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Tech Bivvy Bags

stu_kawagoe

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Jun 23, 2018
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I just wondered if anyone had any experience using a lightweight bivvy in Japan. I'm thinking about buying one for multi-day cycling/walking/running trips. This company appears to have some decent stuff and the one I've linked to is currently on sale. An important consideration is that it's breathable for the Japanese summer, but also keeps the mozzies out.

Anyway, if anyone has any info to share about bivvy bags in Japan, that would be great! I actually couldn't find much in Japanese about them, but I might not have been looking in the right place🙂

Oh, for anyone who's interested (maybe new to Japan or whatever) here's @saibot's helpful vid about bikepacking kit. Btw, I like the tent, but it's not what I need for this job.
 
Back when I was looking for the best way to go camping by bike, I looked at bivvies vs solo tent. Decided on solo tent IOT have room to move a bit. Bought the Snugpak Ionosphere (available on Amazon). Like it. Packs easily into my seat bag (Ostrich). Great reviews. And, my favorite...relatively cheap.
 
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@Karl thanks for letting me know what you bought. Looks like a decent tent. I do still like the idea of the bivvy as I enjoyed using them as a kid, but I'll defintely keep an open mind about a one person tent if I don't find a suitable bivvy.
 
Is it for summer use only, or are you looking for a three-season bivvy?

If the former, I have an ultralightweight mesh-topped bivvy that I bought for summer fastpacking but never got round to using (I used a different version by the same manufacturer instead). I think it weighs around 200g, but I'll have to check. Let me know if you're interested!
 
@Karl thanks for letting me know what you bought. Looks like a decent tent. I do still like the idea of the bivvy as I enjoyed using them as a kid, but I'll defintely keep an open mind about a one person tent if I don't find a suitable bivvy.

I've never used a bivvy, but they look really convenient, small and light. The reason I went with a solo tent instead was, according to reviews, the more waterproof bivvies were, the more condensation in the bag became a problem. Plus, they look a kind of confining/small. Went with the solo tent to get enough room to move and store some gear w/o the weight of a 2 person tent. Curious though, what your experience with bivvies was. Did they feel confining and did you have problems with condensation?
 
I second Hammocks as perfect for biketouring. I have been hapilly using a Warbonnet one for years. If you combine it with a silk sleeping bag liner, you can sleep very comfortably from May until September. In colder months, it gets tricky as rather than a warmer sleeping bag, an under quilt is a lot more efficient.
 
Thanks for the helpful replies everyone!

I ended up buying @Sibreen's Bug Bivy today. It's very lightweight (and well ventilated because the top part is mesh). There are also loops to fix up some guy ropes to create some space if needed. I only intend to use it in the Japanese summer to keep the insects out, but I might invest in a tarp in the future. Basically, I was looking for something that I could crash in for a few hours before moving on.

@Karl I remember sometimes getting a bit damp and sweaty in the night, but part of the problem was I always used my dad's heavy duty British army sleeping bag (likely early 80s vintage) and wore way too many clothes. Oh, I never went out in extreme conditions, just on camps with scouts and stuff.

Here are some photos:
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Anyway, really looking forward to giving it a try this summer!
 
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