Lightweight Bivvi advice needed!

[Lynx]

Hi Guys,

My brother and I are planning a bikepacking trip across Wales within the next three months and we are gradually getting our kit together with the emphasis on lightweight. I am currently looking at two Bivvi's, this one:

http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co...ers-c25/bivi-bags-c41/moonlite-bag-cover-p210

and this one:

http://www.borahgear.com/sidebivy.html

One of the questions I have is about sleeping mats; do you usually place these inside the Bivvi to stop your self sliding off the thing in the night or do most folk just put it under the Bivvi? This is worth knowing as some Bivvi's with tapered bottom will not enable the mat to go inside.

Also, can anyone come up with anything better than the above for no more than say £100 and similar weight (less than 200grm). Ideally a square bottom would help as the mat can go inside then if need be.

Thoughts and advice on this fellas?

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I had my borah gear made extra wide to take a tapered mat but im a big lad. a neoair regular fits perfect in it with me and a lightweight bag. My neoair large doesnt fit and i stick the bivy on top of it. surprisingly it seems to stay put without any problems. I thing its the material the neoair is made from.

I presume you will be using a tarp or shelter over the bivy as the borah gear will not stand up to the elements on its own. Great under a micro tarp though.

no experience with the other bag

 

[Lynx]

Thanks for that Paul, and yes I will be buying a lightweight tarp which is another item on my list if anyone has any ideas? So far I have selected a Hi-Gear Ultra-Lite 3/4 Self inflating Mat and a Vango Ultrlite 350 sleeping bag.

 

[MikeLA]

My choice of bivi bag will be too heavy for you the Issue one. mainly posting to say put the airmat on the outside, more comfortable and you are able to move better also it will protect your bag from the ground.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

My choice of bivi bag will be too heavy for you the Issue one. mainly posting to say put the airmat on the outside, more comfortable and you are able to move better also it will protect your bag from the ground.

How is the bag not protected from the ground with the pad inside the bivi?

 

[Lynx]

My choice of bivi bag will be too heavy for you the Issue one. mainly posting to say put the airmat on the outside, more comfortable and you are able to move better also it will protect your bag from the ground.

Thanks for that, worth knowing,

 

[Lynx]

How is the bag not protected from the ground with the pad inside the bivi?

I think he means that the bivvi will be protected from wear against a rough surface?

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

ah sorry was getting confused with sleeping bag. I use a sheet of polycryo window film under my bivi bag. Tough as old boots and weighs 34g in its stuff sack

 

[MikeLA]

meaning the bivi bag will be touching the hard ground. With the Mat on the outside you have that between the ground and the bivi. Always taught when they first came out in the 1980's to do it this way.

 

[MikeLA]

writing while others were posted so just ignore

 

[ADz-1983]

Not used it yet as still waiting for my Borah and MLD gear to arrive but my plan is to use a Multimat under Borah bivy bag for insulation/protection then a Neoair Xlite inside. The newer Neoair's (xlite) are tapered anyway so will be fine in bivy. I'll also be taking some Polycro for gear sheet so not sure on if that will be replacing the multimat yet. The multimat is light and will double up as knee support or seat pad etc so may just keep both in kit.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Not used it yet as still waiting for my Borah and MLD gear to arrive but my plan is to use a Multimat under Borah bivy bag for insulation/protection then a Neoair Xlite inside. The newer Neoair's (xlite) are tapered anyway so will be fine in bivy. I'll also be taking some Polycro for gear sheet so not sure on if that will be replacing the multimat yet. The multimat is light and will double up as knee support or seat pad etc so may just keep both in kit.

I had that discussion with myself and left the CCF out on weight grounds. I have 4 sections of a folding kip mat as the back support in my virga and this tends to get used as my sit mat but also slips under the neoair at the torso end when its time for bed as this is where i put the most weight down through the system.

 

[ADz-1983]

I had that discussion with myself and left the CCF out on weight grounds. I have 4 sections of a folding kip mat as the back support in my virga and this tends to get used as my sit mat but also slips under the neoair at the torso end when its time for bed as this is where i put the most weight down through the system.

The ccf mat will be mainly for protecting the borah bivy bag in case its a stony/rocky area as don't really fancy me laying my weight on silnylon if there is pointy stones about as I also tend to move about in sleep

Will see how it goes, still undecided on system yet.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

ive found the polycryo to be bomb proof mate. I know Rich has been using his for a long time now with no issues.

 

[ADz-1983]

ive found the polycryo to be bomb proof mate. I know Rich has been using his for a long time now with no issues.

Yeah, see a lot of people using it under bivy but just wasnt convinced on the strength? May leave the ccf mat and just use it for Winter instead if the polycro is strong enough.

Tbh I also have a lightweight tyvek ground sheet which should be ample protection. Will take both then try both out

 

[Lynx]

First time of heard of this polycro. Where could I get a sheet sufficient to cover the base of a bivvi?

 

[Teepee]

First time of heard of this polycro. Where could I get a sheet sufficient to cover the base of a bivvi?

It's sold as secondary glazing film. Google that and you should get plenty of hits.

I know Wickes keep it in, sure most of the sheds do too.

 

[Lynx]

Not used it yet as still waiting for my Borah and MLD gear to arrive but my plan is to use a Multimat under Borah bivy bag for insulation/protection then a Neoair Xlite inside. The newer Neoair's (xlite) are tapered anyway so will be fine in bivy. I'll also be taking some Polycro for gear sheet so not sure on if that will be replacing the multimat yet. The multimat is light and will double up as knee support or seat pad etc so may just keep both in kit.

Could you give us some feedback on the Borah when it arrives please? I'm in two minds about ordering one so it will be good to get someone's feedback on it even if it's just first impressions.

 

[Lynx]

It's sold as secondary glazing film. Google that and you should get plenty of hits.

Ok thanks!

 

[ADz-1983]

First time of heard of this polycro. Where could I get a sheet sufficient to cover the base of a bivvi?

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Stormguard-Seasonal-Secondary-Glazing-Film-6sqm/p/210014

Could you give us some feedback on the Borah when it arrives please? I'm in two minds about ordering one so it will be good to get someone's feedback on it even if it's just first impressions.

Sure, will do. Should be arriving within next couple of weeks.