right now i usually carry an integral designs silponcho in my daypack for hiking. its lightweight and i can use it as poncho, rain/sun shelter. i've been thinking of getting a lightweight bivy for camping without a tent on overnight trips but also to carry on day hikes as a "just in case" sleeping shelter. i mean, even though i could carry two large trash bags to use as an emergency shelter, i'm sure if i had to i'd much rather sleep in a waterproof bivy (with a mesh insect screen). question is, would that be too much? the size is about 6 X 10 inches and weight is almost a pound. (15 x 25 cm) (.4 kilos)
i mean, is carrying a bivy for dayhikes overkill? especailly since you hope to not have to use it?
here's the bivy:
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductD...vcat=REI_SEARCH

IMO, Yes, overkill, unless the conditions warrant it

I've always wanted a bivy too, i thought it would be a good emergency or ultralight shelter. I ended up getting an OR gore tex bivy, similar to that one, and have never used it, and probably never will. It's really too much weight to carry around "just in case" something happens. the only reason I would want to carry it is if there was a very high probability that I'll be needing a shelter. At that point I would much rather have a small tent. They're probably really good for what they were designed for, an emergency shelter when you need to travel extremely light in adverse conditions, like summiting a mountain. But for me, I think it's too big and heavy to really be an emergency shelter in regular conditions, and too small and specialized to really be used as a regular camping shelter. So I guess it's either too much, or not enough, depending on how you look at it.

I just finished making a silnylon poncho based on the ID one that you have. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I think it's just much more versitile than a bivy. How do you like yours?

What temprature is this bivy rated for?

I have to agree with you.

I bring a large tarp, 4' x 8' I think... It has grommets all around it's edges and would make a great shelter. It's blue on one side and reflective on the other. You probably can find this in the camping aisle of any decent retail store.

It's flatter although longer than the emergency bivy, but you'll use it more (to lay down on the ground, etc.)

hey Bee,

Do you mean the MPI Outdoors All Weather Blanket?

MEC

It looks like I'm getting all the little "gadgets" from that stores. Last time I visited them, I bought for 60$ of 5-10$ small items and I have plenty of others to buy...

Frankie

lazermonkey,
its not really rated for any cool temp. pretty much just an waterproof shell for a sleeping bag or for use without one in warm weather.

ducktapeguy,

you made your own silicone impregnated tarp? thats awesome. how? was it difficult? so far, i'm very happy with the silponcho. but i'm also used to thicker, heavier ponchos so it feels a little delicate to me but its supposed to be quite durable. that doesn't mean i'm going to go scraping it against sharp rocks or anything just to test it.


yeah, you guys are right. i mean, a little more weight (and more money) and you can have a ultralight solo tent. if i do buy a bivy i'll just use it for a sleeping bag cover on overnighters so i don't have to pack a tent. but i'm sure that within a few years or so they'll have element proof sleeping bags that pack smaller than a bivy and weigh less than a pound. i'll just wait till then. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Sorry chaps, have to disagree with you there. A lightweight bivvy bag is very much worth having with you. By lightweight I mean something like the Rab Survival Zone which is made of pertex and weighs next to nothing. It's the bag of choice in the British climbing community. Keeps your sleeping bag dry and can be used in a pinch as an emergency shelter bag.

I usually carry a US GI woodland camo poncho along with an Adventure Medical ThermoLite Single Bivy (8 oz) in my daypack. Between the two, I would be able to create a snug three-season bivouac. Also, when backpacking I carry an Adventure Medical Kits Mylar Emergency Sleeping Bag (2.5 oz), just in case something happens to my down bag. While Southern California is not known for its many mountain ranges, they tend to be very rugged. Several times a year there are stories in the news of lost or injured hikes being stranded for a night or two before our excellent EMS services can locate and extract the errant hiker. Therefore, in answer to your question carrying a poncho and Bivy Bag of some sort are not over overkill in the least. My day hiking and backpacking kit are always together and serve as the basis for my earthquake disaster supplies.

That's the one, Frankie!

Seems there are a few manufacturers of those... all very similar though.

I always have one of these in my backpacks.

I don't think there's a right answer for this, it really depends on your particular situation, where you live, how often you go out, what are your chances actually needing one, etc. In some circumstances, it could be an absolute necessity, in others, it's just a extra weight.

In my case, I don't really have to worry about really extreme cold or a lot of rain, so not having a bivy would not be a life or death situation, it's more of a comfort/discomfort issue. I guess I'm lucky, I can sacrifice comfort for weight. But your situation could be different. You just have to decide whether it worth the weight to carry it around and probably never use. Just think, for the same weight of the bivy, you could be carrying an ultralight down sleeping bag (1 lb) + a couple of trash bags, which I think would be a much better combo. Of course, for a few ounces more, you could have a sleeping bag/bivy combo, or for another few ounces, a small tent, it never ends. At some point, all this stuff stops becoming emergency gear and you're just carrying luxury items to make you more comfortable.

LED,
My poncho isn't that awesome, it's my first time sewing, so it actually looks like a kitten swallowed a ball of thread and threw up on it. I was looking for something that would replace my bivy for an emergency shelter when hiking, and the silponcho looked perfect. Plus it was basically a big rectangle, so I figured it would be an easy thing to sew, there are a lot of plans on the internet. It came out alright, it's functional, so I'm happy with it. I haven't had a chance to try it outdoors yet, so I might still need to modify it. I'm going to see if it works as a vapor barrier liner in case I need to extend the range of my sleeping bag.

