New Bivi Bag time..

[Teetosugars]

Wanting a stand alone Bag, so not always using a tarp..
Daft idea?
Possibly, but hey..
Anyone any views on the Outdoor Research Helium Bivy?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I've not used a Helium but have being with others using them, reports seem good if you want to go down the hooped route.

If you're not so bothered about the hoop, I'd possibly have a look at the Borah Snowyside. They're eVent, roomy, have a bug net and now available in the eu so no customs lottery: https://www.outdoorline.sk/en/bivys-and ... event-bivy

[TheBrownDog]

Mate you can have my Alpkit Hunka XL. My neighbour gave it to me about three years ago after he bought a load of kit to come out with me for one night in the woods and never came back. I've used it twice since then and just hate the bloody thing and would rather staple my testicles together than use it again. I know they have their fans, and, no, seriously, I don't want to get into another argument about what is easier and lighter and ...blah blah blah ... but how on earth do you people sleep in these bastards?

PM me if you want it. The price will be a reasonable donation to the Royal British Legion.

[whitestone]

Didn't realise Borah had an EU importer now.

I paid £155 (plus £8 Royal Mail release fee) for two argon 80 side zip bivvies - these aren't what the OP asked for as they need to be used with a tarp - didn't get stung for duty which I think would have been about £20 in total but it would be the 20% VAT on top of all that that would have been the killer.

[benp1]

I have the Snowyside bivy. I rate it, haven't been out in torrential rain but in the light drizzle to normal rain I've been out in it's been fine

I have the normal Borah bivy too. The mesh thing is a faff on the event one though, but I haven't needed it when I've used it

[middleagedmadness]

To be honest I've just looked at the price and I just paid £95 +£18 customs charge so there's very little difference in price and that was for a argon 67 side zip ,also got a helium ,has worked great through the winter although FEBS Bivi I had quite a bit of condensation but still a great bit of kit and shopping around you can get one way less than rrp
Just had a quick Google and trekkit have the helium for £130

[ScotRoutes]

I have a RAB Ascent for use without a tarp. Quite a bit heavier than the Borah above but I reckon it will withstand anything

I'm not sold on the hooped concept as that takes a bit more pitching effort and could restrict where I end up sleeping (though I guess it would work without poles at a push).

[AlasdairMc]

Ran Survival Zone for me. I was feet into the wind last night and was ok for most of the night. It’s big enough for me but not my mat, and turned upside down gave me enough protection from the wind and snow.

I got it for £35 from Cotswold when someone posted a PSA on here.

[redefined_cycles]

I think this Scottish chap belongs here...

https://youtu.be/FLtFiAlyYf0

I can attest to thw goretex BA bag being 'a bit heavy'... 950g to be precise and can also say it really is bombproof and kept me dry (on first test as well as intro to a bivi bag in garden) in sustained rain whilst the kids slept in the tent nearby... The constant pounding of rain though and in the end I gave up and came inside (after maybe 3 hours of trying to combat the urge)...

I think I might upgrade to the Snugpac though

[sbcoombs]

I have the Helium and it has some positives and 1 negative.
It is big enough to get a mat in and doesn't take 2 mins to set the hoop and pegs. Being able to have it zipped to net or solid to keep rain out is ideal if you don't want to tarp.
The only down side for me is that when closing with the net, the outer skin sags inside which is quite annoying. I use a plastic tent peg to clip it out of the way.
I still prefer it to other bags just because of the versatility.

[SeannyD]

I’ve the Snugpac stratosphere, good bit of kit and relatively cheap. Can fit my exped synmat inside it, plus my 16 odd stone. Not a fan of bivvy bags that lie on your face, so looked at some hooped ones, settled on the Stratosphere as I like the arrangement of the ventilation and entry/exit is easy for those late night pee breaks. I don’t normally peg it out just put the hoops in and its done. Roll it up with mat and bag inside, Aussie swag style, fits inside my alpkit 20ltr double ended drybag. A bit boil in the bag when it’s warm though.

[Scud]

I don't which it most closely resembles of the current RAB bags, but i have a Rab Superlight, Event fabric, a really decent size and it has a guy point on the top, so you can hold the mouth of the bag open like a hooped one. I am broad shouldered and it means i can roll over in bivvy bag without taking the whole bag with me.

