Sleeping without a tent?

[homerboy2u]

Ok.Ligther Fluid;

 I just read your review on Guide Gear's Bivy Tent and I totally agree with you. For the money you pay, you get what you asked for.

  What is  your final word on this product ?

  Now, Bdann's Eureka's Solitaire Bivy Looks pretty sturdy and water resistant.


http://www.eurekatent.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/22_2_.jpg

....Dang, I just can't get that pinche image to show up, darn!!...how do you guys do it?
ModNote:  Gotta use the right URLs...


http://www.eurekatent.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/22_1_.jpg

 What would your final opinion be, comparing Guide Gear's vs. Eureka?..probably a no brainer, but i would love to hear your opinions, none the less.

[lighter fluid]

Ok.Ligther Fluid;

 I just read your review on Guide Gear's Bivy Tent and I totally agree with you. For the money you pay, you get what you asked for.

  What is  your final word on this product ?

  Now, Bdann's Eureka's Solitaire Bivy Looks pretty sturdy and water resistant.

http://www.eurekatent.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/22_2_.jpg

....Dang, I just can't get that pinche image to show up, darn!!...how do you guys do it?

http://www.eurekatent.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/22_1_.jpg

 What would your final opinion be, comparing Guide Gear's vs. Eureka?..probably a no brainer, but i would love to hear your opinions, none the less.

Homero,
I think the guide gear bivy is servicable and a good deal for the entry level bivy tent, but the fact that the stakes are not very good, there are 12 of them, and IMHO they should be replaced, would make me hesitate to recommend it for an environment such as BIBE.
Trying to get 12 stakes, even higher end ones such as The North Face "V" stakes, in the ground in a lot of environments can be tough, trying to get them in the hard, baked desert ground of BIBE could turn out to be horribly frustrating. Especially after a long day on the trail. Combine that with fact that the guide gear bivy can be difficult to pitch fully taut anyway, and it just doesn't seem like the best option. I have personally stopped taking stakes on most trips as there are usually more than enough rocks and/or trees around to use in their place. A Taut line hitch or a Prussik knot around a rock usually will do the trick for me.

bdann has used the Eureka Solitaire in BIBE and has no complaints in a year of use, so I think that alone should give the nod to the Solitaire over the guide gear bivy.

[lighter fluid]

Hey Homero,
Did you ever make a bivy decision and/or purchase?

[SHANEA]

The South Rim on a Whim "Drop Everything" trip - I slept in the open on the ground with my sleeping pad and sleeping bag.  I have no problem sleeping on the ground without the shelter of a tent.  I like to be as close to nature as possible -    - although, when we did have a brief rain "settle the dust" for a few drops, I did hitch a spot in one of the tents that my com padres brought.   It was pretty cool the next night, but my warm sleeping bag did just fine and I have a stocking cap that I wear on my head. 

[homerboy2u]

Muy inteligente...speci ally since i know you told me you would never sleep on a tent again...or on the floor. ...glad you came around.

Lighter Fluid.....YES, after reviewing in detail your comments, i decided to jump on the Eureka Solitaire model. I don't want to purchase it online, i want to go and see it: maybe in Laredo or San Antonio...Austin,a long shot.

[lighter fluid]

The South Rim on a Whim "Drop Everything" trip - I slept in the open on the ground with my sleeping pad and sleeping bag.  I have no problem sleeping on the ground without the shelter of a tent.  I like to be as close to nature as possible -    - although, when we did have a brief rain "settle the dust" for a few drops, I did hitch a spot in one of the tents that my com padres brought.   It was pretty cool the next night, but my warm sleeping bag did just fine and I have a stocking cap that I wear on my head. 

Sweet! 

[lighter fluid]

Muy inteligente...speci ally since i know you told me you would never sleep on a tent again...or on the floor. ...glad you came around.

Lighter Fluid.....YES, after reviewing in detail your comments, i decided to jump on the Eureka Solitaire model. I don't want to purchase it online, i want to go and see it: maybe in Laredo or San Antonio...Austin,a long shot.

Good plan, Homero, and it's always nice to get to spend a day looking at gear. 

[lighter fluid]

The South Rim on a Whim "Drop Everything" trip - I slept in the open on the ground with my sleeping pad and sleeping bag.  I have no problem sleeping on the ground without the shelter of a tent.  I like to be as close to nature as possible -    - although, when we did have a brief rain "settle the dust" for a few drops, I did hitch a spot in one of the tents that my com padres brought.   It was pretty cool the next night, but my warm sleeping bag did just fine and I have a stocking cap that I wear on my head. 

SHANEA,
Sounds like a great trip and a great time close to nature.
What type of sleeping bag and pad were you using?

[SHANEA]

Most comfortable sleeping bag I have ever slept in.  I've got the 50 degree bag and the 30 degree bag and want a 0 degree bag next.

MontBell

REI Light

and even though you didn't ask, my backpack is ultra comfortable.  The custom heat molded belt works like a champ.

Osprey Aether 70 Pack

[lighter fluid]

Most comfortable sleeping bag I have ever slept in.  I've got the 50 degree bag and the 30 degree bag and want a 0 degree bag next.

MontBell

REI Light

and even though you didn't ask, my backpack is ultra comfortable.  The custom heat molded belt works like a champ.

Osprey Aether 70 Pack

Great sleeping bag. I have heard a number of people rave about the Montbell's Super Stretch System.

Nice pack as well.  Good to know the custom heat molded belt works well.
I hear Osprey's are very comfortable and that they provide a good ventilation chimney against the back.

[homerboy2u]

REI Light



MontBell's




Osprey Aether 70 Pack





 Note to Moderator: I just found out how to use the URL's....

[dkerr24]

That's an awesome looking pack... I just wish we had a REI store nearby for the custom hip belt.  Nearest to me is 300 miles away in Dallas.

I'm currently using a REI Camp Dome 2 tent, which weighs in around 5 lbs.  The Solotaire would shave off 2 lbs of pack weight.  Gotta admit, I'm a bit spoiled with the room inside the REI, and don't mind the extra 2lbs... although I might change my mind after hiking around GUMO for 6 days coming up in May.

[SHANEA]

That's an awesome looking pack... I just wish we had a REI store nearby for the custom hip belt.  Nearest to me is 300 miles away in Dallas.

I spent about three hours at REI the day I was picking out a pack - found a really helpful sales person at the LBJ Dallas REI that walked me through it.  He started me out on a low price model and we kept going up until I found one I really liked - having it fully loaded, walking around the store, etc.  It was a very expensive trip to REI that day, but if it's on my back I want it light and reliable.  Ounces have this funny habit of turning into pounds.

The sleeping bag, whew, no brainer.  I like to toss and turn and sleep on my tummy, this bag allows me to do that and is very light weight.

For my tent, after research, I think this will be my next purchase.

Big Agnes 2

Big Agnes Copper 2

[RichardM]

For my tent, after research, I think this will be my next purchase.

Big Agnes 2

Big Agnes Copper 2

Looks like a cool tent, but definitely not for us cheapskates!  And what could be so special about the footprint, sold separately for only $55?  Is it made in China, too?

At least some retailers, like mpgear.com, will throw in the footprint for free.

[dkerr24]

Instead of paying for the 'custom fit' footprint, I've always just bought a slightly larger plain ground cloth, then cut it to size to fit the tent's footprint.

Yeah, Big Agnes gear is expensive.  $99 seemed like a lot to me for the REI Camp Dome 2