Fell in love with bivying after one night in a Trespass hooped bivy.
Looking at an upgrade between a Outdoor Research Helium and a Terra Nova Jupiter (old version).
Any recomendations or alternatives.
Got a DD magic carpet as recommended on here to go with bivy. Planning year round stealth one nighters with it on my bike.

Hey there!!


I'm a big fan of my Alpkit Kloke. Fits 6ft 1 of me in reflectively well and is nice and waterproof. Not had in a massive downpour yet though. Just morning dew :)

https://alpkit.com/products/kloke

I have a Jupiter and am well impressed with it. it has survived a couple of heinous nights on Dartmoor and does not suffer badly from condensation.

Like EscapeGoat. The Alpkit Koke is brilliant.
I've used it 3 times this year and 3 times it's pi$$ed it down most of the night and I stayed perfectly dry.
Just remember to have a 6" gap open throughout the night which faces away from the wind

Both the OR and TN are good bags. My experience of the materials (rather than the bags) is that the TN will most likely breathe better. Rab Ridge Raider is also another very good option. That's eVent so again, will breathe very well.

Ooh, just thought - the OEX Salamander might also be worthy of a look. It appears fairly large (thus perhaps 200g heavier) than a TN but and for me, it's a big but - it features a proper vent at the foot end. That's something I've wished manufacturers would do for a long time.

Welcome buddy , had a helium for a couple of years and loved it plenty of room inside with your mat in there to be able to slide out of you riding gear (and I’m quite a stout lad) . Couldn’t get on with a hunka xl with my mat inside just found it too constricted, so haven’t bothered to try a Kloke as it’s a bit smaller on paper
Only sold the helium as Stu was raving about his gate wood cape , so got rid of the helium and now use a borah bag(loads of room ) with a gate wood , and find it’s much better than just using the helium plus the 2 combined weigh quite a bit less and pack up a lot smaller

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:01 am Both the OR and TN are good bags. My experience of the materials (rather than the bags) is that the TN will most likely breath better. Rab Ridge Raider is also another very good option. That's eVent so again, will breath very well.

Breathe man, breathe.

Sorry Bridget - amended

I've got an OR Helium, and it does get some condensation, but it is lightweight.

I had a Ridge Raider and that didn't suffer from condensation but it weighed as much as a tent.

Alpkit Elan here. Recommend by me

If you're thinking that there's oh so much choice, there is. But in the grand scheme of things there's a lot of good product out there and you can pretty much take all of these suggestions and choose based on your budget. I'm sure you'll be happy with your purchase.

Gpl23 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:07 pm Fell in love with bivying after one night in a Trespass hooped bivy.
Looking at an upgrade between a Outdoor Research Helium and a Terra Nova Jupiter (old version).
Any recomendations or alternatives.
Got a DD magic carpet as recommended on here to go with bivy. Planning year round stealth one nighters with it on my bike.

It's only been one night, you wouldn't get engaged after one date with someone would you? (That analogy started off waaaaaaaaayy ruder than before the editing)

Stay with the Trespass for now, note what sort of bivvying you do, how you sleep, would you feel better in another hooped bag, no hoop, in a hammock. Get used to the experience first.

If it is only ever going to be one night at a go , you probably don't need too much high end kit go with what you have, spend the money on something else, there will be no end to the tat you will find to buy

It's only been one night, you wouldn't get engaged after one date with someone would you? (That analogy started off waaaaaaaaayy ruder than before the editing)

Stay with the Trespass for now, note what sort of bivvying you do, how you sleep, would you feel better in another hooped bag, no hoop, in a hammock. Get used to the experience first.

That is a valid point but having spent nights in some cheap and truly horrible 'damp coffins', I wonder whether continued use of the Trespass could be enough to put someone off for life. I've slept in some shelters the once and no amount of money would get me to spend a second night in them.

Thanks for all the replies. What im hearing a lot is that a normal bivy and tarp are the way to go. My head agrees with this so im adjusting my sights onto a tarp and bivi. Probably an Alpkit Kloke and smallish tarp for some overhead cover.

Kloke is a good bet but I've also had lots of very pleasant nights inside a Hunka XL.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:17 am

It's only been one night, you wouldn't get engaged after one date with someone would you? (That analogy started off waaaaaaaaayy ruder than before the editing)

Stay with the Trespass for now, note what sort of bivvying you do, how you sleep, would you feel better in another hooped bag, no hoop, in a hammock. Get used to the experience first.

That is a valid point but having spent nights in some cheap and truly horrible 'damp coffins', I wonder whether continued use of the Trespass could be enough to put someone off for life. I've slept in some shelters the once and no amount of money would get me to spend a second night in them.

A bit like your bivvi experiences, I've spent some dates with women I shouldn't have gone back to, but they always turned out to be the fun ones that you remember in hindsight

Cheddar Man wrote: ↑Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:49 pm
A bit like your bivvi experiences, I've spent some dates with women I shouldn't have gone back to, but they always turned out to be the fun ones that you remember in hindsight

That too much cheesy information,

ledburner wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 12:00 am

Cheddar Man wrote: ↑Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:49 pm
A bit like your bivvi experiences, I've spent some dates with women I shouldn't have gone back to, but they always turned out to be the fun ones that you remember in hindsight

That too much cheesy information,

I think there is part of the Countryside Code that warns against going back to a used cheesy smelling bivy.

came here looking for reviews of the Alpkit Elan (friend after advice), but saw this:

Ooh, just thought - the OEX Salamander might also be worthy of a look. It appears fairly large (thus perhaps 200g heavier) than a TN but and for me, it's a big but - it features a proper vent at the foot end. That's something I've wished manufacturers would do for a long time.

...and see that they are now less than half price at Millets, using the SAVE15 code.

Or £93 on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/16039564769

Has anyone used the Katabatic ones ? I'm quite fancying one

Has anyone used the Katabatic ones ? I'm quite fancying one

No but I spotted them the other day and thought they looked nice in a Borah kind of way.

I was looking at tha Borah ones but they're out of stock with a lengthy lead time,
Outdoorline have the Katabatic ones in stock....very tempted

I ordered a Borah Gear one. Took 15 weeks from order to delivery, but we'll worth it