Bivvying - any experiences?
Discussion
I'm thinking about bivvying with a tarp in October in Lakeland - bivvy bag, tarp, walking poles, paracord, tent pegs, sleeping bag and liner being the main ingredients. I've done it once before (in perfect weather) and it was brilliant but this time the locations will be more exposed and it won't be the middle of summer. Has anyone done anything similar and have any advice to offer?
Edited by tenohfive on Saturday 16th June 20:41
Are you taking a sleeping mat as well?
I've bivvied in the summer in west coast Scotland when on a canoeing trip. No tarp just bivvy bag with mat inside it and sleeping bag. Weather was great so no issues with rain, though the bivvy bag has a large hood that could probably take a pole or pole and guys to make a decent cover.
In early planning stages of doing similar with canoe again and will probably take a tarp as well.
I've bivvied in the summer in west coast Scotland when on a canoeing trip. No tarp just bivvy bag with mat inside it and sleeping bag. Weather was great so no issues with rain, though the bivvy bag has a large hood that could probably take a pole or pole and guys to make a decent cover.
In early planning stages of doing similar with canoe again and will probably take a tarp as well.
JM said:
Why a four season bag and thermals for an autum trip?
Obviously everyone is different, but I wouldn't take a different sleeping bag if I was bivvvying or tenting.
Nivvy bag will probably be warmer than a 1or 2 man tent.
True you could take a 18 yr nymphomaniac instead. Obviously everyone is different, but I wouldn't take a different sleeping bag if I was bivvvying or tenting.
Nivvy bag will probably be warmer than a 1or 2 man tent.
I prefer to be prepared, so I'd be taking my thermals, rather be cosy than shivering. most three season bags sold in the uk are pretty thin in my opinion, again it is a personal thing, I have plenty of late autumn campaign experience some nights no matter what you have you wake up chilled and it is hard thing especially if you are planning tough days.
The sleeping bag is a 3 season and I've got a liner, and I'll be taking thermals anyway - I'm a wuss in the cold. I'm taking a self inflating mat and will probably take a thin foam roll up mat to avoid punctures (and for a bit of extra insulation.) I'm trying to balance the need to be well prepared with the knowledge that everything we take we need to carry on a couple of reasonably challenging days walking.
I'm not worried about dying in the wilds, I'll be going with other people and the plan is to arrive in the area we're camping early enough to find the exact spot that works best and make a decision if the weather is appropriate - if it doesn't work we'll have enough time to get back to civilisation and alternative accommodation. And I'm scouting the route beforehand to make sure it's safe and easy to follow at night in case it really turns - should only be half an hour from roads etc.
My biggest concern is keeping the wind and rain out. My basic idea was to peg the head end of the tarp into the ground with head into the wind, then run it along to a pair of walking poles at the feet end. Paracord as guy ropes for the poles and peg/guy the sides down as far as possible. Does it sound like it'll work, and any tips from anyone having done it before?
Oh, and food - are the prepacked walking meals really worth the extra over supermarket pasta & noodles etc?
I'm not worried about dying in the wilds, I'll be going with other people and the plan is to arrive in the area we're camping early enough to find the exact spot that works best and make a decision if the weather is appropriate - if it doesn't work we'll have enough time to get back to civilisation and alternative accommodation. And I'm scouting the route beforehand to make sure it's safe and easy to follow at night in case it really turns - should only be half an hour from roads etc.
My biggest concern is keeping the wind and rain out. My basic idea was to peg the head end of the tarp into the ground with head into the wind, then run it along to a pair of walking poles at the feet end. Paracord as guy ropes for the poles and peg/guy the sides down as far as possible. Does it sound like it'll work, and any tips from anyone having done it before?
Oh, and food - are the prepacked walking meals really worth the extra over supermarket pasta & noodles etc?
http://www.penrithsurvival.com/buy/snugpak-stratos...
http://bivibag.org.uk/
http://bivibag.org.uk/
Edited by volks al on Sunday 17th June 12:09
JM said:
What's the reason for using bivvy bags and tarps instead of tents?
My thoughts exactly. I'd understand bivvying as a survivalist but walking with friends? Surely you'd want somewhere that you can sleep in as well as play cards in/drink wine in/hide the sausage in when it gets dark or is peeing down with rain.I use both bivvies and 1 man tents quite regularly. Bivvies are great in good weather when you can lie back with nothing but stars and sky above you but imho are quite limitating in poor weather as there's not a lot of place to store your kit and they are quite exposed compared to a tent.
Given the choice, with guaranteed perfect weather I'd go in a bivvy, for October camping I'd be looking at a 1 man tent. I can wholeheartedly recommend a Gelert Solo, smaller than a loaf of bred and weighs 1.5kg - and is only around £25. I own one alongside some much more expensive tents and think it's great, though a no go if you're above 6'4 or so.
Food wise, I think it depends how long you're going for - for a single night I doubt you'd notice any benefit from the prepacked stuff, noodles etc. are fine and weigh next to nothing.
Given the choice, with guaranteed perfect weather I'd go in a bivvy, for October camping I'd be looking at a 1 man tent. I can wholeheartedly recommend a Gelert Solo, smaller than a loaf of bred and weighs 1.5kg - and is only around £25. I own one alongside some much more expensive tents and think it's great, though a no go if you're above 6'4 or so.
Food wise, I think it depends how long you're going for - for a single night I doubt you'd notice any benefit from the prepacked stuff, noodles etc. are fine and weigh next to nothing.
