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With the swathes of mid-life-crisis-ers I'm wanting to try a bit of bivvying. I've got an old bivvi bag I'll try to start with, but it's only DWR proofing so I think it'll be dodgy in the wet.
It's got a mesh cover for your face...however few seem to have this, any recommdations?
Do many folk sleep under nowt but a bivvi bag, even when it's likely to rain?
Am also curious about tarps, but no midge protection.
what would Ray Mears do?
tarps are good.
I use a poncho/tarp from local army surplus. Cost about £8 I think, much cheaper than specific tarps.
When Ive bivvyd without a tarp and there's been a shower in the night waking me up with splashing on my face, I've just pulled my head and shoulders into my rucksack instead 🙂
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No midges on the civilised side of the border.
So that's a tarp AND a bivv...does no-one just use one or the other?
Oh and YOU'RE BLOCKING THE TRAIL!
we had this last time. It's not a trail so neeerrr.
If there's a risk of rain why would you use just a tarp or just a bivvy? You'll either get a wet bag and kit or a wet head and kit
I was thinking just one might do...?
a big tarp would do on it's own.
A small tarp wouldnt
A bivvy bag on its own would need to be one of those "zip your face in" ones. And your kit would still get wet.
all assuming it rains, obv.
I've used an alpkit hunka in the rain without a tarp. I just slept on my front/side, facing away from the rain with the pullcord mostly shut.
I will follow this thread as i am planning similar middle class adventures for myself this year. Looks cheaper than holidays away!
If your kit is properly packed and you have a bivvy bag you can get inside completely you can remain dry as does your kit
I'd still rather a tent if it rained tho
its something i would like to try but where i live its difficult to get more than half a mile from civilisation
If you split bivvy bags into 2 types then it simplifies things:
Type 1 - Often no zips, hood with drawcord. Pretty much a waterproof sleeping bag cover.
Type 2 - Often has a zip closure, may have midge netting over the opening too. Often much bigger and boxier than type 1. Many will have thicker/more durable bottoms.
So, with type 1 a small part of your face is going to be showing (as fourbanger says you can kip on your front) so if it's raining there's a chance some water is going to get in with you. You're also going to have to store kit 'outside' in drybags or bin liners. If I thought there was a chance of rain and I had a type 1 bag, I'd also take a tarp. You've also no protection from midges, etc unless you take a seperate net.
With a type 2 bag you can fully enclose yourself within it if it rains. Many also have enough space to fit a pack in there with you too and your sleeping mat will no doubt be in there with you also ... something not all type 1 bags have space for. You could pretty much sleep out any amount of rain in a type 2 bag, even without a tarp.
Type 2's tend to be more expensive as they're often made from highly breathable materials (eVent, Goretex, etc) to help stop condensation forming when you're sealed in side. Cheap bags from £20, good type 2 - skys the limit.