Touring - Bivy vs. a 1 man tent?

Any thoughts on a good Bivy, like the Wenzel w/ tub construction and decent ventilation vs. a true 1 man tent? I imagine you're giving up gear storage, but the bivy's are so much cheaper and pretty compact that it has me tempted to go that route vs. a 1 man. Currently I have a large EMS 2.5 man tent that I think is more than I want to drag with me (6lbs+ w/rain fly).

I personally prefer the bivy. I have always felt more cramped in a one-person tent than a bivy, because the bivy is just another layer to the sleeping bag and it can move with you. Sleeping under the stars while protected from the rain is something you'll never get in a tent. A light bivy in combo with a very small tarp is unbeatable for ventilation and storm-worthiness. If you use a tarp, check out the backpackinglight.com bivies or make one yourself. If you don't want to use a tarp, check out the Integral Designs bivies (I've heard good things about several of their models, esp. the Unishelter).

Big Agnes Seedhouse tents are way less than 6 lbs even for a 2 man. It gives you much more space without the weight. Personally, I couldn't stand spending a rainy night in a body bag. It's kinda nice to be able to sit up in the tent if you have to spend any amount if time in there.

Tried them both and I would never go back to a Bivy, at least for cycling. I ended up sending my bivy home after a month and buying a one person tent. You can at least bring a few things inside, strore things under the vestibule, sit up, change your clothes, etc.... If you ever have a really bad day of weather and have the urge to wait it out, you will be a lot happier in the tent. Also, if you are camping in a campground with no common covered area and bad weather, It won't be fun killing time in the bivy.

I had two Unishelters: the first was great and I used primarily for climbing. The second I bought for the above bike trip and it leaked through the material and I sent back.

Check out the Big Agnes SL1: http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?id=sh1sl

Not trying to sound like a knowitall because I sure don't. Just my experiences with both of the above.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442096919&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302702837&bmUID=1167763169209


This is a really small tent, but it is a tent. I'm 6'1", and stocky, and I can sleep in it and move around enough to get dressed or undressed. I will be touching fabric while doing it. But if you want a really minimal shelter that you could probably happily read in or spend a day in, this may be it. I haven't weighed mine, but the stated weight is probably pretty accurate at a fraction under 3 pounds. There are better choices if you can tolerate 4 pounds. However this is a step up from a deluxe bivy where the fabric is suspended around your face, but drapes elsewhere. I like bivis, however if it is hot they have no reasonable ventilation. They are mainly configured around the needs of climbers, though useful in many situations. Also, if you aren't sleeping in a sleeping bag due to the heat, they may drape your body allowing bug bites through the fabric.


I haven't used the MEC BAS tent, though I am familliar with similar tents made by Taymor for cyclists, going back years to when Easton poles first put in an appearance. All I can say is that it would probably have blown over in Quebec when we got the winds that Mike Beauchamp shows the results of in his movie. It's always a ballancing act trying to keep a bunch of factors in proportion

Tried them both and I would never go back to a Bivy, at least for cycling. I ended up sending my bivy home after a month and buying a one person tent. You can at least bring a few things inside, strore things under the vestibule, sit up, change your clothes, etc.... If you ever have a really bad day of weather and have the urge to wait it out, you will be a lot happier in the tent. Also, if you are camping in a campground with no common covered area and bad weather, It won't be fun killing time in the bivy.

I had two Unishelters: the first was great and I used primarily for climbing. The second I bought for the above bike trip and it leaked through the material and I sent back.

Check out the Big Agnes SL1: http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?id=sh1sl

Not trying to sound like a knowitall because I sure don't. Just my experiences with both of the above.
Mate, if you did a ride around Australia, you can be the biggest knowitall you want to be... it's guys like you we look to for advice that will help everyone because of your experience.

