I've only ever camped in a tent, but a mate has convinced me to camp in the woods via tarp + sleeping bag and an army goretex bivvy bag. My sleeping bag is a snugpak with a -7 deg temp rating. How likely is it i'll be lying in the woods awake all night cursing the idea!? Any tips?
bivvy camping
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resnikov
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Put a sleeping mat in the biviy bag aswell. That should make it comfier and warm then just the floor.
I did just this last weekend, and was snug and warm. I had a few layers on in the bag, and my bag is a 5 season down bag, but then again the bag is also 15 years old so not as warm as it used to be. Temperature was 5 degrees below. I slep wonderfully. Inflatable mat is essential though.
Mind you, the amount of alcohol being passed around beforehand may have had something to do with it too!
Mind you, the amount of alcohol being passed around beforehand may have had something to do with it too!
All depends on when you're going, what the weather's like etc.
Just make sure your bag has plenty of room to loft properly within the bivi bag and you've got room to wear a base layer or similar also.
Just make sure your bag has plenty of room to loft properly within the bivi bag and you've got room to wear a base layer or similar also.
cheers Harvestman. Wasn't planning n bringing an inflatable mat. Plan was to jsut stuff the foam carry matt between bivvy and s-bag as suggested below. Is this not good enough?
next w/e is the plan. weather likely to be dampish, ad around 2-3 deg. Re the loft comment - sorry, but can you elaborate?
The filling in your bag has to expand to trap air and insulate you properly, this is refered to as lofting.
If it's compacted then it doesn't give you the insulation it's designed to do and will be colder
I bivi'd last weekend in the lakes. Think it was just below zero. Had thermarest on floor and bivi on top. I've tried it with the mat inside the bag but as it's a crocodile one struggled to get in. Hope you enjoy it!
Just my personal preferance. I find foam mats uncomfortable compared to inflatable ones. Any mat is better than none at all. Thicker ones are warmer and more comfortable.
Mm u have me thinking now that an inflateable may be a good investment. Any recommendations?
I find a 'breathable' bivi keeps me a lot more comfortable in my sleeping bag than does a tent because the bivi lets the water out, and then keeps it out, and my sleeping bag is dry in the morning. It's also warmer than a tent because there's less air space between the bag and the bivi than there is between the bag and the tent, and your body heat keeps the air in that smaller space a lot warmer. That's important for the breathing effect, which doesn't work at very low temperatures because the water turns to ice in the fabrics instead of migrating through as vapour.
My favourite setup is a sleeping bag in a bivi in a tent. If I have chance to put a nice thick layer of something soft under the bivi, it's more comfortable than my bed at home.
My favourite setup is a sleeping bag in a bivi in a tent. If I have chance to put a nice thick layer of something soft under the bivi, it's more comfortable than my bed at home.
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I've had two 'Thermarest' brand self-inflating mats for decades and the only real complaint I have is that they're a bit slippy. They're good in a bivi bag, because the bag keeps you and the mat in the same place, but otherwise you can find that you wake up in a different place from your mat. It's never been enough of a problem for me to want to try alternatives though. If space and weight were no object I'd probably just take an extra thick blanket, fold it up and lie on that.
bring a wooly hat or a balaclava to keep your head warm, i hate sleeping with my head inside the bivvi which normally means i have to use a balaclava or hat to stay warm. Unless youre comfortable being that enlosed id take something for your head. also a small inflatable pillow works wonders when it comes to getting a good nights sleep, you can use a little bag full of clothes if need be.
The one I use is a Gelert Xtreme light 3/4, which is essentially a Thermarest clone, only thicker and cheaper. I've never used Thermarest. They have a very good reputation, but I couldn't afford one. I took a chance on the gelert and was very pleased with it. I went with a 3/4 because it saves weight, and because you really only need to pad under your body, where your weight is. I tend to put my empty-ish rucksack under my legs, but that's because sleeping on my back is more comfortable than on my side when outdoors, and I find my knees lock if my legs are straight, and that wakes me up. So a rucksack under the knees insulaters and solves the problem.
Essentially, you have to try it and see what works for you. Just because it works for me is no guarantee that you will like it.
I have a thermarest ultralight but only because it was free. My original thermarest delaminated leaving a great big blister in the centre of the mat. I got in touch with thermarest who replaced it with the new version for free. Amazing service, warm, lightweight, but perhaps more of an investment than other makes.
Try running a few zig-zag beads of silicone sealant across the mat, bathroom sealant will do but go easy all you need is 1-2mm high beads, this will do the trick, to stop the slipping. Works a treat
