Would a Bivvy be any good?

Tents, Sleeping Bags, Oxygen Chambers...that kinda stuff
nickoff
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by nickoff »

I think a cheap pop up tent might be the way to go. As pointed out a bivvy would no doubt be uncomfortable to use in hot weather and a hammock needs a couple of trees or what have you. I've taken a look on various websites and there is some bargains to be had. A half decent pop up can be had for around £50--£60. Now all I need is a camping mat to replace my air bed.

Nick.
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by ScottCC »

Personally, in short Yes, and its down to choice, but I would (I do have) a British Army Bivi bag (loads of room etc) and a DD Tarp that I put up as a tent in various ways and is the simplest way. In the bivvy bag I take 2 sleeping bag liners (1 cotton and 1 silk) and have never had any problems at all as it covers all weathers. Ive lived in Hungary in the summer and you need the flexibility to configure your set up how you want it. You could always go for a hammock but expensive and limited use! But my caveat is I spent several years in the Army living in a bivvy bag so maybe its in my DNA. For the record Hungary is on my list to go back to on the nike
bikenav
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by bikenav »

dabbled a little with the bivvy alone and with a tarp. I would be taking a tent, my reasonable vango banshee does not take long to pitch inner and outer together if your basic camping with reduced clutter, I doubt the setup time difference is very great. In the great scheme of things its just a few minutes and a little weight and volume for a lot more flexibility, my thoughts anyway. I do recommend trying the fresh air setup though, just not for a 2 week Conti trial.
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by FAT MATT »

I think both are great options depending on task. Scotland and midge I’d have a tent with an inner fly every day of the week. But that said room to move about under a tarp and lack of condensation is a big draw for me.
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by garyboy »

nickoff wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 2:32 pm I'll being going on a 2 week European tour ending up in Budapest in the summer and instead of taking my 3 man tent I was thinking of buying a bivvy type tent for convenience. I should only be staying in any one place for 2 nights maximum and want something that I can erect and take down in five minutes. Can anyone recommend a bivvy and maybe a tarp that would do the job? I'm not looking at top of the range gear as I won't be using it that often. Thanks for any help.

Nick.
personally i am afeared greatly by the prospect of being nibbled at by wild nut-eating boars at night, in the case of an open tarp on a hot night, with bare hot sticky legs dangling out of a bivvy bag.


i have seen bivvy tents for sale .. they are basically a slightly larger bivvy bag with a small supporting stick near your head ... not my idea of fun .. especially on a wet windy night.

The next thing Up would be, I think, a one-man lightweight walker's tent .. the lighter they are the more expensive, and i would feel too cramped in one, and undoubtedly be very difficult to get out of for an emergency hedge wee, but might be ideal for your needs

... my Vango 2-man tent is light enough, but it is not tall enough to sit up in !! (the newer ones (pro) are a bit taller at the entrance.


So .. in general terms i would recommend a lightweight 2-man tent that you can sit up in .. you will value this sit up ability the more your camping days draw out.

I would take a lightweight bivvy bag too, as they are reasonably cheap and good for emergencies .. like a tent being ripped apart by a naughty mistral. ... coupled with a lightweight cotton/nylon sided sleeping bag.

this would (almost) do it/ .. cheap atm too ..
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15979390/v ... lsrc=3p.ds

cant recommend as not tried .. but better than a one man tent? and not all that much heavier?


together with a vango lightweight tarp and pole?
maybe something like this?
https://www.onbuy.com/gb/pamir-green-va ... s%20-%2012


to go any less than this i think you are talking very expensive lightweight gear, which you don't want, you say, or lightweight tarp and bivvy bag, ... which may be a good option for you, as you are doing mostly 5* hotels :D ... but would not suit an old git like me :)


there's loads to choose from, out there .. and it a very personal choice.
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by qcnr »

Depends where you are thinking of pitching, but being ex-military I go with ScottCC option. Infact I carry a 2 man tent, a 3x3 tarp
and a hammock. Massive flexibility in how to make your home for the night and probably no more than 5kg total weight.
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by Toe »

I have a Naturehike Cloud-Up 2 as my main solo tent (buy on amazon, seems to have gone up in price since I got mine :? ).
Pitches inner first, packs small and short enough for Lomo panniers. I believe a Big Agnes copy but can't remember the model.

Otherwise Decathlon is worth a look imo (everyone has a favourite budget choice right), usually plenty of options with something like this at £30 and inner first too, or they do hammocks too.
I would've though a popup tent wouldn't pack very small (flat but wide) from what I've seen but never really checked.
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catcitrus
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by catcitrus »

I have two of the Nature hike 3 person tents mentioned above--bought almost as disposable for LeMans Moto GP camping with my son--sparks from the fires can pepper a tent. They are siliconised ripstop and come with an additional footprint---they are a copy of the Big Agnes US brand that sell for 4 times the price. Cost me 70 quid each a couple of years ago now. The tent is very well made but the one criticism are the 3 way joints at each end of the central ridge pole--they need attention with a bit of epoxy etc to be safe. However, I think they have upgraded this area. A doddle to put up because you simply peg out the 4 corners of the footprint, the inner base and the poles fit in the same location, clip the inner to the poles and throw the outer over. For me solo its excellent, packs small and light(you won't get better, even at 4 times the price)--and when up you can spread out and put wet gear in the small porch.
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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by Slowboy »

Just seen this. I use a DD Tarps Pyramid XL tent, mostly with the single matching mesh inner (I have both) which is fine for solo camping, just needs either a stick of 1350mm length (walking pole) or a ridge line . Plenty of room inside and very weatherproof. The two bits together weight just under 1.1 kg and pack down dead small. With the big mesh inner and a ridge line there’s room for 3 and kit.
The solo inner with the outer costs just over £150 from Tamarack outdoors, good company to deal with.
Great practical kit for the money and beautifully simple, like me

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Re: Would a Bivvy be any good?

Post by Geecee68 »

Strongly recommend this decathlon tent;

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/self-stan ... mc=8556122

Its a pretty blatant rip off of one of the MSR tents. Aluminium poles, super lightweight, packs small and can fit in a 15litre pannier bag.

I've never had anything poor quality from Decathlon.

And by copy to Slowboy...FN17 XUL is still going strong!
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