Bivouac sack, bivy, bivvy, bivi bags and bloody bivvying

Ok, so I need a superlight bivvy with a bugnet for USA and a not so light, waterproof one for UK.

Yeah, a lot of handmade ultralight stuff from the US (tarps, tents etc.) requires you to do your own seem sealing

I tried a Terra Nova Moonlite (the pre bug net version). The fabric is light, but they'd also saved weight on the cut making it super slim! No room for anything more than a mid-weight bag and even then it was tight when you got in (6ft, probably around 75kg at the time)

Sealed seams? Go back and do it again borah..

It's not hard to do and you can get the McNett stuff in the UK.

I did it to my GoLite Shangri-La a while back.

Terra Nova Discovery Lite seemed more suitable but I can't find it nowadays. Maybe they don't make it any more?

it's made by hand, so there's a long lead time. that's the only downside.

I think I'll get two - one for the US and one for the UK. So I can afford to wait on the Borah if I get something heavier like the RAB Ascent for the UK.

These all seem incredibly expensive. An army surplus Basha, a few bungees and a goretex bivvy bag should only set you back a few quid if you shop around.

Sush.

You'll only start him off again...

Thanks but I'm not sitting here still working so I can save money on a bivvy bag. Anything cycling-related and my budget is free to disappear. How much does your setup weigh and how small can you pack it? I just bought a RAB Storm for £55.

Tent thread is over there >>>

The Alpkit Hunka is a great bit of kit for the price, but the lack of cover for the face end is always going to limit the usefulness. The problem is that bivis are a bit specialist, so a good one is going to run you near the price of a decent tent anyway. I have a fairly basic Rab bivi [edit - Rab Storm, same as you just picked up] but the head end zips closed (you shouldn't close it entirely when in it) so that helps keep the weather off. Some of their spendier bivis are a bit more clever at the head end with lashing points and so on so that you can get a bit of space around your head - really important for minimising condensation - but in my opinion once you start adding hoops etc. to the design, I start to wonder whether a tent isn't a better choice.

The bivi itself is never going to contribute much to the insulation; its job is to keep you dry. What sleeping bag are you using and what temperature rating is it? You probably want to go heavier, probably synthetic for bivi-ing (because moisture build-up can be a problem and moisture kills down insulation) although that will add to the bulk. You might also consider a sleeping bag liner as this can make a big difference to warmth - Cotton and silk are traditional, but Thermolite fabric is synthetic and the fibres are hollow, making it an excellent insulator. Also, ditch the foam mat and get a self-inflating Thermarest-type mat; they're warmer and pack down smaller.

I'm planning on doing some/a 1000k audax before xmas

For a start a Borders of Belgium inspired DIY probably starting from Calais, have route, on a frost free time sounds possibly a good 60h hammerfest flat tailwind and then a few hills then a few more hammerfest headwind way experimenting with this before Christmas as a. Belgium b. Belgium c. mostly only very few partially crap road like UK.

I can ask the organiser of the calendar whether he could help with getting you in the strategically well placed rooms which we had if you feel soft.

It might not help now, but alpkit are developing a hooped bivvy that weighs fuck all, and zips completely shut. They have to put more vents in though, as the carbon monoxide was killing the tester slowly......what about one of the bivvy/hammocks from tenth wonder? They are less than a kilo, and if you have trees or similar, you get a proper nights kip, but if no tie off points, you can set it up on the floor as a bivvy....win, win?

I don't want any hoops so RAB Storm and Rab Ascent are kinda where I'm at. I don't use a sleeping bag, well I haven't yet, but it's likely I will if I'm riding in winter. I only have 2 down bags and a down jacket and don't fancy buying a synth one so I'll just be careful leaving a vent gap in the bag. I have a silk liner but don't usually take it cycling (used it touring years ago). I've got an old thermarest I might use for audax etc. in the UK but I'd still like one of those NeoAir mats. I went with a foam mat because some people I spoke to complained about p_nctures and not being arsed to inflate while racing.

Ha, never really thought about that although it would be fun. I'm free in Nov :)

I was thinking about doing the Crackpot because it's not too far away and seems silly enough for a 1000.

Nah, hammocks are a ballache. Can't remember who used one last time but they didn't like it. I want the most minimal I can get away with with the least setup time and the lowest 'public profile'.

Nice thread — been looking for a similar set-up myself.

Used some pretty light/small packing bush style swags in Australia (trying to find online but can't seem to find), but I've reserved myself to finding a good hammock set-up.

I've found that not only do you keep yourself off the ground (big heat sink), you also save space on packing a good enough matt. Also seems there are some suspension systems which are more straightforward/quick/discreet than others ...

One thing I do know is that there's always trees, posts and poles.

I have been bivvying for years.
I don't have very modern / good kit, but I can cope with pretty adverse conditions.
I have a gore tex bivy bag, a decent sleeping bag, and I use a lot of bubble wrap.
The critical thing is the sleeping bag. I have a good one.
The outer layer (my gore tex bivvy) also helps tonnes if you are going to be exposed to the elements. If you can get out of the wind and rain it is nearly redundant, but I always use it to protect my sleeping bag from wear.
To insulate from the ground I lie on bubble wrap. I use a big bit from a bike packaging job on some bike someone sent me. I always manage to have enough without a problem. Getting more is easy everywhere. It weighs almost nothing.
In very cold conditions I wear my cold weather gear. Thermal leggings, thick dryish socks, down jacket and a woolly hat.
When zipped up into the bivvy bag in poor weather I drape a piece of fabric over the "breathing hole" of the bivvy bag, usually my shirt.
Often I just rely on my choice of sleeping spot and use the shelter it provides.
I think that is what I have learnt most. Where I sleep is more important than what I sleep in.
If you fancy a midwinter bivvying trip let me know, I have slept outdoors very comfortably in very very cold weather.

Aussie swags are a whole different ball game. You need a ute to cart those bastards around.

I can't recall who it was that was using hammocks but they certainly didn't sell the idea to me.

I'm sure I'd be better off in the cold but I keep trying to see how minimal I can go and in the end just don't get any sleep :) It's different if your aim is sleep first, weight/pack size second. Eg. I have a £200 sleeping bag that I've never even used while I've shivered for an hour lying in a field like the fucking idiot I am. :D

Yes different — and yes, a popular choice for ute / bikies and other motorised folk. However the one I had borrowed last year was maybe a touch over 1kg with a thermarest style base. Folded down to about 5 litres or thereabouts.

Oh and a single guy line to give head space. Dead good!

I know we seem to be allergic to hoops here but something like a Bibler bivi might do the trick .. ?

http://www.moontrail.com/bivies/bibler_bivy.html