Winter Bivy Thread

[TomD]

This wasn't an emergency, as such, since I had all my gear with me, but last winter, I slept out at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (above Palm Springs, CA-you take the tram up the mountain) with my two pads, bag and Bibler winter bivy. I dug a trench big enough for me on a slight slope (I always carry a shovel) and slept out under the stars in about +15 or so weather. I put my parka (TNF Gore-Tex Baltoro) over my bag for a bit of extra warmth.

The Bibler is just a light bag made from Epic. I wouldn't want to be in it in a storm, but it keeps your bag clean and dry. In a heavy rain or snow, it probably wouldn't be enough, since Epic isn't waterproof, just water resistant.

I'm not big onthe fancy bivies as a substitute for a tent. Some weigh just as much as a tiny tent, but have far less room than a tent.

 

[Raven]

I highly recommend the OR bivys. Mine has held up very well, is waterproof - breathable (goretex). Only problem is condensation ... I always end up with some if I put the hood over my head.. One night I considered using a snorkel to vent my breath out but never followed thru. I have done (10 to 15 degree night) winter overnights a few times and been fine.

Thanks Andrew.

I've always thought OR gear was fantastic especially as far as waterproofing goes. I'll look into these. The waterproof gauntlets and pack cover I have from OR are as good or better than others I've used.

 

[sardog1]

I highly recommend the OR bivys. Mine has held up very well, is waterproof - breathable (goretex). Only problem is condensation ... I always end up with some if I put the hood over my head.. One night I considered using a snorkel to vent my breath out but never followed thru. I have done (10 to 15 degree night) winter overnights a few times and been fine.

Might want to look at the Finbar Hood.

 

[Bombadil]

bivy options

It sounds like there's a number of OR fans out there. Out of curiosity does anyone have feedback on the Integral Designs Unishelter (event) or Big Agnes 3 wire? I'm also in the market for a 4 season bivy and it seems like those two come up often as alternatives to OR advanced or OR alpine bivy sacks. All seem to be more or less in the same ballpark in terms of weight and price, but with varying designs. My 3+ season tent is a MSR hubba hubba but I'd like something lighter to serve as a fast and light option for planned overnights as well as for an emergency bivy in the case of aggressive or remote winter hikes. Thanks in advance.

 

[iceNsnow]

Just happened to catch this thread and recalled a trip about 10yrs ago.

We planned to travel light and sleep out in ~0degree weather in a leanto. I brought a TNF bivy - much like the one in the link by Wiggly (sp?) - gortex, 2lbs, same hoop style etc. I was quite comfy w/ a -40F Darkhorse bag and a down jacket, hot h2o bottles etc. My friend froze!!! She thought the foil was going to suffice. She was so exhausted in the morning, it was sad and more than a bit scary since we had a good hike ahead of us b/f heading out. The foil lay on top of her bag and flapped around even though I squeezed her between the wall and my bivy. From then on I never carried my emergency "bivy" of foil. It is false security at best and a poor excuse for whatever it weighs.

ps I think hers was shredded when she opened it for the first time and used mine.

 

[swamp]

I agree with everyone. I use 6 or 7 different bivy's. I'm a huge fan of everything OR . But as the original poster specified winter conditions I mentioned a winter-specific bag. OR is as solid of an outdoor gear manufacturor (Sp?) that there is. If they came up with a winter-specific bag....I would buy it.As far as I know they haven't.

 

[RickB.]

From then on I never carried my emergency "bivy" of foil. It is false security at best and a poor excuse for whatever it weighs.

I respectfully disagree since I wouldn't be here without the Adventure Medical Kits bivy I used that night last winter on Moosilauke. I don't think we should be discouraging hikers from carrying these, as many will be unwilling to carry anything heavier/bulkier.
This bivy, though, does not satisfy the OP's criteria.

 

[iceNsnow]

RickB!! I am very happy that it worked for you. It surprises me but surprises like this are good. I take back my recommendation since I usually carry nothing of the sort and a little foil will go back in my pack. Thanks - you may have saved my life too.

 

[DougPaul]

We should note that Adventure Medical makes several emergency bivys: some are made of aluminum-coated plastic sheet (which may be what is being referred to as foil) and some are made of aluminum-coated fabric. http://www.rei.com/search?query=adventure+mdeical+bivy

The fabric bivies are much more rugged than the plastic ones. (I personally carry a fabric one in winter http://www.rei.com/product/750938 and sometimes carry a plastic one in summer.)

Doug

 

[Little Rickie]

Just happened to catch this thread and recalled a trip about 10yrs ago.

We planned to travel light and sleep out in ~0degree weather in a leanto. I brought a TNF bivy - much like the one in the link by Wiggly (sp?) - gortex, 2lbs, same hoop style etc. I was quite comfy w/ a -40F Darkhorse bag and a down jacket, hot h2o bottles etc. My friend froze!!! She thought the foil was going to suffice. She was so exhausted in the morning, it was sad and more than a bit scary since we had a good hike ahead of us b/f heading out. The foil lay on top of her bag and flapped around even though I squeezed her between the wall and my bivy. From then on I never carried my emergency "bivy" of foil. It is false security at best and a poor excuse for whatever it weighs.

ps I think hers was shredded when she opened it for the first time and used mine.

