Bivvy Bags

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tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
im told that the ones RAB do are good.. but i have no experience and i think you have to have one of their sleeping bags for it to fit!
 

Great Pebble

Settler
Jan 10, 2004
775
2
54
Belfast, Northern Ireland
I heartily approve of the older green issue British ones.
The newer DPM one is supposed to be good also, although I've heard reports that the breathable fabric is not as good quality as the older type. The new ones are marginally larger though.
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Hey,
I've served in the UK armed forces and used the older style OG Bivvie bag, they are a very good bit of kit indeed and can be used without a tarp cover if needed, they do rip but you have to try pretty hard (I've slept onj rocks and stone floors of Bothi's without damage), you can pick them up dead cheap on Ebay and they are well worth the money.
Hope that helps :)
Phil.
 

hootchi

Settler
I was also wondering about the arctic/royal marine bags. they are not breathable, nylon/PVC so do they sweat, but they are quater of the price.

nows a good time for bivvy bags on ebay coz who wants to go bivving in the rain. except us!!
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Lol.....only used the old arctic ones once and that was once to often, they may perform better when actually in the arctic but I used mine on Hankley common in May and was as wet as I would have been sleeping in my shower at home!

Stick to the OG Gortex ones from ebay, you should get one for about £20.

Lets hope we get some proper cold weather this winter!!! Happy camping everyone!

Phil.
 

Adi007

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 3, 2003
4,080
0
hootchi said:
Do the gore tex ones sweat at all. even a drop? I havent used one before and need to hear from someone else.
I've only really had the minimal amount of moisture in my bivvy bags when using them - I've found them to be very good indeed.
 

Gary

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 17, 2003
2,603
2
57
from Essex
Minimal moisture - I'm saying nothing ......... pampers!

Never had a moisture problem with the good old britiah army one though! Cheap, tough and reliable. :pack:
 

Adi007

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 3, 2003
4,080
0
Gary said:
Minimal moisture - I'm saying nothing ......... pampers!

Never had a moisture problem with the good old britiah army one though! Cheap, tough and reliable. :pack:
:rolmao:

Just to clarify, I am talking about the british army bivvy ... the others belong to the kids.
 

jamesdevine

Settler
Dec 22, 2003
823
0
48
Skerries, Co. Dublin
Also I forgot a good book on the subject the The Book of the Bivvy by Ronald Turnbull published by Cicerone Books ISBN 1-85284-342-x is well worth the read even for but of laugh and it's small enought to carry with you all do the author would probable copy the pages you want to safe save weight.

James
 

wentworth

Settler
Aug 16, 2004
573
2
40
Australia
Adi007 said:
If they are the same ones as I had from USMC, they are about 300 g (10 oz).

Are you sure? that would make it... just about the lightest bivvy around (which would be great of course!)
Also, I have a coated nylon floor/goretex upper bivvy. The goretex doesnt get condensation, but the nylon which touches your bag (between the mat and where the goretex starts) gets soaked in sweat.
If you buy a bivvy, make sure at least 60% of it is breathable (so the breathable material curls down to the ground).
 

leon-1

Full Member
I have one of the newer issued bivvy bags, I would like to say nice things about it, but apart from being huge it is not as efficient at transmitting vapour as the old ones.

The newer ones are easier to get in and out of because of the bellows effect on the mouth of the bivvy and it is even larger than the old OG one. They weigh more and are larger to pack though.

The old ones were very basic (no frills), but that goes in its favour, the old principle of KISS was applied very well to it and as they say don't try and fix what's not broke. :wink:

With both bags treat them like any other breathable fabric when washing (use pure soap or an equivalent) and they will serve you well, but the older one really has the edge in my opinion :wave:
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
i think i have the same one as you Leon-1 or one likw it, its a newer one and and its pretty :***: useless when it come to wicking! as well as being huge, it has this bizzar built on stuf sack that is about 80% too big for it (is that feature of all of them?) which i can fit my tarp and sleeping bag in!
 

masongary44

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 6, 2004
127
0
48
Leeds, England
Whatever you go with, dont sleep with your head inside the bag. Regardless of how breathable the fabric is it is not gonna transport the amount of moisture you breath out....!!! and in cold weather it could cause you quite serious problems
 

Adi007

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 3, 2003
4,080
0
masongary44 said:
Whatever you go with, dont sleep with your head inside the bag. Regardless of how breathable the fabric is it is not gonna transport the amount of moisture you breath out....!!! and in cold weather it could cause you quite serious problems
Yeah - no matter how good your fabric, it ain't gonna pump out condensed water - breathable fabrics only transport water vapor.
 

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