~"But why the bivy? And why a completely waterproof bivy that will give you condensation in humid conditions?

I don't have a Trailstar, but I thought they are pretty storm proof?"

Maybe the Trailstar is stormproof on a perfectly flat dirt driveway elevated above the floodplain with good drainage. I don't doubt it, actually. In real life, though, my campsite could be at a 20º angle, or it could be rocky and uneven, or it could be in a bit of a puddle. You never know. The bivy is supposed to act like a backup to the tarp for spindrift, wet ground, and the worst-case scenario of a torn tarp.

That's maybe 20% of the reason I picked e-Vent over DWR, too. If I'm gonna use a bivy as a backup, it might as well actually function as one.

By all accounts, e-Vent is pretty good. If they all have condensation, I'll get something that has close-to-least.


Edit: I answered your question anyways. :)

Edited by mdilthey on 03/07/2013 15:09:43 MST.

If I was going on a snow hole trip and was not 100% sure of the snow conditions I would bring a Trailstar and event Bivy,

Also it gives an option to sleep any where if the Trailstar could not be pitched for some reason.

~"if the Trailstar could not be pitched for some reason."

Is "I like to live dangerously" enough of a reason?

Fun in the Woods...

Above treeline is way better than the woods :-)

"By all accounts, e-Vent is pretty good."

Yep. It's still the best membrane when it comes to breathability. It has some drawbacks too (like not reacting well to oil and fat) but they are really not important for bivies. If you want to know more: http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/rainwear-how-it-works.html (I do hope such links are okay here).

For the people who use the full eVent bivies: Do you get trouble on wet ground with water pressing through? From all I've heard you get high pressure spots quite easy if you lie on it on wet uneven ground. That's why I would use a bivy that has a simple PU bathtub floor, but that might be pure paranoia and too much theory.

As previously recommended, I looked at the Rab bivies to see if they should be considered along side the Integral Designs Alpine Bivy and the Uber Bivy. From what I can tell, the Rab Alpine Bivi is a rebranded Integral Designs Alpine Bivy. Maybe someone can confirm?

Max, it looks like you ruled out the Uber bivy. Do you want to share some of the elements that contributed to this decision?

Finally, to restate in case any "bivy haters" ( hehehe, you know who you are.. ) decide to jump in.

The purpose is to look for a bivy that is:

water-tight in a surprise storm where a tarp and tent are difficult to pitch properly
bug proof
as breathable as possible

Of course correct me if ...

sincerely,

-daniel-

Thanks for your input Daniel!

I haven't ruled out the Uber Bivy. However, I feel like it might be a bivy for a different camper.

1) It's HUGE! I don't need that much space.
2) David Miles is excellent to work with, but I wouldn't want to flood him with a custom order unless my needs were already close to his original design.
3) The materials aren't exactly what I've come to look for after advice in this thread and PM's.

So, I might opt for it since it's so affordable and well designed, but if I can spend 3x as much for something perfect, I might shoot for perfect. I plan to use this bivy for the next several years, after all.

Just go with what your heart says buddy.

>Maybe the Trailstar is stormproof on a perfectly flat dirt driveway elevated above the floodplain with good drainage. I don't doubt it, actually. In real life, though, my campsite could be at a 20º angle, or it could be rocky and uneven, or it could be in a bit of a puddle. You never know. The bivy is supposed to act like a backup to the tarp for spindrift, wet ground, and the worst-case scenario of a torn tarp.
-----------------------------

Max, FWIW, the Trailstar is very versatile with its pitching options. It's also one of the most storm-worthy shelters on the market, besides the big beefy tents. Uneven, rocky, and brush-filled terrain, to an extent, are workable with the Trailstar.

It's main drawback is its large footprint, so if you found yourself in locations where there really was no real estate to set down on, you'd have a little issue.

But a more storm-worthy and adaptable tarp you won't find.

MLD used to sell this one but doesn't anymore. It has a cuben bottom and either M50 or M90 top. You can't see the ice crystals on the white cuben but you can on the black fabric. This was at temps in the high teens. Ice also accumulated on the threads that came through to the outside of the baffle stitching on the 15 degree Katabatic quilt I was using. I can see where VBL would have been useful here.

