Hey everyone,

I'm in the market for a bivy bag. I'll be using it from backpacking to alpine climbing to ski-touring, in all sorts of conditions. I'm not really sure where to start looking, but my requirements are that its under 2 lbs (the lighter the better, though I don't want to sacrifice durability), have a hood system of some sort to keep the fabric off my face while sleeping, and be breathable (as breathable as a bivy can be...).

I've looked at the marmot alpinist bivy, MSR AC Bivy, ID Bugaboo bivy, and a couple of others... Does anyone here have any recommendations for bags that I have yet to look at or some tips to keep in mind whilst looking?

Also, on a side note, how does the Jetboil do at cold temps? I know canister stoves don't work well below freezing, but I've seen numerous times where people (mainly climbers) have used a jetboil in crazy conditions.

Cheers.

Apex wrote:I'm in the market for a bivy bag. I'll be using it from backpacking to alpine climbing to ski-touring, in all sorts of conditions. I'm not really sure where to start looking, but my requirements are that its under 2 lbs (the lighter the better, though I don't want to sacrifice durability), have a hood system of some sort to keep the fabric off my face while sleeping, and be breathable (as breathable as a bivy can be...).

Also, on a side note, how does the Jetboil do at cold temps? I know canister stoves don't work well below freezing, but I've seen numerous times where people (mainly climbers) have used a jetboil in crazy conditions.

Cheers.

I would look for a bivi sac with Event. PTFE laminates never seem to be particularly breatheable. I personally dislike bivi sacs and will opt for a tarp or tent unless there are not ledges on the route big enough for a tent.

The answer to the question regarding how cold Jetboil stoves will work at is a function of the altitude, whether or not you are cooking in the tent, and other tricks both safer and more dangerous.

Canister stoves work better with increasing altitude, but worse with decreasing temperature. If its getting cold because you're gaining altitude, it will work fine. If it's winter in the low lands, it might not.

I use my Reactor in the Northeast (under 5k feet) in the winter (0-30 F), and it's marginal in some cases. By all accounts the Reactor is much better than the JetBoil at low temps, but I haven't compared them myself.

Thanks for the responses...

I guess another option would be to opt for a pyramid style tent sand use my ski-poles as tent poles at night... Any recommendations for these shelters?

Also, as far as bivy's go, what sorts of options of venting is there if one becomes too hot? Looks to me like if its storming or raining your stuck in your bivy possibly overheating which would be quite annoying.

For last two winter seasons I use Ferrino Rider bivy bag. In combination with mat underneath and winter sleeping bag I have(again Ferrino one), never had any problem sleeping in a snow on -15 to -20 C.
http://adventurefriends.com.au/ferrino-rider/

I've used Bibler and ID bivies, both good. The event (or "Toddtex") recomendation is a good one. I use a jet boil in the summer. Cannister stoves are handy and easy and cleaner, but in my opinion, not reliable. MSR XGK it's a mess and hard to control, but totally bomber. Once you have it running well you can bring it in the tent, but don't light it in there (just my opinion).

Apex wrote:I guess another option would be to opt for a pyramid style tent sand use my ski-poles as tent poles at night... Any recommendations for these shelters?

I use a Black Diamond BetaLight as my main tent. It weighs 1.5lb including a healthy assortment of stakes and cord (but not counting trekking/ski poles). It pitches nice and taut, and can easily be pitched very low to the ground for maximum storm protection, or quite high as a well-vented rain shelter. In snow I'll dig and stomp the platform down about 6" below the surrounding snow, which puts the edge of the tarp-tent below the wind. On rock slopes building a low wall has the same effect.

It's not as warm as a tent, but can be a big improvement over sleeping in the open when pitched correctly. I use a Rab bag with windproof membrane in the outer fabric, which helps quite a bit. If your sleeping bag is borderline already, or particularly susceptible to moisture or wind, an ultra-light hoodless bivy sack is a popular fix. This does add weight and cost, but is still lighter than a regular tent, even a Firstlight.

