Im going Tarp Bivy this year. Give me you tips and tricks

[Bearsears]

Hey boys. I'm going to run a Seek DST tarp and a Katabatic gear Pinion Bivy this year for archery elk. For those of you with lots of experience, please give me your favorite tips and tricks for running this setup. Things like favorite pitches, windy conditions, stormy conditions, condensation, etc. I'm pretty excited to give it a try.

 

[hoosierhunter11]

Following as I just purchased a DST tarp this evening!

 

[Bearsears]

Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?

 

[Roosterstraw]

I just bought a tarp this year and tried out a few pitches in the yard. It did not go as well as the YouTube videos, especially with some wind. I would figure out your favorite pitch then practice it quite a bit. Here are a few of my pitches with a 10-15mph winds. Getting the poles to stay up were the most frustrating part for me.

 

[Phaseolus]

I’ve used the DST on a number of backcountry trips. It’s a versatile tarp. I have had several bivy’s, the latest being a Borah Gear model. I bring it but hope not to sleep in it, I always wake up with a damp sleeping bag…. If you pitch the DST ‘nose down’ with a second pole it is more weather proof. I now use the Eolus because it has better storm worthiness for a similar weight.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Been down this road a few times and always cuss it.
Will probably do it again.
Hard to beat a free standing tent for another 1.5 lb.

 

[Clovis]

Don't go too light or too few on stakes, use reflective cording for your tie outs so you can find your brown tarp in the night, use relatively thick and stiff cord so it won't tangle up on you as much even if heavier, practice your pitches at home and sleep in it a few time, learn how to tie a trucker's hitch, choose a site to be out of the wind, won't collect rainwater, off likely travel routes for night time critters, and less condensation, try to site where you can use one or more solid natural anchors, use a big comfy sleeping pad. A tent is less hassle and works better in some situations but you get a lot of space and aren't as cooped up under a tarp. Practice is the real key to using a tarp effectively as a shelter.

 

[Clovis]

With the DST I end up with something like the flying diamond as the most common pitch, but with one stick as a pole further up in on the patch and the front leading point tied off to a tree rather than another pole. That gives you a lot of room and air flow but still can tuck back in out of the weather unless it is blowing straight in the open side. The tighter you seal it up the more condensation and I feel like less reason to use a tarp over a tent. If there is some dead wood around I will make a barrier so that it less easy for something to accidentally walk right into the tarp at night--I set up once in a dumb spot and had a bear walk up on me in the night and start woofing--I would like to avoid that again

 

[dancyr3]

Hey boys. I'm going to run a Seek DST tarp and a Katabatic gear Pinion Bivy this year for archery elk. For those of you with lots of experience, please give me your favorite tips and tricks for running this setup. Things like favorite pitches, windy conditions, stormy conditions, condensation, etc. I'm pretty excited to give it a try.

Following as I’m looking to do the same

 

[Strider]

@Clovis Has most of it.

Here's my 2 cents. I went the tarp bivy route a couple years ago. For quick 1-3 night mild weather trips it is the way. I dont use a dst but have spent a handful of nights under them. I almost always pitch it where one corner is tied off to a tree at about chest high or over a pole or stick. And the other 3 corners are staked. With a pole in the middle. Its the quick and easy way imo. I've been dry through a few rain storms and a couple snowy nights maybe 1" of accumulation. Learn to tie a Bowline and a prusik knot and you will be ahead of the curve. Tension is how the shelter stays up keep that in mind. Wind is not your friend. With a tarp a good sheltered camp site is key. Make sure you practice pitches and give yourself some extra time the first couple times.

 

[Maverick1]

Hey boys. I'm going to run a Seek DST tarp and a Katabatic gear Pinion Bivy this year for archery elk. For those of you with lots of experience, please give me your favorite tips and tricks for running this setup. Things like favorite pitches, windy conditions, stormy conditions, condensation, etc. I'm pretty excited to give it a try.

For normal conditions: I prefer to pitch the tarp in an A-frame configuration. Use one pole, other end tied to a tree about waist height. (No need to carry two trekking poles) Put the bivy on the ground, with your sleeping pad inside the bivy. Put your sleeping bag on TOP of the bivy (not inside). Keeps sleeping pad clean, sleeping bag off the ground, and minimizes condensation on your sleeping bag.

For windy conditions, same as above, except pitch tarp in an Arrowhead configuration.

For rainy conditions, pitch tarp in an arrowhead configuration, with sleeping pad and bag both stuffed inside the bivy. You will likely have some condensation but should stay dry.

Also, bring a couple of garbage bags with you. If it rains and gets really wet out, put backpack inside of garbage bag to keep it off the ground. Or stuff your wet clothes inside the garbage bag to keep them from coming in contact with your backpack or sleeping setup.

