Enlightened Equipment Recon Bivy

The Recon fits better under a flat tarp (or Cat cut tarp) than a shaped tarp like the Hexamid IMHO. You can tie an second guyline to the product tag at the foot end of the zipper, that way you can guy out both the head and lower end of the bivy. It has been working fine under my Deschutes CF tarp, but there is extra slack around the head because it’s a shaped tarp.

I’m really digging mine under my HMG 8×10 flat tarp. Let me know if you have any questions or need some photos.

Photos of your set-up would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve been using a MYOG version of this for a few years here in Nova Scotia and it works great in this climate. I pair it with either my 5×8 or my 8×10 flat tarp.

Not a good set-up for hanging out in, but I sleep well in it. The tarp keeps me dry and the wind off me, the bivy augments this, keeps the bugs off, and keeps my quilt in place.

On top of that Enlightened Equipment is a really good quality manufacturer.

Mine was great this summer, though I usually didn’t need a tarp in CA/OR. Big thing is you get into it using a top/center zip, so if it’s raining you need to figure on having enough space to wiggle into the bivy. Every now and then I used it under a mid where there was a lot of wasted headroom, so I can see where some sort of flat/cat tarp is like more efficient.

If using an inflatable pad that cuts the headroom a bit more. That said, I wasn’t claustrophobic whatsoever. The ample netting really gives a sense of openness. For windy drafts, I just layered a windshirt under the netting..

Thanks for all the good feedback.  My plan is to use the bivy under an 8.5′ X 8.5′ flat tarp.  I prefer the “flats” as there are so many options for pitching.