Bivie tents for winter use (1 Viewer)

[rusty_tlc]

Anybody have any experience with using a bivy tent in winter?

 

[Bighead]

I did in the military. Wasn't the best option since I didn't have enough room to pull my ruck in with me and changing clothes was a pain in the rear but it worked. We ended up using Bibler 2-man tents instead.

 

[VanGo]

moisture management is an issue, a goretex bivy could help, but spendy and for the price IMHO I would op for a freestanding roomy 2 man with vestibule.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I have a nice Sierra Designs Sirius 2 man tent, it's called a 3 season tent. My thought was a bivy would be warmer because it has less volume.

 

[VanGo]

Dan,

What are using for a ground pad? And what degree is your bag rated? I had TNF cat's meow rated to 20 degrees and was able to use it for east coast winter camping in Shenadoah National Park with a nylon TNF bivy. IIRC it was below the rated value of the bag, but I sleep well, I had to sleep in a fleece top, bottom and cap. Unfortunatleu, the next morning there was frost ice on top the bivy and in between the sleeping bag and inner bivy. Maybe since you are out west with different cold climate a bivy would be OK. I just keeo mine available now in my 3-day bag just in case. HTH

 

[rusty_tlc]

I have a Big Agnes poly fill air mat supplemented with a space blanket used as a ground cloth. My bag is a cheap Hi-Tek unit, IIRC it's rated to 15°.

I'm not really geared up for winter camping right now but I'm some what interested in a little snow camping.

 

[VanGo]

I use a smiliar set up space blanket and military spec. thermarest, hopefully someone geograhically local to you can chime in as I do not think my east coast experience will relate.... Winter camping is great and always a fun alternative to improving/testing your skills. Good luck Dan!

 

[rusty_tlc]

I use a smiliar set up space blanket and military spec. thermarest, hopefully someone geograhically local to you can chime in as I do not think my east coast experience will relate.... Winter camping is great and always a fun alternative to improving/testing your skills. Good luck Dan!

I'm not sure how different E vs W would be, we have 200% of normal snow pack in the Sierras right now. But you guys have been getting hammered with the same storms.

We can get snow storms at unusual time of year here in the mountains, one goal is to get some experience snow camping in case I get caught in an early/late season snow storm.

I mostly prefer water in it's solid form submerged in bourbon. Unless I am greatly surprised snow camping will be something I try just to know I can do it.

 

[VanGo]

I was referring to the humidity differences....you maybe able to get away with the bivy with out moisture soaking, freezing conditions that would result in using a similiar setup on the E coast. Good planning on your part for testing the conditons now for later or the unexpected. I'll look through some of my resources and see if I can come up with a good read.

vAn

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

I concur with what everyone has said to this point regarding moisture management, but it can't be stressed enough to have a bag (rated for the conditions), ground pad and clothing to sleep in and get out in when nature calls....learned some of this the hard way by trying to limit the weight I was carrying on my bike and also applying the "layering technique" to a lighter bag and bivy sack....simply put, when its cold (5 degrees) it's just cold and you'll wish for something warm in the middle of the night! This miscalculation resulted in some very cold nights.

But, it's a thrilling way to camp. If I find some pics of my set-up I'll post them in the morning.

Good luck!

 

[MANUCHAO]

I used a Bibler tripod bivy for one season on the sierras..
Bivy's and some 4 season tents are single wall design this makes them colder.

As stated moisture management was an issue when it rained.
Condensation was the issue when in snow and cold..
Not enough space.


Now I use a GoLite Shelter (somewhat like the Shangri-La) and love it. Is as light if not lighter as a bivy and give you plenty more living space specially when you are snow camping you can really dig a pit and have all the standing room possible outthere... on summer I bring the mesh and have used it by itself !!

Hope this helps..

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

I concur with what everyone has said to this point regarding moisture management, but it can't be stressed enough to have a bag (rated for the conditions), ground pad and clothing to sleep in and get out in when nature calls....learned some of this the hard way by trying to limit the weight I was carrying on my bike and also applying the "layering technique" to a lighter bag and bivy sack....simply put, when its cold (5 degrees) it's just cold and you'll wish for something warm in the middle of the night! This miscalculation resulted in some very cold nights.

But, it's a thrilling way to camp. If I find some pics of my set-up I'll post them in the morning.

Good luck!

REI Half dome tent, REI lightweight sleeping bag with Gortex bivy sac, REI ground mat.

Not a lot of snow, but it got down into the single digits in the mountains resulting in a cold mornings and a hard starting KLR!

Good luck!

 

[rusty_tlc]

REI Half dome tent, REI lightweight sleeping bag with Gortex bivy sac, REI ground mat.

Not a lot of snow, but it got down into the single digits in the mountains resulting in a cold mornings and a hard starting KLR!

Good luck!

I've thought of doubling up a bivy with my Sierra Designs Sirius to extend it from a 3 season tent to a 4 season tent. How did that work out?

