View Full Version : Bivy Bags
Hi All
Just watching Ray Mears on Sky and he was talking about a bivy bag he had.
It seemed to have a side opening, possibly with velcro patches to fasten it closed.
Any body got any ideas what it was? I've only ever seen top opening bags and the Dutch Army one which I believe has a diagonal opening.
Cheers,
Andy
BushTucker
09-12-2007, 10:15
I saw the same prog and also wondered, because being a big bodied fella I have a large sleeping bag and most sizes of bivvi are too small, so if it is possible to buy them with side zips and fastenings then its possible to make one to correct size. If you can find a gortex sheet supplier.
Celt_Ginger
09-12-2007, 12:41
Dutch army Bivi bags are like that. Although one with no side opening will ultimately be more waterproof, which you will be glad of on a wet night
irishlostboy
15-12-2007, 21:23
my french army bivy bag has a zip which runs down the side. its got a funky double velcro seal thing over it. its pretty sweet. only once had leakage, when using it for a solid 2 weeks straight, with it tanking down the whole time. just the very base of where the zip wnt leaked very slightly one morning.
what i do though, is i role over so the zip is slightly under me while i sleep. now that i have a thermarest, which i will be puttin into the bivy bag, i may have to rethink my aproach.
Ray Mear's bag was probably a custom made one! and the size of that tarp he has no-one would get wet! I have used a British Army bivvi bag for tha past 16yrs and have never had a problem and I'm 6'2" and 16st. you don't need a zip!
Irishlostboy you would be up S**t creek without a paddle if your bivvibag zip failed/broke!
BushTucker
15-12-2007, 22:16
I have used a British Army bivvi bag for tha past 16yrs and have never had a problem and I'm 6'2" and 16st. you don't need a zip!
Hi Greg, any chance of the size of the bag you use, model number or army issue sort of thing, I have not yet found one to suit me and after being given measurements , I have fount them too narrow for my petite shoulders.
Don
OliveDrabnotDPM
15-12-2007, 22:22
I've seen an instructor from Woodlore with a French Army bag too. It looked great. I looked around for one on the 'net but couldn't get a good price on one.
Just my 2p worth.
Hi Greg, any chance of the size of the bag you use, model number or army issue sort of thing, I have not yet found one to suit me and after being given measurements , I have fount them too narrow for my petite shoulders.
Don
I'll have a look for you in the morning and let you know, Exactly how big are you?
hi,
ummm not quite sure if this is what ur after but it kinda fits your discription....:
http://ukkitmonster.com/default.php?cPath=42
if u scroll down that page its called:
Bivi Bag, Dutch Army, Zipped grade one......
J
I bought a Dutch bivi from Angus Og here, same as the one in that link but without the zip. Was going to mod it myself with a 90cm zip. I'm 6'1 and medium build and the Dutch bag is a LOT more roomy than the Snugpak bivi I have which is a bit restrictive.
I used to have a really good one , it was big enough for two in an emergancy . it had a diaganal zip from one shoulder to the opposite hip , which was covered by a velcro flap . Apparantly the zip was "bust out" , although i never tried this ! The hood (for want of a better word) was big enough to fit my berghaus vulcan in .
The only downside was it was camo . Before the army started issueing bivy bags there were a lot of good ones on the market for about £100 if you didnt want hoops , but i havnt found any like i want since the above one got nicked .
I use an olive uk issue one and am 6ft2 and about 16 st , despite the fact there is no zip i had no problems with it . Other than waking up with my rottweiler wedged head first into the opening ! I think he got cold in the night .lol
Pumbaa
w00dsmoke
16-12-2007, 07:55
I have not yet found one to suit me and after being given measurements , I have fount them too narrow for my petite shoulders.
Don
I use a UK DPM (don't buy a olive army one they are much smaller) goretex bag and I've got a 60 inch chest and very broad shoulders and a few stone heavier than most! The bag dpm bag is huge and looks a lot bigger than the dutch bag on the shoulders. If you are still struggling, buy one of the dpm hooped special forces bivi's and use it without the hoops. It's big enough for you and everything that you could every carry...it's basically a swag bag in goretex without the mattress!
Angus Og
16-12-2007, 10:14
Hi All
Just watching Ray Mears on Sky and he was talking about a bivy bag he had.
It seemed to have a side opening, possibly with velcro patches to fasten it closed.
Any body got any ideas what it was? I've only ever seen top opening bags and the Dutch Army one which I believe has a diagonal opening.
