UKC

Hi guy and girls
In the rain in a spot with no natural shelter or tarp available. What's the best method for stripping down, getting your kit away and getting into a bivy whilst keeping everything as dry as possible.

I've got a mountain equipment Australia bag which is hood entry with a quarter length side zip.
KR
.k

In reply to Keiran.A:
How long does it take you to do that?!!??

Over the years I have spent a lot of time in bivi bags in wet conditions. It shouldn't take you much more than a minute!!!

In reply to nickinscottishmountains:

probably takes me too long but i can dial that in. still it won't stop clothes getting wet as you strip down and your body getting wet making you bag damp, any solutions

In reply to Keiran.A:
Unless there was some desperate reason to stop then I'd just keep going until there was some kind of natural shelter and then hold up there till day light. If it's an emergency you'd just have to do as best as you can but there's no point getting your dry clothes (and sleeping bag if you have) wet just so you can shiver inside your bag, may as well shiver in your normal clothes and waterproofs knowing that you have something dry packed away for when the rain stops or when you find shelter.

In reply to Keiran.A:
Solutions:-
A. Man up
B. buy a tent
C. Don't go out when it rains
For fecks sake!

In reply to Sharp:

that makes sense Ben, wade it out.

In reply to Keiran.A:
I keep a two man bothy bag, I used / use it a lot, particularly when I am away for several days and want to keep my gear dry, so If I see a squall coming, I just throw it over me and my gear and sit it out if it is quick short one, or if it is on for the day, I just shelter under it until I can get a poncho out and on , and stow it away again and keep moving.

Thanks for the reminder, I was just looking at my check list for a bike island hopping trip, added bothy bag.

In reply to Jim C:

Was going to avoid taking additional shelter but its sounding like the logical answer to bedding down in the rain. Have fun on your trip.

In reply to Skol:

plus:

D. Don't stop for the night where there's no natural shelter

In reply to Keiran.A:
Take a super light tarp with your bivvy bag if you know you are heading somwehere without any kind of shelter. If you have a walking pole and two pegs it's a short affair.

In reply to RomTheBear:

Good point RTB, one lightweight Bivi bag and tarp added to my bike trip checklist,
(in case I get a reasonable night , and/or I can't be bothered pitching the tent.)

In reply to Jim C:

We'll often take a tarp to use as a general ground sheet, picnic blanket, kit sorting surface, sun shade etc, when wild camping, even with a tent it's useful.

In reply to Keiran.A:
thanks for the input guys. i have used a tarp on summit camps but i wanted to ditch the pegs and pitching. my bivis fully waterproof and encapsulating so sleeping inside it during rain isn't a problem, it was just the getting inside part.

one of the advantages of bivi bags is being able to sleep practically anywhere. So although natural shelter will make it more comfortable, i wanted to remove it as a neccesity.

tarp and bivy combo is a great setup, even if its a micro tarp thats only big enough to cover your head area and maybe some cooking space but i wanted advise for if i was using my bivi as the only form of rain shelter I'm my sleeping system.

otherwise I'm thing of something super lite, that doesn't need to be full proofed, that i can use as "throw" whilst I'm transitioning from walking to sleeping. this would also double as the dryish bag for my pack (have my pack, boots etc wrapped in it during the night) e.g. tyvek

In reply to Keiran.A:


Poncho!

In reply to Keiran.A:
As Andrewmcleod suggests, a Poncho may be your solution. Very versatile and can be used with trekking poles like a tarp to provide some shelter over your bivvi bag.

In reply to Keiran.A:

When you have worked out how to do it record it and put it up on Youtube as a tutorial. I could do with a laff.

In reply to Keiran.A:

Have a last pee, then put your rucksac, wet outer jacket and boots into a plastic dustbin bag by your head, and get into your bivy bag ASAP. Takes about a minute.... If expecting rain I already have my sleeping bag inside the bivy bag.