Tent or bivvy?

[cipherdias]

After best part of 35 yeas of tent camping (mainly wild) I am seriously looking at reducing the weight of what I carry and a bivvy bag seems to be the ideal way to do this.

A few things put me off: Dont want to feel claustrophobic, what do you do if it's throwing it down with rain (in a tent you an sit it out with some comfort).

Open to ideas, suggestions, discussion


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[crosslandkelly]

I just use a DD 3x3 tarp with a bivvy. Lightweight and loads of room. There are a few lighter tarps as well.

 

[cipherdias]

I just use a DD 3x3 tarp with a bivvy. Lightweight and loads of room. There are a few lighter tarps as well.

Now that's a good idea, at least then with the tarp you have some “admin” space.

What would you say your Bobby and tarp weigh together?


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[cipherdias]

Also looking for tarp and bivvy recommendations please guys. I'm just over 6ft and heavy build if that helps


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[TeeDee]

I've used this for ages , never paid that price however!! Sometimes find them for cheap on European surplus sites.

Carinthia Observer Plus

UK-based retailer specialising in kit and accessories for the collector, the outdoorsman, the military and the ordinary guy. We stock a massive range of the biggest outdoor brands in the world such as Spyderco, Boker, CRKT, Victorinox, Maxpedition, Triple Aught Design, Gerber, SOG, Fenix...

heinnie.com

That and a basha and I'm happy.

 

[crosslandkelly]

DD 3mx3m Lightweight Bushcraft Prepping Tarp

DD 3mx3m Tarp The DD 3mx3m tapr is a Lightweight Tarp is ultralight with 16 tough reinforced side attachment points plus 3 tough centre attachment points (total of 19) making it extremely versatile. It is the perfect size DD Tarp to provide complete protection for any of our hammocks (and still...

www.bushcraftlab.co.uk

British Army Goretex Olive Bivvy Bag

This bivvy bag is a genuine Issue olive goretex bivvy bag in olive, used by British Forces. A classic surplus item, for a very decent priced goretex bivvy bag. The bivvy bag is fairly big so will accommodate most sleeping bags with ease, Features Include: We recommend you accompany this with a...

www.goarmy.co.uk

These are the ones I have. As said there are lighter options. I'm 5' 9" and around 12.5 st and the bivvy is very roomy for me.

 

[cipherdias]

I've used this for ages , never paid that price however!! Sometimes find them for cheap on European surplus sites.

Carinthia Observer Plus

UK-based retailer specialising in kit and accessories for the collector, the outdoorsman, the military and the ordinary guy. We stock a massive range of the biggest outdoor brands in the world such as Spyderco, Boker, CRKT, Victorinox, Maxpedition, Triple Aught Design, Gerber, SOG, Fenix...

heinnie.com

That and a basha and I'm happy.

The Carinthia looks like an interesting posibillity but what a price!


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[cipherdias]

DD 3mx3m Lightweight Bushcraft Prepping Tarp

DD 3mx3m Tarp The DD 3mx3m tapr is a Lightweight Tarp is ultralight with 16 tough reinforced side attachment points plus 3 tough centre attachment points (total of 19) making it extremely versatile. It is the perfect size DD Tarp to provide complete protection for any of our hammocks (and still...

www.bushcraftlab.co.uk

British Army Goretex Olive Bivvy Bag

This bivvy bag is a genuine Issue olive goretex bivvy bag in olive, used by British Forces. A classic surplus item, for a very decent priced goretex bivvy bag. The bivvy bag is fairly big so will accommodate most sleeping bags with ease, Features Include: We recommend you accompany this with a...

www.goarmy.co.uk

These are the ones I have. As said there are lighter options. I'm 5' 9" and around 12.5 st and the bivvy is very roomy for me.

That's definitely along the lines of what I was thinking TBH and wound be a decent weight saving.

Do both items pack down quite small?


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[TeeDee]

The Carinthia looks like an interesting posibillity but what a price!


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I agree.

I picked mine up from this place a few years back for £150 iirc.

They are more than helpful to take phone calls and speak perfect English.

Army Surplus Wholesale | Marwi B.V. | Netherlands

Here at MARWI B.V. we take pride in selling top notch Military Surplus to our retailers.

www.marwi.online

Worth a call

 

[cipherdias]

I agree.

I picked mine up from this place a few years back for £150 iirc.

They are more than helpful to take phone calls and speak perfect English.

Army Surplus Wholesale | Marwi B.V. | Netherlands

Here at MARWI B.V. we take pride in selling top notch Military Surplus to our retailers.

www.marwi.online

Worth a call

I will give them a shout cheers!


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[SaraR]

Use a tarp above and it will feel much less enclosed than a tent! You can easily move the tarp up to hive you more headroom or down for better weather protection. The same setup can hive you a palace to enjoy the views and move around with ease or a snug and cosy space to escape nasty weather. The only things tents are better at in my opinion is bug protection and providing privacy.

Points to consider:
Do you need protection against mosquitos and midges? if so you'll need to get a bag with midge net or a loose net and some way to hang it up.

