Bivy or Small Tent?

[peakbagger]

I carried a bivy for off season AT hiking generally when it was colder and possibly damper. I rarely used it outside a shelter but found that it gave me 10 degrees additional rating for temps by sliding my sleeping bag in it. I agree in rainy situations they are better than nothing but its almost impossible to get in one when its raining without getting the interior wet. Mine has a goretex top panel, realistically it weighs as much or more than the current lightweight tarps. If the weather is wet and windy the bivy is going to work while a tarp is very prone to the quality of the setup and the underlying ground. I have used mine in mud puddle, not by choice but it was the only flat spot around. It got dirty and I had to wash it off the next day but ti didn't keep me a lot cleaner and dryer than using a tent in the same space. My bivy has a hoop over the top and sort of a small vestibule above the head but when all sealed up it tough to avoid condensation even with the goretex.

[AttorneyAtLunch]

Someone asked about a specific budget and I've got $5000 dollars for use (including gear costs) which I think is manageable if I buy used and/or look for deals.

Thank you all for the advice everyone. I'm leaning towards a TarpTent, either Sublite or Contrail. I'm seeing a lot of love for Contrail but is the the Sublite alright? They cost the same but Sublite does have about a 5 oz difference.

[Grampie]

During my thru I used a Eureka Soloitaire tent. Campmore has them on sale for $75. weight is under 3lbs. well worth the investment.

[Tinker]

Using hiking poles? Look at the tents from Lightheart. No poles? check out the Tarptent Moment.

[ams212001]

I bought my SMD scout for $90 with aluminum poles, and seam sealed off of here. "Heavier" than some but great quality and affordable. deals come up all the time.

[fredmugs]

What would you say the ratio is of people who intended to thru hike bivy style and actually did it the whole way? More than 100 to 1 I'm guessing.

[q-tip]

I have only seen a few people with a bivy on the AT---you might look at a tarp--my Wild Oasis is 15 0z total...My TT Contrail is 28 oz. total..........

[Starchild]

What would you say the ratio is of people who intended to thru hike bivy style and actually did it the whole way? More than 100 to 1 I'm guessing.

Not sure but I have met a couple of thru hikers who have, well they claim they have a bivy, I say claim because I never saw them use it or with it, they are the ones that stay in shelters, so I guess they carry it but try not to have to use a bivy.

OTOH I have seen quite a few tarp+ground cover setups used by thru hikers, and really if I had to chose between the 2 I would go with this setup over a bivy.

Good Luck

[HeartFire]

www.lightheartgear.com

[Nooga]

I enjoy the sound of rain on my tent, wonder how it would be in a bivy? I have an old NF bivy that has a pole that at least raises section over the head and has netting. Without a tarp, I would only consider it an emergency shelter. Might carry it in the winter if I was going shelter to shelter and was not worried about space in the shelters. Would be way too hot in the summer.

[Malto]

The biggest problem with a bivy on the AT is a combination of bugs and heat. It forces you to zip up in the bivy with the netting over the head. Then you sweat. In the west, as Chinmusic said, it rains less, is much colder at night and generally the bugs are less at night.

[Blissful]

I saw a couple of bivies. Not for me. Just get a tarp to save weight.

[PD230SOI]

I have tents, tarps, and one bivy. The bivy has a small window of use and is good in its niche. But I'm not sure it would be my choice for a thru hike. The heat, bugs, space to repair gear out of the rain...push me towards a tent. But then again I wouldnt plan on using the shelters much.

keep reading and asking questions.

[OutnBack]

Bivy is fine for me for 2-3 days. After that it's just to confining.

[CarlZ993]

I don't recall seeing one bivy on my thru this year.

Me neither. A light 1-man tent would be the way to go. I didn't use mine that much. Mostly used the shelters. Others used theirs almost exclusively to avoid the shelters. To each their own.