Reader Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5

I normally try to provide a picture and a link to the description of an item I review. In this case the review comes first.

This is the most exciting single piece of gear I bought this year (and for members there is a discount, although I didn't care because I was looking for a light weight alternative to the traditional tent system).

It is my favorite piece of gear this year, because it opens up the possibility of not using a tent to keep out mosquitos, to control 'ambient' air temps at night, protect from unexpected moisture / precip, and protect my expensive down sleeping bag from damage w/o a groundcloth or tent -- if I take care.

The only other top competitors for the very best gear this year, for me, are the Bushbuddy wood stove, the HS TarpTent/GG Squall Classic, and the BMW Torsolite -- given the criteria or performance and weight ratio.

This is not to say that the TarpTent(s) and Six Moons Design gear, and other quality items are not great -- I am just plain in love with the Bozeman Mountain Works Vapr NANO bivy.

It both opens up new vistas of getting me out 'there' -- because I am carrying less weight -- and confirms that going light IMO is the only way to go.

At less than 5 oz. (4.6 oz. as described in manufactured condition, and 3.6 oz. as described after DR.J's surgeries) at:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/vapr_pertex_quantum_ultralight_bivy_sack_nano.html)

... this NANO bivy will always accompany my down sleeping bag in all conditions, except those where I believe there is no possibility of precip or inclement weather. (I use a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 size regular down bag, which means weather / rain or snow or moisture is an issue because of the down.)

If or when you get one of these bivy bags it will astound you because it is big enough to hold your existing sleeping system and protect it from damage (which by itself makes it worth it), let alone moisture from the outside and temps -- yet it is only 4.6 oz. -- w/o compressing the loft. It fit my "heavy weather" Marmot Never Summer Bag size regular (0 F, and heavy) without restricting loft.

I had real issues with whether it would be worth the money. Those issues are gone because from the moment I saw it and then tried it out it worked -- fit wise, bag wise w/o compressing loft, and warmth wise in the initial tests it increased the warmth.

It will be durable as long as I take care.

The weight reduction and quality means that I can work on giving up my Squall Classic at 1.5 lbs. and go for tarp cover in inclement weather at around 4 - 9 oz., depending on the tarp or use no tarp or tent in fair weather.

So here is a picture of the NANO over my MH Phantom down bag:



Here is a picture at the BPL Gear Shop, web address above:



Here is me after checking it out:

Edited by bdavis on 12/30/2006 00:01:07 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

I have used the Nono Bivy in Arizona for the light showers we can get, plus to add some warmth for my Ghost quilt when the temps drop and to keep the ants and scorpions out. I had not tried a bivy before, but I am converted.

Rating: 5 / 5

Awesome is the only word to describe this piece of equipment. Had I not suffered a broken rib earlier this summer, I would have got to use this item of equipment earlier, but I spent a wonderful weekend in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and this bivy sack is worth every penny. Light, exceedingly well made, spacious, very breathable and with tie downs and a mosquito screen. And it packs down into a very small bundle.