Condensation in a bivy?

colonel00

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I am really entertaining the idea of using a bivy in the future so I am doing a lot of reading on the interGoogle. I was all on board to jump on a TiGoat Ptarmigan or Raven but I wanted to bring this topic up to see what opinions people have. In my reading one area of concern is condensation that forms on the inside of the bivy in colder weather. I wouldn't be overly concerned except I currently have an EE Rev X down quilt that obviously I don't want getting soaked from condensation. I am also interested to hear about how people deal with condensation should you have to climb in in damp clothes. Thanks in advance.
 
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If you are breathing with the bivy over your face and/or fully zipped, then yes there will be condensation that builds inside the bivy. Counter that by a warm pullover that covers the head and neck. I'd be less concerned with slightly damp clothes, my experience is that breathing creates more condensation. A good synthetic bag should allow you to dry out.
 
condensation in a bivy is a concern, especially in one like a tigoat. i have not found a way to totally deal with it yet. they are also no waterproof. they will handle some water well, but dont think theyre waterproof.
 
condensation in a bivy is a concern, especially in one like a tigoat. i have not found a way to totally deal with it yet. they are also no waterproof. they will handle some water well, but dont think theyre waterproof.

I do believe they are waterproof. A friend was on a sheep hunt, sleep system was set up in the tent...(TiGoat Bivy, pad and bag). The creek rose and flooded camp. He returned to find his sleep system floating in the tent...bone dry.
 
Interesting. I am mostly thinking I will usually have the bivy open or use the bug net option and be under a tarp or floorless tent. So, based on your opinion, it sounds like as long as I am not fully zipped up I should be fairly decent.

I am looking at the TiGoat basically because it is very light, has a bug net option (which I would use most of the time), and it could function as a stand alone sleep system if I should ever really need it. I really like the down quilt so far so I would hope it would hold up aside from those rare, if ever, occasions where I would need to fully zip up.
 
I have 2 TiGoat bivy's. One for base camp, one for sacking out in the field. Used both in Kodiak. Condensation is gonna happen if you have wet clothes. Condensation is gonna happen if your in full zip. By design a bivy's purpose is to shield you from the elements exterior to the bag, can't do much if you're introducing moisture on the inside. Layer appropriately to reduce sweating and use a good head sock. Thats about all you can do.
 
Which bivy(s) do you have? Very interested in any personal experiences with the Ptarmigan or Raven and where they may best be utilized. If you could only have one (for now) which would you lean towards? As a reference, say for a bou hunt up the Haul Rd.
 
Which bivy(s) do you have? Very interested in any personal experiences with the Ptarmigan or Raven and where they may best be utilized. If you could only have one (for now) which would you lean towards? As a reference, say for a bou hunt up the Haul Rd.

I believe ones a Ptarmigan, and the other a Raven. Personally I like the one with the side zips vs the straight chest zip. if I had to exit in a hurry I'd panic LOL. Got one in 2011, the other in 2012?

Both are good, but again, I don't bivy under the stars. I packed my GoLite SL5 and we slept at elevation last Tuesday.
 
I have both and have used them for years. I use down bags in them also. I keep my sleeping bag in one at all times and use one in my pack for overnights on the mountain.

Pros...

Very light for the protection you get.
Helps keep your sleeping pad and bag together during the night, if you rodeo sleep like me.
Keeps your bag cleaner.
Keeps bugs and creepy crawlers out.
Helps keep warmth in.
I recommend the bug net, I have one of each and like the one with the net better.
Blocks wind,, when I overnight on the mountain, I wear my Kuiu Quick Down jackets and crawl in the bivy.

Con..

Will hold some condensation, mine are older versions. Always dry by the next night, not an issue even using down bags. Worst if you breath into it or wear wet clothes to bed.

The Raven V Ptarmigan, is choice. I find I do not use the extra zipper with the Raven, I have to shimmy into both.

Steve
 
Easy to "shimmy" when yer a hobbit. LOL.

