I've slept over more than 800 nights in this style bivy during my time in the Dutch infantry in all kinds of different environment... Never had any real issues with it. Usually we would put our gear and rifle in there with us as well. Just changed the zipper after a few years but other than that it is a great piece of kit. Especially in combination with the snugpak jungle sleeping bag.
Got the same one (the Carinthia variant of it )...a good way to prevent puddles is to put your backpack or an inflatable pillow at the foot-end to raise it up and create a bit of a tunnel that way
@@TreeDeepOutdoors l'm a bit surprised with the bivvy bag result, firstly goretex is expanded ptfe which we use to provide a watertight seal on threaded joints and secondly l have a goretex sleeping bag cover that has been in downpours many times before and never leaked and that includes water forming puddles on it, could the bivvy bag been damaged/faulty?
I@@clooperman3745 I'm in 100% agreement with you I believe the bag maybe needs reproofingredients that can't be right leakage like that especially on military gear I've had one for a few years but always use a tarp make me wonder if I should test mine ????
Sorry, but I have to disagree with the way you did this test. The bivy always has something inside it, whether it's a backpack, clothes, or any other item and that's why it always has a volume. It means it doesn't stay flat on the floor. Any item inside prevents water from accumulating in any part of the fabric and the more it is stretched, the better it drains water. I have one and in rainy weather I use a tarp over it to give me better weather protection and a larger coverage area and at other times I use it mostly without cover or at the very least, a camo net. If you are interested, and still have the bivy, I recommend that you test it again in a different way. I bet you will have a different opinion. The flood must have been a pain in the neck to get through, but it was just a test of patience and skill. I don't envy you for that. Keep up the good work.
Absolutely love mine, just had a smashed night on dartmoor in mine . Was forecast thunder storms so put up my 3x3 tarp tent as a bug out dry room but got away with it 😎
Another great review. It's a big ask to expect breathable fabric to remain water proof under water. Good information and I learned that when I set it up try to keep it from having water pool in it. Just like my tents and tarps 😊 Good info so folks know the limits of the gear.
This video is exactly why I opted out of the bivvy bags and decided on a polytunnel on my inflatable kayak instead. Within the polytunnel I'm wrapped up warm and dray in a thick sleeping bag and bivvy bag, on a sleep pad, on my inflatable. Best. Sleep. Ever. Especially at anchor on the water.
Washing these with normal detergent will impair the water proofing. Even if washed with the right stuff it needs a good tumble dry to reactivating the waterproofing layer or it will not bead. Give it a wash and treatment with Nikwax and a good tumble dry and it will likely be fine. On my Dutch bivi the bottom section is way less water proof due to that section of fabric just being less water proof. it is the only section that really soaks up water even when the whole bivi is flat and empty. This could be the case with yours as well to some extent.
I recently tested a bivi modular system which I put together to avoid the problem you discussed. I also took a tarp with me initially to prevent a heavy ground frost but the weather changed to blustery drizzle, good job I had the tarp. Anyway I had someone question why I had a tarp and bivi as they could not see the point of that, I'm not sure what they were thinking. My modular bivi system doesn't fully enclose therefore there needs to be a tarp covering the top half to avoid moisture ingress, the other good thing about this system is there is little or no condensation on the inside due to this ventilation. Two great minds think alike atb Taff 👊
I do love my firebox, love the way you have so many permutations of control but it’s just so damn heavy! The titanium version doesn’t seem to be available here, I got the honey hive stove in titanium, British made. It is fiddly but you can make it the size of a small campfire in the hexagon configuration or smaller.😁As regards weight, it’s a couple hundred grams, you don’t even notice it!
Was talking to a chap at my local surplus place. Goretex has a life of 15 years and degrades after that. I've spent way too much on fancy treatments and nothing beats buying new or nearly new goretex.
Great video, very interesting. Have subbed. I have and use one, its not leaked yet but never been puddled / under water like yours was. I often use one on "Norfolk 'n' Stealth" channel..
in instructions on the bivi state ,,,,"Important use and care information For the BIVY SACK .Never cover the bivy sack with a non-breathable material (such as plastic). Dirt, such as soil, mud, sand, leaves, etc. Can be removed with a soft brush or water. If necessary, the bivy sack can be washed in the washing machine. It is important to tumble dry the bivy sack with heat after washing, as this will help restore the functional properties of the bivy sack The bivy sack should be stored clean and dry.
