How do you deal with condensation in your bivy?

[Wandering Daisy]

I have totally disagree that a bivy is not a "real shelter". Mine as kept me protected, even if not the most comfortable, in many severe storms. That is why mountaineers carry a bivy - to protect them from severe weather if they get caught on a mountain. A friend of mine climbed Mt Rainier: she used a bivy, others used light weight tents. A storm at night blew down everyone's tent and she was snug as a bug in her bivy. On alpine climbs in the Sierra I have been protected in a bivy (without sleeping bag - usually you just carry the bivy and not a bag) on North Palisade, East Ridge of Lone Pine Peak, White Mountain, to name a few.

My bivy also has a mosquito net, however I do prefer a tent during peak mosquito season. All the fancy new sleeping bag material is not going to keep you dry in a 4-hour downpour. I do not think backpackers who have not spent considerable time in a bivy in a storm are actually qualified to state that a bivy is not a real shelter. The issue is not if it is a real shelter (it is) but rather that it is not the most comfortable shelter and you have to plan ahead more. Go out to pee in the major downpour phase of a storm, and you get wet and some wetness gets in the tent, or bivy. There are breaks in every storm, and that is when you dart out and pee. My backpack goes inside the bivy as a pillow, as does all my gear so it all stays dry. If your pack is too big to go inside, then bring a rain cover.

I agree that most backpackers would prefer a tent. I would not have specifically bought a bivy for backpacking, but since I own three (from climbing days), I have used them plenty of times in the Sierra when I simply wanted to go very light- including a 14-day trip. Now, I bivy about a quarter of the time, and use my Tarptent the remainder. I do not consider myself adverse to new technology - I have some fancy high tech new stuff, and STILL use my bivy.

[FeetFirst]

In my garage, in my toolbox, I have no less than 5 different 1/2" wrenches (e.g. open end, box-end, combo, flare, ratchet). All different, but essentially they perform the same task. The situation dictates which one I choose.

For me, I approach shelters, and most backpacking gear, the same way; pick the appropriate tool for the task at hand.

Unfortunately, I don't have the funds or space for all of the different types of shelters for every niche trip, but I've covered most of my bases and learn to compromise for the rest.

[hikin_jim]

When multiple PCTers mention the same advantages - quick set-up, ability to lift & move around without disassembling & re-staking, they (specifically, Big Agnes) didn't collapse in major storms, etc, I think regular "civilians" should sit up and take notice.

That's a pretty compelling argument.

I did a trip in the Eastern Sierra for Labor Day and one of the people along had a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2. I also went on a trip in the San Gorgonio Wilderness earlier in the year, and again a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2. Danged things are everywhere. ~2.5 lbs for a roomy double wall tent. Tough to say no to that.

The only problem I see with the Fly Creek UL2 is that it takes a lot of space. I can get my tarp set up in a much smaller spot.

HJ

[Wandering Daisy]

I would love to say "yes" to all the high-tech UL tents out there. Problem is the $$$. For now I will have to do with my bivy or Tarptent Moment. The Tarptent is on its last legs - have replaced the zipper twice and the floor is beginning to seep. I can also see pin-point daylight through all my bivys. I am going to have to drop some $$ for a new shelter within the next couple of years.

[Hobbes]

This is what gets me: (UL) backpacking is still one of the least expensive hobbies one can engage.

Let's take surfing, since after 40 years it makes a good reference point for me: $500/board absolute minimum if you get a "bro deal" from a local shaper; $700 +tax retail from a surf shop. How long do they last? 1 year if you're really, really careful. But of course, you need different boards for different conditions, and let's not mention wet suits, which run $150-200 per for decent quality. (High tech versions are closer to $300-400.) Me, I've got 5 boards hanging in the garage, and 5 wetsuits hanging in the closet right now.

Travel? $200 per board, round-trip to Hawaii. Fly fishing? $400 for a modest rod/reel combo for aficionados. Boating, sailing, diving? Are you kidding me? Golf? LULZ. Let's switch gears - how about the cost of going out to the movies, dinner or an NFL game? Aye carumba!

So, you spend $1k on the newest, high tech 900FP Feathered Friends bag, a ULA dyneema pack and either a cuben tarp/tent or Fly creek tent. That equipment, right there, is going to allow you to do more, with less physical cost, than anything you had before. And after 2-3 years of use? If it hasn't been abused, you can sell it for 33-50% of your original cost.

Doctors say you don't want to know what happens when you age. It's not gradual - it accelerates. Better get going while the getting is good.

[Wandering Daisy]

Yes, and non-UL backpacking is even less expensive! The assumption that everyone has $400-500 cash on hand to buy a tent is ignoring the reality for many people who backpack. And when you get to the Cubin gear, you get to talking near $1000. Not everyone has that kind of discretionary cash. Most of us backpack on a budget. This means that we have to set aside money for gas to get to the trailhead.

I say get out there and backpack! Forget about having the greatest gear. Just do it. If you get some condensation, deal with it. Save pennies over time and get better gear. Aim for UL, but get there slowly within your budget. There are more comfortable shelters than a bivy, but if that is what you have, use it and go into the wilderness.

[hikin_jim]

Doctors say you don't want to know what happens when you age. It's not gradual - it accelerates. Better get going while the getting is good.

Well, there's a happy thought. Yipes!

HJ