Silny bivy sack is too slippery

[Jeff Jeff]

I have a nice bivy sack but the silny bottom is extremely slippery. Has anyone tried adding stripes of silicone seam sealer to the silny to get more friction between the bivy and a thermarest? I also use a tyvek groundcloth so I might try to add some on the outside as well.

[Franco Darioli]

Never done that with a bivy but with floors and mats.

My suggestion would be to add wide stripes of thin (highly diluted) silicone otherwise it can peel off.

[David Thomas]

Cascade Designs (Thermarest) used to sell a spray to make the top of a sleeping pad more non-slip.  Searching the web, I can find older references to it, but no current sources for it.  If you pass through Kenai, Alaska, I can spray your pad with some.

 

[Jerry Adams]

I’ve used silicone:mineral spirits in such a case, has worked pretty good

I didn’t really worry about strips, more like blotches, especially towards the middle where my torso goes

[Jeff Jeff]

What is the ratio of silicone to mineral spirits? Is this the silnet seam sealer or is there another type to use?

[Franco Darioli]

I find SilNet still a bit too thick.

I buy silicone like the GE II (100% silicone , translucent) then thin it with mineral spirit (paint thinner, NOT the odourless or vegetable type) to a very  runny honey consistency .

[Ken Thompson]

Permatex flowable windshield silicone is working for me. No muss, no fuss, no fumes. Dries fast too.

[Jerry Adams]

5 or 10 parts mineral spirits to 1 part silicone.  I have a gallon of the stuff Franco mentioned that doesn’t work.  I think there’s a lot of water in there.  I think if it says “mineral spirits” in the small print it’s good.  The last one I bought said low odor, but it still worked, so it’s confusing.  The one that doesn’t work says odorless and not flammable.  We want flammable…

I think the Permatex or Silnet works just as good.  Maybe have to thin the silnet for this?

I use Caulk on the house and mineral spirits around the house and to start fires for car camping so that’s more convenient for me.

If all you’re doing is your bivy Permatex would be better.  At auto parts stores.

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