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

I've thought of doubling up a bivy with my Sierra Designs Sirius to extend it from a 3 season tent to a 4 season tent. How did that work out?

It worked, but there is no substitute for a cold weather bag at single digit temps. Basically, I was trying to apply ultra light backpacking/gear techniques on this trip to reduce the weight on my bike and therefore went with a lighter sleeping bag/gear.

So the UL formula indicated that by using a light weight bag + tent + ground pad + Bivy sack would equal the warmth/protection of a heavier/bulkier cold weather bag and reduce the weight/bulk I was carrying...NOT!...when it's cold, it's COLD and the extra insulation in a cold weather bag comes in handy.

I hate this picture, but it captures my feelings one cold morning!

The tent was cold inside even with the fly, another plastic tarp on top and the multiple bivy sack layers. I did have moisture inside the tent and inside the upper portion of the bivy in the mornings, but nothing to drastic and since I slept in my riding gear (for added warmth) I didn't really need to get dressed inside the tent/sleeping bag.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

 

[Bogo]

For ultra light, I've slept in an Adventure Medical Kits Bivy Sack 2 Ultralight Sleeping bag. It is a space blanket like material, 80% efficient vs 90% heat reflectance, but much stronger and reusable. It is easily a good for down to 40ish alone if you use a thermal break between you and the ground and have a dry set of clothes to change into in the morning. I've even slept in one when the temps dropped to a bit below freezing. I use a 3/8" closed cell foam sleeping pad as the thermal break between me and the ground. Problem is you sweat, and the bivy sack doesn't breath. Combine that sucker with a regular sleeping bag. Easily good for a really cold night, but you will want to air out the sleeping bag during the day to get the moisture out. The problem with the space blanket bivy sack method is you have to constantly adjust the airflow through the sack over the night to keep the temperature in it comfortable, so it leads to a restless night. If you let it get to hot, and it will, you will sweat and moisture will condense and get stuff wet where it pools. Hence the need for a dry set of clothes to change into in the morning.

 

[rusty_tlc]

The constant thread in almost every review I've read about almost every bivy sack/shelter/tent is the problem with moisture management.

It looks like some of the more net like models would be good to keep bugs away.

There are a couple that are more of a sleeping bag cover than anything else which might be good to keep dew off your bag.

Nothing really looks like a good winter shelter.

A sil tarp combined with a space blanket ground cloth actually looks like a better choice for most conditions except buggy summer nights.

 

[Bogo]

A sil tarp combined with a space blanket ground cloth actually looks like a better choice for most conditions except buggy summer nights.

Space blankets don't really work when sandwiched between the ground and your body. That is why I use a closed cell sleeping bag pad inside that space blanket bivy sack. It provides the thermal insulation between the body and the ground. Of course around the rest of the body it has the needed air gap for it's heat reflective properties to work.

A common winter shelter I keep seeing time and time again uses a tarp arranged roughly in a sideways U shape. One end of the tarp is on the ground serving as a ground cloth. The middle portion is the back wall of the shelter. The rest serves as the top of the shelter. Usually the split is around 1/3rd for the bottom, 1/6th to 1/4th for the back wall, and the rest for the top. Poles and or lines to tress hold it in place. The back wall is lined up to block the wind. An advantage of this shelter is in the morning you can cook breakfast, and melt your water for the day without leaving your warm sleeping bag. Sleeping bag needs to be well insulated so any snow that drifts in doesn't melt on it. Some use a goretex sack over the sleeping bag or get a sleeping bag with a waterproof shell, usually goretex. A sleeping pad of some sort is also needed to provide a thermal break between you and the ground. A 3/8" or 1/2" closed cell foam pad, or a 3/4" to 1" self inflating thermarest works well and isn't to heavy.

Add a netting for the head end of the sleeping bag and this shelter works in bug season.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I prefer my Big Agnes polyfill air mat to a closed cell pad. It packs much smaller and seems to provide better insulation, it positively is more comfortable. There was also a noticeable difference in comfort when I switched from a poly tarp ground cloth to the space blanket (shiny side up).

 

[Kofoed]

I prefer my Big Agnes polyfill air mat to a closed cell pad. It packs much smaller and seems to provide better insulation, it positively is more comfortable. There was also a noticeable difference in comfort when I switched from a poly tarp ground cloth to the space blanket (shiny side up).

If you are carrying the stuff in a vehicle, I'd opt for a cheap-o sleeping bag to use as a blanket, or to double up. Otherwise just buy a coldest rated synthetic bag available. I have a Cabelas's 3D at -30 degrees for like $135. When it loses its loft it will be a fair weather bag.....

 

[rusty_tlc]

If you are carrying the stuff in a vehicle, I'd opt for a cheap-o sleeping bag to use as a blanket, or to double up. Otherwise just buy a coldest rated synthetic bag available. I have a Cabelas's 3D at -30 degrees for like $135. When it loses its loft it will be a fair weather bag.....

I want to do some snow shoeing, but the long term goal is to gain experience, and have some light weight compact gear I can keep in the trucks for "contingencies".