New bivi - opinions on the 2 shortlisted candidates...

[Eggy]

Hi all,

As the title suggests I'm in the market for a new bivi. I just sold my Hennessey Explorer Deluxe Asym, great bit of kit but a right PITA if there's little to no trees in the area you're bedding down in (thanks very much Keith Dalgliesh for your brilliant choice of base-camp in August )

So, the candidates are:

Stratosphere Hooped Bivi

or

Dutch army DPM hooped bivi

Opinions or alternatives please.

All thanks in advance

 

[Twodogs]

I would go for a standard wide opening bivi bag and a tarp you can move about more and due to the tarp you have a dry admin area for cooking .
Twodogs

 

[Shambling Shaman]

I have one of These works well and I have plenty of room (im only 5' 8" ish)

 

[Shewie]

Not tried the Dutch one but I had the Stratosphere for a while and didn't really like it very much. The build quality was good and it kept the rain out, the thing that bugged me was the rubberised coating on the inside which just seemed to cling to everything when I moved.

Got me one of these instead, pricey but in a different league ...
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Type/Tents/Bivi__Bothy_Bags/Saturn_GREEN.html

If the Dutchie is goretex then I'd go for that one over the Strat.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Not tried the Dutch one but I had the Stratosphere for a while and didn't really like it very much. The build quality was good and it kept the rain out, the thing that bugged me was the rubberised coating on the inside which just seemed to cling to everything when I moved.

Got me one of these instead, pricey but in a different league ...
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Type/Tents/Bivi__Bothy_Bags/Saturn_GREEN.html

If the Dutchie is goretex then I'd go for that one over the Strat.

Yep a good bit of kit, I had one for a few years with no problems. I used a backpacking micro tarp in the flying V as a cooking/porch area..

 

[spoony]

i have a strat and like it very much
review here
http://bushcraft-educational-society.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1992.0

 

[Shambling Shaman]

This is the only photo i can find of my Satan, the larger tarp in action as a sun shade

 

[Eggy]

Found some really nice examples of the DPM bivi and I'm veering towards that. The Strat seems nice - compact & lightweight - and there's some good deals out there but the general robustness of the Dutch one is the probable clincher.

I'd considered the American Modular Sleeping Bag System, and at £99 all-in it seems like a no-brainer, but from what I've read you need a WMIK to cart the thing so maybe not the bargain it seems.

 

[TeeDee]

I Have a surplus ( because i would never pay the money they want for a new one ) of these;-

http://www.google.com/images?oe=UTF...tle&resnum=2&ved=0CCYQsAQwAQ&biw=1008&bih=574

Which I got from here;-

http://www.marwiarmystore.nl/webshop.asp?cat=27846&scat=&product=518344

Thats a single Hoop bivi there , but they do get the double hoop in on occasion and sell for circa 130 euros. Ring ( they speak English ) and place an order for one for a surplus unit.

New ones are here
http://www.reittipiste.fi/product_info.php?products_id=1023&language=en





####edit ;- It just occured to me that you may ONLY be interested in advice on the two Bivi's mentioned. Apologies if so.##

 

[Twodogs]

ohhhhhhhhhhh nice

 

[Shewie]

Nice those Carinthia bags TD, thanks for the linky

My first ever nights in a bivvy were spent in one of those on a course in 2000.

 

[Eggy]

####edit ;- It just occured to me that you may ONLY be interested in advice on the two Bivi's mentioned. Apologies if so.##

No mate, good move pointing me in the direction of a Carinthia, another one to consider

 

[Mastino]

Dutch bivy is fine, there are two versions available: the Carinthia (top notch) and one from another contractor (spanish or german) and those, although made to spec, are not at par with the Carinthia. I use it both with loop up and loop off, the latter makes it much like the big UK issue bag. Loop up is a feature I love, mainly because of the integrated mosquito net, that's a lot of peace o' mind in Scandinavian summers.

 

[Miyagi]

I keep looking at the Corinthia and am very tempted.

It's impractical for me because bivvying usually involves competing with the dog for space - he usually wins which is why a small tent is better suited.

 

[shogun]

i..also..like..the...look..of..the.. Carinthia

 

[Eggy]

Seems the Carinthia Observer Plus is as rare as rocking-horse dung, at a sensible price anyway.

I'm pretty much going to go for the single-hooped Dutch bivi - if I can source a double-hooped one then so much the better. Some really good prices (inclusive of despatch costs) available on some of the Dutch surplus sites. Think I'll contact my Dutch buddy and see what he can come up with...

 

[TeeDee]

Still too pricey, I'd go the surplus route.

http://www.usmcpro.com/usmcgb/indexf.php?PHPSESSID=d3ed9261eec5880c376a4a6a87b9cf37

 

[Eggy]

Just an update on this. I managed to get an un-issued single hoop Dutch bivi for €80, delivered, from a Dutch small ads site. Thank god for Google Translate