Caught up in the endless cycle of kit evaluation, re-evaluation, envy and curiosity that afflicts so many of us, I considered buying a Jerven Fjellduken Hunter or exclusive.
Like many I balked at the price, even though I have a Fjellduken original which I consider a worthwhile purchase, the larger insulated models seem to have a few limitations to them which keep putting me off. The main one aside from the price, being the size if used as a tarp. I find that a tarp of 2.2m is too short for my idea of comfort, a personal thing that will very person to person.
So, having access to a sewing machine, I sought out a fabric with similar properties to that used by Jerven. This proved to be a real problem, the only fabric I found that did not require ordering a thousand yards with a reflective coating proved to be, shall we say, shower-proof at best. While it would do for a tarp, using it for a groundsheet was out of the question, and the reflective surface was not as smooth as that used on the Jerven. It worked for reflecting heat, but there would always be that element of doubt in my mind, comparing it to the Jerven.
Then quite randomly a video was suggested to me on Youtube, it was in German but showed a product by a company called Begandi which looked oddly familiar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ebrlTASnVc
(with thanks to Sackis Outdoor-Gear for his video review of the bivy tarp)
Searching it out I found it available on Amazon for approximately £63 including shipping from Germany.
Hmmm
I thought about it for a while, but eventually succumbed to temptation, so here is my take on this product, and my plans for it.
Shipping from Germany took approximately five days
The bivy tarp I received is 250cm by 197cm when opened out, suggesting some variation during manufacture from the Amazon description of 240cm by 195cm, and weighs 600g in the included stuff sack.
The material, aside from being plain green rather than Jervens's funky camouflage pattern, is identical in texture and waterproof properties, surviving a hosepipe at close quarters with water just beading off. As with the Jerven, using it as a bivy will produce condensation, which can be mitigated to a degree by using a liner and venting when possible.
The reflective surface, as above appears identical, with the palm test (place your palm inside a fold of the fabric, and feel the reflection of heat) feeling the same for this as the Jerven.
Having no arm holes is a plus as far as I am concerned, as the primary purpose of this bivy tarp will be as a bivy or a tarp, so the fewer holes the better. That said, it can still be worn as a poncho by leaving the top third or so of the long edge open, and putting your head through a small hole in the shorter edge at the top.
The tie-outs are short lengths of chunky webbing in a lime green, crudely sewn to the edges and ridge line of the bivy tarp. I plan to remove them and replace them with lighter gross-grain ribbon . Not that these are not functional, I just think I would prefer the gross-grain for its aesthetics and to lower the weight by a few grams.
The velcro along the edges is well sewn, but a poor choice for this application. Getting an even connection is a chore, and every time the faces meet it sticks, so leaving a bit open as you would with a Jerven is difficult. However, this does mean that is is very easy to modify this tarp and add a liner. The plan is to add some no6 zips along the edges, and make a quilt using climashield with velcro sewn along the edges to mate with that which is attached to the bivy tarp, in effect creating a slight longer Jerven Exclusive for approximately one third of the price, and with a more customisable lining, you could even use fibrepile, fleece or wool if you so choose. Alternatively, a few metres of velcro will cover the attached stuff, leaving the zipper as the only closure method.
Something else I may do is add pockets in the corners, so that by adding some tent poles I can create an Alpha Tent
http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/ponchotent.htm
Disclaimer: The items in this review were purchased by myself, with no commercial or personal link to the seller/manufacturer. Any links listed are visited at your own discretion, and do not imply a link between the poster of this review and the originators of the links themselves.
Like many I balked at the price, even though I have a Fjellduken original which I consider a worthwhile purchase, the larger insulated models seem to have a few limitations to them which keep putting me off. The main one aside from the price, being the size if used as a tarp. I find that a tarp of 2.2m is too short for my idea of comfort, a personal thing that will very person to person.
So, having access to a sewing machine, I sought out a fabric with similar properties to that used by Jerven. This proved to be a real problem, the only fabric I found that did not require ordering a thousand yards with a reflective coating proved to be, shall we say, shower-proof at best. While it would do for a tarp, using it for a groundsheet was out of the question, and the reflective surface was not as smooth as that used on the Jerven. It worked for reflecting heat, but there would always be that element of doubt in my mind, comparing it to the Jerven.
Then quite randomly a video was suggested to me on Youtube, it was in German but showed a product by a company called Begandi which looked oddly familiar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ebrlTASnVc
(with thanks to Sackis Outdoor-Gear for his video review of the bivy tarp)
Searching it out I found it available on Amazon for approximately £63 including shipping from Germany.
Hmmm
I thought about it for a while, but eventually succumbed to temptation, so here is my take on this product, and my plans for it.
Shipping from Germany took approximately five days
The bivy tarp I received is 250cm by 197cm when opened out, suggesting some variation during manufacture from the Amazon description of 240cm by 195cm, and weighs 600g in the included stuff sack.
The material, aside from being plain green rather than Jervens's funky camouflage pattern, is identical in texture and waterproof properties, surviving a hosepipe at close quarters with water just beading off. As with the Jerven, using it as a bivy will produce condensation, which can be mitigated to a degree by using a liner and venting when possible.
The reflective surface, as above appears identical, with the palm test (place your palm inside a fold of the fabric, and feel the reflection of heat) feeling the same for this as the Jerven.
Having no arm holes is a plus as far as I am concerned, as the primary purpose of this bivy tarp will be as a bivy or a tarp, so the fewer holes the better. That said, it can still be worn as a poncho by leaving the top third or so of the long edge open, and putting your head through a small hole in the shorter edge at the top.
The tie-outs are short lengths of chunky webbing in a lime green, crudely sewn to the edges and ridge line of the bivy tarp. I plan to remove them and replace them with lighter gross-grain ribbon . Not that these are not functional, I just think I would prefer the gross-grain for its aesthetics and to lower the weight by a few grams.
The velcro along the edges is well sewn, but a poor choice for this application. Getting an even connection is a chore, and every time the faces meet it sticks, so leaving a bit open as you would with a Jerven is difficult. However, this does mean that is is very easy to modify this tarp and add a liner. The plan is to add some no6 zips along the edges, and make a quilt using climashield with velcro sewn along the edges to mate with that which is attached to the bivy tarp, in effect creating a slight longer Jerven Exclusive for approximately one third of the price, and with a more customisable lining, you could even use fibrepile, fleece or wool if you so choose. Alternatively, a few metres of velcro will cover the attached stuff, leaving the zipper as the only closure method.
Something else I may do is add pockets in the corners, so that by adding some tent poles I can create an Alpha Tent
http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/ponchotent.htm
Disclaimer: The items in this review were purchased by myself, with no commercial or personal link to the seller/manufacturer. Any links listed are visited at your own discretion, and do not imply a link between the poster of this review and the originators of the links themselves.
I'll check out the video etc.
