British and dutch bivvy bags

[Douglas]

Hi all,

I'm trying to decide between a dutch or a british bivvy bag, has anyone had any experience with both of them and could compare them, or just used one of them and could speak of it's performance?

So far the things I've found:

british one (old style, the olive ones):
-Space inside for a backpack or your boots, very long.
-tougher than the dutch one, but heavier.
-Not zip wich can complicate getting in and out.

Does it breath well? And is the extra toughness worth the extra weight, or is the dutch one already resistant enough?

Dutch one:

-smaller, much less space for kit. But is there still space for a big sleeping bag? (inner 3-season sleeping bag + outer synthetic one for winter, don't have it yet but I'm intending keeping the bivvy a few years , and a long cut to store my jumper and trousers in the bottom, nice and warm in the morning ).
-An oppening for easy in/out, but can let water in (well theoretically...the huge flap should protect it well...?)
-sleeve on the bottom for a sleeping pad (IIRC)
-lighter but less resistant than the british one. But is it still resistant enough?

They'd both be new, so they're state won't be a problem, and the price is the same.

Sorry if that's too many questions, so simply:

How'd you think they compare?

 

[rapidboy]

Only have a Brit version (goretex 1999 DPM) .
I don't like sleeping with my face exposed in the rain and water running down my neck.
I don't really like having my head inside with the drawcord pulled tight as condensation builds up.
I have tried adding a sapling inside to make a hoop and tightening the draw string which helped by keeping the material off my face but water can still get in the ventilation hole so I'm going to try it upside down with a bent sapling to keep it off my face and give me plenty of air and protection from the rain.
If i get it right i might try and add some sort of ties to secure the sapling to help keep it all together.
The only downside with this is no view of the stars.
I Hate having to get out of a bivvy in the middle of the night in the rain.
I really only got mine to keep my bag clean and dry under my Basha but it seems well made and does work.

RB

 

[Adi007]

I'd go for the Brit Army one each and every time - it's tougher and larger and more value for money. No zip does complicate getting in and out but on the otherhand a zip can add additional complications of its own (jamming, water getting in, and so on).

However, if weight is an important factor, it might not be right for you.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

just a note.

i went on an overnight bivy on the slopes of "cadir-idris"(wales), our bivi site was a boulder field no trees or grass in sight! and it rained all night.

the week previous everyone had gone shopping, some had brand new civilian bivy bags £150+ most opted for the British army, some green some DPM,
i used a Hydroram bivibag(made by Radar) which uses a huge envelope style flap rather than a drawcord or zip.as i say it rained,

in the morning still raining out of 20 people, only 2-3 were dry.
the dry guys used tarps! :yikes:

every single person using a Bivi bag suffered from either drips coming in or condensation(i had both!)!

the Tarp guys that were origionaly worried because they had no bivi bags, basically made themselves a "C" shaped wall from rocks and placed the tarp ontop!

so even in the morning they had a dry area to get changed in! no one else did!
:shock: since then i am seriously considering not useing my bivi bag again! :?:

 

[leon-1]

I have been using a British Army bivvy bag for years, I am now on one of the new ones, I have never really had that much of a problem with them, but as RB said it is better to use them in conjunction with a basha if you can (you don't want to find out that it has sprung a leak when you are in your nice warm down bag).

 

[Great Pebble]

BTW, I reckon from my own observation that the green British bivvy is much better, quality wise, than the later DPM version.

 

[Douglas]

Thanks for the help :-D

I'll be using it with a US poncho as a tarp, to have shelter for my gear and head, but I don't really trust a so small tarp to protect me from "sideways" rain, hence the bivvy (also protects the bag from dirt).

Just thought, if I'm using a tarp anyway, why am I worrying about the hood

The zip is nice when the hood is closed tightly (mostly in a sleeping bag when there's a hood + collar), and I only use the one on my sleeping bag when it's cold and everything is cinched tightly round my face and shoulders. Under a tarp I won't need to close the hood of the bivvy, so that means I wont really need a zip, since anyway I found that when the hood of my sleeping bag is open I don't use the zip. [err...that wasn't very clear, sorry].

That's two "problems" less, so it now seems the best choice.

How much does it weigh? (and how heavy is the dutch one?) Weight isn't too much of a problem, I wouldn't be considering a military one otherwise (I'd still like to know it though, to have an idea of how much everything will weigh).

Well thanks for the help!

 

[PC2K]

the dutch one is over a kilo ! i though that fellow was heavy enough. Never used the british one. I find it very well build and strong compaired to commercial once's. I have added a zipper in mine dutch army bivy and cut off the sleeping pad straps ( i like mine pad IN the bivy )

 

[steven andrews]

I have an old British OG one. I mainly use it to keep the breeze off my gonk bag while I'm under my HUGE Hilleberg Tarp 10.
The bivi bag never really gets wet - its mainly as a windproof barrier.
It also keeps my gonk bag and camping pillow dry in my rucksack.

 

[The General]

I bought a used green army gore tex bag about 7 years ago. It had about 8 very very small holes in it where it had obviously not been looked after. I used a patch kit and rubbed some nirkwax on both sides of the repairs.

I have used this numerous times and it works a treat, no problems with weight, condensation or getting in or out. Its a large bag, which is great as I am a very large guy!

I love this bag and it is very well made. I would buy a new one in a heartbeat if I really neaded a new one.

 

[Douglas]

OK, you guys convinced me. Gary, there's an order coming your way! (done under my name but my grandmother's address in Scotland, with the bivvy plus other bits and pieces)

Thanks for your help everyone!