Reviews > Shelters > Tarps and Bivys > Integral Designs South Col Bivy > Louis Luangkesorn > Field Report

Field Report - Integral Designs eVent South Col Bivy

Tester Biography

I am a beginning to intermediate backpacker. I have gone camping on occasion over the past 10 years. I have started going on backcountry trips over the past 1 1/2 years. I also go on day trips in Illinois and Indiana. I am also a photographer and I try to have my hobbies go well together. While I am lightweight for a serious photographer (manual SLR, 2-3 prime lenses, Ultrapod, and occasionally either a compact tripod or a relatively light full sized tripod) the volume and weight of this effectively removes me from the ultralight backpacker category. My total weight (everything but the clothes I'm wearing) for a weekend fluctuates between 25-40 lbs (11 - 18 kg) depending on season, how serious I happen to be about photography and cooking on that trip and who I am with. Since I've already given up on ultralight, I usually give myself the luxury of a tent, sleeping pad, cooking stuff and an alcohol stove.

Product Description

Specifications (Website):
Length: Regular 84" (2.1 m) fits to 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Width: 32" (.8 m) at shoulders tapering to 22" (.55 m) at foot
Girth: 69" (1.7 m)at shoulders tapering to 55" (1.4 m) at foot
Weight: Regular 20 oz (.6 kg)
Packed: 8" (20 cm) long x 5" (12.5 cm) wide
Price: USD $235 (Regular)

Measured:
Weight: 20 oz. (.6 kg)(including stuff sack)
Length: 84" (2.1 m)
Width: 30" (.75 m) at opening, 20" (.5 m) at foot
Packed: 9" (23 cm) long x 5" (12.5 cm) diameter
The Integral Designs eVent South Col Bivy is a bivy sack made up of a waterproof and breathable top and a nylon floor. A side zipper runs about halfway down one side with a zipper across the top near the head for entry. The top zipper also provides adjustable ventilation through the use of a double slider zipper which allows for the user to have an opening of any size at any position along the zipper. A wire hoop runs alongside the top zipper to provide support for the fabric near the head. Versions of the eVent South Col bivy exist for both left and right side zippers to match a sleeping bag and in regular and long sizes. The bivy is intended to provide additional warmth to a sleeping bag as well as protection from wind and precipitation, especially when a full tent is not being used. A more detailed description can be found in my Initial Report, which can be found at http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tarps%20and%20Bivys/Integral%20Designs%20South%20Col%20Bivy/Louis%20Luangkesorn/Initial%20Report/

Testing

Used with a Fastpack fly and poles: 3.25 lbs (1.45 kg) 5 ft x 7 ft (1.5 x 2.1 m) plus vestibles. 4 feet (1.2 m) in height. I used the eVent South Col Bivy in conjunction with a tent in fastpack configuration. The fastpack came from a two-man wedge tent (the REI Half Dome 2). This consists of the fly, the two poles to support the fly and the ground sheet that provides an anchor for the poles. The fly extends around the ground sheet to about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) above the ground on all sides and has two peak vents for ventilation. In addition, I used a 15 F (-10 C) rated sleeping bag and a Therm-a-rest sleeping pad (1.5 in/3.5 cm thick).

The weather featured snow, which turned into heavy sleet and freezing rain. By the morning the snow and ice had built up to around 8 in (15 cm) around all sides of the fly. The bivy performed well for warmth. While I was not brave enough to use the bivy alone in the midst of a winter storm, I was warm in my bag. In similar conditions in the past I used the full tent plus a liner to be just as warm and comfortable (I generally sleep cold). Considering the weight savings (approx 1 lb (.45 kg) savings over a full tent), I was quite pleased. The second advantage to packing the fastpack and bivy was it made it considerably easier to pack the next morning during the rain. I was able to pack the bivy and all of my gear while still under the fly. This was much easier than doing the same operation with a tent. The bivy handled the mosture that was on the groundsheet and sleeping pad well. Although there was moisture due to melted snow on the groundsheet and on the sleeping pad, I do not think that any of it entered the bivy. In addition there was condensation on the inside of the fly. There was no noticable discomfort from falling water (such as when I knocked snow off of my fly walls). One annoyance is that I would occasionally slide off the sleeping pad. I had placed the bivy on top of the sleeping pad since I had gotten snow on the pad while hiking and setting up camp. The combination of the nylon fabric on the wet Therm-a-rest, the incline I was on and my general movement meant that I occasionally slid off of the pad and onto the ground sheet.

I noticed condensation around the opening of my sleeping bag in the morning, but my experience is the same occurs with a tent. I also noticed condensation on the inside of the bivy near the head as well. While it did not cause discomfort during the night I wonder if it would cause problems if it were colder or if I did not have the fly to protect against the direct effects of wind and freezing rain. In particular, while it did not feel suffocating, there was noticably less ventilation than for a tent. One thing I may try next time is to have two openings at the head instead of just one by leaving the main zipper partially undone and using the double slider to have a second opening.

The bivy was more comfortable than I expected. In particular, I found that the hoop does a good job of keeping the fabric raised off of my face. I also found that the location of the opening of the head zipper does matter. In addition to the zipper which closes the head, there is a double slider which enables the head opening to be placed anywhere along the top zipper as desired. Initially I had placed the opening of the zipper directly above my face. Here my face quickly got cold. I then used the double slider to move the opening. After this my face was warmer and I felt comfortable loosening the opening on my mummy bag face. After my use of the bivy so far, I have more confidence in packing ligher than I have in the past and I may try to leave the fastpack behind altogether and use the bivy with a true fly.

Good:

Breathable fabric. Hoop keeps fabric off face. Warm. The double sliders make it easy to adjust ventilation. Possible changes?:

It maybe useful to have loops that can be used with straps on a sleeping pad to prevent sliding, especially if the intended use is on a mountainside.

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Reviews > Shelters > Tarps and Bivys > Integral Designs South Col Bivy > Louis Luangkesorn > Field Report