Not a real world test in my opinion, because these bags are designed for someone to be in them. This video also goes to show that no matter how experienced you are, you will still make mistakes. I read Bear Grylls autobiography a few years ago, and he made mistake after mistake trying to get into the SAS Reserves, and he still suceeded.
@@TreeDeepOutdoors Thanks so much.. after all the years you've had yours, would you recommend it? Did you have any water Ingress issues moving forward? Like when you was sleeping in it, so the water could roll off, majoritively speaking, like you said? I was going to buy one but was surprised that of water can pool it leaks through. Many thanks. Great video too BTW.
That was always gunna end up being soggy dude ! I love my Dutch bivi they are excellent, but the clue is in the term " permeable", give them that little bit of cover with a tarp and they are second to none mate. Nice to see you with the folding fire box too, another great bit of kit, a bit weighty but durable and strong and will last you for years mate. Next bit of kit you need is a 12cm Zebra billy can, and a small grill to fit inside. Mix that with the fire box, and you can make an oven for baking and do all sorts of cooking ! Or just warm up pasty's and pies . Good enjoyable video Bro, keep them coming. Regards Moose
I've got one, recently tried it in all night of heavy rain close to zero degrees (prime condensation conditions) and not a single damp or icy patch anywhere. More breathable than my expensive Rab eVent bivy. Trick is to keep side zip open but keep the poppers done up.
@@npwn6569 Hey, I'm going to use mine without a basha or groundsheet for the first time tomorrow and am woried about water ingress through top due to rain and through the underside without a groundsheet- Does this sound risky to you? I'm thinking I'll be fine because the parts of my bivy that have gotten wet before didn't let moisture through, although the rain is suposed to be heavier this coming week.
@@zoey6557 I've never had water ingress with mine and I've been in some pretty heavy rain. I do sleep with my inflatable under the bivvy (with thin foam under that) so not much goretex touches the ground directly. Obviously if yours was treated badly in the past it could leak but you won't know until you try. Might be worth setting it up outside and sticking it under the garden hose on spray setting for 20 mins or to see if there are any leaks before your trip. Just make sure it's got enough gear in it to stop pooling like in this video. Good luck hope you have fun on you trip!
this is exactly why i dont like bivys. if youre gonna put a tarp over it why bother with a bivy.. just make a makeshift tent out of your tarp/poncho and youre good to go. also its not as claustrofobic and doesnt take much space in your backpack
Greetings. You cold have tried pool noodles inside the bivvy. I have one of those and it never fail me. I use a small chinese tarp under and a british basha over. Life salvier. Russian military sleeping bag and I am set to sleep all night.
Hey Erik! I really appreciate the offer! If you give me an email at treedeepoutdoors@gmail.com I'll get you my address. Thanks as always my friend! Hope you and yours are all well!
First, s h I n y 😅😅😅. Firebox. Looking good something I haven't got yet. An the bivvy bag, depends on weather an were you are.. But I would use a tarp. Dpm all the way. Ever since I first seen em on sandy chan. Many year's ago. Great video mate cheers for sharing. Atb Andy
I've slept over more than 800 nights in this style bivy during my time in the Dutch infantry in all kinds of different environment... Never had any real issues with it. Usually we would put our gear and rifle in there with us as well. Just changed the zipper after a few years but other than that it is a great piece of kit. Especially in combination with the snugpak jungle sleeping bag.
Got the same one (the Carinthia variant of it )...a good way to prevent puddles is to put your backpack or an inflatable pillow at the foot-end to raise it up and create a bit of a tunnel that way
Awesome idea! 👍
@@TreeDeepOutdoors l'm a bit surprised with the bivvy bag result, firstly goretex is expanded ptfe which we use to provide a watertight seal on threaded joints and secondly l have a goretex sleeping bag cover that has been in downpours many times before and never leaked and that includes water forming puddles on it, could the bivvy bag been damaged/faulty?
I@@clooperman3745 I'm in 100% agreement with you I believe the bag maybe needs reproofingredients that can't be right leakage like that especially on military gear I've had one for a few years but always use a tarp make me wonder if I should test mine ????
Sorry, but I have to disagree with the way you did this test. The bivy always has something inside it, whether it's a backpack, clothes, or any other item and that's why it always has a volume. It means it doesn't stay flat on the floor. Any item inside prevents water from accumulating in any part of the fabric and the more it is stretched, the better it drains water.
