Has anyone every tackled converting (butchering?) a WP/B bivy (like the REI Minimalist Bivy or MHW Conduit SL Bivy) to replace most of the top panel with piece of Quantum or Epic fabric? It wouldn't yield a perfectly breathable bivy, but it seems like it might work.

I'm far away from doing this myself (or even committing to it), but does this seem like an easy task for a newbie?

if you are going to go so far as to replace the top pannel just make it all from scratch. Cheaper than the bivy + new fabric and lighter, no bomber comercial ultra-heavy over-kill fabric, and custom made to your specs.

a little silnylon, a little 1.1oz (or momentum if you have deeper pockets than me) and done bivy, better than a hack job, cheaper and lighter too.

I know these projects are intimidating but trust yourself, you can do it, and if you mess up (you will a little) you can fix it (seam ripper = my new girl friend)

I yell at my seam ripper entirely too much for it to be my new girlfriend. maybe future ex girlfriend though.

If you are a beginning sewer, something like the oware value bivy would be a good design to start with. My roomate has the minimalist and it is certainly not conducive to modification, plus it weighs a ton.

A simple bivy is just a big bag. It is the easiest practical DIY project that you can do - Just one seam around the outside and a drawstring at the top.

Don't bother ripping your own bag - just buy 2m of SilNylon (for example) and 2m of pertex from your local friendly internet store.

You could use your existing bag for a pattern - just measure it and add 1" to the measured width and height to allow for seams.

I've full plans and instructions for MYOG Bivy bag there. The plans are for a luxury version with a hood. I've just bought some pertex to make a hoodless sleeping bag cover.

my relationship with my seam ripper is definitely love/hate. But she fixes all my problems for me, not without the typical amount of "I told you sews" and angry hostility, but she always gets it done.

If you choose the simple stuff sack plan, which is basically what even more complex bivys are at the core. *You might try having the water proof side larger on the sides and bottom, this should give a bathtub once it is all sewn together (you will need to create a gather at the foot so the seams can meet, this will create the bath tubbing) , to keep the seam and the breathable fabric up off the ground a bit, this only needs to be a couple inches, i have seen some where the whole side is waterproof and I think that they have serious sauna potential*. (worlds longest sentence)

Edited by MarshLaw303 on 02/21/2008 15:18:11 MST.

Good advice from everyone. Even after the mod I'd still have a heavy klunker of a bivy; better to make my own. I'm about a year away from tackling the "from scratch" project, but I can't wait. (Hey, my great-grandfather was a tailor...)

if you're capable of tearing off the top and sewing in a new one, you're capable of doing it from scratch. Don't count yourself short. It really is easy, on this project all the seams are hidden so it doesn't matter how crappy you sew.

IF you are worried about wasting expensive fabrics get some $1yd stuff from walmart and try it out. 5 yards should get it done. So for $5 you can test your skills. You may even find some light breathable nylon for that price that would work on the finished project. I guess you may find silnylon too (so i've heard), so in a perfect world a $5 bivy, hmm sounds worth it to me. And if it sux so what you're not gonna cry over $5. Just do it again. if you really doubt your skills but don't want to waste fabric make it extra wide the first time so if you need to cut it all apart (faster than seam ripping, sorry dear)you'll still have enough to do it over.

Edited by MarshLaw303 on 02/21/2008 15:27:45 MST.