I would have wraped the foil around her inside of the sleeping bag. Was this a foil bag or blanket?

 

[iceNsnow]

Little Rickie - I think it was a bag, but ripped when she tried to get in it. It was awful! The thing flapped in the wind in our l/to. I have a couple of them that I had bought b/f the trip and they have never been opened. They are super cheap -----like 5bucks or so --------and def cannot be rewrapped in the 4" sq package.
The other $9 bivy that is much bulkier and came in a yellow nylon 6-7" bag is what I will carry since it has some substance of a sort.

 

[TCD]

The one in the yellow bag is what I have and carry in the Fall-Winter-Spring. In the Summer I carry one or two of the plastic blankets.

Has anyone used the one that comes in the yellow bag? Feedback?

 

[DougPaul]

Has anyone used the one that comes in the yellow bag? Feedback?

I presume that you mean the Adventure Medical Thermo-Lite bivy.

I briefly used mine as a wind block while waiting for the evac crew after my accident. (I was sitting up and it was wrapped around me.) It seemed fine, but that was hardly a demanding test. It is now repacked and ready to go.

Doug

 

[Little Rickie]

Has anyone used the one that comes in the yellow bag? Feedback?

I use it as a bivy bag over my sleeping bag in the winter and 2 weeks ago I used it as my only bag when we bivouac on the way to Haystack in the Dacks. I've used it about 10x. I have the double wide.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Integral Designs....

If you're looking for a 'real' bivy, and not a foil-based emergency one, I would check out Integral's selection....they specialize in breathable,. lightweight options. I'm holding out to find a used Salathe myself...check out BackpackingLight and their Gear Swap section, too - lots of slightly used ones show up there at great prices.

 

[Little Rickie]

If you're looking for a 'real' bivy, and not a foil-based emergency one, .

Gear snob.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Gear snob.

Yea that's me - I'm an elitist.

 

[sardog1]

Which sub-$30.00 bag would you like to spend a winter night in?

So, a little comparison poll now. Which sub-$30.00 bag would you like to spend a winter night in?

Left to right: Blizzard Survival Bag, bought for $28.50 a couple years ago; Military GoreTex Bivy bag bought a few weeks ago on eBay for $29.99 plus shipping; Moonstone Maxima 0 degree bag bought on eBay for $28.33 plus shipping a few weeks ago

Okay, maybe this will help. Zipper and baffle detail on the sleeping bag and the bivy sack:

All right, we'll make it a fair fight. Blizzard bag AND the blue pad :

Weights:
Blizzard Survival Bag -- about 13.5 ounces, as I recall
Military Bivy Bag (BTW, in construction easily the equal to, if not superior to, virtually all civilian bivy sacks selling for $125 -- $150. I know this 'cuz I used to sell the latter.) -- about 2.5 pounds, mebbe a few ounces less.
Moonstone Maxima bag -- 3 lb., 15 oz., rated quite fairly at 0 degrees, with a Gore DryLoft shell

Yes, it's apples and oranges. And yes, I'll be carrying one of the three, or some combination thereof, in various circumstances.

Value of having these choices for just about a C note? Priceless.

 

[swamp]

Bump

I was just curious to find out what bivy (or other winter shelter) Raven selected and how it worked out.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have used the foil bivy's and wouldn't do it again unless it were a dire emergency. The last time I was drenched and frozen by morning, it was a miserable night between freezing and sweating.

I have used a TNF miltary bivy, which weighs 1.78 pounds and is little more than a glorified GTX sleeping bag cover (but it's great for stealth since it's camo). Still, it works well, has never left me wet, and extends the comfort range of the 15° down bag I usually bring in winter. The zipper makes it east to stuff a bag into, unlike some of the older OR ones I have tried, which are like a GTX sleeve you have to worm your way into.

I picked up an OR Advanced Bivy, but have not spent a winter night in it yet. It is a little heavier at 2.06 pounds, but much more spacious.

I have spent many nights in my NEMO GoGo and it's pretty nice (bought it after the OR Bivy). Tight, but comfortable and VERY easy to setup. If there is no breeze I have to keep the flap opened just a little to keep the condensation down. It's much easier than the OR bivy and more comfortable, but it does weigh 2.49 pounds complete with the compression sack. All of them pack down to about the same size.

They're a tad on the heavy side, but I only bring them when I'm taking my lightweight 15° down bag (if it's an emergency, I may not be comfortable, but I'll survive), which is when I'm winter day hiking solo or with up to 3 people. I figure with 4 people there is more than enough help to get you down from somewhere or enough spare clothing to make someone reasonably comfortable until help arrives. If I'm planning an overnight, I'll bring a bag suitable for the temperature at the time, but they're usually heavier.