Bivy vs tent.

[FruitSnackEnthusiat]

i wouldn't do that style of bivy. That thing is as heavy as most 1-2 person tents, smaller, and removes all the good parts of a bivy. If you want a bivy, do a katabatic pinon or borah bug net bivy in a combination with a tarp. It is much more versatile, and light. But if this is going to be your only shelter, do the tent.

 

[Swamppirate]

I have an older model Cabela’s Northstar Bivy. Have spent some rainy nights in it and it is a great set up. You can still find them on the auction site.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

I've got an Oware two person bivy as well as an Agnes Creek Seedhouse 2 tent. In my opinion if you're going to be mostly traveling hard and fast, just using it as a place to sleep, and generally solo, then a bivy is the winner. With how light tents are getting though, I think whenever I upgrade tents I'll probably just end up using that mostly.

That said, I used my bivy a lot. Being a two person bivy you have plenty of room, yet still lightweight, and can even tie off the top to make it feel like a pseudo tent if you really want.

 

[Jimss]

One option that has worked incredibly for me is to use the fly off my hilleberg 4 season tent. It is bomberproof and weighs about the same as a bivy or tarp.

A fly has way more room for you plus all your gear and e we I’ll hold up to wind and even snow.

I’m going on a goat hunt in a couple days and that’s what we are using. I’ve used it on many sheep, goat, and elk hunts in Colo and Wyo.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I’ve been using some sort of DCF bivy and tarp system now for over a decade on all my mountain hunts, and I can’t really see myself ever going back to a traditional tent again.
This is my absolute lightest setup.

A few more, because it’s nice to have options.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JordanM]

Two alpine hunts so far this fall, one with SG skyscraper 2p and one just tent/bivy. Second one was solo so ditching 5# was a no brainer and weather was better as well. If weather is good to poor and you are on the move and /or in elevation with no or small flat spots it is really nice for the tarp/bivy combo. If it is nasty tent all the way. I run the Borah DCF bivy and it is awesome at 4.8oz. The tarp i run is the DCF HMG 8x10’ at 10oz. Honestly with those two weights you are at or close to a DCF tent. The tarp will always be with me as it is quick to get out of the rain and you can string it up for extra living space at times to not be stuck in your coffin sized tent. I wasn’t too happy other the condensation in the Skyscraper but it was often rainy and me and my dad slept inside it so I’lol give it a pass. If you plan to have a Basecamp and spike out just keep the bivy with you as it takes up minimal room and with the tarp it gives you options if you get stuck out on the mountain.

I will be buying the Zpacks offset solo tent here soon and make a game time decision before I leave the truck for elk here in Nov. Have owned a Tarptent Stratospire LI and it was awesome. I almost regret selling it. Tarptent makes nice gear. Leaning towards the Notch Li or Offset Solo due to not ever wanting to share a tent with a dude (even my father) again and the ability to fit in tight spaces. Apparent ease of pitch annd packed size is leading me towards Zpacks though. Another good and sub 10oz option is the Ultamid 1 by HMG. Realistically having a tarp/bivy and UL tent is still lighter than some 2p tents out there.

Lastly I have done the hammock and tarp setup. It was nice but not as light as one would think. I posted about it on here 2yrs ago. By the time you get straps and tree huggers, hammock and tarp you are at a DCF tent weight. Then the under-quilt or pad setup adds more weight and bulk. As always it’s mission dependent. Hope this helps and here are some pics that aren’t as cool as Troutbums.

 

[ni7ne]

It might sound silly, but I'll pack a bivvy to have, not to use.
If weather forecast shows 0% chance of rain, and I plan to sleep in the open, but don't want to get in trouble if the forecast is wrong.
I've camped with people who don't bring either if the forecast says 0%, which feels crazy.
If the forecast number is over 0%, tent.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

I’ve gone back-and-forth on this and basically settled that for about the same weight as a Bora, Bivy and DCF tarp, I can use a tarp tent protrail li.

Everyone is different, but clearly the advantage of the Bivy is rollout and sleep wherever you want, saving time.

I’ve tried other one person, tents, like the tarp tent, notch, but from experience don’t really like having the fabric right above my face. so the protrail looks like the best compromise of about 1 pound, tarp like set up, which will be very fast, and plenty of room by my head.