SOL Emergency Bivy

[Vandy321]

I always have an e-blanket with me, even in the truck, but it never gets used. This fall I took the heavier SOL emergency bivy, in case I needed to crawl in it, kept out from camp one night. I carried this all summer/fall this year and never took it out of the bag.

I saw a post somewhere (of course I cant find it now) someone mentioned using it on top of a down bag, as an overbag.

I'm switching from synthetic to down bag for next year. Is using that SOL bivy workable to add extra warmth and/or keep condensation off of a down bag?

Or will that do the opposite and now condensate from the inside and wet the bag? Figured I'd ask before I tried it only to wake up cold and wet.

Lastly, for early season anyhow, and carrying camp daily, could this replace a regular bug bivy (bugs arent the issue, mainly using for ground cloth). Or would you leave the e-blanket and just go with a regular bug bivy.

 

[Pigdog]

It will absolutely cause condensation to form on the inside and may/will dampen the down. I wouldn't use it for extra warmth as part of my regular sleep system. A liner will work better without the condensation and will have the added benefit of keeping the inside of your new down bag nice and clean. In a survival situation that was only going to last one night I'd put my down bag inside that bivy without hesitation.

 

[Vandy321]

Makes sense, thanks.

I'm trying to convince myself its worth the weight/room early season if I'm carrying camp on my back daily.

Will look into a silk liner for sure

 

[2RiversCO]

I have a quilt w/ open foot box and use it inside an SOL bivy just fine, mine has a zipper. Just cut a foot box at the bottom, I just used Velcro from Joanne’s to close it if needed. Works as a ground sheet, sleeping pad fits inside w/quilt and if you want to take it with you just cram it in your pack and let everything form around it.

 

[neil.hansford]

I used that exact SOL one night this year when temps got colder than expected. I crawled in it, then put my quilt over me. It certainly helped trap body heat, but I was pretty damp when I woke up...it doesn't let any moisture escape. Great for emergencies, but I wouldn't use it regularly as a liner or overbag.

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[CBreeze]

Gotta have a breathable bivy. Good for plus 5 basically, and will help keep moisture moving. Even at that if the weather doesn’t necessitate it I keep my face out of the bivy sack so I’m not pumping all that moisture in my Breath into the system - further taxing it. Weather / situation dependent I either run a synthetic quilt , 2 synthetic quilts, or a synthetic quilt witha down bag/quilt. Almost Always inside a bivysack. unless I’m using a tent with a floor- which is usually the 2nd and 7th Tuesday’s of never

 

[Desk Jockey]

I like bivys. Had an old mil goretex for years. Tried OR and a couple of Sol’s. The Sol emergency bivy is best for a real emergency IMO. It will help keep you alive but it is loud and fragile and not a ton of warmth. Sol has a bivy called the escape that I used for a while. It is heavier material, kind of like tyvek. About 8oz. It works OK but only has a zipper about 1/3 the way on one side.

I paid up this year and got a bora bivy. I can’t exactly recall but my long extra wide is about 8oz. Better zipper, less noise. Customer service and communication were top notch. I only have about 3 nights in it but I am very pleased. Can’t see going back to the SOL escape.