On Thursday afternoon we went to a small geocaching round and to test the bivy bag Bivibag Storm 1 from Salewa. In order to get a realistic test environment, I wanted to try the part in bad weather and rain.
Said, done: I started in the early evening, a few hours and three geocaches later, I discovered a perfect place for a bivouac under dense trees that keep the rain out. Luckily I had packed a big garbage bag for my backpack and shoes! A small campfire gave consolation and tea-water, and quickly I rolled on my mattress and slept soon.
bivouac sack
There are bivouac bags that are significantly lighter and packable, but this seems to be neat and stable. At the foot end there is a zipper, which I also leave open to get some ventilation. The sleeping bag fits perfectly, but crawling in is a bit artistic. It was also cumbersome to find a sleeping position that was comfortable on the one hand, and on the other hand prevented the head part of the bivouac sack from lying on the face. I can't tell you about the comfort of sleeping at night, because I just slept 🙂
In the morning it was a bit clammy, because quite a lot of condensation had accumulated. My synthetic sleeping bag was quite moist from the outside. I turned the bivy bag 'on the left', shook it vigorously a few times, packed everything, allowed myself a quick breakfast with cereal and coffee, and stomped through the drizzle toward home.
Conclusion
As an emergency shelter or with light luggage this bivy bag works well. Somehow I already missed my little tent. It just feels less cramped, especially because you have more headroom and feel a bit more protected. Here at the lake is also a mosquito net not to be despised, I had after the bivouac night despite mosquito repellent some stitches.
All in all, I would rather spend more money and take a smaller and lighter bivouac sack: the ratio of weight and pack size to the already low comfort should at least be much better with a lighter bivouac sack.
Meanwhile, we had other models in the test: the small and light Twilight from Black Diamond and the luxurious ones Helium from Outdoor Research, Both can be a lot in terms of comfort and breathability, but also have their price.
Literature:
- Hegau - West Lake Constance: Hiking map with cycling routes
- Lake Constance: hiking map set with nature guide in the protective cover
