Experiences with the Snugpak bivy bag?

[Mikkel]

http://www.snugpak.com/30_codegreen/31_14_bivvibag.htm

Does anyone have experiences with this?
If it lives up to the discription, then it's a sure winner, but it seems a bit too good to be true?

 

[John Fenna]

In my experience the Snugpak bivvibag is quite a snug fit on their sleeping bags, making it more of a waterproof skin than a big loose sack you can also get some kit inside, like some bivvi bags are.

 

[Alex...]

If you are thinking of buying one, take a look at the Alpkit site

http://www.alpkit.com/hunka/

It's not as wide as the snugpak (which seems excessively wide!) and is at a bargain price too. It's certainly one I'm considering

 

[C_Claycomb]

I have one.
Great for summer backpacking,excellent quality, nice and compact, light weight, waterproof...


You are welcome to buy mine, very competetive price, only slightly used...


THAT should tell you something All the above is true, BUT, I use Snugpak Military Sleep range bags, (I am sure they used to be called Code Green), both a No6 Kestrel for the summer and a No10 Harrier for winter. The Harrier won't fit inside the bivi bag without losing some of its loft. If you try to follow the advice to put your kip mat inside as well, you will get a great insight into how a salami feels! I am not a particularly stout person I think it pretty that Snugpak make a bivi bag which won't take one small/average bloke in combination with their own range of sleeping bags!

Now, they MIGHT have changed dimensions since I bought my bag a few years ago, but you need to check it, probably by trying one out and being ready to send it back if it doesn't fit. The only reason they didn't get mine sent back with a flaming letter was that I didn't get the No10 bag until I had been using the bivi with the No6 for a year or so.

 

[Aaron]

Snugpak sleeping bags are good enough but I have found the comfort temperature ratings to be a bit optimisitic

 

[C_Claycomb]

...but I have found the comfort temperature ratings to be a bit optimisitic

very much so. The No10 works for me, with decent under insulation, in a hammock, down to about -2degC, but I have to be wearing a pullover and hat I haven't tried it lower. I think that they rate them on what you get in a tent shared with another person.

 

[exped.equip.]

I prefer to be on the ground rather than between two trees as i cannot seem to get any sleep in a hammock because i`m a figit ****! The snugpack bivvy is an only just fit bag with no room for anything but you and sleeping bag.I would say a military one is much better because of the extra room--even the rucksack goes in out of the weather.

 

[Mikkel]

Ok, I will look into the alpkit bivybag instead. Thanks for the tip!

How "badly" rated ar ethe snugpak sleeping bags actually? I was looking tinto getting the Softie 3 merlin for pure summer use (paired with a silk liner). But perhaps it's not really suited for sleeping outdoor? i would like to avoid having to sleep with all my clotes on

 

[C_Claycomb]

I have used my Kestrel from April through September in England, not at altitute, but will own that it was a little chilly at either end of that time. When we had a warm summer I found the Kestrek a little warm except for first thing in the morning. As a pure summer bag the Merlin might well do you for late May through August, on average.

Wearing some upper body clothing suits me since it lets me regualte my temperature just a little better by having the bag partly open, or my arms out. I find that wearing all my clothes is counter productive and leaves my feet colder than they would be otherwise.

 

[Mikkel]

Do you use it with, or without a liner?

 

[Shewie]

http://www.snugpak.com/30_codegreen/31_14_bivvibag.htm

Does anyone have experiences with this?
If it lives up to the discription, then it's a sure winner, but it seems a bit too good to be true?

I borrowed one of these once but found it a little restictive.

Why not pick up an ex-issue goretex bivvy for around £25, lots more room and cheap aswell.


Rich

 

[oetzi]

The dutch army goretex bivy bag, often mentioned here, is a good choice.
I have it. Very roomy, 1300gramm, cheap and hard wearing.

 

[Mikkel]

I know and i also got one that i use for other activities. But the weight of 1300 gram makes it too heavy for regular backpacking.

Alpkit looked nice, but the lack of zipper can make it troublesome to get in and out, and if you get hot in the nigh, it's not soo good either.

 

[C_Claycomb]

The Snugpak has no zipper either.

I have a silk liner and use it sometimes. I can't say that I have really come down one way or the other about liners. I tried a fleece liner once and it was worthless. Sure, it added plenty more warmth, but it was bulkier than just buying a bigger sleeping bag would have been. The silk liner seems to add some warmth, but it probably would make more difference if you slept without additional clothing.

 

[irishlostboy]

the alpkit bivy bag is sold out in my favourite colour. black. all they have left is the ghastly red. they are seriously cheap. i was gona get one as a spare/back-up. test it out.

 

[andy_e]

I agree with the concensus here, I have the Snugpak Bivi bag too and it is fine if you want to have a waterproof bag for your sleepingbag, but you'll not get any gear in it at the same time and like the Alpkit it doesn't have a zipper.

 

[Paganwolf]

New Snugpak one has a zipper and is bigger.

 

[harryhaller]

This is an old thread (2007), but the most recent on the Snugpak bivi and I wondered whether there were any new opinions on it - especially the SnugPak Special Force Bivvi Bag.

Anyone tried it out? The thread so far (2007) is pretty negative about Snugpak bivis - but the previous post suggested improvements had taken place.