Alpkit Hunka question

[R3XXY]

Has anyone had experiencewith the Alpkit Hunka bivi bag ?

They say it's breathable, I recently bought one and it's clearly not breathable in the slightest, rather totally and utterly airtight.

Not sure how much it will matter really, does perspiration from inside a sleeping bag have a big effect on creating condensation inside a biv bag ?

Specifically the Alpkit bivi bag.




R3XXY

 

[bikething]

...and it's clearly not breathable in the slightest, rather totally and utterly airtight.

what makes you think that ?

 

[spandit]

It's designed to let water vapour escape, not large quantities of air (I assume you're having trouble packing it).

Slept out in mine last night and was dry in the morning (so was my little girl, very proud of her )

 

[Swallow]

It's designed to let water vapour escape, not large quantities of air (I assume you're having trouble packing it).

Slept out in mine last night and was dry in the morning (so was my little girl, very proud of her )

I was considering one of these. Recommend them? Wasn't sure whether to go for the Hunka or Hunka XL.

 

[spandit]

I was considering one of these. Recommend them? Wasn't sure whether to go for the Hunka or Hunka XL.

How tall are you? I had to buy the XL but it's currently out of stock and more expensive anyway. It's a very compact bag and well priced but not as easy to get and out of as one with a zip

 

[Swallow]

6ft tall. Oh yeah. I forgot that one was out of stock. Was trying to buy a dozer the other day and Paypal decided I wasn't me and locked up my account. Would you recommend the XL? Looks solid enough and seems reasonably priced compared with a lot of other new-buys out there.

 

[spandit]

Yes, I'd recommend it - I bought it after several recommendations on here...

 

[R3XXY]

what makes you think that ?

When I roll it up to pack it all the air gets trapped inside, in my experience of other MVP fabrics they are noticably pourous.

For example; with my dutch army bivi bag, any air that gets compressed inside as you roll it up is easily expelled through the fabric, but when I roll up my Hunka I can kneel on it, sit on it, lean on it... all to no avail.

As for being designed to let water vapour escape, I'm presuming that air under pressure would escape more easily than water vapour at atmospheric pressure.

I suppose there must be something I'm missing, not being a chemistry and physics expert. But as long as you guys say they work, that's good enough for me



R3XXY

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Been using the Hunka XL (I'm 6, 6") for about a year and a half... Cant say I've ever had problems with condensation, other than one time I clinched the top (not all the way) and spent the night breathing into the bag... Other than some slight moisture, all was good.

Been fine every other time, but I only use it in winter.

 

[bilmo-p5]

When I roll it up to pack it all the air gets trapped inside, ...

You're rolling it up wrong.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

When I roll it up to pack it all the air gets trapped inside, in my experience of other MVP fabrics they are noticably pourous.

For example; with my dutch army bivi bag, any air that gets compressed inside as you roll it up is easily expelled through the fabric, but when I roll up my Hunka I can kneel on it, sit on it, lean on it... all to no avail.

As for being designed to let water vapour escape, I'm presuming that air under pressure would escape more easily than water vapour at atmospheric pressure.

I suppose there must be something I'm missing, not being a chemistry and physics expert. But as long as you guys say they work, that's good enough for me



R3XXY

Your Dutch bivibag is obviously full of holes then! No MVP fabric will let gasses pass through it in the quantities/speed that rolling it up would generate. The Alpkit bivibag is good, and sufficiently breathable that in most conditions you shouldn't get condensation forming within it. You will need to sleep with your head/face outside of the bag (not least becuase you will die if you seal yourself inside it) so that your breath doesn't condense in it.

 

[Swallow]

Your Dutch bivibag is obviously full of holes then!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16747208

This might give some insigh to the strangeness of the world of breathability.

 

[spandit]

No wonder the guy who discovered graphene got a Nobel prize. I'm looking forward to my graphene bivi bag & spider silk whoopies!

 

[kiltedpict]

I have both standard and XL Hunka's and never had a problem with condensation. There is a built in stuff sack at the bottom of mine that it, well, stuffs into.

FWIW, I rate them highly.

ATB

KP

 

[R3XXY]

Your Dutch bivibag is obviously full of holes then!

You misread my sentence, I said : "any air that gets compressed inside as you roll it up is easily expelled through the fabric"

Not : "any air that gets compressed inside is easily expelled through the fabric as you roll it up"

My dutch bivi is as new, it still takes a good bit of squeezing and patience to get the air out but it DOES come out.

Anyway as I said I'll take you guys' word for it that it is sufficienly vapour permeable.

Peace

R3XXY

 

[The Lord Poncho]

You misread my sentence, I said : "any air that gets compressed inside as you roll it up is easily expelled through the fabric"

Not : "any air that gets compressed inside is easily expelled through the fabric as you roll it up"

Are they any different?! But, yep- don't worry about the Hunka- you will be fine!

 

[J4C3]

They are a hunk of crap
,that inner shiny linning results in mat,bivvi& bag slipping and turning its like a night in a washing machine

 

[leon-1]

They are a hunk of crap
,that inner shiny linning results in mat,bivvi& bag slipping and turning its like a night in a washing machine

That's not my experience.

I bought the Hunka not long after they were placed on sale, the XL version didn't exist back then. I have been using it for a number of years and have found it pretty good. It wasa replacement for the old issue bivi bag (a good piece of kit if a little large), my initial thoughts were that it was gonna be way too small, but I have no requirement to wear loads of kit in my sleeping bag anymore and I also have no requirement to use the top to cover my bergan either. The bag is snug however when you have a sleeping bag and therma-rest within it.

The inside of the Hunka felt somewhat cold, clammy, almost a little rubbery and I was far from sure that I'd made a good choice, however in the morning when I awoke there was no condensation in the bag and I had a pretty good nights sleep.

I have used the Hunka year round since I bought it, currently I use a Nuemo inflatable mat inside it with my sleeping bag and I have had no problems with it either when in the hammock (no sleeping matt required) or whilst sleeping on the ground.

However everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone sleeps a little different to everyone else.