Bivy sacks.. what do you know?

[brenden]

Trading in the tent for a bivy sack for the sheep hills. What have you tried, seen or heard? What is the best? lightest? Highest Quality? Do you need to spent 300$ for Outdoor Research or are there better options? Sorry if this has been done before but lets here it...


Brenden

[BCrams]

Crazy IMO.

Invest in a light 1 or two person mtn tent instead.

Such as:

North Face Bullfrog (2 person)

Mtn Hard Ware Helion 2 (2 person)

or if you really want that unit for just yourself .....

Get the Mountain hardware Stilleto 1





Trading in the tent for a bivy sack for the sheep hills. What have you tried, seen or heard? What is the best? lightest? Highest Quality? Do you need to spent 300$ for Outdoor Research or are there better options? Sorry if this has been done before but lets here it...


Brenden

[brenden]

I have a sierra designs "Clip flashlight 2". Very light but I want lighter. A bivy and a silitarp is hard to beat in good weather. Lets hear some reviews from guys who have tried them. Thanks for the input BCRams.

[BCrams]

A bivy and a silitarp is hard to beat in good weather. Thanks for the input BCRams.

hahaha....

I've yet to be on a sheep hunt where the weather was good the whole time.

FYI - I pack a sil tarp in addition to my light mtn tent. So does my partner.


I can picture my past hunts with only a sil tarp and bivy ........ no thank you.

Sil tarps make for great emergency shelters when away from the tent and its a savings grace to eat under when its pissing down rain at midnight!!

[brenden]

Usually one mabey two nights. The sheep live within 10 miles of my house. I'm not talking two week hero hunts for skinny horns. Just up the hill....mabey stay...mabey not. Usually 3-5 hours one way. I want a bivy for the "mabey I'll stay" trips. Northern trips.....mosquitos... tent for sure. For the short trips I think a bivy will work fine. Just need some info on the best ones.

[srupp]

Brenden..one thing I LOVE on this site is the EXPERIENCE AND KNOW how of various individuals...there are some AMAZING knowlegable people here..and GREG aka BCrams is at the top of any list for knowlegable outdoor individuals and when it comes to sheep hunting and hard core back packing same thing..I respect his knowlege and ability beyond words..
I am getting ready for my last mountain sheep hunt coming up inseveral weeks and BCrams is one of only several I sent MY list to for checking out.

I am SPOILED my beautiful wife allows me anything anything I want-desire- or need for my fishing or hunting..no matter what the cost..:redface:

Hmmmm... Swarovski HD 20-60 65 spotting scope and Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL binos..etc...

I DID spend MONTHS checking out sleeping gear and tents I chose the best I could find light and BOMB PROOF...

Mountain hardware helion 2...note that is on Gregs list...

I spent 3 nites high on ridge up north in torrential rains and high high vicious winds and was dry warm and safe miles and miles and miles from any road ..I have yet to be on any hunt that didnt have some days of unexpected bad weather..sometimes very bad...

And I just ordered the Integral Design Siltarp 2 IN ADDITION to my top notch tent...

I wouldnt even consider going in on a horseback -fly in- jet boat- without a top of the line tent..

I even have a second tent for lates season fly in moose hunts where snow and cold weather could cause problems..hmmm that late season tent is another Mountain hardwear 4 season tent..same as used on Mount Everest expeditions..

I would suggest you reconsider your bivy and siltarp 'option' ..just my .02...I completely agree with the very sage advise given by BCrams...

cheers

Steven

[BCrams]

Usually one mabey two nights. The sheep live within 10 miles of my house. I'm not talking two week hero hunts for skinny horns. Just up the hill....mabey stay...mabey not. Usually 3-5 hours one way. I want a bivy for the "mabey I'll stay" trips. Northern trips.....mosquitos... tent for sure. For the short trips I think a bivy will work fine. Just need some info on the best ones.

A bivvy / sil tarp rig would work perfect for what you describe for those 1 or 2 night stints.

[Devilbear]

I got my first bivy 40 years ago and have had and do have quite a few since then. I use these as emergency backups on EVERY hike I go on, no exceptions and carry a siltarp with each. I have specific bivy-tarp combs for various purposes.

The best bivies, by far, are the Integral Designs eVENT models and the Unishelter in this fabric is best suited for alpine hunting, it's about $370.00 tax in and then your Siltarp, I like the I.D. Silwing as a companion to my Unishelter, is another roughly $125.00.

I HAVE used the OR bivies, my buddy has one and I do not like the method of entrance as compared with ID and thy do not offer eVENT, which is worth the extra cost in really wet regions like BC.

The combo above weighs 43 ozs. and costs about five hundred bucks, sooooo, there ARE other options. I would suggest a Hilleberg Soulo tent or an ID MKI-Lite tent at roughly 4-4.75 lbs. all up and about the same cost plus an ID Siltarp II or III, my choice is the latter for more coverage with an added six ozs. This is a FAR better CAMP for trips beyond 1-2 nights and the comfort level is much greater.