WildWeasel,

How do you like the thermolite bivy? I was looking at getting one of those, but I really wasn't sure whether that would be any better than a plastic bag or tarp.

I'd have to go along with you Leigh, although, I prefer a Hennessy Hammock to a bivy, I like being up off the ground if it's gonna rain much more than a short shower, and unless it's really cold, it's a lot more comfortable being a couple of feet off the ground, as opposed to on it.

Troy

i'm in SoCal too and weather wise it can be fairly unpredictable. but one thing is certain no matter what time of year it is always cold or pretty cool at night. i also go all over the place, yosemite, mojave, etc etc at all times of the year. so basically i do want something that insulates and a regular lightweight bivy ain't gonna do that much good. so now i'm back to looking at survival bivy/bags. i was considering the LAND/Shark survival bag but its a bit heavy. so far, the adventure medical kit emergency bivy is pretty lightweight and cheap @$20.00 so it looks pretty good. but that Land/Shark bag is a really good survival bag and only about 20 bucks more. anyone ever use the land/shark?
http://www.land-shark.com/

I hope you just bought that bivy.....they were on sale this past week for $59. I got one and am not sure if I will return it or not. I am thinking the bivy would make a good sleeping bag cover in cold weather (in addition to a tent) and an excellent emergency shelter when paired with a silnylon poncho and perhaps an Adventure Medical bivy sack.

Give me both. Put the bivy in the hammock, and any bag you need in the bivvy. Gets you off the ground, keeps the wind and moisture out, and keeps you warm. You need a wind break if it's cold, but that's no biggy.

Although if I have to pick what to carry for space and weight, in most cases I'll bring a tarp and a few 55 gallon bags rather than the bivy and the tarp.

So you started off with silicon impregnated material?

And I was looking forward to learning how that works.

LED,
No, a bivy sack isn't overkill if you are hiking in an enviroment that warrent's it. I love my Mountain Hardware Conduit SL bivy sack. I have used my bivy in some pretty bad conditions with and without a sleeping bag. I don't carry it in the summer in AZ, but in the winter it adds 10+ degrees to my bag.

I am also a fan of the hammock, especially in thr summer... In the winter hammocks can be way too cold, even with a bivy sack.

For all those people who use a bivy, I'm kinda curious, under what conditions do you carry it? Do you consciously plan on using it (as a primary shelter in lieu of a tent), or is it an emergency backup shelter for just in case? So do you carry a tent and a bivy, or just the bivy alone? And do you carry it everytime you go out for a hike, even when you don't plan on being out overnight? I'm starting to wonder if I'm overlooking the usefulness of the bivy.

LED,
what part of Socal do you usually hike? I can think of a few places that might require additional protection, but given our mild weather most of the year I've never really worried too much about shelter. If I had to spend an unexpected night out, I'll probalby be cold and miserabe, but I think with a couple of garbage bags and my normal dayhiking gear, I can survive pretty easily.

If you're still interested in a bivy, I'll sell you a brand new one <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />, it's exactly like this in black

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductD...EI_SEARCH#specs

BTW, way before i could afford a bivy, I've used a surplus bodybag as a cheap alternative when campign without a tent. It worked okay, not as nice as a traditional bivy, but hey it was only $10. Just make sure you get a NEW surplus bag. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

ducktapeguy,

interesting use for a body bag. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> i personally would feel kinda weird using one as an emergency bivy thought. of course unless i didn't have anything else.

thanks for the bivy offer but i'm still lookin.

as far as hiking goes, my almost daily hike with the dogs (a necessity for them) includes anywhere in griffith park, pacific palisades, kenter canyon, and lots of other trails i have no idea what the names are. for those hikes i carry a smaller pack mostly with stuff for them, water, bowls, treats, etc. my main day pack is for longer (outskirts of socal) hikes, mt. baldy, mt. san jacinto (hopefully this weekend), and even in the los padres national forest. i'd like to make it out to mojave national preserve but thats a but farther so we'll see.

LED,

It does sound weird, but I just think of it as another cloth bag. The one i used to have didn't really look like a body bag, but very much like an Olive drab bivy sack.

As far as hiking, I used to hike in Griffith park a lot, on the weekly night hikes put on by the Sierra club. I doubt you could get lost there for a long time even if you tried, there are so many people wandering around and you're never more than a mile away from some road or parking lot or freeway. I'll be hiking Baldy this weekend, and probalby San Jacinto and San Gorgonio in the coming months in preparation for Whitney. Those are pretty rugged mountains, but I won't be carrying my bivy. In case of emergency, I'm hoping to stumble across the campsite of a missing hiker and use his stuff <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> j/k. I'm actually trying to convince my friends to carry more stuff, usually on a day hike the only thing they carry is a water bottle <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I generally use my Bivy as my primary shelter for most backpacking trips. I bring a tarp to rig up cover using treking polls if it is needed. A Bivy(an OR like DTGuy list above) is always in my truck kit with a good sleeping bag. I also add my Mountain Hardware Bivy to my SAR kit or my day pack when hiking in the winter and in Northern AZ.