Thoughts on bivy sacks?

[maktruk]

Actually, the one I'm looking at is a hybrid bivy sack/tent. I'm trying to (severely) downsize from this:

To this:

The trailer is awesome, comfortable, warm and cozy. However, it's just TOO DAMNED BIG! With my overlanding entourage now having been whittled down to myself and this guy:

I no longer see a reason to haul this behemoth around. It doesn't go to (all) of the places I want it to (it's been down some hairy trails, but it's too fat in the end) it eats all my overlanding fuel, and severely limits freeway lane and speed choices.

So, the meat of the question: does anyone that has used a bivy for any period of time have any major drawbacks to the platform to list that I've missed? 2-wheel overlanders, I'm looking at you!

My pros:
Small footprint, fits in truck bed even

Small, so body heat builds faster, holds better being canvas

If it's put away wet I can set it up on porch or even in living room to dry out

Mattress/pillow all rolls into the swag. No cots/air mattresses, any of that junk.

The only con I have is that you have to guy the ends. I like freestanding tents...

 

[maktruk]

Side note: that trailer is now for sale. PM me for details ;-)

 

[Steve]

@maktruk I don't have one, but I really like the Outback Swag line. But these are really more one-man tents than true bivy sacks, which are barely more than a waterproof sleeping bag with a hoop over your face.

Looking at one-man tents should open your options quite a bit. I use an old Eureka Timberlite 2-man tent as my solo tent, giving me room to move around a bit.

 

[Young Satchel]

Is that what they calling a bivy sack these days??? That's a tent hahahaha. [emoji23]

Regardless, I've used tents and bivys of all sorts and highly endorse a good single-wall one-man tent or ultralight shelter system for general camping, backpacking, and overland purposes.

I personally see no "cons", but I also come from a backpacking background and am constantly astounded by the sheer amount of STUFF vehicle-based overlanders travel with. So I may not be the least biased in this regard. Nothing against all the gear, but I personally advocate trimming down whenever possible.

A shelter like that is a great place to start!




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[maktruk]

@maktruk I don't have one, but I really like the Outback Swag line. But these are really more one-man tents than true bivy sacks, which are barely more than a waterproof sleeping bag with a hoop over your face.

Looking at one-man tents should open your options quite a bit. I use an old Eureka Timberlite 2-man tent as my solo tent, giving me room to move around a bit.

Initially, one of my reasons for wanting such a small footprint was the fact that it fit in the bed of my truck or even on my utility trailer, so that gave me a 48" width limit. I even looked at your Eureka as a possibility, but it's 63" wide :-(

I know it's weird thinking about a tent on a utility trailer, but once you do it, you'll never go back. Install a battery and propane tank and it's as good if not better than a dedicated OR trailer. I've been considering trading the trailer for a nice quad or dirtbike so the possibility of combining all the different usages has peaked my interest.

 

[Rob B]

Personally I would feel tight. I would at least like the ability to sit up and change clothes.

 

[maktruk]

Is that what they calling a bivy sack these days??? That's a tent hahahaha. [emoji23]

Regardless, I've used tents and bivys of all sorts and highly endorse a good single-wall one-man tent or ultralight shelter system for general camping, backpacking, and overland purposes.

I personally see no "cons", but I also come from a backpacking background and am constantly astounded by the sheer amount of STUFF vehicle-based overlanders travel with. So I may not be the least biased in this regard. Nothing against all the gear, but I personally advocate trimming down whenever possible.

A shelter like that is a great place to start!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I actually listed it as a hybrid in my first sentence, but I get your point. True bivy sacks are nothing more than a human in a Ziploc lol

 

[Young Satchel]

I actually listed it as a hybrid in my first sentence, but I get your point. True bivy sacks are nothing more than a human in a Ziploc lol

I see that now; apologies. But yeah, I think a hybrid like this or a straight-up single-wall one-man tent would be great. I have a Sierra designs single wall 4-season that's taken me across the country and up to Alaska. It can get a bit too warm in the heat of summer due to its flyless design, but by and large it suits me well.


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[blackntan]

Aint that a swag (austrialian)

 

[maktruk]

Aint that a swag (austrialian)

That it is. A bit pricey, compared to others found across the 'net, but this is canvas as opposed to nylon, as the rest seem to be.

Big fan of canvas.

 

[blackntan]

That it is. A bit pricey, compared to others found across the 'net, but this is canvas as opposed to nylon, as the rest seem to be.

Big fan of canvas.

Wynchester uk bed rolls , just like the cow boys used ive got a modern military version check out wynchester camp and adventure

 

[maktruk]

Wynchester uk bed rolls , just like the cow boys used ive got a modern military version check out wynchester camp and adventure

Yeeaaah with the current conversion rate of $1.25 to £1 that puts their version at approximately $437.50 US

Or is my math way off?

 

[blackntan]

Yeeaaah with the current conversion rate of $1.25 to £1 that puts their version at approximately $437.50 US

Or is my math way off?

Get one made in the US

 

[blackntan]

I paid £80 for a dutch speacial forces compresion sack , gortex bivy, artic sleeping bag , HAPPY DAYS , US cowboys invented the bed role surely thers some one making them over the pond BnT

 

[Vyscera]

I like bivy's for what they are, minimal weather protection. And got more than familiar with them while in uniform. Great for hiking or motorcycling, but they give you almost no room for keeping anything with you. I'm also looking at the Swag tent for solo trips. I'm hoping that by pulling the 2" thick mattress out it will shrink a good bit and make a viable option to take on motorcycle trips as well. But with its mattress it is way too cumbersome.

 

[maktruk]

I like bivy's for what they are, minimal weather protection. And got more than familiar with them while in uniform. Great for hiking or motorcycling, but they give you almost no room for keeping anything with you. I'm also looking at the Swag tent for solo trips. I'm hoping that by pulling the 2" thick mattress out it will shrink a good bit and make a viable option to take on motorcycle trips as well. But with its mattress it is way too cumbersome.

At this point, on trail runs where every nights' campsite is a different location, I'm sleeping in the driver's seat. This has *got* to be better.

But I hate the arduous task of today's tents (even as easy as they've become) I swore I'd never go back...

 

[Vyscera]

At this point, on trail runs where every nights' campsite is a different location, I'm sleeping in the driver's seat. This has *got* to be better.

But I hate the arduous task of today's tents (even as easy as they've become) I swore I'd never go back...

the competition against the Swag is a malamoo by OZtent. one of the wire-framed pop-ups. If you want quick and easy, with minimal requirements they look good.

 

[ClearwaterScott]

You might check out Marmot one and 2 person tents. Mostly free standing models that should fit on your trailer but with a lot more space. Great products and they stand by them with great warrenty.

My one person tents are both from tarptent.com. Really nice products for hiking. I'm just not sure the tie off points of a trailer would work. I personally would opt for a tarp long before I would do a bivy but I don't like feeling confined.

 

[blackntan]

To me the simplist form of kit is true overlanding a tarp a bivy and a good bag and a fire what more do you need ,bnt

 

[Rob B]

To me the simplist form of kit is true overlanding a tarp a bivy and a good bag and a fire what more do you need ,bnt

Man that takes guts. ..I am scared that if I slept in the open in a bivy, Bigfoot would grab me and swing me around like a sock with a rock in it.