Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Bivy sacks

I want to get a bivy sack suitable for snow camping but haven't used one. What do you use and how do you like it?

I use Black Diamond Bibler tripod bivy, 4 seasons, 42 oz, with Tod-Tex, and free standing. The bivy is light weight, strong, and moisture do not accumulate inside. In stormy night I could still lie on my stomach, or on my back to read a book. REI on-line store has it, and if you don't like it you can still return it.

ThinAirHiker,

Can you post a link to this bivy from the REI web site? I did a search for the particular bivy you listed and came up with a big fat zero. Thanks


hiiker

I, too, was curious, so I gave the REI website a search and also did not find it.

I did, however, find the listing in the Black Diamond website. The bivy looks well-built, but I would like to know how claustrophobic it feels to those who have used it.

Black Diamond Tripod bivy (Bibler was taken over by Black Diamond Equipment)

I have a Bibler Tripod. Its really half way to a tent. Very roomy, very bombproof, but needs to be staked out. Also have a couple of classic bivy bags. They do the job, but not a lot of fun to spend time in if you're not sleeping.

I've been using the Black Diamond Firstlight tent as a one/two man tent. It's nearly the weight of the Bivy with more space and can be set up from the inside out if caught in a winter storm.

Tripod bivy looks good. A friend has the lighter Epic version BD makes and he loves it.

You can also buy minimalist bivy sacks from BD and Montbell that weigh about half a pound. They work well to keep the wind off and the frost from accumulating. Not as good if it rains. I usually use one on my bag when sleeping in a mid shelter.

How about a tent? As well as the Firstlight mentioned above BD makes a one man tent that weighs less than the Tripod bivy. Why dump your pack in the snow and lay on your stomach in a small sack when you bring in your pack, boots, and sit up and fire up a hot brew?

If the goal is to sleep out under the stars and it's a nice night you don't need a bivy sack.

To Hiiker, enf:

The link to REI is
http://www.rei.com/search?query=bivy

REI item # 670741
The trick in searching at REI online store: Enter a very general term. In this case enter "bivy" and you get a list of the bivy tents. Alway try to buy it at REI because their return policy is great, and as member you get some additional discount.

Hope this help.

I agree with Dwade. Check out the singel wall BD tents ie. firstlight. Unless your doing a wall looking at camping on small ledges I rearly take out my bivy sack anymore. The tents do not pass fire standards in CA and some other states. If you need one you might have to send it to someone else. Then have them send it to you.

The lightweight single wall tent option hadn't even occurred to me, but now that I've researched it, it sounds terrific. The BD Firstlight looks quite good. Another highly rated tent is the Integral Designs MK1Lite; made with eVENT (more waterproof/breathable than Epic), same dimensions & setup as the Firstlight, but about a pound heavier. Apparently it was originally designed for a K2 expedition. Main drawback is price: $500-550 at most dealers, although prolitegear.com currently has it on sale for $440.

Agreed with the above and another vote for the Firstlight. Here it is at 15K' on Elbrus, Russia. It did well in moderate wind/snow/rain. I have the OR Advanced Bivy which I have not used in a couple of years. I've used it in a minor snowstorm/blizzard before and it did well.

Guess the MK1Lite is no longer available (damn California fire regs). Similar tent to this & the Firstlight is the Bibler I-Tent; it's made of ToddTex, stronger, more water- and wind-proof than the Firstlight, otherwise same design. More pricey (~$550).

Bumping this great thread --- hoping others might have some input. Thanks All!

Another great option is the Big Agnes 3-wire Bivy, which uses eVent fabric. Haven't used it in winter, but it has performed great for spring/summer outings. Great product, but I wouldn't pay the MSRP of $300. Was fortunate to find mine on ebay for $125.

SoCal, the I-tent is a real tent and it weighs like one too, approaching 4 lbs if I remember correctly. The BD lightweight models are a bit fragile. Not that they'll fail you outright but the durability factor is lower. I've put a hole in mine just setting it up once when the pole end slipped free for a few moments and another friend cracked one of the poles while assembling his.

A woman I know who more or less lives in hers told me it wore out pretty fast due to lots of little holes and zipper failure. The doors open so that they lay in the dirt and this no doubt affects zipper longevity. But she did go right out and get another one.

There's also some concern about the Epic fabric wetting through in really severe rain. If you're snow camping that's not an issue though.

That said they're great tents for what they're good at.

EP makes some good points.

The fabric is thin and not as waterproof as most of the bivy sack out there.
Must be carfull setting up and taking down the tent. Don't hit it with your shovel blade when tring to dig it out.
Harder to camp on a hard derable surface if used in the summer......This IS what WE want to do! LNT!
There is a lot more space to heat up. YOU may get 5 degrees of warmth with a bivy.
The tent will have better ventilation=less condinsation(if you remember to open up the door and window slightly befor going to bed.)

After much research & qualms about cost, I ordered a BD Bibler I-Tent. Cons re: Firstlight include questionable rain-resistance, fragility, need to seal seams carefully, shipping to CA. Cons re: I-Tent include 1 lb 10 oz more than Firstlight & cost. I decided I'd rather carry a little more weight & have more flexibility with weather and less worry about durability. Basegear.com lists the tent for $549, but gives you a 20% off coupon making the price $440, considerably cheaper than anyone else. I'll update after I use it; hope I'm happy with it, at that price!