Bivvy Help

[Jaxx]

Looking for a bit of advice on this one, my current bivvy is worn, and now the frost is kicking in im thinking about treating myself to a new one but as you all know there not cheap pieces of kit and i need something right for me and was looking for any opinions.

 

To start off my previous bivvy was the Wychwood Extremis Bivvy, cheap bivvy but did a fantastic job.

 

 

However due to its dome shape as soon as the wind picked up you new about it, the doors came in beyond the tent the walls came far too far in for its own good and it began to become unstable. Apart from that it did everything we ever wanted it to, cutting to the point im now after a bivvy with the following specs :-

 

- Roughly 250-300 price mark (cheaper if poss)

- 2 Man but can accomodate 3/w gear Only 2 Bed chairs(Ocassionally the miss' comes down with us and does some of the cooking for us, the extremis did that with no hesitation and still held all the gear)

- Plenty of space

- Ribbed/Pram Style (I think, not sure so correct me if im wrong but because of the ribbed supports they hold the wind better)

- Double Skinned (Winter wrap or atleast something with the ability to keep all the condensation out in the morning)

- Strong and sturdy

- Easy to set up

- And finally a decent height (i know thats odd but me and my fellow fisher are well over 6ft) - Not important but would be the icing on the cake if it was high.

 

So, heres what i've come up with and your opinions/reviews or advice on a different bivvy would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

First this one for the soul reason its easy to set up, however im not sure if its good or bad.

 

TF Gear Force 8

http://www.fishtec.co.uk/productdetailinfo...vy/40/yes/32073

 

Pro Logic Spider

http://www.fishtec.co.uk/productdetailinfo...vy/40/yes/31728

 

My Favourite two:

 

Fox Eclipse

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fox-Eclipse-2-Man-Bi...=item35a50146b9

 

JRC Quad or Quad Continental

Quad - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JRC-Quad-2-man-Bivvy...=item3efaa4df40

Quad Continental - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JRC-Quad-Continental...=item35a4757152

 

However on that note i think the Continental may be too big. Saying that the Extremis bivvy was 280 by 280

 

Also a fishing market near me sells alot of trakker stuff, roughly priced near 500 smackers for a decent 2 man bivvy. I really don't want to spend anywere near that but are they worth it?

 

Thanks and please drop the best advice you can regarding my topic.

 

Cheers - Jaxx

Edited December 2, 2009 by Jaxx

[RobStubbs]

I use trakker gear and thoroughly recommend it. Can't comment on bivvies because I never use one. I prefer to snuggle up in a decent sleeping bag under a brolly, but I do put the front on it if the rain or snow is blowing into my face. And a waterproof bedchair cover also helps if it's extra cold or the wind turns in the night.

 

Rob.

[chesters1]

Looking for a bit of advice on this one, my current bivvy is worn, and now the frost is kicking in im thinking about treating myself to a new one but as you all know there not cheap pieces of kit and i need something right for me and was looking for any opinions.

 

To start off my previous bivvy was the Wychwood Extremis Bivvy, cheap bivvy but did a fantastic job.

 

 

However due to its dome shape as soon as the wind picked up you new about it, the doors came in beyond the tent the walls came far too far in for its own good and it began to become unstable. Apart from that it did everything we ever wanted it to, cutting to the point im now after a bivvy with the following specs :-

 

- Roughly 250-300 price mark (cheaper if poss)

- 2 Man but can accomodate 3/w gear Only 2 Bed chairs(Ocassionally the miss' comes down with us and does some of the cooking for us, the extremis did that with no hesitation and still held all the gear)

- Plenty of space

- Ribbed/Pram Style (I think, not sure so correct me if im wrong but because of the ribbed supports they hold the wind better)

- Double Skinned (Winter wrap or atleast something with the ability to keep all the condensation out in the morning)

- Strong and sturdy

- Easy to set up

- And finally a decent height (i know thats odd but me and my fellow fisher are well over 6ft) - Not important but would be the icing on the cake if it was high.

 

So, heres what i've come up with and your opinions/reviews or advice on a different bivvy would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

First this one for the soul reason its easy to set up, however im not sure if its good or bad.

