Emergency Camping in Rain: is it Possible with only a Bivi Bag for Shelter? Trying Alpkit Kloke

I tried a bivi bag camp in the rain to see how effective it would be in an emergency situation. This was over 12 hours in wet, rainy conditions in a bivi bag with no other shelter and temps between 5°C and 7.5°C. I filmed this close to my car in case it went wrong (never clever to intentionally risk hypothermia)

This is the Alpkit Kloke lightweight bivi bag. It was not as entirely waterproof as I would have hoped, but I did still stay warm and dry, so would have survived unscathed and well in an actual emergency situation. The features of this bag (big hood, zip-up entrance hole) meant that no rain water came in the entrance hole - a big plus!

My sleeping bag - Leviathan OEX 900 - seems to have recovered from the ordeal haha! I used him for a camp in the woods a couple days ago and was lovely and warm, although it is mild at the moment. Hopefully no damage done 🤞

A 2-night, snowy mountain adventure trip is coming next! I'm so excited to start on that one 😍

Thank you so much for watching 😊 Much love and Merry Christmas to you all! Claire 🐻🎄🎅


⛺ GEAR LIST 🥾
This gear list contains affiliate links. This means that WildBeare makes a small commission from any sales made via these links, at no extra cost to yourself - a great way to support the channel. Thank you so much!

SHELTER

SLEEP SYSTEM

RUCKSACK & PACKING

GPS NAVIGATION / SOS SAFETY DEVICE

COOKING
Bag for rubbish

WATER
Carried in / bottle

TOILETRIES & PERSONAL CARE
Tissue
Baby wipes
Hand sanitiser
Hair band
Lip balm
Talc
Toothpaste
Tiny mirror
Mini Tweezers
Cheap Sunglasses

MED KIT
Pain relief
Antihistamine
Plasters & blister plasters
Torniquet (only use with knowledge of how to use safely)
Wound Dressing & Small Bandage
Alcohol Wipes

CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR
Merino layers - Decathlon

ELECTRONICS
Headtorch – Decathlon Bivouac USB (100 lumen)
Charger Cables

FILMING

TRAIL CAM

COMPUTER & EDITING
Editing Program – Davinci (Free)
HP Wireless Keyboard

#WildCamping #EmergencyBivi #RainCamping #SoloCamping #Survival

[WildBeare]

Merry Christmas Wild Ones! Hope you have a wonderful festive season 🎄 🎅 I’ll be back in the new year with a 2-night snowy mountain trip – can’t wait to start editing that one 😍 Much love ~ Claire

[charleswatson]

What I really love about Claire is that we aren’t prompted to subscribe or like. I like also that there is almost no information on her anywhere. She both entertains and informs in the most effective and delightful manner. Do we need more? Not for me. I am happy to watch her in the wild whilst l, a septuagenarian, sip my cocoa in front of my wood burner and reflect on the tame adventures I have had so far in my life. Keep going! I believe you have an army of followers.

[stevehay]

Don't we all just love this lady.

[THEGREATRAYMONDOOUTDOORS]

When I was in the Army I once thought I was clever and decided to make my kit smaller and lighter by leaving my doss bag and only taking my British Army issued Bivvy bag. I spent the night on a mud track in Salisbury Plain with no sleeping mat, no doss bag, and I wore my norwegian fleece, a Sofite jacket and usual combats. I can tell you that was the coldest night of my life and I didn't get even a wink of sleep. Horrendous!!! Always make sure you have ground insualtion, at least a silver blanket at the minimum because the difference it makes is unbelievable!!! Love your videos especially the tarp ones. Thank you very much for the uploads and I think you are so brave venutring out by yourself. Have a great Christmas.

[trevorb]

I keep seeing these men talking about tarp, poncho and bivy. But none of them actually shows results in the rain under real world events.
I love that you are really out there showing what is really happening with your gear, not just talking about stuff in the sun in a back yard.
Keep up the good work

[yjjk]

I love that you take the time to notice your smaller friends, and not just the ones most people would find cute.

[daveogle]

Back in the 80’s when Goretex arrived I bought a Goretex bivvi bag. Best investment ever, I was in the army at the time and used it in every kind of weather. Good video.

[Seamus]

Claire, thanks for sharing your experiences with us. For those of us who have been wondering if an over night camp in foul weather without a tent was practical, you've been kind enough to answer the query. Be well and stay safe, .... Cheers.

[kenmurray]

As a mountaineer, I've spent many a nite in a bivy sack. Certainly an aquired taste for many. However it is so good of you to try this experiment, so you know you have the option you can trust. By this video, you make this much more accessible for many hikers to consider, particularly, as you, for emergency backup.

[bermo]

I appreciate that you take proper precautions when you try these experiments. I also like the way you talk us through your thought processes.

[tonystrange]

In the 18 months or so I’ve been watching you Claire you’ve just kept stretching yourself with every adventure. And now camping just to test out an emergency bivvy bag is next level. And have to say watching you trying to put your coat on was like watching a butterfly trying to escape it’s cocoon 😁.

[MrScorpiomoon]

I love this lady for her very instructive videos. thank you Claire X

[stuartmckee]

A good tip, one we used in the army, is to always have a couple of bin bags with you, that way you can put your rucksack and boots inside to keep as dry as possible. Also unless it'slashing down always have the zip slightly open to help with the condensation. Great video, takes me back to days on exercise and none green machine bivy adventures in later life.

[SheepDogActual]

Claire, these are always fun and never disappointing. I continue to show these to my scouts.

[christianblack]

I've slept out in a bivvy bag in Scotland, Norway, Dartmoor and Spain - never took a tent. You just dont expect to wake up completely dry, even with Goretex, bc you sweat and breathe out a pint of moisture in the night. They are great if you adjust your comfortometer. "The Book of the Bivvy" by Ronald Turnbull is an outdoors classic, and has the whole story.

[BjornAndreasBull-Hansen]

Thanks for the awesome video. I actually used to go camping like this for years when I was a kid, but back then I just used two plastic trash bags. I am glad you didn't get attacked by the slugs this time!

[BBox]

10 times out of 10 if you sleep in your Bivi bag like that your sleeping bag will be damp and wet the next day, it is because of condensation from your body warmth. I learnt that very quickly when I was in the New Zealand Army. What we used to do is sleep on top of the Bivi to stop the condensation you could probably do that 2 nights tops before your sleeping bag would be wet right through, but the aim was to see if you could sleep in it overnight and you achieved that successfully. Great videos I enjoy watching them.

[andrewoutandabout]

The wild camping is one aspect, practicalities and the adventure, the other aspect is your skill at creating the atmosphere and feel of your experience. Thanks so much Claire have a wonderful Christmas and an adventure filled 2023 that we all can share 😀

[kentmulter]

Great video, Ms. Beare! Good on you for braving the cold and wet. Some of the moisture inside the bivi may have been condensation, not rain leaking in. "Breathable" fabrics don't always work as advertised in really wet conditions. Last Spring I camped on a cold night when the ground was very damp from rain the day before. In the morning, there was some dampness on the inner surface of my bivi and the outer surface of the quilt. Not much, thankfully; I was able to dry the quilt by hanging it up for a couple of hours to air out. I think this sort of thing is unavoidable when the air is both cold and damp, because the temperature falls below the dew point inside the bivi.

[daseteam]

Thank you, as always, Claire. There were some moves there worthy of Houdini.