Triad Camping

2 September 2009

Be Privy To The Bivy

Posted by Terry under: backpacking; gear .

If you’re not privy to the bivy, or just don’t know what one is, then stay tuned for the following: We are going to tell you everything you ever and never wanted to know about bivy style camping. First off, this article is intended for those campers, hikers, backpackers and cyclist who don’t mind shedding some comforts in favor of a tent’s weight. If you hit the backcountry for days on end, plan on taking to the trail at full speed or just want to lighten your load, then being privy to the bivy may change the way you think about long distance outings. If you cut the borders out of your map, if you burn the pages of the book for kindling or weigh your food pre-departure, then you’ve really missed out on ultra-weightlessness if you’ve never used a bivy.

 

A quick sample of what a bivy is and can be is quite easy to understand. A bivy sack is used for those who require speed and short stays. If you’ll be hiking in one consistent season and won’t be on the trail for months on end, then a bivy sack gives reliable protection from the mosquitoes and elements. If you’ve got a mountain to conquer, then weight is important, and the bivy sack gives little room but provides lots of protection.

 

A bivy shelter, on the other hand, is good for those going over longer distances for longer periods of time. These weigh more than a bivy sack but give more room, which helps if you like to hold a book above your head to read. If you’re not a claustrophobic, then spending the night with mesh over head (mere inches) won’t bother you at all. These are fine as long as there will be no torrential downpours.

 

The last category of bivy camping is the compact bivy tent. If you’re the type that needs more room and doesn’t mind the extra weight—if 5lbs and 10lbs means the same to you, as you’ll only go 8 miles per day anyway—then by all means carry an extra pound or two. These tents are spacious, even roomy compared to the former two, and offer protection from more elements than dewy mornings.

 

Though there are a variety of bivy shelters, they all share some similarities in manufacturing and design. The floor of the tent, with footprint included, is made of a nylon material, very similar to normal tent designs. These are great for keeping out critters and keeping in a little heat. The other top section of the tent includes Gortex or other nylon fabrics. The material used today keeps the tent from ripping—it’s near impossible to rip a hole bigger. These keep the tent breathable, stick proof and offers reliable protection from Mother Nature’s elements.

 

Whether or not you choose to use a bivy shelter or not depends on how intimate you’d like to get with nature. If you don’t mind an under-the-stars experience, then by all means go bivy. If you like the idea of a solid roof over your head along with a feeling of indoor isolation, a bivy may not be for you. If you’re car camping, for example, a bivy might be a foolish choice as you’ll have no room to play with all the toys you bring along. Bivy tents are for those going on much longer treks, where weight is important and pertinent to gaining daily mileage. If the weather is going to be anything but perfect for the time of year, then you may want to pack properly and a bivy only keeps nice weather out. If the times are going to be rough, be privy to another tent and not the bivy.  

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