Lightweight bivvy bags for use under a tarp

[elefantman]

Evening all,
Spent this evening mucking about pitching my dd super light tarp in various configurations... nice bit of kit... very light but I dont think it will be as long lived as some.
Anyway.. after some playing about with it and my oookworks groundsheet I've come to the conclusion I'd be better of ditching the groundsheet and taking a good bivvy bag inside which my air bed and sleeping bag can reside... as I have a feeling I'll roll off the groundsheet and end up with a wet bag.

Ive got an old ex military one but it's a bit of a beast and heavy with it... so... light, waterproof and not too cramped so I can fit the mat inside.... don't want to spend the earth (wife's still reeling from my new rucksack) lol... what do you all suggest?

Righto... time for a beer... pint of old speckled I think....

Cheers Jim

 

[sunndog]

Alpkit hunka/hunka XL, job done

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

Second the motion on the Hunka. Light, convenient, breathable. I liked the regular Hunka so much I got the XL for winter use, replacing the army goretex one I'd been using before.

 

[Trig]

I use a Tigoat kestrel bivy.

Only the base is waterproof, and bit dearer than a Hunka, but its pretty lightweight and small packsize if thats what your after. Bugproof, and under a tarp the full waterproofness doesnt matter as much, for my needs anyway.

Cant beat the Hunka though, not much heavier and good price. I find the XL far too big for me though, i end up sliding down into it all night.

 

[MikeLA]

I think you are better putting up with the extra little weight/bulk of the issue bivvy bag. own a alpkit one think it's XL but still prefer the issued one. My 10 year old uses the alpkit model.

Also finding Alpkit getting more expensive recently

 

[Riven]

Another vote for the issue bag. Rugged and cheap to replace.

 

[Nice65]

If you go for the Hunka, make sure it's the XL. With a bag and air mat it's still ''snug". I use a fairly thin Thermarest, I wouldn't be able to fit my Exped Synmat 9 inside it.

 

[Hibrion]

I'm happy with my snugpack special forces. I mostly chose it for the centre zip.
I havn't tried it with my thermarest inside yet though.

 

[IC_Rafe]

I'm looking at the RAB alpine to replace my british goretex bivy.

 

[fenrir]

i've had good experience with the snugpak special forces bivy. Especially under the tarp, the zip on the bivvy makes it's use (getting in/out, venting, etc) notably easier. Haven't had a problem yet with the zip either. Something that the other bivvys don't have.

 

[Paul_B]

I used the Rab survival zone but anything thicker than a thermarest prolite small it flattened too much so the down quilt was squashed = reduction in insulation.

A mate had the Alpkit hunka XL and the survival zone was actually slightly bigger. That was when the hunka XL first came out (think he won it in a competition just as they were being launched in the larger size.

I also have the Rab storm bivvy I think it's called. Got it cheap from rock and run. It has a non breathable base with something similar to the hunka/survival zone fabric on the top. The best bit was it had side walls to give more volume and the shape was more square like air mats such as synmat/downmat from Exped. It's heavier but not as heavy as issue bivvies. Simple zip around the head area at the side with a venting strip of fabric near the zip. This meant you could zip up but I'd not want to no matter how wet it got, condensation would be worse that way.

 

[elefantman]

Good afternoon & thanks for the replies.

The Hucka XL came back into stock yesterday so I've got one winging it's way to me for tomorrow. As with all my new kit (DD superlight tarp, EXPED 45 rucksack etc) I'll be evaluating it over a 8 day wander round the lakes starting around the 30th. Although I've been hiking and camping out for years it's always been either the odd night under the stars locally or for weeks away I always carried a big pack and "proper" tent.
Going to be interesting seeing how my new lightweight kit works out.
Thanks again,
Jim

 

[Big Highlander]

Brittish army bivvi bag for me, nothing less, the problem u have with all this new kit is it only has one function ie issue bivvi can double as a rain cover for a rucksack or a secure airtight means of crossing fairly deep water keeping your kit dry, you can't do this with all this Gucci clobber with zips and memory foam attachments lol, I believe the SLIGHT extra weight of the bivvi means you can ditch the rain cover and the canoe/dry bags etc, it's heavier because its durable and it works and it won't let u down, ask someone who broke a zip or water got through the zip because they moved during the night