The steeply sloping walls make it cozy for two, and the poles in the center make cooking and changing a little harder. If two people will use it a lot, the MegaLight is not much more weight for way more space. It does need a huge footprint to get up, though.

I really like the lack of a floor on snow. Fighting to keep snow out of a normal tent is always a challenge, but in a floorless shelter like this it's a non-issue. It also lets you dig a pit for drinking snow, and a hole on the other (down-slope...) side for restroom use. If you're going to be hanging out in there for a while, (waiting out bad weather or multiple days from the same base camp), you can dig pits for your feet, so you can comfortably sit up on your pad.

On rock the lack of a floor is kinda moot, except thing could roll away on you. On grass and duff it does let the creepy-crawly things in, so I often use a mesh floor I made when camping in the summer months.

The price is also great. With all the $300-500 two-man tents out there, the $150 street price is pretty awesome relief.

I have a nearly ten year old original Black Diamond Betamid (not the silnylon version) that I have used the heck out of in every imaginable season and condition in the Cascades, Bugaboos, and Tetons. I love the tarp alone, without a bivi sac over my sleeping bag. (My sleepling bag shell is Gore DryLoft). Other partners have not been as enthusiastic about the shelter complaining of feeling drafty in the bitter winter or 'scary' in heavy rain.

Thanks for the awesome responses everyone,

I think I'll opt for the Betalite + bivy combo, that way I have more space/comfort at base camp if need be and a lighter bivy bag for summit pushes and lighter outings. And, I think with a -10C bag I need some more warmth, so a bivy can't hurt much. It may be a bit annoying to collapse my shelter every day when ski-touring to be able to use my poles, but I guess I'll have to deal with it. Seems to be a very capable setup for just under 3 lbs.

Hows the condensation issues with the megalite?

Thanks once again everyone!

No condensation at all with any of the Mega- or Beta- series shelters. There's tons of airflow. Sometimes if it's really cold I can frost the inside up, but that's it.

Apex wrote:Thanks for the awesome responses everyone,

I think I'll opt for the Betalite + bivy combo, that way I have more space/comfort at base camp if need be and a lighter bivy bag for summit pushes and lighter outings. And, I think with a -10C bag I need some more warmth, so a bivy can't hurt much. It may be a bit annoying to collapse my shelter every day when ski-touring to be able to use my poles, but I guess I'll have to deal with it. Seems to be a very capable setup for just under 3 lbs.

That's good reasoning. It's a pretty versatile way to go.

Don't worry about collapsing the shelter - You can easily collapse your poles and let the tarp drape down, then crawl in and prop it back up. I've done that with trekking poles when I left camp in the morning, and it was a non-issue. Unless it rains... but snow won't be an issue, assuming you don't get so much that you can't find the thing.

Awesome, thanks a lot! Now I just need to find a cheap used Betalight...

"Hows the condensation issues with the megalite?"
"No condensation at all with any of the Mega- or Beta- series shelters. There's tons of airflow. Sometimes if it's really cold I can frost the inside up, but that's it."

hi, i've been using bivy/mega- or betamid/siltarp combinations for the last dozen years or so. the main good points are versatility, light weight, lots of room for gear and cooking, and inexpensive. drawbacks include moths,mosquitoes, etc during 3 season use and condensation in all seasons. in my experience, condensation is a very minor problem most of the time when the weather is good. but even in the summer, you will be waking up to quite a bit of condensation if you are not using the floor. on snow, when the sun is out,it can be quite toasty with no condensation. at night condensation can be minimized if you keep the perimeter a half foot or so above the snow. but when the weather turns crappy and you need to button things up, 2 guys with lots of wet gear, and cooking inside generates plenty of condensation. moisture management has to be ongoing or with the wind wipping things around it can turn into a shower. at night it all freezes up. there have been lots of times i've been happy to have had a bivy sac inside!

the bivy sac i like best is the unishelter. it's the most livable one i've used. getting in and out is easy. there's enough room around your head to read, plan a route, eat snacks or drink from a water bottle. it's never failed to keep me dry in the rain. and i don't recall ever having had any condensation issues with it.