Cheers,
Andy
I thought it might have been a Front Line Bivvy Bag, but after watching the bit it Four Seasons I now have doubts.
http://www.pri.uk.com/ on the left side click on Field Kit look down the list.
The dutch bivy weighs about 900 grams, is made of a goretex like material (waterproof, breathes, etc) kosts about 28 to 38 pounds. it has a vertical top opening of about 60 centimeters without a zip ( it is fastend to the bag that normally comes with it by buttons). it has a flap over the opening sewn on one side, and closed with velcro on the other. it's advisable to sew in a zip. great piece of kit. durable. If anybody is interested pm me and I'll see what I can do. I'm currently mailing with someone who sells them cheap in large quantities. he is expecting a load this month.
cheers!
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2513/dutchm90bivybagtg7.jpg
hi,
ummm not quite sure if this is what ur after but it kinda fits your discription....:
http://ukkitmonster.com/default.php?cPath=42
if u scroll down that page its called:
Bivi Bag, Dutch Army, Zipped grade one......
J
That bivvi bag looks alot bigger than the brit army one, so will probably suit bigger people!
I think you might just have changed my mind about having a zipped bag!:rolleyes:
irishlostboy
16-12-2007, 13:38
Irishlostboy you would be up S**t creek without a paddle if your bivvibag zip failed/broke!
yup. i guess i would. but there are always work arounds. thats why god invented duck tape. lol. i didn't know a good bivy bag from a hole in the head when i got my one though. but it has performed well for the past few years. i guess this holiday season will prove its still got what it takes.
my french army one cost 150 euro from the local surplus store. its really thick heavy material. same as the french dpm jackets.
also, i never go out without an emergency bivy bag and a few silver blanket things too, just in case ;) after all, i tend to be out in the most harsh stuff i can find. not a good time to have kit go tits-up.
i guess, best thing to think about with bivy bags is, how will you use them without getting soaked when it buckets down all night, a bivy bag is great kit, but its even better combined with a poncho. (which i better get on with and replace lol )
what i do is, unrole bivy, get me, over the opening, poncho spread over everything, open bivy, chuck sleeping bag into it, along with spare torch, snacks etc, i thien take off my waterproofs and boots, under the poncho, put them into their green bin bags and secure them to the ground. then get in, all dry, and zip up as much as possible. secure the poncho to the rest of my kit, in a waterproof bag. then i burow in and role around till i am waterproof and cozy.
in serious rain, i naturaly have to role over so the opening is under me a bit. i guess you would have to do this, zip or no. i am not "broad" so i dont really need the zip i guess. but i have had minimal problems with it.
thats what i usually do. having been hanging around here, i intend to start using a tarp if i can as well. just ordered two of them last night. i guess everyone will have their own twist on using bivy bags. whats yours? :)
actually, recently picked up a DPM army one, its absolutely huge! i'm 6'4 ish and there's well over a foot spare below my feet and the shoulder space is HUGE!
yup. i guess i would. but there are always work arounds. thats why god invented duck tape. lol. i didn't know a good bivy bag from a hole in the head when i got my one though. but it has performed well for the past few years. i guess this holiday season will prove its still got what it takes.
my french army one cost 150 euro from the local surplus store. its really thick heavy material. same as the french dpm jackets.
also, i never go out without an emergency bivy bag and a few silver blanket things too, just in case ;) after all, i tend to be out in the most harsh stuff i can find. not a good time to have kit go tits-up.
i guess, best thing to think about with bivy bags is, how will you use them without getting soaked when it buckets down all night, a bivy bag is great kit, but its even better combined with a poncho. (which i better get on with and replace lol )
what i do is, unrole bivy, get me, over the opening, poncho spread over everything, open bivy, chuck sleeping bag into it, along with spare torch, snacks etc, i thien take off my waterproofs and boots, under the poncho, put them into their green bin bags and secure them to the ground. then get in, all dry, and zip up as much as possible. secure the poncho to the rest of my kit, in a waterproof bag. then i burow in and role around till i am waterproof and cozy.
in serious rain, i naturaly have to role over so the opening is under me a bit. i guess you would have to do this, zip or no. i am not "broad" so i dont really need the zip i guess. but i have had minimal problems with it.
thats what i usually do. having been hanging around here, i intend to start using a tarp if i can as well. just ordered two of them last night. i guess everyone will have their own twist on using bivy bags. whats yours? :)
In this country if I'm sleeping on the deck I always use my bivi bag inconjunction with a sleeping bag, I prefer to use my rollmat on the outside although some people use theirs inside the bivi bag. I always use a tarp(Unless I have built a shelter in which case I fold the tarp in half and use it as a ground sheet), I have a 3m x 3m tarp which affords me loads of room and the ability to set it up in various configurations.