It's not the lighest, but i carry a tarp now if i know specifically its going to rain.

[voodoo_simon]

Same as Scotroutes and more than happy with mine. A bug net would be good but as it’s an alpine bag,I can see why they didn’t include one.

Used mine in rain and snow with a tarp and more than happy with it Shame mine is in a not so stealth yellow

[NorwayCalling]

I have the Helium and it has some positives and 1 negative.
It is big enough to get a mat in and doesn't take 2 mins to set the hoop and pegs. Being able to have it zipped to net or solid to keep rain out is ideal if you don't want to tarp.
The only down side for me is that when closing with the net, the outer skin sags inside which is quite annoying. I use a plastic tent peg to clip it out of the way.
I still prefer it to other bags just because of the versatility.

I too have a Helium... and on last years WRT it was great for looking up at "the plough" constellation which seemed to always be directly over head. However, as it was very still at night (very little in the way of wind) the bag condensated quite a bit, resulting a damp down sleeping bag. You really do need a bit of wind for this bag to work as you would expect. Its very waterproof and works very well, also great as a "quick hours sleep in a bus shelter" type thing.

But for me.... just put up with 150g and get a tent-type-shelter and suffer the increased pack size.

[Bearbonesnorm]

But for me.... just put up with 150g and get a tent-type-shelter and suffer the increased pack size.

I generally lean in this direction - my Gatewood cape weighs about 300g (the new ones are a little less) add a pole / pegs and it's about 350g. I can sit up in it, cook (with care obviously), get changed, lay gear out, etc, etc. 350g is less than most fully waterproof bivvy bags, the packsize of the cape is probably smaller than most and the price similar to something like a Helium or Rab.

[spindicator]

Has anyone ever made their own bivvy? On the face of it it seems insanely easy to anyone that could operate a sewing machine. Get a BA bag maybe to use as template?

[Wild1]

If I had the time, I'd probably have a go!!!

Meanwhile, have also been researching a suitable bivvy - don't want to carry the tent on all expeditions.

The Rab Ascent says its breathable and waterproof + don't mind a bit of extra weight to stay warm and dry - anyone else used one of these?

[middleagedmadness]

Scattamah was in talks with stu before he went back home, talk was of a helium type but with side zips and foot box vents ,from what he explained to me it sounded like a good project especially with the material he was interested in using( some of this may not be factual as ,as per normal both myself and Scott were severely inebriated when he was telling me about it so it may be part or all a figment of my imagination as I spent virtually every b.a.m last year with him and we talked a lot of sh@te)

[Wild1]

[ScotRoutes]

If I had the time, I'd probably have a go!!!

Meanwhile, have also been researching a suitable bivvy - don't want to carry the tent on all expeditions.

The Rab Ascent says its breathable and waterproof + don't mind a bit of extra weight to stay warm and dry - anyone else used one of these?

See above. I like mine for the massive flexibility in use. I'd normally use it with a small tarp over the head end as then I can avoid breathing into the bag at all.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I second what Colin says, Rab Ascent is a very good bag.

You're not wrong Stu, the Aussie and me did discuss a bag / shelter thing but I'm not really sure where we got up to with it.

[Wild1]

Yes saw yr post - was thinking tarp as well to cover wilder weather. What size can u pack the Rab Ascent biv. down to?

[middleagedmadness]

I second what Colin says, Rab Ascent is a very good bag.

You're not wrong Stu, the Aussie and me did discuss a bag / shelter thing but I'm not really sure where we got up to with it.

Neither am I ,at least it was a actual conversation and not one I'd imagined, I dare say he'll be along later and explain where he'd got to I just rember thinking the foot vent was a mint idea as that's where most of the condensation builds up in the helium , can't say about the borah as it won't get its first outing till end of the month but I'd imagine how thin the material and how big the mesh is it will be significantly less

[Bearbonesnorm]

Aye, adding a covered foot vent to any bivvy would be a great idea. The Nemo GoGo would be a fantastic shelter had it had one fitted ... keep thinking about retro-fitting one to mine.

What size can u pack the Rab Ascent biv. down to?

Probably about the size of a 2l plastic milk bottle - give or take.

[middleagedmadness]

The gortex O.R one has one but the bloody bag weighs more than a lot of tents