Be sure to bring a few small screw in hangers with you as well. Hang your bow, binoculars, bugle tube, release, and hat in the tree outside your bivy. Gives you extra room inside the shelter and keeps you from stepping on them in the dark.

 

[Maverick1]

@Strider - his post made me think of another thing to add. Don’t use sticks. You will just end up searching for the right stick, which may or may not be easy to find, break under tension, or be the right length.

Just buy one of these monopod shooting sticks. They are like 4-6 oz and cost less than $25. One brand name is Allen, there are likely others. Plus, the top “V” portion screws off and the threaded rod portion goes right through a grommet hole. Much, much better than a trekking pole! I’ve marked up a picture below, the green is where your tarp and grommet hole would go, the red is where your tension rope would go. Been doing it this way for nearly 20 years.

 

[Bearsears]

With the DST I end up with something like the flying diamond as the most common pitch, but with one stick as a pole further up in on the patch and the front leading point tied off to a tree rather than another pole. That gives you a lot of room and air flow but still can tuck back in out of the weather unless it is blowing straight in the open side. The tighter you seal it up the more condensation and I feel like less reason to use a tarp over a tent. If there is some dead wood around I will make a barrier so that it less easy for something to accidentally walk right into the tarp at night--I set up once in a dumb spot and had a bear walk up on me in the night and start woofing--I would like to avoid that again

Id love to hear the full story on that bear!

 

[sivart]

Been down this road a few times and always cuss it.
Will probably do it again.
Hard to beat a free standing tent for another 1.5 lb.

Completely agree. Don't think I'll ever go away from freestanding. It's just too convenient. And i have a Durston pro 2. I always seem to grab the copper spur.....

 

[Jake Larsen]

Completely agree. Don't think I'll ever go away from freestanding. It's just too convenient. And i have a Durston pro 2. I always seem to grab the copper spur.....

Been back and forth several times. Then I got A Hilleberg Akto. Haven’t ever looked back. It’s as light or lighter than any bivy/tarp setup, and bombproof in weather. Just enough space without any extra weight. The bivy has been relegated to single overnighters on summer bonsai scouting trips or next to the truck just for fun. I love sleeping open air, I miss that the most.

Edit: I shouldn’t have said “any” but rather “many” tarp bivy setups.


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[BBob]

light or lighter than any bivy/tarp setup

It may be bombproof but an Akto is 3lbs minimum and that is not lighter than a tarp/bivy combo. I'm 3,7lbs for everything sleep wise for an early hunt. Tarp, stakes, bivy, bag, pad, inflation sack, pillow, and a stuff sack that holds all of it. Just 12oz for my tarp/bivy with 8 stakes and guylines. I don't count my trekking poles because I'm using them regardless of what shelter I'm carrying.

 

[Jake Larsen]

It may be bombproof but an Akto is 3lbs minimum and that is not lighter than a tarp/bivy combo. I'm 3,7lbs for everything sleep wise for an early hunt. Tarp, stakes, bivy, bag, pad, inflation sack, pillow, and a stuff sack that holds all of it. Just 12oz for my tarp/bivy with 8 stakes and guylines. I don't count my trekking poles because I'm using them regardless of what shelter I'm carrying.

Edit: I shouldn’t have said “any” on my first post, but rather “many” tarp bivy setups.

What tarp/bivy are you running? When I was using tarp/bivy hard, my all-in weight was always hovering around that 3lb mark, including enough stakes/guyline for all my pitches. I’m sure it can be done for lighter by going with smaller tarps, and lighter bivy sacks, but I hunt in some pretty gnarly places weather wise. By the time I had a tarp/bivy system bulletproofed enough to trust, I was pretty close to the weight of an Akto. Also, I can pitch that Akto in about 1 minute 30 seconds, in wet weather and its dry inside. All depends on where you’re hunting, what the weather patterns are like, how exposed the camp sites tend to be, ect ect.


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[Hectocotylus]

Flying diamond pitch on dst in nice weather, one end open but the rest shut down otherwise. I don’t know why people add a bivy but maybe I’m missing something. I just use the tarp.

This is my typical setup solo


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[Beendare]

Been down this road a few times and always cuss it.
Will probably do it again.
Hard to beat a free standing tent for another 1.5 lb.

Good tip!

I ditched the bivy and tarp decades ago....my 2 setups now are lighter and more weather proof plus my bag doesn't get soaked by the bivy sack.

 

[BBob]

What tarp/bivy are you running?

I posted it earlier but it didn't really apply to the OP's original question so I deleted it. I have a Tarptent Notch Li tent and I use the fly by itself as my tarp. I ran a light guy line from end to end that sets the length (no guessing and having to move stakes) to greatly speed the setup. I can have it up really quick as well. The Bivy is a MLD Superlight.