Bivvy bags

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lancs lad

Member
Feb 4, 2014
45
2
lancaster
Hello folks I'm just after advice on bivvy bags I'm considering getting one but don't want to spend alot are any of them waterproof or will I have to take my tarp
Cheers chris
 

mousey

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 15, 2010
2,210
254
42
NE Scotland
I went hiking with just a bivy bag. Great for light weight / stealth etc, but when it is actually raining getting in and out of one without getting wet is troublesome. During an extended hike it rained continuously for two days so getting in and out got things a little damp with no way to dry it out. So I now use a tarp, also gives some admin space to just sit without getting wet.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,978
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I really like my ex-British Army Goretex bag; never lets water in, good price, and loads of room. But if you go for one try and see it first as it must be in good condition. There are loads out there with leaking seams etc. I got mine from M&G years ago.

I'll be honest though, I go along with mousey, if the weather is really atrocious I'll use a tarp because otherwise you'll have to get into your bag wet.

Cheers,

Broch
 

Alreetmiowdmuka

Full Member
Apr 24, 2013
1,106
13
Bolton
Same as above. no need to get an expensive one I have tried rab and allpkit ones and actually prefer the British army type.its good practice too take a tarp along as well as the bag.it will keep out the water but your in for a biz nights kip if the heavens do open and your just hunkered down in the bag on its own.if you were in a true survival situation then Fine but not much fun.i just make a call on the night if it’s clear and the weather reports are good then sometimes I’ll skip the tarp


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Nohoval_Turrets

Full Member
Sep 28, 2004
348
10
52
Ireland
From experience, I second mousey's analysis. An unprotected bivvy will end up wet inside. You can live with that, or you can use a tarp. Sometimes in Summer I use a micro tarp (this one from backpackinglight.co.uk), which is light and very quick to put up. But if it was really tipping, I'd want to use a full-size tarp.

I use an AlpKit Hunka and find it very waterproof.
 

SiWhite

Nomad
Apr 1, 2007
343
22
45
Deepest North Hampshire
I think a bivvy Bag should be viewed as an extra bit of insurance, as opposed to a complete solution. I’d sleep in just a bivvy if I knew that the forecast was guaranteed fine - any risk of anything other than clement weather would need a tarp.
 

MikeLA

Full Member
May 17, 2011
1,955
319
Northumberland
I’ve slept under a basha without a bivvy before they were popular and been ok in heavy rain. Also slept in just a bivvy travelling light without a basha and been fine in heavy rain. Which I enjoy doing since reading the bivvy book many years ago. The only issue is if you want to change clothes you wait for the rain to stop
 

Bishop

Full Member
Jan 25, 2014
1,716
691
Pencader
Hello folks I'm just after advice on bivvy bags I'm considering getting one but don't want to spend alot are any of them waterproof or will I have to take my tarp
Cheers chris

Well, it never hurts to take a tarp or small poncho for shelter as getting into a bivy bag can involve a fair bit of time consuming wriggling. The keyword however to look for with any bivy bag is 'Breathable', allowing the moisture to escape (breath,sweat, damp socks, wet boots if things are really bad).

The British Army Gortex bag IMHO is money well spent, sure you can get away with just a low pitched tarp and a bin-bag over the lower half of your sleeping bag when the weather is bad but it's nowhere near as cosy :)
 
Dec 10, 2015
387
137
South Wales
I use a webtex basha (only decent bit of kit webtex do) the basha can clip to its self making it into a bivvy. Along with a DD tarp not much is getting through that. The bonus is I can also use it as another tarp.
 

lancs lad

Member
Feb 4, 2014
45
2
lancaster
I have a dd 3x3 which I use for hammocking and I've just bought myself the army arctic bag which should be with me in the next few days.
 

Mowmow

Forager
Jul 6, 2016
237
130
Nottinghamshire
Did you make your mind up on a bivvy?

I can recommend the british army surplus bivvy bags. Good stuff as said above.

I can also recommend a plash palatka or nva zeltbahn as a more versatile item that can be used as a bivvy. I slept out in my hammock last night -2° with light rain and snow with my feet poking out my (too small) tarp (plash) and it performed wonderfully as a bivvy (Nva zelt). I stayed dry and warm all night. They're cheap as chips too.

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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
I have a dd 3x3 which I use for hammocking and I've just bought myself the army arctic bag which should be with me in the next few days.

The DD lite version is well worth making a bit of rucksack space for. I've tried a bivvy bag, and they're not for me, but I do rate that tarp.
 

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