Bivy Sacks. Feedback?

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
Darn. I don't care if it's waterproof so much as it allows the frost to pass through my bag to the bivy, so the frost collects on the outside of the bivy. I'm not worried about getting rain or snowed on, I can carry a tarp for that.




I may have to check this out next time I'm at your house. The price is definitely right on these! Do they have zippers to get in, or do you have to climb in through the hole where the head is?

Basically, I want a sleeping solution that allows me to be able to sleep under the stars in the snow or cold and not have to worry about my bag being covered in ice or water droplets the next day. I imagine I need the bottom of the bivy to be waterproof enough that snow or rain doesn't soak through and get me wet from underneath. I don't need the top to be waterproof, I can use a tarp above me for rain/snow conditions (not too frequent here in Utah).

It's probably obvious that I still don't understand dew points or how at certain temperatures you can get condensation/ice in the middle of your bag, before it even reaches the outer shell. Davy (or anyone else) can you explain that to me?

Your bivy sack touching your sleeping bag will help it to move through to the outside. Most bivy sacks do touch.

On the dew thing. Your sleeping bag insulation gets progressively less warm as the water vapor moves from your body, through the insulation, to the outside of the bag. When it hits the point where the vapor cools down enough to turn back into a liquid, it condenses. Whatever layer it is at in your bag it stays there. As things cool down through the night the depth of "cold" can increase to closer to your body. The liquid water that was stuck there now gets cooled down to the freezing point and you get frost. This most often occurs on the shell of the bag or the inside of the bivy sack because it is place that is finally cold enough. In cases of extreme cold though it can happen in your insulation in your bag.
 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
That makes perfect sense. I don't do anything in extreme cold, so I probably don't have to worry about vapor condensing inside the insulation of my bag. I don't do multi-overnighters in the snow (yet) so it's kind of a moot point right now. I'd like to be able to do it though, and I like the idea of being better prepared and educated in the winter.

It sounds like a bivy could still be a good way to get the ice off the bag shell. I tried an OR Advanced bivy (Gore-tex), and as we know, Gore-tex isn't as breathable as they like to claim, and I had condensation on the inside of the bivy. I'm not sure if this was due to the temperature, or the lack of breathability that the gore-tex has. I just want a layer to absorb the ice and protect the bottom of the bag/pad from getting wet.
 

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
A breathable top (like m50 or argon) and waterproof bottom will be a good choice for what you are looking for. You are welcome to try mine

There is a newish shell material called neoshell. It is supposed to be waterproof and more breathable than eVent even. Only a few companies use it right now, golite and rab being the 2 I am familiar with. I might be worth a look.
 

jeep-N-montero

Formerly black_ZJ
Location
Bountiful
An event bivy will be better for condensation than your goretex bivy, but you will still get condensation. It will probably just be frost which is much more manageable in the real world.

I use a bivy with an m50 top which is super breathable, but not waterproof. It is a Borah gear product and they do great work. http://www.borahgear.com/sidebivy.html

If I were going to do an event bivy it would be this one http://www.borahgear.com/eventbivy.html They are a great company with great cusomer service. They even built my bivy custom sized for me to fit my thick pad and loft bag. (and lofty belly). Borah is affordable and good quality. (steve you know how picky I am)

Wow, they build some very light gear.
 
D

Deleted member 12904

Guest
So bumping this old thread looking for feedback. So I have spent the past week backpacking and camping on the muzleloader deer hunt and while my small light tent worked great I have a few spots in mind of where I want to be opening morning of the rifle hunt. The problem is it is not in a spot a tent will work more like a shelf I could sleep on.

thinking about picking up one of the usgi Bivy bags to use under a tarp, trekking pole shelter.

Im worried that it will not work with a down bag as it sounds like condensation is a issue. Seems to be some positive reviews in this thread but wounder what the experience is with a down bag. Will I be able to stay warm or will my down bag get wet and let me freeze?
 

mesha

By endurance we conquer
Location
A.F.
So bumping this old thread looking for feedback. So I have spent the past week backpacking and camping on the muzleloader deer hunt and while my small light tent worked great I have a few spots in mind of where I want to be opening morning of the rifle hunt. The problem is it is not in a spot a tent will work more like a shelf I could sleep on.

thinking about picking up one of the usgi Bivy bags to use under a tarp, trekking pole shelter.

Im worried that it will not work with a down bag as it sounds like condensation is a issue. Seems to be some positive reviews in this thread but wounder what the experience is with a down bag. Will I be able to stay warm or will my down bag get wet and let me freeze?

If you are not using it for a ton of nights in a row then the down will be just fine. Condensation will happen and your down will get wet, but maybe not too bad. If it is for a few nights then I say go for it. If you are camping for 2 weeks then it might be a bad idea. Make sure during the warm part of the day you air out you bag and bivy and let stuff dry out. That will help a bunch.
 
Location
West Valley
I don't know a thing about civilian stuff but have spent more time the than I care to share in my military sleep system.

some Soldiers I've seen will put their sleep pad inside the waterproof cover, with 1 or 2 bags in it as well depending on the weather.

You and me both man.

The newer five piece Modular Sleep System (MSS - in ACU not woodland print) is pretty great. They are rated for -30 and still comfortable. I've slept in one with no other forms of shelter out on an FTX in Ft Drum. Woke up and couldn't tell in the bag but had a healthy layer of snow over me. So I can ates to the claim lol. They also do well with getting dry and all that.

Also the self inflating sleep pads are designed / supposed to be used in the bivy when at all possible.

Fleabay normally has some nib five piece MSS for typically under or around 250-300. Well worth the cost though with its versatility.
 
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