Let's talk Bivy's

[Jeff Cadorin]

I am contemplating a new bivy for next year. My current one is homemade from some thru-hiker sil for the bottom and just a cheap dollar a yard ripstop from walmart. It’s the size of mld’s xl super light bivy but ways in at 10 ounces instead of 5. Just keeping everything the same and going with their cuben floor saves me 50% in weight, not bad.

The bivy is an essential piece of kit for me. I love to cowboy camp and sleep under the stars bug free. I remember a few trips I was so tired by the time I finished hiking it would have been torture to throw up my tarp and honestly over 90% of the time, I have no need for a tarp(rarely rains lately in Northern Ca). To throw the monkey wrench in the works, I am considering an eVENT topped bivy to stretch that percentage even further and stay safe for not only light showers but in use with a poncho tarp, a waterproof bivy is added protection from all the misting and bouncing rain if it gets really nasty. The FKT bivy by MLD pretty much keeps me in the same ballpark weight wise but adds full waterproof to the setup. If I keep what I am used to in a breathable top, I save 5 ounces. Really not sure which direction I want to go. As a third option I really like the Zpacks splash Bivy and am waiting on a reply if the can customize it a bit. I am thinking of adding a little more eVENT to the bottom half so It would be easy to just cover my top half with my poncho in a quick storm. Still trying to work out what will work best for me at this point. Any help is appreciated.

 

Thanks

Jeff

[Jeff Cadorin]

I guess I have 2 questions…..

1. Will I see a huge difference in condensation with an eVENT bivy?

2. Is it really worth the extra weight?

I’ll probably end up trying one out to see for myself but curious about othersome experiences.

[brian H]

jeff

if youre fairly certain of a dry trip, why use a bivy at all?? i have never used one, and have cowboy camped countless times all over CA.

b

[HkNewman]

A bivy with a full top of eVent like MLD’s is an all-in-one solution, though it weighs more you can leave tarps, etc … behind.  Just zip up the material when the rain hits. Need to be quick getting in during storms though.

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