So I had to go back and check TiGoat's site, and the one "I" prefer based on fit is the Raven Omni. I'm a big guy, so my shimmy is a bit more demanding. I need more space to accommodate the pad and my synthetic bag.

Per TiGoat...

The Raven stands out from the Ptarmigan, in that it is a bit longer, and has a larger foot girth to accommodate larger
inflatable pads, such as the Neo air. The other way that it stands apart from the Ptarmigan, is
that its "Omni" zip runs continuously from hip, to shoulder, to opposite shoulder, to opposite hip.
When bug net is sewn in, the Omni zip becomes a left or right side zip, running from hip to
opposite shoulder.
 
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Thanks fellas. The Raven Omni is what I was eyeing. I agree, I don't shimmy either so a partial side zip was a definite selling point. I guess if you guys survived on Kodiak (loved the pics BTW) then it should serve me just fine.
 
Perhaps Luke can chime in here, I do believe he was sacked up with a RevX quilt inside a TiGoat bivy.

How about a room for 4 with a view, please?

 
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I do believe they are waterproof. A friend was on a sheep hunt, sleep system was set up in the tent...(TiGoat Bivy, pad and bag). The creek rose and flooded camp. He returned to find his sleep system floating in the tent...bone dry.

then your friend was lucky. i have a raven and woke up in a puddle 1 week ago, damp, verging on wet. my partner is his borah about the same.
they are not a 4season bivy like an ID or rab bivy at 2lbs.
they are great for the things stid said, keeping on your pad, bag clean, extra insulation, incidental water like drips and such
 
I have about 16 nights in my borah and haven't had an issue with condensation. Been in temps from 20* up to *70. Have some other things about it that I would change but for the most part I'm very pleased with it.

Mike
 
I carry mine to protect from blow in rain, condensation drips from tent, to keep me on the pad, and to keep bugs out. Forget about using it without a shelter unless you know it won't rain.

Kifaru SuperTarp, TiGoat Raven Bivy, NeoAir Pad, and EE RevX Quilt has become my go to camp/sleep system for archery season. Love how light it is for backpacking, and I have more room than most tents I carried before.
 
Aren't the TiGoat Bivys bottom waterproof and the top water resistant which should allow it to breath some (never enough)? I have a TiGoat Raven and had condesnsation build up on my bag when elk hunting this year but I also had the same issue when using the bag alone. Crawling in the bag with wet clothes, a few hours later the top of my bag would have condesnation on it but the inside would be dry. As previously stated, good for under a shelter but not a stand alone system.
 
Perhaps Luke can chime in here, I do believe he was sacked up with a RevX quilt inside a TiGoat bivy.

How about a room for 4 with a view, please?


Did all 4 of your squeeze in the SL5 or did you have multiple shelters?

Thanks for all of the comments. I feel much better about my path forward. I agree that I would never plan to use the TiGoat bivy as a standalone shelter unless it was just one of those days where the weather was perfect and I just needed shelter from bugs. Currently I am looking at my SL5, Raven bivy, Xlilte pad and RevX quilt which seems to align right along with what many here are using with minimal issue.
 
Did all 4 of your squeeze in the SL5 or did you have multiple shelters?

Thanks for all of the comments. I feel much better about my path forward. I agree that I would never plan to use the TiGoat bivy as a standalone shelter unless it was just one of those days where the weather was perfect and I just needed shelter from bugs. Currently I am looking at my SL5, Raven bivy, Xlilte pad and RevX quilt which seems to align right along with what many here are using with minimal issue.

3 Hobbits and 1 Gandolph.

But yes, we all slept under the SL5 bivy'd out at elevation. Was a most excellent night for such a thing.
 
I have used the Big Agnes Three Wire Bivy many nights with different weather conditions. I have yet to see condensation. The design of the Bivy being off your face and the slight overhang allows you to leave it slightly open above your face but still weatherproof.
 
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