Integral Designs Wedge eVENT Bivy REVIEW

I wonder how one could rig up a siltarp as a vestibule for less weight. At least for entry and exit in the rain.

Though it sounds like for the weight you could actually get to hang out in a full on 2P tent like a BD HiLight. Which during a winter storm would ptobably be more comfy. I wonder how this thing does if it snows over 2 feet at night. I hope it's not like being burried alive.

Perhaps use trekking poles instead of the easton pole? Wouldn't be as pretty but might be just as effective.

If I needed a bomber solo shelter I would take this over the Akto, no question.

With respect to the Hilight – my only issue would be:

a.) length – the BD is very short
b.) low hydrostatic head. Nice to know eVENT is waterproof to 10,000mm (I think)
c.) not as breathable with the new fabric.

@ Doug – I'm done with pretty things in the backcountry…; )
(hope everything is okay)

Nice, but boodly expensive.

Get an MSR Hubba HP at 2 lbs, 9 ozs, with more headroom, for $350?

In terms of room, the Hubba HP is much narrower. Of course, it's trail weight is also higher than the 2lbs, 9oz because you add pegs and guys. Because it has a narrow yet tall profile, it would not be as wind effective as the wide squat stance of the Wedge. I also can't see it supporting snow nearly as well as the Wedge. Maybe someone else can chime in.

What I would like to see is a pic of Doug sitting at the entrance (door open of course) to get a sense of the size of this shelter.

Hope this gives a better idea David.

That makes sense William for most applications. Where this tent has few equals is above the treeline in an alpine environment with crazy weather. Serious summit bids are its forte due to the amazing wind stability and single wall design. I agree though, that other tents definitely give more usable space for less money or less weight. For average backpacking or lowland winter use, this wouldn't be my first choice. But what it's good at, it's REALLY good at.

Great – thanks Doug. Wide shelter!

Alex- I had it in heavy snowfall of about 1.5 feet one night. It didn't collapse but the flat roof is not the best for shedding snow. Definitely better than most bivies though!

Compared to the HiLight (which I've never used but I had a Lighthouse for several years), this tent will have much less usable space but will be more breathable and fully waterproof. It also is a heavier, more durable fabric. The Wedge is much more of an alpine assault-style shelter. They have different niches in my opinion. I think it's best to compare the Integral Designs Wedge to the Rab bivies for a closer comparison.

Thanks!
Doug

Doug. Given the conditions that you camp in would you buy one?

How does the event material in this bivy compare to the gore-tex material in, say, the OR bivy line?

Thanks for the review.
I really wanted to like this shelter, and came very close to buying one.
Unfortunately, the door killed it for me. A storm shelter that only opens from the roof seems crazy to me. If it was possible to open the door from the floor upwards, i would have one in a minute. In the conditions i would use this in, the inside could become a swimming pool in a very short time. The optional vestibule seems like an afterthought, and is too much of a weak point in really testing conditions.
And why would i need bug netting in a storm shelter? I really want one of these, if only ID would only tweak the design.

Mike – I think the bug screen is needed in conditions where you camp at lower elevations prior to getting to higher ones. In the Canadian Rockies, for example, even at 8000 ft before you are above treeline the biting, flying insects are unbearable. I wonder if the screen is removable?

@Christopher,

"eVENT passes moisture equally well at low and high humidity levels. At a 30% humidity level, eVENT transports moisture about 200% faster than Gore-Tex XCR and about 250% faster than standard Gore-Tex and the best polyurethane (PU) membranes "

Taken from this excellent BPL article – http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/event_tents_here_gone.html

Doug,
which one do you like better?
1-Rab Summit Extreme eVent tent
2-Integral Designs Wedge eVENT Bivy

Good point Dave about YMMV. I'm looking at this as an overnight, winter mountain shelter when there are no bugs here in Scotland. The low, wind shedding profile of the Wedge is what makes me drool. I can't handle an open roof opening though.

I hear you Mike – maybe V.2 will have some changes. Guyed out that thing looks like it wouldn't budge in the worst wind.

Oh man, what is WITH these manufacturers that have their tents opening to catch rain and snow??? If only they had the door open the other way, and a bit of extra width to the door fabric, you could have pitched the door as a rain porch on calm days, and still get in and out of the tent without the tent getting drenched. What were they thinking????

Yes – and you would think they would have done this given the snow they get in their 'proving ground!'

THREE lbs.! It makes my 28 oz.TT Moment seem like a featherweight palace – granted, a 3-season palace.

I could never justify the weight OR the price.
Given my "druthers" I'd rather have a TT Scarp 1 or a Hilleberg Akto.

A few answers:

There are absolutely conditions I camp in where I would buy this shelter. I would not give it a recommended rating otherwise. However, it is one of several shelters I have and is not my best all-rounder. To be 100% honest, as stated in the disclaimer in the review I did not pay for this bivy.

The door opening that extends to the roof may seem like a bad idea but it isn't in my opinion. I live in Washington and had it in heavy rain. When open it does let in rain but the large opening makes it really fast to jump inside and zip up. I think the design is pretty effective actually. When it's dry, it makes it MUCH easier to set up the shelter and get things organized.

What do I like better- the Rab or the ID Wedge? Great question! It's easier to sit up in the Rab which is a big plus and the Rab allows you to harness directly to a tie out which is a great feature for extreme mountaineering. The length is a problem and I had to sleep at an angle (although the new model appears to be longer). The Wedge is longer and more comfortable to sleep in due to the steep head and foot walls. The optional vestibule is very nice and the shelter is lighter. Both are eVent which is fantastic and both do extremely well in bad weather- the Rab doing better with heavy snowfall and the Wedge doing better in high winds. But overall, I'm actually on the fence regarding which I prefer. I like living in the Rab a bit better but I like sleeping in the Wedge a bit better.

But I'd sure like to see the new Rab Summit Superlite Bivi- the specs show that it's 3.9 inches longer than the old Rab Summit Extreme and 1 lb 8 oz lighter. That's a very interesting new shelter in this niche of short, tent-like bomber bivy.

Hope that helps!

Doug

(Info found in the specs..)

Just set this bivy tent up in my store and I am very impressed. With the addition of the vestibule you have a very serious alpine climbers tent that could easily stand up to some serious high wind. To see how it would fit for two, I just put two big agnes pads inside and a western mountaineering Kodiak and a Marmot Lithium. The pads were barely able to fit, but I could imagine thermarest prolites fitting in quite a bit better and Ensolite pads could just overlap at the bottom. With two people in both sleeping bags it was a tight fit but it was definitely doable. The tent would be perfect for a committing route that you would not normally find large ledges on. although it would not be very comfortable for a long period of time. For one person it seems like it would be a perfect solo climbing tent. Overall it seems like a great tent for what it is intended for.