DuoMid XL with Inner, Bivy or Bug Bivy

[Bob Shuff]

I picked up a sweet trade for a DuoMid XL here on BPL, and my son and his buddy used it on a recent trip to Catalina Island – I was in my netted hammock or TarpTent Notch with no inner.  Although the bugs didn’t bother me, my son had enough bites – and he reacts to them severely enough – that I need to consider an some sort of protection for him.  Especially since we are planning trips to the Sierra in the summer and the desert in the winter, where bugs can be more serious.  I know many would say this is more fear than reality, but we’re looking for something in addition to the DuoMid itself.

The trade came with the DuoMid XL Inner, and it obviously fits as designed.  Initial feedback is it’s not a comfortable 2 person shelter with the inner.  you are crammed into the back of the mid where the slope makes it workable for a 1+ or two very friendly occupants.  My son and his buddy positioned themselves front-back on this last trip to give themselves more separation.

I see some folks (including Matthew King) using bivy sacks instead of the inner and MLD seems to be a favorite.  Without precipitation, the bivy could be used outside (cowboy camping), and with weather threatening the DuoMid could be deployed.  However, it would seem cramped to be in the bivy for any waking hours.  And maybe too warm (my son especially is typically warm not cool)

A Bug Bivy would seem to be a better solution.  Given the DuoMid can be pitched lower to the ground, it would seem to provide enough protection against wind and splash, but I haven’t used the DuoMid in the rain yet.  Anyone tried this and had a problem?

Open to any feedback.  Most of our trips are in relatively weather friendly SoCal, where we live, but we want to be prepared and spend more time in the mountains over the next couple of year.

Thanks,

Bob

[Brad Rogers]

Adding inner-nets to mids does reduce the interior space considerably and considerably decreases their weight advantage over regular tents, but they are modular and I use a Duomid with no inner on some trips and with a Solomid XL inner on others.

Bivys are not for everyone, but they are more versatile, give one a try.  I would look at Katabatic, Borah Gear and others, as well as MLD.

[Matthew / BPL]

Hey Bob – Agreed that the bivy sucks for daytime bug avoidance. My son and I have talked a lot about this and have come to the conclusion that the reason we would even be in the Sierra during bug season is that we want to hike so it makes sense to invest our weight and money towards being comfortable while hiking. To that end we both have long pants and long sleeve shirts that have been factory treated by InsectShield with permethrin. We also have headnets that we like.

For the total mesquitopocalypse we have Original Bugshirt Elites which provide near total coverage. We plan to augment with thin leather work gloves for a total head to toe solution.

We can make the call at the trailhead whether we are going in full mosquito assault gear or if we will leave the bugshirts in the car.

It is probably relevant that we have been moving towards a slower pace over longer days lately. If your hiking style is faster with more time spent in camp then the priorities might shift.

[BlackHatGuy]

I’d have a look at the new EE bivy – a bit more mesh and a bit more room that others, it seems.

[Matthew / BPL]

Regarding bivies, I don’t think my MLD Superlight bivy is that much better than my son’s Borahgear bivy. I use a thick pad but I’m short and ended up with a $200 Superlight versus his $90(?) Borah.

I like/love my MLD Bug Bivy. It really needs to have the ends pulled out more than up or it collapses heavily on your face. You can put your pack above your head to keep it off your face but in the end I think the design makes more sense under a flat tarp or something like an MLD Patrol with a ridgeline that extends past your head and feet.

[Matthew / BPL]

I think I disagree with Doug about the EE bivy in this application for two reasons:

1) The 15d bottom is really thin for a scout. 2) The splash panels seem less important in a Duomid to me. EE’s bivy seems better for a flat tarp/Patrol/Echo/Twinn/etc.

The Borah sidezip seems like the sweet spot for bivies to me…

[BlackHatGuy]

“1) The 15d bottom is really thin for a scout”

Valid points. I should add that I always use a piece of polycryo, so the 15D bottom doesn’t bother me. FWIW.

[Bob Shuff]

Thanks guys for the feedback.  The DuoMid XL is bigger and heavier than I would buy as a backup to Bivies, but it was a good trade, and way better than the flat tarp when we setup at Parsons Landing on Catalina with gale force winds expected overnight.  My son and buddy had no problem without an inner here.

I used my Notch w/o it’s inner behind another rock wall.  I had a netted hammock I used the other nights, that could have doubled as a poor bug bivy if needed.

I’m more likely to do the longer and slower hiking days too.  And I have long pant/sleeve insect shield clothes from Rail-Rider.  My son has a L/S shirt, but it’s new in bag.  We both have headnets.  I hadn’t thought of bug protection gloves, but a did wish I had something to protect the back of my hands from the sun.  I can see taking leather gloves in the desert too.

One question I have about the MLD pitched in bug season.  Can you retreat inside for sanity without the inner or bivy, or do enough of them find their way in? I have no idea if my son’s infected bites happened in or outside the tent.

I’m working on some trades for a bug and/or regular bivy.  I think I need to just try them myself.  It would give both of us options to go lighter.

Matthew…have you ever tried the hammock as a big bivy? I know it’s not made for it, but you know I’m still holding on to the possibility of hanging.

[Greg F]

I like the bug bivy option over a regular bivy

I have a Borah Gear bug bivy with a small customization of the first 12″ on the top and 24″ on the bottom are solid.  This covers you from the brushing up against the walls on the slopes of the tarp and splash at the ends.

I have never had issues with side splashing even in A frame cat cut tarps so find the full bivy overkill.

[Lester Moore]

Bob, have you considered the STS Nano Mosquito Pyramid net? The solo size is only 3 ounces, has enough head room to sit up inside, is flexible to position under a tarp, and has no zipper to fiddle with or to possibly fail. It keeps out mosquitoes quite well and tucks nicely under a full length sleeping pad to “seal” it closed around you. Easy exit/entry by simply lifting up a side and passing it over your head while seated.

[Matthew / BPL]

The Sea to Summit net looks like a nice option. I like the price/weight.

Bob, my only netted hammock is a heavy HH Expedition(?) that hasn’t seen use in several years. I tried it once in my backyard as a bivy and it seemed really awkward although my perspective on everything has changed since then. Is there a going to ground thread on hamfo?

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