 

TF Gear Force 8

http://www.fishtec.co.uk/productdetailinfo...vy/40/yes/32073

 

Pro Logic Spider

http://www.fishtec.co.uk/productdetailinfo...vy/40/yes/31728

 

My Favourite two:

 

Fox Eclipse

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fox-Eclipse-2-Man-Bi...=item35a50146b9

 

JRC Quad or Quad Continental

Quad - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JRC-Quad-2-man-Bivvy...=item3efaa4df40

Quad Continental - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JRC-Quad-Continental...=item35a4757152

 

However on that note i think the Continental may be too big. Saying that the Extremis bivvy was 280 by 280

 

Also a fishing market near me sells alot of trakker stuff, roughly priced near 500 smackers for a decent 2 man bivvy. I really don't want to spend anywere near that but are they worth it?

 

Thanks and please drop the best advice you can regarding my topic.

 

Cheers - Jaxx

if you have any bivvy with a sloping door as in your picture the usable room in it is vertically down from the top of the door (usually its about 50% of the floor space.

why? in bad weather you either sit in a totally closed bivvy or you open the door and the rain comes in .Even if the door forms a porch if it has no sides to the porch you still get wet as rain rarely comes straight down.

bivvies with vertical doors are less of a problem.

the more expensive ones you notice have got round the problem by having a more vertical door and a porch but it adds to the price as you see.

whilst its nice and cosy sitting with the door closed windows mist up and you end up opening them anyway

Edited December 2, 2009 by chesters1

[peterpikefisher]

have a look at the JRC Sti twin skin 2008/9 model 10000 hyd static head 1 or 2 man good quality kit,

with the mesh panels there's no condensation problems and warm as toast during the colder months especially up here in Scotland

you can pick them up from about £140 to £200 buy now on ebay.

i have the 1 man my self haven't had any problems with it

used it for 1 year now however i wish i had bought the extended wrap for the extra porch area.

hope this helps

cheers Pete.

[Jaxx]

Cheers for all the advice, peter i have taken an interest in that piece of kit you\\\'ve advised. Looks good but by picture it doesn\\\'t look spacey enough (i know its different in reality)

 

Does anybody know anything about the JRC Quad Bivvy\\\'s or know any stores in the Buckinghamshire area which might have these bivvy\\\'s on display?

 

 

 

Adding on that statement i really don\'t think the two man has enough space, going by this picture

 

http://www.maggotdrowning.com/myphoto/Data....asp?FileID=622

Edited December 3, 2009 by Jaxx

[Tony U]

Jaxx the STI two man would definitely be too small Sue and I can only just squeeze in to oursand we have to angle the bedchairs and raise the back to get us both in comfortably.

[tincatinca]

Here is a link to a bivvy thread which may help you.

http://www.carpforum.co.uk/Shared/Messages...3&ReadAll=1

I have used several different bivvies over the years but as I get older require more comfort and a couple of years ago I looked at virtually everything that was on the market with particular pints in mind these being room, height, stability, rigidity and ease of putting up. Weight did not come into the equation.Following a fairly lengthy process of elimination, I finally decided on the Nash double top mark 1 two man which has proved to be excellent. I have since adde the winter skin which makes it even bigger and more comfortable. It also has the benefit of a removeable inner. There is currently a brand new unused one on e-bay if you are interested. See link below.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NASH-DOUBLE-TOP-2MAN...=item35a54d715e

Hope this helps.

[Jaxx]

thats a big help tinca, cheers!

[peterpikefisher]

Here's the dims for the jrc bivvys

sti 1 man 270cm x 250cm x 130cm high

 

sti 2 man 305cm x 280cm x 145cm high

 

Quad 2 Man Bivvy 280cm x 240cm x 140cm high

 

 

JRC Quad 2 Man Continental (10% Larger in all dimensions than the 2 man Quad)

 

 

the sti seem to be the bigger

these details are from the purefishing (JRC) web site

 

 

 

 

or look here at the tfg f8 giant bivvy Fishtec site giant bivvy

hope this helps

Edited December 4, 2009 by peterpikefisher

[Jaxx]

Ok im stuck between two bivvies.

 

Nash Double Top 2 Extreme

 

Or a Trakker bivvy of similar design, possibly the Armo

 

Any opinions?

 

Stuck between these two because of the following reasons.

 

Not confident in TF Gear Products, The JRC Continental even tho i like everything about it it just doesn't look like my sort of bivvy, it looks far too bulk.

 

The STI looks far too small and the Pro Logic joins it on that one

Edited December 4, 2009 by Jaxx