canvas bivy sack

[Ironweed]

This looks like a worthy investment. Check it out:

http://www.canvascutter.com/

Yes, it is a bit pricy, but for what you get, it may be a great idea.

 

[etpyh]

Looks a bit too bulky to carry while travelling without a vehicle to me.

 

[autumn]

That looks like an overpriced civilian MSS to me. What's the difference?

 

[warlo]

would it breath? since its canvas, it must have some kind of water repellent treatment. And those usually make whatever non breathable, so you'll eventually soak your sleeping bag / blanket unless there's something I dont know!

 

[Brother X]

A $180 bivy sack?

 

[Deleted member 20]

That fucking thing is huge! I couldnt figure out the weight but I know Its too big for me to travel with. I like the idea of it though!

As many will know I was one of the first proponents of the MSS on STP having used them when I was in the military back in 1995. I have had an anti tarp campaign going on for ever.

I do love the military goretex bivy sack for its weight, price & availability. I had a bunch of them. I can go on craigslist & find one for between $20-$30 Considering they were sold for $100 way back in the day with the whole MSS selling for like $400

I wonder if I can sew some water proof heavy duck canvas on the bottom side of my bivy to somehow improve them. I noticed that goretex doesnt do well while sleeping too close to a fire & have long thought of adding some fire retardant material like from a Nomex Flight Suit or Flame resistant material from a welding blanket, civilian flame resistant welding shirt. Better yet I can get some FRACU military uniform blouses or pants & cut them into like a patchwork of fire resistant camo on the top part of the bivy.

While my bivy is light, I carry i strapped to the outside of my pack so its not like it will be too bulky for how I carry it with a few strips of material to improve my bivy. The canvas bottom could be even more waterproof & durable with the flame resistant material making it easier to sleep near a campfire without waking up with tiny holes everywhere.

 

[Deleted member 20]

That looks like an overpriced civilian MSS to me. What's the difference?

The Military Sleep System is designed to be a rugged all season dynamic shelter that is lightweight enough to carry. Obviously the MSS is better for how we travel since it scalable to changing regions, seasons & temperatures. You can use just the bivy with the patrol bag in the hot summer, or add all 3 sleeping bags together for sleeping out in the cold snow. Many of us have come to like & trust our MSS systems regardless how we are traveling but as I state in my earlier post they are not exactly perfect. They are lightyears ahead of any tarp/tent solution out there & being military surplus they are both durable, camo, affordable & easily found throughout the US. I feel that my woodland bivy blends nicely on RR cars but I know that a newer digital woodland/desert camo could be even better.

Both of these eliminate the need for a tent as a waterproof bivy sack. He mentions this being used by hunters & carrying it from a truck. Goretex is lightweight, waterproof, breathable yet windproof as well & it dries quickly (water does collect on the outer layer of the membrane.)/ I tried to call the # to figure out the exact weight of the bivy without all the other junk. It seems like some guys home business; maybe he can be convinced to start making a lighter hobo bedroll in Black canvas specifically for hopping trains.

On further examination the video has a hunter with it all rolled up with a 4" foam sleeping pad & a sleeping bag inside of it. The accessories are sold separately and are all very expensive.

http://www.canvascutter.com/#!extra-supplies/mabh4

 

[Deleted member 20]

Yes, it is a bit pricy, but for what you get, it may be a great idea.

THAT $180 JUST BUYS THE CANVAS BIVY SACK! THE FOAM PAD & SLEEPING BAG ARE EXTRA!

I hate to break it to you @Ironweed but some of us have been using waterproof bivy sacks to travel (hitchhiking,camping, freighthopping etc) for decades. My military goretex bivy is always on my pack & I just adjust which sleeping bags I carry with me depending on where I am going, during what season etc.

This specific bivy is a new one to me. I dont like the price, the bulk of it (it seems like its made to accommodate big fat wealthy hunters) and unsure how breathable it is. There are obvously many bivy sacks out there from expensive expedition gear designed to climb Mount Everest down to the tried & true inexpensive Goretex bivy thats part of the US military sleep system MSS.

I wonder if it would be a good solution to train riders who mostly ride up in colder climates up in Canada or in Alaska? Also it could be good for someone who rubertramps it out of a small compact car yet sleeps outside. Any rubber tramps with a van,bus, rv wouldnt need the waterproof canvas bivy for shelter. If I didnt have to hump it on my back everywhere I would love to have that thick ass foam pad under my back thats for sure.

Good find @Ironweed but I am too cheap to test it out.

 

[warlo]

THAT $180 JUST BUYS THE CANVAS BIVY SACK! THE FOAM PAD & SLEEPING BAG ARE EXTRA!

I hate to break it to you @Ironweed but some of us have been using waterproof bivy sacks to travel (hitchhiking,camping, freighthopping etc) for decades. My military goretex bivy is always on my pack & I just adjust which sleeping bags I carry with me depending on where I am going, during what season etc.

This specific bivy is a new one to me. I dont like the price, the bulk of it (it seems like its made to accommodate big fat wealthy hunters) and unsure how breathable it is. There are obvously many bivy sacks out there from expensive expedition gear designed to climb Mount Everest down to the tried & true inexpensive Goretex bivy thats part of the US military sleep system MSS.

I wonder if it would be a good solution to train riders who mostly ride up in colder climates up in Canada or in Alaska? Also it could be good for someone who rubertramps it out of a small compact car yet sleeps outside. Any rubber tramps with a van,bus, rv wouldnt need the waterproof canvas bivy for shelter. If I didnt have to hump it on my back everywhere I would love to have that thick ass foam pad under my back thats for sure.

Good find @Ironweed but I am too cheap to test it out.

I think you nailed it, I had some similar points to make but as a start, the breath-ability turned me down on thinking any further. Im working a lot on some DIY gear and I love canvas for so many reasons. Been working on a multipurpose system and always struggle to make a multipurpose thing that its also a bivy and made out of it, but since the waterproofing agents will always make breathing impossible, im stuck. but those points sure make it clear in that product that its just a thing that might turn out to be a problem more than a solution to anything.

For all you people looking into fabrics that are waterproof, slightly breathable and still fire restistant, look for poplin (there are many configurations of poplin, im mainly looking at 70% cotton / 30% polyester tightly woven). Im undergoing some heavy testing of such fabrics to ensure you that its the dream travel fabric, cant say that for sure right now, but so far it looks promising as hell.

 

[warlo]

also, 180$ for such little amount of canvas, some meters of thread and a zipper is a bit of a joke. If you guys want such a thing and are around europe, I'll sew that shit for you in a day for a couple bucks, materials costs and choice on you.

 

[Ironweed]

I am unsure about buying something like it. Don't have one myself so, I cannot say it was worth it.