I have a Gelert solo as well, and although I'm only six one both my head and my feet touch both ends. I only use it if its way too wet and windy to put the tarp up (tarp being an ex brit military poncho BTW) It's corpse-in-a-coffin-claustrophobic in the solo. The inner tent is touching my nose, and the tops of my feet at the other end. I also find the zips have to stay open or the air gets very 'carbon dioxideish' pretty quickly. Might be imagination, but I can only relate what I feel.
FWIW, I run an ex brit army synthetic sleeping bag in a bivi bag with a liner, arctic sleeping bag boots and decent merino wool underlayer and with that, I've never been cold yet. That includes -15°c one night under the tarp, where it was so cold I had a layer of ice instead of the usual condensation underneath it the next day.
If your stuck in some electronic man made metal enviroment all your working day, I feel it's good for the soul to get out and do it the basic way when you can. Keeps me balanced anyways.
Enjoy your experiences anyways.
FWIW, I run an ex brit army synthetic sleeping bag in a bivi bag with a liner, arctic sleeping bag boots and decent merino wool underlayer and with that, I've never been cold yet. That includes -15°c one night under the tarp, where it was so cold I had a layer of ice instead of the usual condensation underneath it the next day.
If your stuck in some electronic man made metal enviroment all your working day, I feel it's good for the soul to get out and do it the basic way when you can. Keeps me balanced anyways.
Enjoy your experiences anyways.
JM said:
What's the reason for using bivvy bags and tarps instead of tents?
Weight, cost, re-use, experience.A lightweight tent would still weigh a lot more than a 3 x 3m tarp and some paracord.
Cost is pretty apparent...it's cost me a fiver for a tarp. A cheap tent that wouldn't live long would cost at least £30. And weigh around 8 times as much (they start around 4-4.5kg for cheap 3 man tents.)
I'm unlikely to use any suitable tent again - I've got a much more comfortable tent for normal camping but it's far too heavy for this trip.
I've done a few nights wild camping before and on half of those I used a decent tent. On the others we bivvied under foliage, with a bit of help from a tarp and stayed dry in drizzle etc. Waking up in the open air was brilliant.
If it was something I'd be likely to do regularly then I'd look to invest in something like a Terra Nova Laser Comp or similar as it's the better option and more fit for purpose. But for a one off trip that needs to be cheap and light I can live with the compromises that bivvying entails. What I'm really interested in though is any tips to make it as comfortable as possible without dragging along kilos of extra kit.
Space etc (and for kit) is a fair point so I'm hoping that rucks with raincovers and waterproof stuff sacks will keep most gear dry. And if we've got the energy for playing cards etc then I'll have done something wrong with the route planning
And there will be no hide the sausage, thanks Croyde. Having a hard enough time with my missus referring to this as the Brokeback trip
Plan A: Fine weather - bivvy where you want.
Plan B: Poor weather - plan an alternative route to drop to valley level and find some woodland for shelter and to tie the tarp to.
Plan C: s
te weather - buy a a tent. Or stay in the pub.
IMO.
That time of year you might be lucky and find a decent lightweight tent in a sale in the Lakes somewhere. I got an Ultra-Trisar half price about that time of year IIRC.
Plan B: Poor weather - plan an alternative route to drop to valley level and find some woodland for shelter and to tie the tarp to.
Plan C: s
te weather - buy a a tent. Or stay in the pub.IMO.
That time of year you might be lucky and find a decent lightweight tent in a sale in the Lakes somewhere. I got an Ultra-Trisar half price about that time of year IIRC.
I've had a goretex bivi bag for over 20 years. Cost me a fortune when I was in my teens. Used it all over the world. Best thing I've ever bought.
It's one with hoops front and rear and a large head space for your back pack. I think back then it was the only one you could buy.
I've slept in it in the most awful conditions an been dry and warm. It's phenominal.
Over the years I have learnt a couple of things. The self inflating bed rolls are fine in summer but just dont insulate sufficiently in winter. Well worth using an old fashioned thermal roll underneath.
I only have one sleeping bag, an old minus 20 eider down snug job. Perfect for any UK conditions and adds more comfort to lie on in summer.
The other thing I do tend to do now is try and place it so I can peg out an old poncho as a cover over your head and the area you will be climbing out into. This works two fold, firstly if raining in the morning you can climb out, get dressed and boil a cup of tee and brown bacon. Secondly, having rain hitting your bivi over your head all night gets irritating.
The one luxury I would really recommend is a good folding chair. The weigh nothing and you can bundle them easily with the mats and bag. There is nothing to beat sitting in comfort in te morning as you drink your tea and eat your bacon bitty under the poncho surveying the carnage of the night before.
It's one with hoops front and rear and a large head space for your back pack. I think back then it was the only one you could buy.
I've slept in it in the most awful conditions an been dry and warm. It's phenominal.
Over the years I have learnt a couple of things. The self inflating bed rolls are fine in summer but just dont insulate sufficiently in winter. Well worth using an old fashioned thermal roll underneath.
I only have one sleeping bag, an old minus 20 eider down snug job. Perfect for any UK conditions and adds more comfort to lie on in summer.
The other thing I do tend to do now is try and place it so I can peg out an old poncho as a cover over your head and the area you will be climbing out into. This works two fold, firstly if raining in the morning you can climb out, get dressed and boil a cup of tee and brown bacon. Secondly, having rain hitting your bivi over your head all night gets irritating.
The one luxury I would really recommend is a good folding chair. The weigh nothing and you can bundle them easily with the mats and bag. There is nothing to beat sitting in comfort in te morning as you drink your tea and eat your bacon bitty under the poncho surveying the carnage of the night before.
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