Truth About Using a Bivy - When, Where, Why and Why Not

This episode is all about Bivy's and Luke will be going over the Pros, the Cons, When, Where and Why to use them...also, when not to.

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Truth About Using a Bivy

The topic of this video deals with Bivy’s and specifically on when to use them and when not to. Before going any further, do keep in mind that these are my thoughts, my experiences and are based on using bivys for decades. Since I started the channel, you all have seen me use a bivy in rain with a tarp, in freezing rain and sleet all by itself, you have seen me use them in cold conditions below 0f and in the snow. I have also a bivy on warm summer nights in very humid conditions.

To start, lets go over what a bivy is;

Bivy sack, aka, bivouac sacks are specialized pieces of gear and like any tool will have a right time and place to use. This is true with virtually any piece of gear but bivys are especially polarizing in terms of use; they can be amazing in certain situations or downright awful!

It was invented to serve climbers who wanted lightweight emergency weather protection for sleeping bags during multiple-day ascents, particularly on big walls.

Early bivy sacks were little more than waterproofed nylon slipcovers for sleeping bags—good for shielding sleeping bags from rain, not so good when ventilating vapor produced by body heat.

Bivy design today involves 2 tiers of fabric:

· The bottom tier typically consists of a durable grade of nylon coated with urethane to make it waterproof. This is the same material used for most tent floors.

· The top tier is usually made of ripstop nylon (a lighter fabric) and treated with a waterproof, breathable laminate such as Gore-Tex®.

Types of Bivys :

 Structured vs. Non-structured. Structured bivy sacks are great if you like a little bit extra wiggle room. They give you extra head space and breathing room. Non-structured are perfect for when you reach extreme elevations, and you really need to cuddle up to hide against the elements.

There are also Bivy Tents like the Ionosphere but that is more of a tent than a bivy and won’t be discussed in this video.

 Fabrics. There is a wide range of materials which are used for bivys including gore-tex, nylon, and so on. Goretex in general is the most expensive due to the waterproof and breathable properties of gore-tex…those benefits translate to heavier weight. Nylon will be less expensive, less breatable, lighter in terms of weight.

 Openings. Some allow for you to crawl in, some unzip and you plop yourself inside of. Some can be closed up completely to block bugs and some will remain open.

 Size/weight. While fabric has a lot to do with the weight of your bivy sack, there are plenty of options to choose from in size. Because the bivy sack was created for the minimalist, you do have many ultralight options. Remember, not all bivys are light and in fact, some can be heavier than a 1 person tent.

Pros : Generally lightweight, can add up to 10 degrees to your sleep system which may be desired for cold weather trips, most are either waterproof or at least, water resistant, can be bug proof if your model is sealable, when using a bivy by itself and in good conditions, you are going to be able to make camp in places you never thought possible; locations were are impossible for tents and other shelters. Block the wind wonderfully. Super easy, simple and quick setups

Cons : Not a good solution for rainy and wet conditions unless used with a tarp, bivys add numerous degrees of warmth to your sleep system which you may not desire if it is warm and humid. Condensation issues are common with bivys, bugs can be unless your bivy features a way to seal up the entrance….if you can seal yourself in, you will be adding more warmth and will be limiting your venting…that equals more moisture. Bivys are generally very limiting in terms of space….if you love being restricted and having limited amounts of room to move around, you’ll love a bivy (most people don’t like either of these). If you are a fan of sprawling out and having a lot of space, a bivy can take some time to get accustomed to.
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[tullochgorum]

Good summary, but there is an additional advantage which wasn't covered. In exposed areas where you might get caught in a storm, a bivy (or a very low bivy-like tent) keeps you safe at windspeeds that would destroy most larger shelters. The same goes for big dumps of snow.

[proctortoad]

Used them in the army and they worked very well. It downpoured for 4 night when we were in the field and it kept me dry all night long. I have never been so thankful for a piece of gear. That gear saved my life as the 4 days it rained, it was only about 45-50 degrees out.

[GruntProof]

As a grunt I lived in my bivy for 4 years!

[petepete]

Bivi is always in my bag … always … sommer also winter … you never know what happens… Bivi is a live saver 👍😎✌️🍀🔥 …. Always with a tarp above

[cyberjonesy]

Im a retired Canadian Forces Veteran, and I loved using my bivy bag! Best thing in the world to have on a rainy right. Humidity will accumulate in your tent, but NOT in your sleep system. I have slept many stormy nights, with my lower body laying on an inch of water, yet completely dry inside of my Bivy. But the Bivy is not only a sleep system, we used it as a makeshift raft when we had to cross bodies of water. You would put your rucksack inside the bivy and close it firmly so that it is airtight and then cross the river using it as a raft. If you have a problem with condensation inside the Bivy, it is indeed too warm inside, just pull your sleeping bag down towards your ankle and you'll have the most comfortable sleep you've ever had. As a matter of fact, on hot summer days, I would not sleep in my sleeping bag at all and instead go naked inside my bivy bag, it was awesome.

[shj]

Once hiking in the Smokies with my brother and his Son in Law we made camp right before a powerful storm blew through. Brother and SIL were using hammocks with tarp coverings. I had a tarp and US GI bivy. It was cold and the winds were shearing through the mountains. Brother's rig blew down. He had to try and put everything back together in total darkness. SIL's rig stayed together but he nearly froze and got zero sleep. I slept like a babe. Didn't know until the morning what the other guys went through. Bivys come into their own in terrible weather or for emergencies.

[vonsprague]

I have spent literally thousands of nights in bivvys, I currently use the USMC Gore-tex bivvy and a poncho. When I day hike I always carry one as an emergency shelter, usually a British Army Gore-tex bag for emergencies. I only use a tent if the weather is going to be very wet or snow is likely. The humble bivvy takes me back to my glory days with British Airborne and I always sleep like a log.

