Topic: Do you sleep or shiver? (Read 6452 times)

Rumblebum · « **on:** October 31, 2011 »

Myself and Grame (Whorya), have often talked about the posibility of doing our first bivy and how cool it would be to wake up on some mountain top staring at the sun rise, unfortunately this will mean more expense getting the tarp, bivy bag etc.
This will be something that i will achieve in the near future, but i would only really attempt it in the summer months.
There has been talk about various winter overnighters coming up and i hope to be involved in them as they sound great crack, but for me il be taking the tent as it gives you more protection for sleep, cooking, and generally being more comfortable.
I had my first Ni wild camp at the shelter stone a few months ago and noticed that alot of you bivvy, chuck, jonno dave, dowser, matt, and although Liam used his tent that nite i think even he may have had his first by now.

So say we head out into the hills in the next month or two and the rains going side ways, would you still bivvy or try and find the tent thats been buried in the garage?

ChuckMcB · « **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2011 »

I'm with Flipmeb, as much as I love the hills....if it's sideways I stay at home (there have been some notable exceptions). Keep an eye on the three day forecast, if it's going to be dry then grab the bivvy and go.

Also you don't have to go that far, I did a quick night hike and bivvy 20minutes walk from Meelmore Lodge at the rocks at Spellack. It was an excellent spot, sort of place you walk past all the time heading for higher peaks. Also means if the weather goes against you you can bail out back to the car quick enough....or 20 minutes away from the cafe for breakfast.

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will mean more expense getting the tarp, bivy bag etc

Where are you based? I'm sure there are some of us with spare kit you can borrow. While I've start moving over to ex-army tarps and bivvy bags, I still use my TKMaxx trekmates £19.99 bivvy bag, did me great for over a year including a snow bivvy in January (again that spot was no more than 30mins from Newcastle Harbour). For years the standard bivvy bag was one of them big orange jobs, can't cost more than £3. All in all means you don't have to blow a tonne of cash.

LandyLiam · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2011 »

I've bivvied twice so far and thoroughly enjoyed the experience both times. First time (on doan) I brought the tent as well just in case but it was a great dry cloudless night and I even took the tarp down during the night., 2nd time (on commedagh) I made a last minute decision to leave the tent in the car and again it was perfect bivvy weather. I have yet to perfect my tarp setup (it flaps a lot in the wind) but I'd certainly be up for a snow bivvy but would probably bring the tent if not walking far, the weather in this country is just so hard to predict, especially in the mournes. Also the great thing about the winter bivvy is the lack of midges

RedLeader · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2011 »

I have a mixed attitude to bivvying at the mo. It's been a while since I was last in a tent unless at a campsite or with the small boy in Donard Wood, all the other times I've bivvied. When the weather is nice it's brilliant Lying in your cosy bag watching the stars and then enjoying a sunrise without having to get up is a lovely feeling. However, when it's cold and wet or muddy underfoot it can me a messy pain in the ass. I don't have a decent light tent for peaks but when I finally lay my hands on one I'll still bivvy when the weather looks alright and keep the tent for dodgy conditions.

As far as it being cold goes, I've not had many problems. Sometimes the wind blowing across the bag can be chilly but it's not usually anything that can't be sorted by throwing on a layer of clothing.

Fred · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2011 »

I would consider bivoaking at any time of year but if Im expecting a lot of rain, I would take a tent. Having said that, packing up a tent in the rain is one of the most miserable things you can do.
I love bivoaking because I can set up camp almost anywhere, unlike a tent which requires a larger footprint. I have never had much of a problem with being cold, compared to camping, except of course when the rain is getting in. A micro tarp is a really good idea, well worth the trouble.

fred

RedLeader · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2011 »

One massive thing I didn't mention is that of positioning and sleep mats.
Once you get into your sleeping bag and onto your mat (or have the mat inside your bivvy bag) it's really bloody hard to change your position. Once I'm in and I invariably realise I'm on a hill or lumpy ground it's a nightmare to do anything about it. In a tent you can at least shuffle around to find the best spot but I don't find it easy in a bivvy without actually getting out.

Rumblebum · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2011 »

Hi Chuck, i looked at your pics there and you really do fall asleep in some odd places lol. This man is a machine!

Im from antrim and more often than not would go to the mournes for a dander,yeah i know theres other places to go to but in the mournes i like to make up different wee routes , attacking each hill or valley from different angles. The secenery and challenge is always different then.

I had one of those orange bivvy bags with me on my duke of ed, i didnt even know why i was carrying it or what it was for, so it found itself in the garage untill my dad claimed it, he thought it was a great job for taking the hedge cliipings to the dump as it didnt rip $:-\$

Yeah i think a bivvy is deffinately on the cards, maybe myself and whorya can join a few of you when the weather gets a bit better, in the mean time i need to get this tent of mine fixed after our night on chimney rock, it was a tad rough that night.

Rumblebum · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2011 »

ok dave you got me on that one, you cant blame a guy for dreaming

Tim · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2011 »

I very rarely find myself wishing that I'd brought the tent. Generally I'm comfortable enough in just a bivvy bag, whatever the weather, but if I'm planning to be sitting about a lot in the evenings/mornings the tarp offers a decent bit of protection and I've only had rain coming into the tarp once on a summit camp on bearnagh when the wind was so strong it was ripping the pegs out of the ground. Its hard to beat that feeling of waking up in a bivvy bag and watching the sunrise

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Author Topic: Do you sleep or shiver? (Read 6452 times)

Rumblebum

Do you sleep or shiver?

ChuckMcB

Re: Do you sleep or shiver?

LandyLiam

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RedLeader

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Fred

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RedLeader

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Rumblebum

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Rumblebum

Re: Do you sleep or shiver?

Tim

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