Shelters I used on the trip along the Coast to Coast in Sweden are; the Golite Shangri La 3, Terra Nova Laser Competition, Integral Designs Crysallis Bivy and the Backpackinglight (USA) Vapor Bivy. The Vapour bivy and the Crysallis Bivy were used in shelters whilst the other two were pitched near shelters.
My preference? The answer is it depends. If I know I am using shelters all the time I would take the BPL Vapor as it is light (285 gms) , will keep the bugs away and protect against moisture and wind. The Crysallis is an ideal bivy for those who want to sleep in the outdoors without a tarp, as it is a very roomy bivy with lots of space to store gear. Camping then it would be the Laser Competition, which weighs a little more the the Shangri La 3 but provides better all round weather protection. A further advantage of the Competition is that it takes up less ground space than the Shangri La 3.
Wow. With all those tents and bivvies in your pack its a wonder there's room for anything else ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hear BPL have got a new line of bivvies coming out this year. Hopefully they'll have one like the Vapour that will actually be in stock for more than a few hours!
ReplyDeleteFair comment Dave, but if you are not worried about ultra light then you can carry as many shelters as you like for all occasions :-).
ReplyDeleteHoldfast, I agree, most of my BPL gear came when I was in the USA, we were on the East Coast and even then you had to be quick. I think I would try to sew my own bivy next time.