I am planning on starting my SoBo hike early July of this year. I am still debating what “tent” I want to use. I have found that most tents are relativly heavy and that using a bivy sack and bug bivy would be much lighter. Has anyone tried this method of using a bivy sack under a bug bivy…? I figured that for the hot nights I’d sleep on top of the bivy but under the bug bivy. Will this work…does anyone know…?
Thanks guys and gals,
~sETH
Seth
Can’t help you with the bug bivy part, but if u haven’t already gotten a Bivy, look long and hard at Bibler. The Bipod rules and Todd-Tex, the fabric it is made of is sweet, almost worth a kidney.
BennytheBull
In my opinion there are two problems with bivys. One, if you produce a lot of heat,some people do, some don’t condensation is a big concern. Second, they can make you claustraphobic. If you do not produce a lot of heat and do not get claustraphobic they are the best shelter (although Hammock people would firmly disagree).
Blue Jay
A big problem is keeping gear dry while changing from a hiker to a camper during heavy rain. Since you’ll be on the AT a shelter is usually in range and even a full shelter offers a dry place to change. Another solution is to carry a small tarp or use a poncho to rig over the bivi while making the transition. Many bivys have mosquito netting built in. This feature is almost useless since the nights when the bugs are the worst it’s just too hot to be inside a bivi. Your bug bivi should work excellently on hot nights. You will still need over head protection if it rains. Maybe Jardine’s idea is best. Get a slightly larger tarp and forget the bivi??
Tin Cup
Try using a bug bivy with a Sil shelter or a sil nylon tarp. Then you have bug protection and a really light weight shelter. I have a bivy but it weighs about 2.5 pounds which is a lot to carry but my sil shelter weighs about a 1 lb. and my Sil tarp weighs even less.
Darth pacman
I was plannin on using a pack cover to keep my gear dry. As for changing clothing and what not in the rain I think I’ll be able to mannage inside the sleeping bag. In terms of the overhead protection, the bivy I’m loooking at (Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy) has a single pole over the head that can zip closed enough to allow air in but at such an angle that the water can’t. I still don’t know if this will work…does anyone else have any ideas…?
~sETH
Seth
Hello again Seth, I have yet to find a pack cover that keeps things dry in a heavy rain. I use a trash compactor bag inside the pack and make sure the top is folded over so no water can leak into it. Compactor bags are made with thicker plastic and will last a long time. A poncho also works well to keep you and the pack resonably dry in a down pour. Some folks do not like ponchos in windy conditions. I’ve found in those instances of rain and wind it is best to place the pack over the poncho. This keeps things secure and helps retain body heat quite nicely. Yes, the pack gets wet but the contents are dry inside the compactor bag. As for changing inside the sleeping bag, you best try it before you start the hike. It is not easy. The best I can hope for is to get out of wet clothes into a dry bag and prepare to get back into wet clothes the next morning. It’s okay, you’ll warm up shortly after you start walking. Hope this helps a little, enjoy your hike. Tin Cup
Tin Cup
My only concern with using a tent is the following. Lets say I get to a camp and want to use the shelter. Well I don’t want to be bothered by bugs so I’ll have to set this tent up. I was looking at the MSR Zoid. First, I don’t know if this is free standing and second I’m going to take up half the shelter w/ my tent. With a bug bivy I’ll take up no more room than normal. Again I am tempted to use a tent because as someone mentioned before it’s going to be nicer to cook and change in a little bigger space. Maybe I bring the tent and the bug bivy…this seems like over kill to me, but it also covers all grounds. Thank you all for your responses so far it is really helping. So, what do you all think about this dilema…?
Thanks,
~sETH
Seth
Seth, I (and, in fact, most of us on trailforums) struggled with the same issue.
My 2 cents: don’t plan on setting up a tent in the shelters. Or a bivy, for that matter. If you’re going to use the shelters, plan on not having much extra space (they’re kinda crammed at times). Spread some no-see-um netting over your torso for the bugs.
If you’re planning to stay at shelters most of the time, go with a good bivy or hammock that allows you to open up to mesh for the nice nights.
Bring a full tent if you’re going to spend more than 1/2 your nights out of shelters.
Bachelor
The only concern that I have again is in the event of a hard rain storm where will I cook…? What I’m thinkng is that I’m going to bring a tent and also a piece of the No-Seems netting to use on the buggy shelter nights. Yes in fact that’s what I’m going to do!!! Thank you all for helping me decide what to do. I really appreciate all your feedback and obviously it has been worth while seeing that I solved my problem.
Thanks,
~sETH
Seth
Start with what you are most comfortable. You will change your ideas about your gear once to start hiking. The best lab for testing new gear ideas is the trail because you use them day after day not just a few days at a time.
Darth pacman