How will you put up your tarp if no trees around? plenty of options but you need to plan ot out first and see what works for you and make sure you have the material (extra lines or pegs perhaps, a walking pole or fence post etc) needed to hand or that you will be able to make/find it on the spot.

Tarp+attachment lines+bivvy bag can easily weigh more than a lightweight tent. Lightweight options are of course available but more expensive. So it's well worth totting up the weight and cost of a few options and then compare to weight and cost of getting a new lighter tent.

 

[Early P]

After best part of 35 yeas of tent camping (mainly wild) I am seriously looking at reducing the weight of what I carry and a bivvy bag seems to be the ideal way to do this.

A few things put me off: Dont want to feel claustrophobic, what do you do if it's throwing it down with rain (in a tent you an sit it out with some comfort).

Open to ideas, suggestions, discussion


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British army dpm bivvy bag and mfh 3x3m tarp. I got two new bivvy bags of ebay 2-3 years ago both unissued by the look for £35 the pair, my mfh tarp for £18 as it is half the weight of the issue one and larger( although 3 sq meters is a bit big). Half the year you can manage with just the bivvy. It gets you close to nature, sometimes too close! I always hankered after a dutch hooped bivvy or a snugpak but they are heavy and expensive and claustrophobic. I have thought about making a hooped bag out of my two.

 

[crosslandkelly]

That's definitely along the lines of what I was thinking TBH and wound be a decent weight saving.

Do both items pack down quite small?


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Excuse the poor image quality.

 

[Early P]

I have yet to master folding all the air out of a bivvy bag so use a stuff sack. The tarp folds ors stuffs really small. Either ways its smaller and lighter than the tent

 

[Erbswurst]

If you want to reduce your pack weight get this:

Snugpak Special Forces 1 sleeping bag 1030 g
Snugpak Special Forces bivvy bag 340g

Fits together, just stuffed by hand, well into
Ortlieb drybag PS 10 , 7 litres, 54 g

Defcon 5 poncho 350g

Edelrid Multicord SP 2,5 mm, orange, 3,2 g /m
(5 x) Edelrid Micro 0 carabiner hook 7g

(To attach the lines to the poncho if used as a tarp and one to attach the line around the tree. The other 3 corners go to the ground pegs.)

You sleep under a pretty open plough point poncho shelter and in heavy weather your main protection is the bivvy bag.
Bivvy bag and sleeping bag have a central zipper for easy access and exit.

If you don't become claustrophobic in your old sleeping bag you surely will not become it in the system above. You will have comfortably room in the sleep system, the bivvy is just a second skin of the sleeping bag, your plough point poncho shelter is open. Easy in and out.
No crouching like a dog, snake or slug.

Apart from the German made civil high quality products from Ortlieb and Edelrid the above recommended stuff has NATO stock numbers. I used it myself a lot and can tell you that it belongs to the best one can get. But it's surprisingly cheap.

It's well working and very very compact packing. My rucksack for 3 season use has only 34 litres, and the items above are the reason.

 

[BumblingAlong]

Not seen it mentioned on here yet but the OEX Bush Pro at around £35 seems to be the new goto bivvy

 

[Erbswurst]

Looks a bit too cheap in the first view.

Are there already any serious reviews by trusty persons?

 

[Le Loup]

After best part of 35 yeas of tent camping (mainly wild) I am seriously looking at reducing the weight of what I carry and a bivvy bag seems to be the ideal way to do this.

A few things put me off: Dont want to feel claustrophobic, what do you do if it's throwing it down with rain (in a tent you an sit it out with some comfort).

Open to ideas, suggestions, discussion


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I know what you mean cipherdias, I don't like sleeping bags either. I have always just used an oilcloth shelter, I like to have it open so I can see all around. Also I light my fire close to the shelter so that I can get some warmth & cook or boil water without having to leave my shelter. I mostly only camp in winter here.

Keith.​

 

[Brizzlebush]

I have the uk issue surplus bag and it's cheap and bombproof, but it's heavier than say, the Snugpak SF bag or similar.

I tend to prefer kit I don't have to be too careful with, and the Snugpak is great, light and packs tiny, but I have to be extra vigilant of sharp rocks and sticks when using it. So I tend to use it when I'm lightweight hiking. With the dd superlight tarp, which is awesome btw, but not cheap, it's a great lightweight set up for me.

For packing you can use the army issue bag as a bergen liner. It doubles up to keep your kit dry in the bag if it's throwing it down. Squeeze out the air, twist the excess material at the top, like a christmas cracker and you're good to go!

 

[crosslandkelly]

I have the uk issue surplus bag and it's cheap and bombproof, but it's heavier than say, the Snugpak SF bag or similar.

I tend to prefer kit I don't have to be too careful with, and the Snugpak is great, light and packs tiny, but I have to be extra vigilant of sharp rocks and sticks when using it. So I tend to use it when I'm lightweight hiking. With the dd superlight tarp, which is awesome btw, but not cheap, it's a great lightweight set up for me.

For packing you can use the army issue bag as a bergen liner. It doubles up to keep your kit dry in the bag if it's throwing it down. Squeeze out the air, twist the excess material at the top, like a christmas cracker and you're good to go!

Good idea using the bag as a pack liner, I'll definitely be giving that a go.