I have a Soulo and an IDMKI-XL among my tents and these are just outstanding, but, what I really prefer for most alpine hunts is my ID Mega Sola plus my Silwing and this is 4.25 lbs, all up, roughly five bills and super quick and easy to erect in the worst storm, even with a leg fracture.....important for a solo hunter.

There are lots of other options, but, Hille and ID are the finest tent makers on the current market and they are WORTH the seemingly high cost. Most light tents now are too flimsy for severe alpine weather and made in Asia of materials nowhere near the quality that Hille. or ID use, so, it is your choice as to what you want/need/can afford. HTH.

[srupp]

I also tried to get a Hille but non in stock..so I went with the Mountain hardware helion 2..it is superb construction..and weighs a mere 3.4 pounds...pretty darn light...I dont regret the purchase..this will probably be my last mountain hunt and have no qualms going with the tent I chose and have.

Steven

[Devilbear]

I did not see your second post before posting the foregoing and since you specified your expected uses so clearly, I would simply buy an ID Unishelter, eVENT if you can swing the price and an ID Siltarp II, this WILL keep you dry, safe, comfy and last for YEARS if you look after it.

MY ID US is over 15 years old, has ridden many miles on my elderly back and is still like new...quality pays off. I now much prefer the Mega Sola and never use the US, but, it would be the most utilitarian and least expensive choice for you.

I strongly suggest calling John at Mountain Magic in Surrey at 604-535-5182 and he will treat you right and mails gear all over the place. I have bought a LOT of highend stuff from him and he is the best guy to deal with on mountain gear of anyone in Canada that I have bought from since I started over 45 years ago. For ID and Hille. tents, I deal with a guy in Utah who is another super decent guy and will do you right as he has for many people I have recommended him to.

I don't skimp on gear, my wife is like Stephen's and a very successful professional; I gave up my career to live here in Vancouver, which I hate and she has always made it up to me by seeing that I had the finest gear available and whatever I wanted....not a "bad" tradeoff, but, I wish HER career could have been in the Kootenays or the Toad River area....PLUS, I still would get these benefits....... :)

BTW, I might add here that, while I have bushwhacked over much of remote wilderness BC and ain't even close to being finished yet, my worst close-to-death trips were within 15 miles of the house in Nelson, where my family has lived for 97 years. So, one STILL NEEDS proper gear close to home and it ain't smart to go out without it!

[boxhitch]

. Just up the hill....mabey stay...mabey not. Usually 3-5 hours one way. I want a bivy for the "mabey I'll stay" trips. .A bivy may even be a luxury on these short trips.
I sent back a Cabelas XPG bivy, because I felt it was created upside down. It was breathable on the bottom but waterproof on top to shed rain. Using a tarp, I want one to protect from the wet ground.
So far the Integral D does the trick, and is great as an extra layer during those long glassing sessions.

[gbear]

I bought a bivy from MEC and take it on my sheep hunts. I wouldn't want that to be my only shelter on anything more then a night or 2. It sounds like that's what you want to do with it, so you may be alright with it. My partner and I take along the bivy's for hikes out of camp and have spiked out in the bivy's, but only when the weather is good, and only for a night.

[lineofsight]

Bivy to me is safety on a long day hike or shelter when want to be ultra light and willing to sacrifice a fair amount of comfort. Also good in snow caves.

Generally hike with at least one other person and 1/2 a tent or tent/stove/some other split same weight. Mountain weather very changeable...

Mountain Hardware has a number of <5 pound tents and some 3-4 pounds (am over 6' thus the Northface & Integral Design ones tend to be a little short for me). Comfort of a tent more than offsets discomfort of another 2 pounds in the pack if solo (if not solo 2x bivy & tarp = 1x tent in weight). Footwear & shelter are two main factors in an enjoyable trip.

[One Shot]

I have used bivies for many years since they have been out. Bivies were intended to be used where conventional shelters are not practical, available or for an additional layer to retain heat. I still carry one even when I have a tent. I also use the bivy as an emergency shelter/bag if I am stuck away from camp, in winter for additional warmth. A tent will provide shelter, protection and comfort where a bivy cannot particularly when the weather is inclement. It also protects your gear when you are away from your camp. There are alot of light weight tents available on the market today. In my opinion the additional few extra pounds of a light weight tent is worth the comfort, particulary if you are staying out for several days or more. If you are on the move each day then a bivy may be practical. I have spent many a long nite wrapped up in a bivy in inclement weather wishing we had two man shelters. It makes for a long boring nite. I have a REI Arete ASL 2 light weight tent. If you want to go the bivy route I recommend that you use the bivy in all types of weather before you go out to get an idea about its limitations, discomforts and benifits. Practice sleeping in a bivy particularly in inclement weather. I found alot of persons do not sleep as well in a bivy as they would in a tent. Several nites of minimal sleep makes for a poor hunt. Good luck.