Hi Marc,

I don't mean to pry, but were you happy with your night in the Lite Soul Bivy? Did you stay warm enough?

Sincerely,

-daniel-

My Emergency Bivy is a great backup for if the tarp fails. Same performance fabrics, and able to handle the storm all night long. Downside is not enough room to get dressed in (for me) and not netting (but you could keep the bugs out). 11 oz with stuff sack.

Something that size with some netting might be what you are looking for. The hoops are overkill if you are under a tarp. You know the Uber will work without the poles. However 2 poles = 4.5 oz and unless you are the princess and the pea, you will have a hard time feeling that difference in your pack. They do add so much comfort that I can't leave them behind.

By the way, the quick video I added of the setup and packing of the Uber Bivy might help get a feel for the Uber Bivy size, and me :)

Edited by davidmiles on 03/08/2013 00:15:31 MST.

One recurring problem with the Uber Bivy. After a long day of hiking the comfort has been known to cause rapid sleep onset (RSO) in less than the 1.5-2 minute setup time. A little daily humor from our trip last summer.

Laziness is why I cowboy camp 90% of the time.

Daniel,
if I remember correctly Rab bought Integral Designs hence the similarities and also why the all event bivy is now no longer available from ID. The Rab Ascent and Sierra bivys are the closest options.

Terra Nova uses the Gore-Tex FLO2 which is supposedly a eVent clone in their Titan bivy too.

Here is Craig's comments on using the Emergency Bivy. Great addition for a quilt.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=6791

I have had ice like that in my bivy quite a few times and didn't consider it a problem. My sleeping bag never got wet beyond some ice or a few drops of water that could be brushed off. It may help that my sleeping bag has a DWR shell.

Dave,

Do you "soften" the tyvek of your bivies as I have seen recommended for creating a MYOG tyvek ground cloth? I was testing a sheet of tyvek I had softened in the washing machine for water-resistance under my sleeping bag with a traditional tarp for cover, and it wasn't good. I also tried to use the same tyvek as a tarp and switched it so that I had a traditional ground cloth, and it wasn't good either. Both setups leaked water. Tyvek on the ground developed little puddles all over it. And Tyvek on the top developed many little dripping spots by morning. Conditions? Since I was testing for water resistance, both test were at approx 45 deg F, in the Fall, with a constant light rain. I suspect the humidity was around 60% at night around 90% in the day. Think rainforest :)

After reviewing the results of my non-scientific test, I suspected that the leak-i-ness could have been caused by the process of washing the tyvek to make it "soft". I'm thinking from the pictures of your uber and emergency bivies that they have not been "softened", and thus may be more water tight.

While I'm here I'd like to repeat my comment that the miles-gear uber-bivy is my current favorite hooped bivy. I'd like to +1 Ian's idea to add a loop to the hood for the option to attach to a tree instead of using the hoop. Then the only special request I'd make is to sew in a double layer tyvek floor instead of using a separate tyvek ground cloth. Maybe this would be the Uber-Uber bivy?

Sincerely,

-daniel-

Edited by daniel@fishfamilypdx.com on 03/08/2013 11:03:40 MST.

Daniel,

Putting Tyvek in the washing machine damages and ages the fabric. My "softening" consists crumpling it by hand and then smoothing out by hand. I don't like Tyvek tarps because of the noise. Shaking the Tyvek goundsheet out and throwing the bivy down might be a little noisy, but once you are laying on it, it's not an issue. I've done some abuse studies on some Tyvek items to build my confidence in using it. As a mountain rescue volunteer, I'm determined to put out products that can be depended on in very bad situations.

I have added tie-loops on the top for some mountain bikers who did not want to pack the poles. The poles are 2.2 oz each and REALLY add to the functionality.

Better than sewing the double floor, you could just attach one with a few adhesive velcro tabs. My Uber Bivy has 25 nights and still waterproof and almost now wear.

You won't be disappointed after a night in the Uber Bivy :)

The velcro is a great idea!

I agree about the hoop. It really sets your bivy apart.

-daniel-