Let's see your bivies and hammocks!

[CanDo]

Hey everyone,

Been away from this place for far too long. I'm thinking of doing away with tents for solo ventures for the sake of saving weight. Anyone here camp in alternative shelters? Hammocks/bivies/tarps of whatever else that's lightweight?

I live in a temperate zone, so am looking for a solution which will keep me dry, warm, and out of the way of mosquitoes.

A homemade hammock of silnylon with a sil nylon rainfly looks like it might be the way to go. Just have to make sure that mosquito netting can be suitably rigged up.

I'd love to see any photos you have of your set ups.

CanDo

 

[redpoint]

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/shelters/big-wall-hooped-bivy

This is what I use. If you consider your clothing as part of your sleep system [i.e. you bring a lighter/less bulky sleeping bag, but wear your parka at night], you can travel pretty lightly.

Bivy sacks are great for tough terrain, that is, terrain that doesn't provide a lot of suitable places to site a tent. If you're traveling with a friend, a light tent is a better choice. Especially in bad weather ... bivy sacs can be rough. I once spent a night on a glacier in a bivy sack and it was teeming rain ... I was dry, but it makes for difficult cooking/socializing.

 

[wildmike]

I either use my Clark North American junglehammock (most of the time) or I just use an 8x12 sil-nylon tarp from integral designs.

 

[tonym]

Welcome back Can do!

Here's my set up. This is the Mosquito Hammocks Jungle Hammock by Tom Claytor. I have camped in comfortably in temps up to 85 and down to mid 30's. When the temps drop low, that space blanket you see in the pic, gets folded in half and put under my sleeping bag in the hammock. In heavy rain and in cold windy scenarios the fly gets hung up right on top of the hammock to keep me dry and warm.

 

[erik the red]

Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy mostly, with an ENO doublenest hammock with slapstraps used in good weather. Love them both!

 

[statius]

I use a tarptent Squall II. A two person ultralight tent at 34oz (965g). Lighter than most bivies and WAY more room!

http://www.tarptent.com/squall2.html

 

[Quirt]

Summertime I use a Hennessey Hammock or 5' x 7' Tarp.

In Winter I need FIRE! So I go with a 10 ' x 10' tarp shelter so I can have a reflective warming fire and a place to keep my firewood dry from rain or I don't have to uncover snow to get too it and I get close to the ground for warmth and avoid high winds/blizzards.

 

[August West]

I have tried a hammock and they are not for me, but I do use a tarp. Chris

 

[Mannlicher]

I have been using this little Eureka Solitaire with a nylon tarp stretched above it.

Comfortable enough, light enough

 

[desmobob]

I have the Integral designs Salathe. It is a high-quality piece of gear, for sure. I thought I'd use it a lot with a tarp, but since my Big Agnes Seedhouse 1 weighs about the same as the bivy and a tarp, I usually carry the tent!

Though the manufacturer says it fits people to 6'6", they are talking about length. Mine is a tiny bit tight around my shoulders when flat on my back (I'm 6'2" and 250 lbs.).

When you want to travel light and sleep on the ground, it's hard to beat a good bivy.

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[paleojoe]

I use Black Diamond/Bibler Bivys. Have a bivy and a two-pole bivy tent for when I want a little more structure.

They rock!!! No footprint needed. All-season, mosquito net so I can sleep looking at the stars, and inner wicking material that eliminates condensation completely. Seam sealed and tough, I've beaten the crap out of mine, I love it, throw and go....

 

[Katdaddy]

I have tried a hammock and they are not for me, but I do use a tarp. Chris

What brand tarp is that. I like that!!

 

[August West]

What brand tarp is that. I like that!!

40 dollar Campmor, I've been using it for a few years with no complaints. Chris