[barron]

Great explanation, At 77 I gave up crawling in and out of tents. However; I am concerned about finding trees for my hammock while motorcycle camping away from Michigan. So I have figured how to use my tarp and my bike to make a bivy like shelter with my hammock on the ground. I have not had to use it but I likely will this Summer.

[johnlim]

When I was in basic training, we had field events and slept outside in a bivy with the sleep modular system. In twenty degree weather and rain, that bivy was a godsend. Best sleep I ever had. Great explanation; bivies have a place and time to use.

[danielkutcher]

Very good, honest, assessment of the use of a bivy. The thing that I missed the most (back around the turn of the century, while experimenting with ultralight hiking) was the ability to sit up, which I had in a tent which I already had at 1.5 lbs. more. I have since switched to a hammock and tarp system. I'm old now and don't feel like crawling through mud to sleep on the ground. Sleeping pads have gotten much lighter and more comfortable, but much more expensive as well.
I like to tell people that my favorite thing about hammocking is that my floor never gets dirty and I can swing my legs over the side and stand up to exit. No crawling or stooping. ☺
I have used an eVent bivy by Rab, and I was always damp from my own sweat, which once froze inside the fabric on a 0F night. It's supposed to be more breathable than Gore-Tex. From owning jackets of both materials, l can say that neither works (noticeably) for allowing sweat to escape in the rain while hiking, hence the ventilation zippers, and they must be washed regularly in special detergents and occasionally have the durable water repellant coating (makes the water bead up, critical to the breathability function) replenished, usually a special spray, or by ironing after washing. I never kept a bivy long enough to need to wash it. For me, it was only carried for winter overnighters or emergency shelter when climbing above treeline.

[luluwan]

I've never used one except in the winter, and now after your review, probably never will . I like my tarp with a skeeter net in the warmer months..the net weighs nothing and the tarp/net setup is much more versatile. I love this channel; you're so blessed to live where you do and get to hike that amazing area.

[davidfantle]

I've used them occasionally for decades. Best uses are for climbing, where you may need to rest or sleep on a ledge, for protection from dripping water from melting snow inside of a snow cave or winter tent with dripping frosted walls. They are miserable to get into in the rain, or when clouds of mosquitoes or biting flies are swarming you. You can't just 'dive in' like through a tent door. Entering is a slow, squirming process, with high chance of zipper snags letting in a dozen bugs before you can get it sealed up! Those without any pole system to hold them off your face will leave your head and face getting slapped all night long with the fabric billowing in the wind, or feeling every raindrop hit your face through the fabric. I will use one under a BD MegaLite tarp shelter for glacier camping or ski touring as well. It's definitely a love/hate relationship!

[leewilson]

Great overview as always Luke.

Just like a tarp, benefit of a bivvy is it's adaptability. In the summer I just use mine as a groundsheet, if it gets chilly I hop inside with either sleeping bag or bag liner. Combined with a tarp in A-Frame or plow point config, can't beat it. For the netting just add an mosquito net, such as from Friendly Swede.

I've got a British army bivvy which whilst a pain to get in and out its (I think) 8 foot long so even space for your gear if needed.

Certainly heavier than an ultralight tent but so many options and leaves you to experience the outdoors without the claustrophobic feeling of a backpacker tent.

[soldier-Dave]

I’ve used the British military goretex bivi bag forever! In all seasons and can’t fault it and like you say it keeps you warmer and is windproof as well as dry!
I’ve never got condensation damp !

[kocronashi]

Interesting! I've used the Army Gortex bivy for years and never had any issues with humidity inside the bivy. It actually keeps me dry during overnight rain and the dewy mornings. In the military I usually just full-on cover my head and sleep on my side. Never bothered to dry it out after it got wet, found I never needed to since it drys out pretty quickly while I do my morning hygiene.

[louiszepher]

I bring a bivy when I go tarp camping in the fall and winter.
Helps when the wind changes and the snow comes inside the tarp.

[michaelvandegriff]

Finally! I've read lots of books that use the word "bivouac" but this is the first time in my 41 years I've heard it pronounced.

[Capzuwa]

I personally use bivys all around the year from overnighters to longer trips.
I think they are a great piece of kit and one thing speaking for them is the great prices you can get on military ones. At the same time you get a nearly indestructible piece of kit with an amazing quality. Yes there are lighter options but also at a much higher price and somewhat more fragile at times.

I never had a problem with condensation because you simply dont ever close it fully. It's just not safe to do that and leaving at least a breathing hole is always a reasonable thing to do in terms of oxygen.

[LivesLeftYT]

Great video. I personally exclusively use a bivvy. I’m too lazy to bother with a tent. I use an alpkit hunka xl. Bags of room for gear inside, relatively lightweight, waterproof (I’m in the UK) only thing letting it down is the lack of meshing to keep bugs out. But just use a head net. Wild camping isn’t really Legal in most of England so you have to go under the radar, and for that, the bivvy is perfect 👌 also paired with a DD magic carpet gives a tiny space for gear/cooking etc if it rains. All for about 500grams and a total cost of about £60

[natureb]

I had an OR Gortex bivy years ago that I used in the White Mountains of NH for a a summer doing an overnights about once a week. It had the two pole system with the screen and worked well for me. I got rained on two or three times and it kept me and my gear dry as far the bivy was concerned. The water proof costing on the bottom part eventually failed so after sitting for many years so it was no longer usable. I have a marine core gortex bivy that I have used two nights in the recent past. It is a little more claustrophobic compared to the OR that i had years ago but has served the purpose. I had one rainy night and it performed well. I have a mat that is inflatable and that does not fit inside with a large bag so I guess I will need to run that underneath going forward.