I have one and in rainy weather I use a tarp over it to give me better weather protection and a larger coverage area and at other times I use it mostly without cover or at the very least, a camo net.
If you are interested, and still have the bivy, I recommend that you test it again in a different way. I bet you will have a different opinion.
The flood must have been a pain in the neck to get through, but it was just a test of patience and skill. I don't envy you for that.
Keep up the good work.
Yep and that is why you put a tarp over it plus you need to keep it dry when you open it…Have fun stay safe.
I always shove my bag down the bottom of my bivy to make a bit of space. Never had this issue but I use a British bivvy
Great video, I just picked one up and can’t wait to go camping with my German Shepherd
if you were inside it it qould let the rain roll off lol
Did you watch the video
I use a pair of magnets to lift the foot end up and prevent puddling on my bivi - works well!
Perter Gabriel in the background, nice 👌
Great to see your rain test! You’ve certainly been thorough testing it in a storm 😂 thanks for sharing
Absolutely love mine, just had a smashed night on dartmoor in mine . Was forecast thunder storms so put up my 3x3 tarp tent as a bug out dry room but got away with it 😎
It should of been OK. Time to treat it. 👍
I thing the Best is the bivi from the british army. No zimperlich and waterproof
As it´s always been, your videos are real life stuff, rather than fake paid "reviews"... Thanks for sharing honest and reliable information.
She could be due for a DWR refresh as well. I know on my Canadian Army bivies it is heat activated so I just tossed them into the dryer.
Another great review.
It's a big ask to expect breathable fabric to remain water proof under water.
Good information and I learned that when I set it up try to keep it from having water pool in it. Just like my tents and tarps 😊
Good info so folks know the limits of the gear.
This video is exactly why I opted out of the bivvy bags and decided on a polytunnel on my inflatable kayak instead. Within the polytunnel I'm wrapped up warm and dray in a thick sleeping bag and bivvy bag, on a sleep pad, on my inflatable. Best. Sleep. Ever. Especially at anchor on the water.
Washing these with normal detergent will impair the water proofing. Even if washed with the right stuff it needs a good tumble dry to reactivating the waterproofing layer or it will not bead. Give it a wash and treatment with Nikwax and a good tumble dry and it will likely be fine. On my Dutch bivi the bottom section is way less water proof due to that section of fabric just being less water proof. it is the only section that really soaks up water even when the whole bivi is flat and empty. This could be the case with yours as well to some extent.
I recently tested a bivi modular system which I put together to avoid the problem you discussed. I also took a tarp with me initially to prevent a heavy ground frost but the weather changed to blustery drizzle, good job I had the tarp. Anyway I had someone question why I had a tarp and bivi as they could not see the point of that, I'm not sure what they were thinking. My modular bivi system doesn't fully enclose therefore there needs to be a tarp covering the top half to avoid moisture ingress, the other good thing about this system is there is little or no condensation on the inside due to this ventilation.
Two great minds think alike atb Taff 👊
I do love my firebox, love the way you have so many permutations of control but it’s just so damn heavy! The titanium version doesn’t seem to be available here, I got the honey hive stove in titanium, British made. It is fiddly but you can make it the size of a small campfire in the hexagon configuration or smaller.😁As regards weight, it’s a couple hundred grams, you don’t even notice it!
Was talking to a chap at my local surplus place. Goretex has a life of 15 years and degrades after that. I've spent way too much on fancy treatments and nothing beats buying new or nearly new goretex.
Very good thanks
Thank you!
Great video 👍 fantastic Test 😁
I have the British special forces hooped bivvy, and it is brilliant.
Need to get my hands on one of those 👍
Great video, very interesting. Have subbed. I have and use one, its not leaked yet but never been puddled / under water like yours was. I often use one on "Norfolk 'n' Stealth" channel..
Good review, got a US biviy but it's not hooped so I'm interested in this.
I used mine in south Germany, no tarp and it rained for 5 hours long. I was dry and warm the whole night
in instructions on the bivi state ,,,,"Important use and care information For the BIVY SACK .Never cover the bivy sack with a non-breathable material (such as plastic). Dirt, such as soil, mud, sand, leaves, etc. Can be removed with a soft brush or water. If necessary, the bivy sack can be washed in the washing machine. It is important to tumble dry the bivy sack with heat after washing, as this will help restore the functional properties of the bivy sack The bivy sack should be stored clean and dry.
