British Bivvy bag - cigarette burn

Buster80

Forager
Apr 12, 2015
235
2
Scotland
Hi

Purchased a bivvy off the Bay, seller claims mint condition apart from a cigarette burn on the upper portion of the bag.

Did a search but couldn't find a result,seller claims burn isn't all way through but I have a rough idea of how to patch this,anyone fixed a issue like this and could provide specifics??

Do these bivvy need reproofing??

Picked it up for £20 so I'm hoping for a bargain.

Cheers all

buster
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
28,222
3,199
63
~Hemel Hempstead~
Will I need to reproof the whole bag as Well??

Not unless it leaks all over.

Just put a bowl inside it and then fill the bag so it sinks partially into the bowl. If water seeps in the you need to reproof, if it doesn't then you're fine.

You only need to really worry about the proofing if you intend to use it without any other shelter. If you're planning to use a tarp as well then it's not as important.
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
28,222
3,199
63
~Hemel Hempstead~
I'm struggling to imagine that bowl idea! Any help??

Put the bowl or a bucket inside the bag.

Stretch the bag over the bowl like a saggy drum skin.

Put water in and wait

If you find water in the bowl or the inside of the bag is wet it needs proofing.

You can always just get in it and have someone spray a water hose on you. If you get wet, again reproff
 

Tonyuk

Settler
Nov 30, 2011
938
86
Scotland
These bags work on having a mvp membrane (gore-tex like) if it leaks the membrane itself is damaged and re-proofing it will only help a bit.

Tonyuk
 

Dogoak

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 24, 2009
2,293
295
Cairngorms
GoreTex needs to be kept clean so it allows the 'pores' to breath. If it's dirty the water permeates through the dirt and therefore the membrane and you have wet inside.
Having spent a very wet night due this issue many moons ago and realising the problem, I can assure you that you want the bag functioning correctly if you are not using a tarp.
It's never going to hurt to give it a wash, use Niwax Tech wash or pure soap and make sure it's very well rinsed, then apply a DWR such as Niwax direct spray or another suitable product.
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
225
westmidlands
A tube of contact adhesive does the top and base of most things, given theyre not too big and allowed to dry, as for actually bridging holes a piece of waterproof ripstop with contact adhesive, failing that a bit of paper ?
 

ph5172

Forager
Feb 13, 2010
233
4
Coventry
I had a cigarette burn in mine and i just put a bit of fabric / UHU (i think) glue (from £ land, yellow box) on a small square of black tape stuck it on the inside and sandwiched it between 2 bricks overnight - never had an issue
 

Buster80

Forager
Apr 12, 2015
235
2
Scotland
Ooh a cheap fix, I like it. The hole is only tiny so I guess if the fix don't work it's not the end of the world.

Cheers

Buster
 

philipb

Forager
Feb 20, 2016
236
9
wales
Ooh a cheap fix, I like it. The hole is only tiny so I guess if the fix don't work it's not the end of the world.

Cheers

Buster

if the hole is on the top side and above the waist it wont make much difference as this area is normally covered by your tarp. A bit of tape will stop it ripping futher
if is on a part of the bivvy you lie on then you may want to be more careful about making it waterproof
 

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