1 man tent vs bivvy vs coveralls?

[sawtooth500]

Looking for a fast, easy, lightweight shelter to spend the night outdoors. My thoughts are:

 

-1 Man Tent

-Bivvy Sack

-My Carhartt Arctic Coveralls - ridiculously warm and water runs right off them, I'd just have to cover up my face somehow... so thinking of what it would be like to maybe just sleep in them?

 

Opinions?

[rob]

it all depends. What's the weather like, and how comfortable do you want to be?

[Ed_Hobbick]

I would try the coverall idea next to the house first.

I have a black diamond 1 man saber if you want to buy it for cheap.

[sawtooth500]

Yeah I will prolly try the coveralls in the woods near my car first... haha I'm afraid to try it in my yard on account that my neighbors will think I'm a nutcase... but I don't really care about comfort, I'm not planning on going luxury camping just planning to sleep the night after a hard, 16 hour day so I'm pretty sure passing out at that point will not be hard. I like the coveralls too because they double as cold weather gear I can walk in at high altitude, so less to carry.

[Buckaroo]

Bivy sack. Coveralls aren't going to be warm enough.

 

If you want to go super light use a 1/2 bag and use your puffy on top.

[montypiton]

a simple bivvy sack will be a fraction of the weight of those coveralls, and a half-bag or a pair of puffy pants will be lighter, warmer, and to my thinking, more comfortable.

 

if you want to run comparisons without committing too much cash, I have used mylar biv-sacs that package up about the size/weight of a cliff bar -- you can find 'em for about $5/apiece online at sportsmansguide.com. sure, they only last a night or two, but they'll give you an idea of whether you want to spend $100+ for a "real" bivvy-sac.

 

I wouldn't consider a one-man tent unless you're willing to carry several times the weight you really need...

Edited May 24, 2012 by montypiton

[jared_j]

How committed are you to going out in bad weather?

 

If we're talking about climbing something with snow or rock, most people would be scared off by a high probability of rain. If your decision framework is "bail if PoP > x" then the other suggestions on this thread are good (pairing puffy wth light bag and bivy).

 

If, on the other hand, this is a trip that's been planned for awhile, and/or your schedule is rigid enough that you're likely to say "F*** it, let's just go out there and see" even in the face of a higher forecast of precip, then you'll probably be more comfortable in a tent setup.

 

I would never consider a 1-man tent for any purposes (climbing, backpacking, or anything), just due to lack of versatility. Getting a lightweight flat rectangular tarp and spending time watching youtube videos learning various pitching setups would be cheaper and a better use of time (I know you weren't asking about this, but it should be on the table when discussing lightweight shelter options).

 

Thinking about shelter selection can't really be disentangled from your ideas about what conditions will cause you to bail.

[rob]

it also depends where you're going, and what the weather will be like. I've slept on the ground with just a jacket a few times. If it's warm out (and dry), it's not that bad. And if you're just going to be out one night, then you don't really need to that comfortable. A half-sleeping bag and a bivvy sack will get you through just about anything at lower elevations, especially if you only need one night.

 

If you're leaning towards a tent because it's going to be rainy, but your comfort requirements aren't high, think about floorless tents. I've been pretty happy with my BD beta-light tent, even in heavy rain it works pretty well. Pretty lightweight. It's good for longer trips where it's more important to keep things from getting (too) wet. I probably wouldn't bring it on a one-night trip, though, unless i was expecting a lot of weather exposure.

 

But I almost always just bring a bivvy sack and a lightweight sleeping bag. Especially if it's just going to be one night and the weather is expected to be mild. I love opening my eyes every few hours throughout the night and seeing the stars in a different position each time

[Pete_H]

SOP for Beckey and his contemporaries was just to lie down in the grass in their clothes and go to sleep. Of course, I'm sure that was in the summer and dry weather.

 

I had friends that were on a logging crew and when they were out overnight they would just use the burrito roll technique, which involves lying on a plastic tarp and rolling up in it to stay dry.

 

Really though, for the best warmth to weight ratio a lightweight sleeping bag and an added bivy sack in cold or wet conditions is your best bet. For the wieght of insulated Carhart overalls you could bring a -20 synthetic bag.

[Bronco]

Wear a hockey goalie's mask and scare everone who sees you in wandering around in your coveralls.

[rob]

I knew a guy in SAR who would roll himself up in a rain fly and crawl under a log with all of his layers on

 

[chris54]

I've done the tarp thing and the put all your layers on thing. They work good for an overnighter that's dry. If you can afford one I would just buy a decent bivy sack though. I think it's the best of both worlds. It's light weight and will keep you dry and more comfortable than the other options.