I never use my bivibag anymore when I sleep in my hammock, I did at first but soon found it too constrictive.
Generally I pack my sleeping bag inside my bivi bag so if it is raining when I get it out the sleeping bag won't get wet. This is how we did it in the army on field exercises, it takes up a little extra room but its worth it IMHO!
Anyway as for the bivi bag with the zip after seeing the dutch army one I think I might have changed my point of view!:rolleyes:
Geuf: As I said, I was thinking of mod'ing my Dutch bag with a zip, do you have any recommendations as to the best way to do it? Was thinking of unpicking the stiching along the long opening, between the "goretex" and the webbing strip that has the poppers for attaching your sleeping bag to and then sewing the zip in between these two layers. Is this the best way? I have a sewing machine so I reckon it'd be ok.
Greg: one thing I like about the Dutch one, can't speak for any others, is that it has large fabric loops on the underside to slide your roll mat in so you don't slide off it in the night. I also reckon you'd have to take a larger than XXL chest size before you found it restrictive, I'm only L myself and there is tons of room at the shoulders.
Greg: one thing I like about the Dutch one, can't speak for any others, is that it has large fabric loops on the underside to slide your roll mat in so you don't slide off it in the night. I also reckon you'd have to take a larger than XXL chest size before you found it restrictive, I'm only L myself and there is tons of room at the shoulders.
Ummm! I might just have to buy one in the new year!:D
LOL! UKKitmoster have always been good when I've ordered from them in the past - literally next day delivery. However theirs is a wee bit steep, if you can or have someone who can mod it and put a zip in for you I reckon you could save yourself a tenner at least. PointNorth have heavy-duty zips of the right length (approx. 90cm) for about £3.
LOL! UKKitmoster have always been good when I've ordered from them in the past - literally next day delivery. However theirs is a wee bit steep, if you can or have someone who can mod it and put a zip in for you I reckon you could save yourself a tenner at least. PointNorth have heavy-duty zips of the right length (approx. 90cm) for about £3.
I'm sure UKKitMonster won't be the only ones to sell the zipped version!:rolleyes:
You're probably right there Greg. I got the impression from the link that this was a modification that they had done themselves rather than being a version you could get elsewhere.
Geuf: As I said, I was thinking of mod'ing my Dutch bag with a zip, do you have any recommendations as to the best way to do it? Was thinking of unpicking the stiching along the long opening, between the "goretex" and the webbing strip that has the poppers for attaching your sleeping bag to and then sewing the zip in between these two layers. Is this the best way? I have a sewing machine so I reckon it'd be ok.
Greg: one thing I like about the Dutch one, can't speak for any others, is that it has large fabric loops on the underside to slide your roll mat in so you don't slide off it in the night. I also reckon you'd have to take a larger than XXL chest size before you found it restrictive, I'm only L myself and there is tons of room at the shoulders.
Best is nog to unpick anything. you can just sew the zipper straight onto ( read inside) the bivybag. the waterproofness of the bag is not affected since it has a large flap over the opening.
If you do any sewing / unpicking, I seem to remember you can get clear tape you iron on to seal the needle holes. Think my jacket is also done like this. Might help keep the damp out :-)
Best is nog to unpick anything. you can just sew the zipper straight onto ( read inside) the bivybag. the waterproofness of the bag is not affected since it has a large flap over the opening.
Cheers, I'll give it a go. I'd also thought of trying to find poppers of the right size and making a pop-on zip - but I think that might be overkill. :rolleyes:
I finally got round to sewing a zip on mine, I think it makes a big difference, feels more secure somehow. If you've got one I'd recommend doing it too.
I used one of these ...
http://www.profabrics.co.uk/shop/show_product_info.php?id=Z8259 0
... as I wanted a good chunky zip that opened both ends.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/bivi2.jpg
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/bivi1.jpg
very nice man,
It's funny to see a modded bag that looks exactly like mine. great piece of kit.
Nice job you made of that.
Food for thought me thinks :p
Andy
Just tacked the zip on with a few hand-stitches and then ran it through the sewing machine, took about 20 minutes from beginning to end. Thanks to Geuf for the tip.