yup. i guess i would. but there are always work arounds. thats why god invented duck tape. lol. i didn't know a good bivy bag from a hole in the head when i got my one though. but it has performed well for the past few years. i guess this holiday season will prove its still got what it takes.
my french army one cost 150 euro from the local surplus store. its really thick heavy material. same as the french dpm jackets.
also, i never go out without an emergency bivy bag and a few silver blanket things too, just in case
after all, i tend to be out in the most harsh stuff i can find. not a good time to have kit go tits-up.
i guess, best thing to think about with bivy bags is, how will you use them without getting soaked when it buckets down all night, a bivy bag is great kit, but its even better combined with a poncho. (which i better get on with and replace lol )
what i do is, unrole bivy, get me, over the opening, poncho spread over everything, open bivy, chuck sleeping bag into it, along with spare torch, snacks etc, i thien take off my waterproofs and boots, under the poncho, put them into their green bin bags and secure them to the ground. then get in, all dry, and zip up as much as possible. secure the poncho to the rest of my kit, in a waterproof bag. then i burow in and role around till i am waterproof and cozy.
in serious rain, i naturaly have to role over so the opening is under me a bit. i guess you would have to do this, zip or no. i am not "broad" so i dont really need the zip i guess. but i have had minimal problems with it.
thats what i usually do. having been hanging around here, i intend to start using a tarp if i can as well. just ordered two of them last night. i guess everyone will have their own twist on using bivy bags. whats yours?