Not a real world test in my opinion, because these bags are designed for someone to be in them. This video also goes to show that no matter how experienced you are, you will still make mistakes. I read Bear Grylls autobiography a few years ago, and he made mistake after mistake trying to get into the SAS Reserves, and he still suceeded.
Good test
Hello. Which brand of bivi bag was this in the video, Fesca or Corinthia? Best
Fecsa brand 👍
@@TreeDeepOutdoors Thanks so much.. after all the years you've had yours, would you recommend it? Did you have any water Ingress issues moving forward? Like when you was sleeping in it, so the water could roll off, majoritively speaking, like you said? I was going to buy one but was surprised that of water can pool it leaks through. Many thanks. Great video too BTW.
Just couldn’t sleep in something like that looks like a body bag
Like sleeping in a casket 💀
That was always gunna end up being soggy dude ! I love my Dutch bivi they are excellent, but the clue is in the term " permeable", give them that little bit of cover with a tarp and they are second to none mate. Nice to see you with the folding fire box too, another great bit of kit, a bit weighty but durable and strong and will last you for years mate. Next bit of kit you need is a 12cm Zebra billy can, and a small grill to fit inside. Mix that with the fire box, and you can make an oven for baking and do all sorts of cooking ! Or just warm up pasty's and pies . Good enjoyable video Bro, keep them coming.
Regards
Moose
Did you get damp through condensation when you slept in it!?
I've got one, recently tried it in all night of heavy rain close to zero degrees (prime condensation conditions) and not a single damp or icy patch anywhere. More breathable than my expensive Rab eVent bivy. Trick is to keep side zip open but keep the poppers done up.
@@npwn6569 Hey, I'm going to use mine without a basha or groundsheet for the first time tomorrow and am woried about water ingress through top due to rain and through the underside without a groundsheet- Does this sound risky to you?
I'm thinking I'll be fine because the parts of my bivy that have gotten wet before didn't let moisture through, although the rain is suposed to be heavier this coming week.
@@zoey6557 I've never had water ingress with mine and I've been in some pretty heavy rain. I do sleep with my inflatable under the bivvy (with thin foam under that) so not much goretex touches the ground directly. Obviously if yours was treated badly in the past it could leak but you won't know until you try. Might be worth setting it up outside and sticking it under the garden hose on spray setting for 20 mins or to see if there are any leaks before your trip. Just make sure it's got enough gear in it to stop pooling like in this video. Good luck hope you have fun on you trip!
Mint
Brilliant content, well executed video sublime commentary mate much respect great review
Thanks for your comment Coyle, much appreciated my friend 👍
this is exactly why i dont like bivys. if youre gonna put a tarp over it why bother with a bivy.. just make a makeshift tent out of your tarp/poncho and youre good to go. also its not as claustrofobic and doesnt take much space in your backpack
Its kinda jarring you use inches.
But eh, at least ya didnt use millimeters.
GREAT WORK ! CAN WE HAVE SOME SURVIVAL HACKS THROWN IN TOO.
Greetings. You cold have tried pool noodles inside the bivvy. I have one of those and it never fail me. I use a small chinese tarp under and a british basha over. Life salvier. Russian military sleeping bag and I am set to sleep all night.
Do you find the groundsheet necessary to stop wateringress through wetter ground?
@@zoey6557 No. It's just a way to protect and extend the insulating qualities of the bivvy.
I still have an original stuffsack for the hooped bivi waiting for you. Just pm me so I can send it to you. Greetings from the Netherlands!
Hey Erik! I really appreciate the offer! If you give me an email at treedeepoutdoors@gmail.com I'll get you my address. Thanks as always my friend! Hope you and yours are all well!
😊 👋
First, s h I n y 😅😅😅. Firebox. Looking good something I haven't got yet. An the bivvy bag, depends on weather an were you are.. But I would use a tarp. Dpm all the way. Ever since I first seen em on sandy chan. Many year's ago. Great video mate cheers for sharing. Atb Andy
Upgrading from a British army bivvy. Is there enough room for a gf to get in? 😂
location location location🙈🙉🙊
Too much talking 👎👎🤮🤮