Testing water resistance of sleeping gear

[hughtrimble]

Afternoon all,

In the interests of trying out gear before using it, I often leave stuff outside for a few nights (when it's raining, hopefully) and then go back and see whether there's been any water ingress. This results in water pooling and standing for long periods of time as there's nothing inside to move the water, and also the shape of the items isn't exactly realistic as there's nothing in between the layers i.e. it could be goretex on goretex on the ground/outdoor furniture etc. and it's often a flat surface, rather than curved as it would be if there's someone inside it.

Would you expect there to be ingress into a bivi bag in conditions like this (all sealed up that is!)? Or would ingress of water in such circumstances suggest to you it's not working properly?

Hugh

 

[RichardJackson]

A goretex bivy bag will always get you wet, if you are in it sealed up, due to your breath. I have found rain will also get into a zip, drawstring or velcro seal anyway, unless you turn over and have the hole pointing down. In short, laid out and zipped up but with noone in it; wet inside. Laid out and zipped up with someone inside; wet for different reasons.
Sleep with face/breathing to outside; facing down if its raining (or with tarp/waterproof jacket over exposed face). Hope that helps. There are several 'Ask Paul Kirtley' episodes that talk about this but I can't recall which ones.....

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[ValeTudoGuy]

It really depends how much water you are talking about?

 

[hughtrimble]

A goretex bivy bag will always get you wet, if you are in it sealed up, due to your breath. I have found rain will also get into a zip, drawstring or velcro seal anyway, unless you turn over and have the hole pointing down. In short, laid out and zipped up but with noone in it; wet inside. Laid out and zipped up with someone inside; wet for different reasons.
Sleep with face/breathing to outside; facing down if its raining (or with tarp/waterproof jacket over exposed face). Hope that helps. There are several 'Ask Paul Kirtley' episodes that talk about this but I can't recall which ones.....

Condensation didn't seem to be an issue when I was in it before testing it (I was impatient!) but that was only three hours or so in the dead of night, 7C outside temp with a bit of a breeze.

I'll have a hunt for the Paul Kirley stuff, thank you for the suggestion

 

[hughtrimble]

It really depends how much water you are talking about?

I honestly don't know as I left it outside for a couple of days, with intermittent rain. Water had pooled on the surface of the bivi, and there was a puddle of water inside the bivi where the two sides of the bivi had been touching due to nothing being inside it.

Either way, I'll be retreating it just to make sure that it's a water resistant as reasonably possible for Goretex to be.

 

[Tonyuk]

My bivvy has always kept the bag dry even in strong rain or a puddle etc..

Condensation will make the bag wet, so keep your head out. The opening might also get a bit wet now and then but otherwise i've (nearly) always been dry (ish)

Remember good wet/dry routine. Getting into the bag with soaking wet kit is guaranteed to wet it out.

Tonyuk