For me, the answer to the question lies in type of touring your intend to do. If you want a back-up means of sleeping while credit-card touring, a bivvy. If you are touring as a means of getting from Point A to B as quickly and efficiently as possible, a bivvy. If you prefer to stealth camp rather than use formal campgrounds, a bivvy. If you are on things like long-distance randonnees or challenges, a bivvy. And if your immunity to discomfort is pretty high while going the ultra-lightweight touring route, a bivvy.

Otherwise go for a tent bigger than a single-person one. I dislike the one-person tent concept because they are difficult to get into and out of (especially if your legs are tired and ready to cramp), get dressed or undressed in, sit up in if you don't like lying all the time, prone to excessive condensation in cold weather (and you touch the walls more often so your bag gets damp more easily), and don't have much or any capacity to bring gear inside.

With the way most tents are designated these days, a tent rated as one-person is most likely really only for a child. A two-person tent is best, in my experience, for one person. And a three-person tent for a couple of adults.

I've used an Eureka Back Country 1. Eureka says it's minimum weight is 3lbs. 14oz. The floor size is 8' x 3' and the center height is 3' 2'. I'm 6' tall and weigh around 200lbs.
There is plenty of room in this tent. You will not be coming into regular contact with the walls or ceiling.
It is super easy to pitch. It's a two pole, free standing, doublewall, square dome. Insert the poles into the corner pegs and clip the tent to the poles. I noticed that the latest version has sleeves and clips so it might be a little harder to pitch.
I love this tent, no complaints. It's $110 at Campmor.

I've been looking at the Back Country. A couple of things that appeal to me are the weight (4 lbs, 4 oz), the length (8 ft), and the packed size (15.5 inches x 6 inches). I'm 5'9" tall so there is about 2 feet extra in length for bags & stuff.

For less money than a W/B bivy and almost the same weight with full bug protection consider one of the TarpTents from www.tarptent.com (http://www.tarptent.com)

On my Divide Ride in 2003 I used the 2nd generation one person Virga. It weighed 20 ozs and cost $160. Great in all conditions from heat to rain to bugs and wind. Small packed size but lots of room for the clydesdale that I am.

There are new designs like the Rainbow and the Contrail that also appear to suit bike touring very well. The owner of this company provides excellent customer service. I like supporting local cottage industries rather than large corporate offshore ones even if it costs a little more.

[QUOTE=arctos]For less money than a W/B bivy and almost the same weight with full bug protection consider one of the TarpTents from www.tarptent.com (http://www.tarptent.com)

They look interesting but from the photos, I can't tell the difference between a tarptent and a single wall tent. How do they differ from a regular tent?

This is my next tent:
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47881035&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1

I'm currently using an older version of this tent with an aluminum pole and slightly heavier fabric. It's still a very lightweight shelter that packs into a very small space. I was worried about the lack of mosquito netting at first but I learned that if you pitch it close enough to the ground the mosquitoes and no-see-ums and midges aren't smart enough to go under the tent flap, they just dive straight at the tent fabric.

I've used it on trans-Sierra ski tours, bicycle tours, back country trips, etc.

This is my next tent:
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=47881035&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1

I'm currently using an older version of this tent with an aluminum pole and slightly heavier fabric. It's still a very lightweight shelter that packs into a very small space. I was worried about the lack of mosquito netting at first but I learned that if you pitch it close enough to the ground the mosquitoes and no-see-ums and midges aren't smart enough to go under the tent flap, they just dive straight at the tent fabric.

I've used it on trans-Sierra ski tours, bicycle tours, back country trips, etc.

Hey mark--did you have condensation problems during the winter in the Sierra?; How did it hold up in severe wind? I've looked at these in the past, but I was also worried about the mosquito issue. thanks

For summertime trips I like the quickness and stealth of a 1 man bivy tent--2 poles, 2 stakes and its up. Great for setting up at dusk and getting out quick in the morning. Plus the low profile makes it easier to find cover. It is a tent so the material isn't in contact with the sleeping bag, like with a bivy sack. Not for the claustrophobic, but there is enough room to put your handlebar bag and read.

