Sleeping Bag Bivy

[OhHeyThereBen]

Hey guys. I haven't really gotten into cold weather (0-20 degree) camping until recently and am wondering what methods you all use to keep your bag free from condensation in the cold weather? I have a nice REI down bag that is great at keeping me warm, but it really sucks when it gets damp. I saw on one of Randy's youtube sleep system videos that he uses a bivy sack for his. Any suggestions on a bivy that is decently cheap or alternatives that you guys have used in your systems? I'm thinking that it wouldn't need to be a top notch thing if I'm just trying to stop moisture, not sleeping outside of a tent with that as the only layer.

 

[375H&H]

Step 1: switch to a synthetic bag. Step 2: investigate using a VBL instead of a bivy as that will cut down on moisture retention in your bag insulation material.

 

[glass eye]

I recently used my down bag that has a gore-tex type shell and I put it inside a military gore-tex bivy and had zero condensation issues. My friend had a synthetic bag and no bivy and his bag was collecting moisture. We were camping on the Alaska Peninsula.

 

[glass eye]

You can get a military gore-tex bivy on ebay for cheap.

 

[nrpate05]

That video intrigued me as well. Plenty of companies make them, but a lot are fairly expensive. I'm thinking of using the emergency bivy I always carry anyway. Maybe not the best, but I'm sure it'll keep the condensation off.