hey guys, i love versatility, and i was thinking about how to make a bivy sack more versitle, i mean heck you only use it for sleeping on the ground. so i was thinking, what would it take to make a bivy that would be able to protect you under a tarp on the ground , and yet when the urge arrises or campsites are sub par, you could hang it like a hammock. mind you ive only slept in a backyard rope hammock, so im curious if this would work. just picture a square peice of waterproof fabric about 30- 35" wide and i dunno 100" long. at both narrow ends (30/35" wide ends) have a nylon sleeve to hold 1 trekking pole in each sleeve. (acting like spread bars/attachment points) and then attach some rope to the trekking poles. i currently weigh 150 pounds, and im 6 feet tall. my trekking poles are pretty sturdy carbon fiber poles, and since they dont need to extend much to reach 35" i think they will be sturdy enough. for the top of the bivy, just have some light weight 1.1 oz dwr and a vent in the footbox. have a generious proportion zipper for venting/ease of entry, and a no-seeum area for the face. what kind of fabric would everyone recomend for the bottom? seatle fabrics has some 70 denier 1.9 oz silynlon with a tear strength of 16-18 pounds, would this be strong enough? anyway, just wanted to see peoples thoughts before i spend some time and money, but if it does work... could be mighty comfortable for an AT thru-hike.
thanks!
mike!

good idea, got me thinking

one problem, a non breathable hammock will be a problem. your underside will get soaked with condensation, but mabey you could have a silnylon floor, and a removable silk top for your bivy. and you could rig up just the silk top as a hammock and leave the removed floor in your pack.
this is just my first idea, I will come up with something better, I promise. your idea is good, and with a little thought we could come up with something that works.

Bill F,
what do you think. I know you could come up with something

Edited by ryanf on 02/16/2006 16:22:38 MST.

I think Dennis has hacked into the secret part of my computer. For several years I have talked about my floating bivy. If you look at one of the Army's old Jungle Hammocks (1968 or so) ( I have 2 of them) you will see were I am going and they are close family to what Dennis is thinking about.

On my Hyper-Light gear list I have it listed. My prototype is in pieces waiting for its turn on the sewing machine. If all works out it will be super light and the bottom will be Cuben fiber. It will have removable Storm Shields/bug net that can be used for blowing rain or snow and in warmer weather for bugs. This will be integrated into my Sleep System with a Summer version (light pad or Air Mattress/Top Quilt) and a Winter version (DAM/Top Quilt). I will cover the floating bivy with a very light Cuben Tarp. It will use a section of my trekking poles on each end to keep the floating part more or less flat.

Ryan, ya i was thinking about the sweat problem, and im deffinitly going to try and eliminate any sil-nylon any place but the bottom and have good ventilation.

Bill, well well well it looks like we've got ourselfs a race to the sewing machines.... go! (just kidding) yeah you know your right about the jungle hammock, never thought of it, but thats simular to the bottom i was thinking of. just curious, do you know the tear strength of your cuben? i like the idea with the storm shields/bug netting. also, you said your going to use a section of your trekking poles at the ends, are you going to disassemble your trekking poles? or did i just misread?
thanks!
mike!

Hi Mike,
1 - Cuben tear strenght? HaHa only the "Shadow" knows that answer. The answer is YES, The fiber in the Cuben material is carbon and or spectra or both make it very strong. I just have to determine which Cuben Product gives me the strength I need at the lightest weight.

2 - My Home-Made Trekking Poles come apart easy and can be used for several other things in camp. I try to make everything multi-use. My current Trekking Poles are 50" long and can be made to come apart in 2 or 3 pieces that added together make 50".

Edited by bfornshell on 02/17/2006 07:12:36 MST.