Bivi Bags

[Adrian]

Quick question, and forgive me if I seem a bit dim, but I recently bought an unissued military goretex bivi bag - should I fold and roll it, or shove it into a stuffsac? I ask because I recall reading a view somwhere which said that folding and rolling can damage the goretex over a period of time. The bag is a bit stiff with a central zip. Thanks in advance, and I hope that everyone had a good Christmas. :)

[capacious]

You'll probably find that if you try and stuff it into the provided sack (if there is one) then it won't fit. I've always folding mine and have had it for years and it's still fine. One way of prolonging the life of it, and something you should do anyway is to take it out of the sack when you are at home and leave it loosely rolled/chucked on top of a wardrobe.

Also, I always try to fold it along different folds each time I use it, but this is a bit of an overkill, your bag will last long enough anyway.

So, if I were you I'd fold it and roll it, and ignore anyone who tells you to stuff it - this will just crease it in hundreds of places and it will definitely fall apart all over if that happens!

Hope that helps, Jake.

[Goose]

It is one of those things that people will argue for hours over!
Stuff or fold?
Folding puts creases in the same place every time, so can weaken the material.
Others say they can pack better if folded, I think it is personal choice, depends on my mood as to what I do.
With my bivi bag I usually roll it from the bottom and stuff it in the hood, if you try and stuff it in your bergen it inflates like a balloon and takes ages to go down!

[demographic]

I roll mine up with my kip mat :)

Seems alright so far.

[steven andrews]

I leave my gonk bag in the bivi bag and stuff it into my rucksack.
That way my sleeping bag is waterproofed in the rucksack and it is ready to jump into when you make camp.

[Ahjno]

I leave my gonk bag in the bivi bag and stuff it into my rucksack.
That way my sleeping bag is waterproofed in the rucksack and it is ready to jump into when you make camp.

Me too!


With my bivi bag I usually roll it from the bottom and stuff it in the hood, if you try and stuff it in your bergen it inflates like a balloon and takes ages to go down!

Try to put in the foot end bit in first, and than stuff the rest of you bivi (with or without sleepingbag). In this way you don't trap the air, 'cause it can escape through the open head end ;)
In this way I can pack my bivi / sleepingbag combo in the lower compartment of my rucksack within 2 minutes.

When not in use I store my bivi rolled up in the wardrobe, or simply stuffed in my rucksack (I simply can't be bothered to fold it up everytime ...).

[Adrian]

Thanks lads, I appreciate the help - now to get out and use it! HAve a great new year :)