Hey mark--did you have condensation problems during the winter in the Sierra?; How did it hold up in severe wind? I've looked at these in the past, but I was also worried about the mosquito issue. thanks

My trans-Sierra tours were in springtime (May), not winter. Condensation was not an issue for one person travelling alone, two people together might be a different story. You can vary the height of the pole, so you can pitch it with the pole extended to get better airflow underneath the tent and reduce condensation.

These tents are not known for standing up well in a high wind. Finding a sheltered spot, anchoring the tent securely with the edges close to the ground, and anchoring the edges with rocks or building a snow wall will all help, but a free standing four season tent is probably a better choice for severe conditions.

The Megamid is a great shelter for one or two people travelling light in spring, summer or fall, especially if you value light weight, compactness and interior space over creature comforts. If you're going to insist on luxuries like a floor and mosquito netting you might be happier with a more conventional tent.

This is the marine corps GI tent that I use. It has a min weight of 8.5 pounds and an apex of 45" IT IS HUGE! It says it is a two man tent, and it is. you can comfortably fit two men, gear (ie. flak jackets, uniform, boots) with sleeping bags, and still have room under the fly for more stuff. The only problem is that it does weigh almost 9-10 pounds.
One solution is that the fly can be free standing, that will protect against the rain very very easily, but if Im going to take that I might as well take it all. What can I do to make it lighter, is there somewhere I can get ultra lightweight poles?
http://www.gr8gear.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4041
http://www.maddogonline.com/surplus/wholesale/12002.html

I use a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2. Sleeps 2 comfortably and very light. www.mec.ca sells them in Canada.

http://www.bigagnes.com/images/tent-sh2sl-tm.jpg

+1 for big agnes seedhouse!

i have the seedhouse sl1 and am very happy with it. it packs down small enough to fit in my panniers but still has a "ton" of room (for a one man tent). it costs more than a bivy, but the extra price is worth the psychological effects of feeling like a corpse.

otherwise, if you still aren't into the one man tent, i would go for a tarp tent. not my choice, but i have read good things about them all over the forum.

[QUOTE=arctos]For less money than a W/B bivy and almost the same weight with full bug protection consider one of the TarpTents from www.tarptent.com (http://www.tarptent.com)

They look interesting but from the photos, I can't tell the difference between a tarptent and a single wall tent. How do they differ from a regular tent?

aroundoz:
A belated answer to your question:

I find that the TarpTents have better ventilation with the perimeter made of mosquito netting. Overall a wider temperature range in warm conditions than a single wall tent and less condensation/better ventilation.

The only negative occurs in dry/dusty/windy conditions when you cannot completely seal a perimeter and grit enters around you. An important caveat for some people.

My recent experience with TarpTents has been in the Western US and Canada-Rockies, Sierra Nevada, Wind River Mtns. My single wall tent experience has been with Single wall Megamids and Bibler [Toddtex] and Sierra Designs tents in Alaska, Mexico and South America in the Andes up to 5000 meters/16500Feet.

Overall the TarpTent has become my three season+ bike touring and backpacking tent of choice-very light weight, low packed volume, ease of set up and modest price for a quality US made product.

My trans-Sierra tours were in springtime (May), not winter. Condensation was not an issue for one person travelling alone, two people together might be a different story. You can vary the height of the pole, so you can pitch it with the pole extended to get better airflow underneath the tent and reduce condensation.

These tents are not known for standing up well in a high wind. Finding a sheltered spot, anchoring the tent securely with the edges close to the ground, and anchoring the edges with rocks or building a snow wall will all help, but a free standing four season tent is probably a better choice for severe conditions.

The Megamid is a great shelter for one or two people travelling light in spring, summer or fall, especially if you value light weight, compactness and interior space over creature comforts. If you're going to insist on luxuries like a floor and mosquito netting you might be happier with a more conventional tent.

thanks--I should just accept the condesation factor---but...

to the OP.

a wenzel is NOT a 'well made' bivy.

I'd suggest a lightweight two person tent. you can get a good one that weighs 3 pounds or so.

