I've made a few DIY Bivi bags and for me I prefer a PU bottom due to the slipperyness of the silnylon. The silnylon was strong enough (I always use a polycryo ground sheet) and saved a bit of weight but frankly sleeping on the floor is arduous enough
If you're using a ground sheet, why do you need a waterproof bottom for the bivy?Originally Posted by Scotty Von Porkchop
Actually, and this may be my ignorance for ground camping showing, why would you need a bivy at all with a ground sheet?
Last edited by Boston; 03-18-2015 at 22:46.
Go for it. I built a slightly modified version of the Six Moon Designs Meteor bivy with a silnylon bottom several years ago and have used it for over 60 nights of camping in the Rockies and Eastern Utah. http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/suppor...teor-bivy.html It has held up very well. I use it under a tarp without a ground cloth and the silnylon is intact with no holes or abrasion. Camping on damp ground is a nonissue if you use a pad. tarp setup.jpg
Thru-Hiker Shield silnylon and the 30d that Lightheart Gear sells are both plenty waterproof for a bivy floor. Over 3,000mm HH if I remember correctly. Will be slick as snot though, and also comes in closer to 1.5oz/yd. I would go PU coated 1.9oz. Just as waterproof without the slippery feel.
Ryan
Well as I'm UK based water on wet ground tends to accumulate and can easily get into Bivys, on top of ground sheets and just generally travels and gets pally with everything it ought not to. The polycryo just adds an extra level of waterproofness that also helps keep the bivy clean, dry and tidy.
The bivy adds bug, insect and small nimbly mammals at bay and also helps close the gap in a top quilt. I'm using lightweight bivys around 200g and they keep their worth in just the extra warmth and security they provide.
In basic terms keeping the detritus and moisture is a right royal pain when not hanging. Hang wherever possible :-)
Hadn't considered that, and should have known. Its why you get wet when you brush against the side of a tent.
In my defense, I haven't used a tent in a while-----
This is also to stick in a snow cave or wherever. So you want the bottom waterproof. I just wasn't sure about the durability over the long haul. But I guess if it's a minimal use item and it develops a tear. Sew a patch and seal it. Thanks guys for the
Ideas.
I would second this opinion- most of the sil-nylon you find will not be enough for shelter floor from a WP standpoint.
A- use Sil if you are dying for the camo- but back it up with a polycro ground cloth for waterproof. The 1.1 will stand up decent- but sleeping on crusty snow can tear it up pretty easily. I could be wrong- but don't think Lightheart sells that material any longer to the public.
B- go with a heavier PU floor. I've had decent luck with the Quest Material. The heavy coated 2.2 specifically- http://questoutfitters.com/coated.html#HEAVY COATED 2.2 OZ. RIPSTOP
The 2.2 is fine too if you need more colors and a bit lighter.
A little food for thought- other than setting it up- a nice charcoal, navy, etc. color will be pretty camo- seeing as you are laying on it.
I have a Borah gear bivy that uses 1.1 for the bottom. holding up well. Every truly lightweight bivy I have seen uses 1.1 silnylon. As funny money says...you could always add a piece of polycro underneath to keep that bivy happy! BTW...a chuck of polycro that is around 40x80 is an amazing thing to have at all times. I have sat out a storm under it, used it as a sort of poncho when I forgot my rain gear, I have used as a footprint for my tent (shudder...yes I still tent camp once in awhile) nd I hear you can collect water when used as a still in the desert etc...I think it weighs less than an ounce in this size too. Good luck!
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