Bivvi Bag and Sleeping Bag?

[Home Guard]

Could any of you gents enlighten me on the drill for this?

I've only ever slept under a poncho used as a tarp with a blanket. And was wondering if you just simple unpack your bivvi bag and sleeping bag, slip one inside the other and sleep?

Do you need a tarp?

Do you need a ground mat or sheet?

And if you're not using a tarp and it rains, does the rain come in where your head is?

Thanks

 

[copper_head]

You can use the bivvy with no tarp, but its not much fun if its hammering it down! You can tuck your head in and pull the hood of the bivvy tight to keep the worst out but its a case of going to bed just keep out of the weather.
Definitely need a sleeping matt of some description to insulate from the cold ground.

Here's my rig from my last trip with the bivvy...

DD 3x3 tarp, therm-a-rest trail lite, modded british army bivvy and 3 season bag. Pretty snug at around freezing.

 

[rg598]

You can use the bivi without a tarp. Most of them have a cover that goes over the head. It is fine when you are sleeping, but if you are caught under the rain when you are not, it is not much fun as there isn't much to do.

On the ground you want to use some sort of insulation the same way you would with any other sleep system. Use a sleeping mat, on top of that place the bivi and sleeping bag. You don't need a ground cloth.

The way people usually use such a set up is with a tarp. The bivi serves to protect the sleeping bag from any rain that gets under the tarp.

 

[wingstoo]

I have used the bivi-bag-sleeping mat-sleeping bag combination, but did cheat and used a secondary cover (weather was bad) but I put the sleeping mat inside the bivi-bag, that way it stays with you, if you put the bag on top of the mat you can roll off it if there is space to do so.

 

[ged]

Some people use a hooded bivi upside down so that the hood acts as a rain shelter. The army bivi bags are big enough to accommodate your pack in the top as well, which can spread it out and make a sort of tent.

 

[bilmo-p5]

+1 to the above.

Also, if you put your sleeping bag inside your bivi at home, then stuff it all down into the bottom of your pack, it's ready to use as soon as you pull it out again. This is particularly handy if it is wet & windy when you're setting up.