Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: Oisín on June 12, 2011
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So we had our first night in a bivy bag last night. We had originally planned to camp at Cappadagh forest, but after arriving there and being ate by midges me and Grace decided it was a bit adventurous for our first night in a bivy.
So after a phonecall to Greyfox and a few location ideas later we decided on a small area of woodland. We arrived down not knowing what it was like, Grace lives in Larne and she had never known where it was. Great kept location.
We rendezvou'd with Greyfox and Cerbera and made our way to the campsite at the back of the wooded area. I was shown how to put up my tarp (isnt really a tarp its a groundsheet that the guy in "The Great Adventure" in Ballymena passed off as a tarp and ripped me off for.) and after we got it put up we got the sleeping equipment out and the stoves followed to heat the water for the pot noodle & coffee.
Billybackpack arrived after work and we all had our hot drinks while Greyfox gave us a wee teaser on a featherstick & firesteel etc.
After a few stories and general chat they headed home and we got in one last hot drink before bed.
Now. . . Bivy bags.
After I had finally got into it! and got myself on the mat and the sleepin bag positioned correctly. I did feel claustrophobic to be honest. I didnt like the tightness around the chest. And the bag flaffin about my face was a bit off putting. I can see for a quick overnighter it would be fine, but other than that I think a more roomier one will be aquired.
I slept alright, warm enough bar a few times waking up with cold feet.
I had an incident in the early hours of the morning. Woke up to the birds singing all peacefully and quiet, took a big stretch to start the morning. And then it happened. CRAMP, in my leg. >:( :o :'( Bloomin painful. And because of the bivy bag being tight around my chest I couldn't get at my leg to rub it til i had wriggled about for what seemed like an hour. After I had recovered from that I got up to start a fire in the Hobo Stove which Cerbera kindly modified to include a opening for wood etc. Collected wood and all and started a wee fire in it to boil some water in a mess tin.
Of course Grace was still sleeping so I had time to lie and listen to the birds beside the heat of the fire. After the water was boiled I got her up from her slumber. She looked like she had a rougher night than me. She wasnt used to not having her feather filled duvet. :D
So we got a hot drink in us and had a muffin to top it off. Then tidied up camp and packed up.
It was a nice night overall. And I enjoyed meeting everyone, and thanks for the help. Will have to do something similar in the near future.
Sorry, no pictures. Didn't bring the DSLR down this weekend.
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Nice one - welcome to the world of the bivvy.
I sometimes get cramps sleeping out as well - it's often as a result of the day's activity, but I think the restricted movement in a sleeping bag /small mat doesn't help.
I feel more like in a cocoon than claustrophobic, and the flappy face thing - I usually tuck the edge under a cheek /chin, or thumb it with a hand to keep it from annoying me. Ear plugs are great for storms.
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Well done guys. As long as you come away smiling ;D it was a good time.
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Congratulations, you survived your first Bivvy. :D and double points for using a hobo stove for cooking! Sorry I missed it.
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Well done lads, I'm yet to use a bivy but when I do I hope I get the nice company you were privy to ;)! I don't like the sound of the tightness on your chest, is that normal for a bivy? ???
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Yes it is normal. Your body warms the air trapped in the bivvy bag, if your shuffle about during the night a certain amount of the warm air gets blown out the top...the tighter the bag around you the less warm air is lost. Does feel strange to start with, but as twentyclicks says, let's go with cocoon rather than claustrophobia ;) The ex-army bivvy bags are much roomier, but using the same principle don't keep you as warm. If you can try out both and see which suits you best.
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Good to hear you made it through the night (http://forum.multitool.org/Smileys/default/541.gif)
When I got back to the car the dashboard lit up saying 'Warning Possible Icy Conditions' :o I don't think it rained last night did it?
I might try that spot myself, with tent of course ;D
Good to meet you all and get a lesson in tarp set up and feather sticks; can't wait 'til next Sunday ;D
I called up to both Shilnavogy and and Capanagh today for a scout with my son. Shilnavogy looks like a decent spot but the springy moss on Capanagh would be ideal for a bivvy (http://forum.multitool.org/Smileys/default/541.gif) Although it was very wet but we didn't venture too far in.
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It didnt rain no, if anything a light skiffle, wasnt wet when we got up.
I'l be attending the July one but I'm sure we'll meet up again sometime during summer, saying there is a few in the Larne area.
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well done Oisin & Grace, i've still to do my first bivvy yet, and i suffer from cramp and claustrophia too, really looking forward to it now ;D
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Im not sure, but, after reading the book of bivvy, I found the experience much more satisfactory.
I think it helps, if you embrace and welcome the fact that it's not comfortable.
But, even though it's not comfortable, it kinda feels like an achievement, that you ruffed it.
And achievements are hard to come by in this boring existence.
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Yeah I found that.
I knew it was tight and what not and I knew I could fuss over it all night, and get really annoyed about it.
But instead I just lay there and tried to relax. Worked well.
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Sounds like a good night, well done! Personally I don't like putting my sleeping mat inside the bivvy bag, as it restricts the space and makes it tricky to move around without ending up in a tangle. I prefer to use a closed cell foam mat like the Thermarest Ridgerest so I can stick it on the ground underneath the bivvy and don't need to worry about it. That said, I've found my Rab Storm bivvy has a lot more space than the Alpkit Hunka and definitely feels more spacious with a sleep mat inside. Think that's partly because it has extra panels stitched into the sides that gives your chest a bit more space. I'm divided though on the two bivvy bags though and whether I prefer the drawstring closure or the zip closure!
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Jon, do you have the Hunka or the Hunka XL? I've got the Rab Storm bivvy too and the zip closure was a horses for courses thing (good for some things not so good form others), I then got the Hunka XL and found it much roomier and comfortable, especially with a big down bag inside (less compressed and therefore warmer). I agree about the sleep mats though - I'd much rather have a sleep mat outside the bivvy.
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It's really all personal choice with regards to mat in or out. If you tend to move a bit in your sleep I'm is the way to go. If your new to this type of camping I feel in is the way to go as your body tends to move about looking for the best position as your not used to it and this can lead to slipping off the mat and ending up on the cold ground. When your body becomes accustomed to biviing and you find your sleeping position then moving it out can work. I have always went for inside I gave a military bivi bag and it has loads of room in it so no probs. If your bivi is too tight then my advice is change it, get a bigger one. If your sleeping bag was too tight you woulnt use it it's all about comfort as sleep is important when your out especially for a period.
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Jon, do you have the Hunka or the Hunka XL? I've got the Rab Storm bivvy too and the zip closure was a horses for courses thing (good for some things not so good form others), I then got the Hunka XL and found it much roomier and comfortable, especially with a big down bag inside (less compressed and therefore warmer). I agree about the sleep mats though - I'd much rather have a sleep mat outside the bivvy.
I have the regular Hunka... or rather had as I gave the Hunka to Kat when I got the Rab Storm. I'm thinking of going back to the Hunka, but would be tempted to go for the XL to give me a bit more space. I still have a few more inches around my chest than I would like ;)