Bivies are great for grovelling in the alpine zone, less than par for hanging out in a campground in.

go for a tent, or a tarp tent, or etc, but defiently avoid the wenzel unless you are on a tight budget. and then, i'd still avoid them in favor of a better system.....

For reviews of a whole lot of tents, tarps, bivvies, hammocks, etc. check out www.backpackgeartest.org

Do a google search on ultralight backpacking or hiking for heaps of sites with heaps of opinions on lightweight shelter.


Re tarptent: they make shelters from 1-3 people, weighing from ~600g (1.25 pounds) to ~1.2kg (~2.6 pounds). Some have a sewn in floor (ie. are single wall tents); some don't, but still have mesh walls (ie. you need to add a ground sheet).

I have a Tarptent double rainbow, 1200g, fits 2 comfortably with gear in the vestibules (a little gear at the foot end of the tent), plenty of room to sit up facing each other, enough room to get dressed one at a time. Highly recommended. The only issue is some condensation in cold weather when used for 2 people; you can get a liner to eliminate this as a problem.

I tried a tarp tent cloudburst, but I sold it. It just wasn't suitable (for me) in windy condtions. The Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 solves all those problems with a slight increase in weight and much better weather-proofness.

With the way most tents are designated these days, a tent rated as one-person is most likely really only for a child. A two-person tent is best, in my experience, for one person. And a three-person tent for a couple of adults.

+ 1 : I'd only take a bivvy if I expected keeping mosquitoes away from my face while I slept was more important than staying dry . In 35 years of backpacking I've never seen one that worked well enough I wanted it instead of my tent. I've not gotten to bike tour yet but the weight factor of a good tent on my back can't be any less serious than carrying it on the bike.

I'm also tall enough to want a 3-person tent where I can actually stretch out to sleep (or straighten my leg to overcome leg cramps). Obviously others have different experience with tents and/or bivvies but when in the wilderness, I want a 'place' where I can have shelter both psychological and physical and a well-made tent answers that need. The best of contemporary tents are remarkably well-designed shelters.

i've got an agnes sarvis sl-1 -it's more like a 1 1/2 man tent then a single

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=12206040&parent_category_rn=4500665&vcat=searchrefine


I'm guessing this is just that black netted bivvy, correct? (meaning I should still buy a sleeping bag.)

Would you advise setting up a small tarp over that, in case it rains, or is that just frivolous?

That REI bivy. Yes, you'll have to buy a sleeping bag and a rainfly if it rains and a ground tarp. It's not weatherproof at all. I don't recommend this for bicycle touring if camping is going to be your main way of sleeping. I'd get a bivy that is somewhat weather-proof like the one I used.

Used a bivy every single night on my 2005 tour and it worked great and kept me dry at night with good air flow. But..... I got real lucky and didn't have any days where I was forced to stay in the bivy due to weather or illness. If I was stuck in the bivy for a day, it would drive me nuts.

My next long tour will have a tent large enough to where I can change my clothes, sit up, or pee without having to get out of the tent. And if I had to take a day off, I wouldn't have to be laying down.

I HAD a Mountain Hard Wear "Skypoint 1", which is supposed to be a cross between a bivy and a tent. It SUCKED for many various reasons (hard to set up, hard to get into, bad ventilation, etc). After 4 nights with this thing I called home and had my mom UPS a better tent to me at my next stop.

My new tent is an REI "Chrysalis UL" and I LOVE IT. It actually packs smaller and may weigh less than the MHW tent, but sets up about 3 times bigger and 5 times quicker. I can't recommend this tent enough. Plus it also has a rain fly, so when it's clear at night and you don't need it, you have a screened view of the stars through the top of the tent. NICE.

Here's the link:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47975642&parent_category_rn=4500666

Ben

I recently biked from Florida to Belize and spent MANY nights in the Microzoid which I found to be cozy, but well worth it considering the weight and privacy while camping solo in a foreign country. This tent also breathes well so you wont end up with a ton of condensation in the morning. Also, make sure you buy a tent with ties in case you are sleeping on concrete!!!