Anyone have an opinion or better yet actual experience with a bivy sack vs a tent for a 1 - 2 night back packing trip? The bivy sacks seem like a neat idea but having never used one don't know the drawbacks.

Here's a couple just for reference. I'm surprised about how expensive they are.

$79.00 at REI no rain cover for this one but at least the skeeters can't feast at night.


Here's another one that gives rain shelter too. For a lot more money, $320.00. That seems way too expensive but I'm no expert.

 

The mosquito shelter would be ok if you are 100% sure the weather is going to be fine and you like sleping under the stars.

Otherwise the only people who really like bivies are super lightweight conscious hiking freaks. Cyclists like em too.They aren't too bad to sleep in as long as you don't really need them. I.e. The weather is fine.

Otherwise they are quite miserable. Picture yourself lying in something just slightly better than a body bag in the rain. Getting in and out without getting wet is impossible. You can't change in one etc. They seem like a great idea till you actually use it.

Yes I'm speaking from experience. Climber and hiker with 20+ years experience who also works at the Mountain Equipment Co-op part time.

Some companys like MSR and Big Agnes make some one and two man shelters now that are ridiculusly light and weatherproof and infinitely more comfortable.

However, you will pay for it. It's like buying a Toyota. You payed more when you coulda bought a Jeep but you did it because you knew it would work. Same applies to camping gear.

My personal fave is the MSR Carbon Reflex.

Cheers

 

To answer your question as to why the weatherproof bivies a reso expensive.

They do not have a seperate fly like a tent does and are therefore made from a waterproof/breathable material such as Gore-Tex or a similiar PTFE fabric. They need to e breathable or you would just get soaked from the moisture your body gives off during the night (which usually happens anyway despite the PTFE, well actually it's your seeping bag that usually ends up wet.).

These materials are expensive hence the price.

 

From what I've read on bivy's or tents, the tents are only marginally heavier than bivy's, and you can keep your stuff inside them too. I only have experience with tents, and they seem to work just fine for what they're made for.

 

I use a cocoon style tent that is pretty light and also packs up pretty small. Were I to use a bivy of my choosing I might shed a pound or so off my pack weight and have a little bit more room. I would most likely combine it still with a tarp hung overhead.

Supposing you can afford one of the lightweight super thin (ie. Integral Designs) then this combination would certainly be pretty light compared to a tent and a conventional tarp.

The drawbacks with bivy's I suppose are that you can't keep as much or any of your gear dry in poor weather like you might in a tent, plus the claustrophobic aspect of it all.

 

Sounds good. I'll take everyone's advice and get a tent instead. I just got back from car camping this weekend. I love it!

 

you can get a good sierra designs tent which are some of the best for 2-250, and it will last for ever

 

Not sure how popular it is in the US, but in Canada MEC is very popular as through their business cooperative they design, make and modify their own models based on more expensive brands. I guess it'd be akin to REI or something.

www.mec.ca

I've had a Tarn2 tent since 2000 which I've found for just me and my gear to be the perfect size for back country trips and music festivals alike.

 

Just another idea for you. Since you have a 4runner why don't you forget the tent and build a quick set up to sleep in the cargo area? From your signature I read that you have a pretty well built rig with a roof rack that can easily hold a bunch of stuff that would normally go in the cargo area. I offer this advice from personnal experience. I have a small one person tent that I keep in the 4runner just in case I have to pack out from a stuck rig a long ways but that's the ONLY time I'll ever sleep in a tent again.

I spent 70$ on a fitted air mattress for the cargo area and about 75$ for a huge cold weather sleeping bag. I put most of my gear on my roof rack and sleep in the cargo area with the rear seats laid down. I've had myself (6'1" 190lbs) my puppy (Shepard at 100lbs) and my now X wife (5'5" and ??? lbs) sleeping back there for two nights while on a remote fishing trip.

Just thought to give you some other options.

 

If he's considerring a bivy due to weight/size restrictions I imagine he isn't car camping.

 

That's a good idea to set up a bed in the back and I did that. It's great. It's pretty well set up already for car camping. I have a 2.75" talalay laxtex mattress, a feather bed, two down comforters and an electric blanket. I just went camping last weekend and got one of the best nights of rest in years. I rarely go packing in somewhere because the 4Runner goes just about everywhere but this summer I thought I'd pack to other places just for the fun of it. Here's the Low Profile Cargo Box platform I built for sleeping on.

I appreciate all the suggestions for a brand to check out. If you have a specific model you recommend like neoworm0 suggested I'd greatly appreciate that as well.

 

Ooops! I didn't see the link in your sig relating to the platform, my apologies for mentioning something to you that you've already done.

I'll check out your build when I get off of work so I can actually see the pictures, darn firewall....

 

No worries at all. I'm sincere when I said I thought it was a good idea. I'm finding the tent options dizzying. I guess it's a good problem to have so many choices.

 

There are some good solo tents on the market. I use a Eureka, weighs in at less than 4 pounds and has held up against some strong winds and pelting rains on solo canoe trips in MN and Canada since '86. Some tents have openings for star gazing when NOT battened down against the elements. A compression bag to compress your sleeping bag ( I can get my bag to the size of a football (GO COLTS) and a light weight pad like Therma-rest are hardly noticeable in your back pack. Neoworm0 has some very valid points. Goodluck with whichever gear you choose.

 

Glen I just took a look at your low profile cargo thing and all I can say is WOW!

 

I really appreciate the info from personal experience and specific recommendations. I thought some might want to know that I ended up going with the REI Quarter Dome T2 Tent. I read a bunch on tents and thought this was reasonably priced and then found a good deal on one for $170 shipped so I bought it.

REI Quarter Dome T2 Tent at REI Retail $269.00


The idea of doors on both sides and extra space seemed worth the extra weight. I'll try and remember to post up in a few months after I've used it with my own feedback. Thanks again!

 

Looks like a very nice tent, and REI quality is very good.
Should have a real "bathtub floor" too with no seems on it so no H2O will leak in from underneath.

 

For Winter camping I use a bivy. Its small and easy to carry and I like the smaller space for sleeping in cold weather. For warmer weather I use a small tent as you spend more time hanging out in it avoiding bugs or rain, in the winter I tend to crawl into the bivy right at bedtime. I can fit some gear, like the next days clothes, boots, jacket, etc in with me and the pack gets a cover.