Bivy inside shelter?

corylee4870

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 7, 2016
This year will be my first year using a floorless shelter.
I planned on putting my pad directly on the ground and bag on top of that. Maybe a tyvek ground sheet.

What does everyone else do? Anyone use a Bivy inside of the shelter?

FYI, I’ll be using a SO Cimarron.


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No bivy in my Redcliff

If I am below treeline 3 to 4 inches of pine boughs / ground cloth / Big Agnes Q-Core / Bag
Above Treeline - Thermosrest Ridge Rest SoLite / Big Agnes Q-Core / Bag
 
A silnylon ground cloth, now going to be a Klymit static V insulated pad versus the foam pad I had been using, then my quilt and a whoobie if it gets really cold. I have used the whoobie to cover up the foam pad. Might try that with this klymit and see how it works. NO bivy for me. Just extra weight but, more so I don't want the constriction. God Bless
 
I use a 7 oz Borah ultralight bivy, my pad and bag hardly ever leave it. At night I seldom zip myself all the way in unless there are mosquitos, during the day I zip it up while I am gone to keep ants, spiders, snakes or whatever from crawling in. The bivy also keeps my pad and bag clean, I also carry a lightweight 8 or 9 0z tarp for under the bivy and to make an area for after I take the boots off. Well worth the extra weight but then again I also take an ultra light chair, my comfort and sleeping bag protection is high on my list.

NM is a dirty place!!
 
What does everyone else do? Anyone use a Bivy inside of the shelter?

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That’s the only way I’ve ever done it, until this year and using a Helinox cot for the first time, but I still used my 6 oz. bivy to keep everything contained.



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My sleeping bag/quilt, and pad always stay inside my Bora Cuben fiber bivy. The bivy serves double duty as it also adds waterproofness while in a dry bag for transport.
 
I use a ground sheet made of Cuban Fiber and I use my Bivy. I really don't want to have to deal with a puncture which is why IM overly protected. My Pad, and Quilt are both inside the bivy, helps get the bugs out and everything clean and dry incase any condensation.
 
You won't need a bivy in a cimmeron.

Re condensation; Yes it happens with all single wall shelters to some degree depending on lots of factors. It will help you to research the causes and how you can mitigate/ minimize it.

Tyvek works as a ground sheet but it does let moisture through. I use a custom cut piece of Silpoly with a very high waterproof rating. Yeah, its slippery but not after applying lines of thinned silicone sealer....My pad doesn't slide.

Re the inflatable pads; I think that being damp for days on end shortens the life of these...a ground sheet is a good idea.

Edit; I stopped using a bivy yrs ago. Bivys can hold moisture and cause your bag to hold more moisture. I realized I could be right at the same weight or less with a UL tent like the HS Tarptents...vs bivy plus tarp.
 
You won't need a bivy in a cimmeron.

Re condensation; Yes it happens with all single wall shelters to some degree depending on lots of factors. It will help you to research the causes and how you can mitigate/ minimize it.

Tyvek works as a ground sheet but it does let moisture through. I use a custom cut piece of Silpoly with a very high waterproof rating. Yeah, its slippery but not after applying lines of thinned silicone sealer....My pad doesn't slide.

Re the inflatable pads; I think that being damp for days on end shortens the life of these...a ground sheet is a good idea.

Edit; I stopped using a bivy yrs ago. Bivys can hold moisture and cause your bag to hold more moisture. I realized I could be right at the same weight or less with a UL tent like the HS Tarptents...vs bivy plus tarp.
Have you ever played around with the UL/breathable bivy's that are made specifically to be used in combo with a floorless shelter/tarp? I have a couple (Borah Gear and Ti Goat), that come in right at 6 oz., have a waterproof bathtub bottom and water resistant/breathable top with bug screen at the head. They both do a very good job at releasing condensation. The only time I've ever noticed condensation is when I crawl in with very damp socks/lower legs and condensation will form at the bottom of the bivy, between the outside of my quilt and inside of the bivy. Even when this has occurred, it's never been an issue because by that time my feet are dry and I've never felt the effects of the condensation. My best guess for this occurring is because there is just too much evaporation coming off my feet for the bivy fabric to dissipate.
 
I use a bivy a lot- either on it's own (an eVENT one) or in combination with a tarp (lightweight one w/ dwr); with a Cimmeron (or similar pyramid style shelter)- imo you won't need a bivy, groundsheet at the most- just added weight that's not really needed
 
I use a bivy a lot- either on it's own (an eVENT one) or in combination with a tarp (lightweight one w/ dwr); with a Cimmeron (or similar pyramid style shelter)- imo you won't need a bivy, groundsheet at the most- just added weight that's not really needed
I don't understand. You use a bivy a lot with floorless shelters, but recommend not using one and only going with a ground sheet?
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I’m a pretty warm sleeper and I worry about condensation inside the Bivy. Would the snowy side Bivy made with the event material help with this? I know it will add a few ounces but it could be used as a stand alone shelter too.

I’ve got the line locs on the Cimarron to raise it a few inches off the ground to help with condensation on the tent. I plan to leave the top unzipped a bit to help too.


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I have a Borah bivy - 6.5 oz that I use for floorless camping. It took a few night to get used to, but now I love the thing. Keeps the bugs off and my sleep system together. If I was using a bag that connected to my pad, or there were no bugs though, I might just use a piece of Tyvek instead.
 
I don't understand. You use a bivy a lot with floorless shelters, but recommend not using one and only going with a ground sheet?

I use one with a tarp- a tarp where you have to worry about moisture getting blown in, with a pyramid that is no longer a concern- bivy stays home; I own a Cimmaron- there is no need for a bivy with that shelter
 
I use one with a tarp- a tarp where you have to worry about moisture getting blown in, with a pyramid that is no longer a concern- bivy stays home; I own a Cimmaron- there is no need for a bivy with that shelter

Oh, okay I got you. I pitch all my floorless shelters up a few inches off the ground to mitigate condensation issues, so there’s always the chance of rain or spindrift blowing in. The only time I take the shelter all the way to the ground is if a big blow is expected, then I just deal with whatever condensation occurs.


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Oh, okay I got you. I pitch all my floorless shelters up a few inches off the ground to mitigate condensation issues, so there’s always the chance of rain or spindrift blowing in. The only time I take the shelter all the way to the ground is if a big blow is expected, then I just deal with whatever condensation occurs.


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gotcha ya :)
 
Using a bivy in a floorless shelter seems to be the right idea, however, my sleep systems ends up getting wet from condensation so I only use a bivy if I'm sleeping under a tarp. I use a cot so I don't need tyvek or ground cloth inside the shelter.
 
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