my dealings with rodents. I avoid established campsites and groups of people. That probably helps. If you have a tarp with adequate coverage, rain is not an issue, even driving rain. I've used my rain jacket to keep my pack dry.

When in bear country, I eat dinner then hike a few miles and pick a site. Obviously I store my bear canister or hang my food away from site. All scented things (except for me) go into bear canister or bag.

I really like the bivy/tarp combination for its modular approach. I feel I have more options when utilizing this combination. It takes experimentation and has its drawbacks, but for me the tradeoff is worth it. Obviously, YMMV. Good luck and have fun.

Dennis,

I have been using the same MLD Bivy since 2008.

I have never used a ground sheet, but I DO make a point of carefully clearing the site where I am going to lay down my bivy.

I remove the rocks, sticks, and pine cones…..anything that will disturb my sleep and possibly poke a hole in my bivy.

Rodents have never been a problem for me.

I don't store food in my bivy for anything to want to chew their way into my bivy and while I am sleeping in it, nothing wants to climb in with me. :)

If you are using a Bivy, you really are talking about the Tarp and Bivy Combo as you will want some sort of overhead protection in a bivy.

Nice to have some cover under the tarp while packing up your gear in the morning if it is raining.

Protecting it long term will be about careful site selection and avoiding damaging the bottom floor of your bivy.

Cuben floors make me nervous for punctures.

Better yet, to make your bivy last is to make sure that you dry it and clean it when you get home.

I make a point of laying out my gear in the sun for 15-30 minutes to dry it out inside & outside….top & bottom.

Brush off the dirt and grime…..wash only when necessary.

I expect that I should be able to use my MLD bivy for 10 or more years with careful use.

Ron at MLD makes a really good bivy.

Note: Mine has a discontinued Silnylon 2.0 floor, which is extra thick and tough, but not fully waterproof.

Tony

I use a largish tarp with my bivy, and it's kept me and my stuff dry in rain.

There's usually not all that much stuff left for me to manage, other than my shoes and an empty pack. Anything else that'd I'd be concerned about getting wet usually ends up as extra pillow makings!