Bushwalk Australia

Went for a wander down to Main Peak here in Perth today to purchase a StS Utra-Sil Tarp/Poncho. I do 4WD camping along with hiking and it suits both as its more convenient to take on and off when getting in and out of a 4WD. While there I noticed Outdoor Research Deluxe Bivy reduced from $450 to $225 (50% off). Thought the poncho/tarp would work well over the bivy, ie a bit of shelter for backpack and to cook under, and even to leave bivy head area more open to lower any risk of condensation, the bivy has a hoop and moquito netting.

Anyone here have much feedback on bivy usage and/or their use with a tarp/poncho?

All I ever used in the US was a tarp, but in Tassie I think you need a tent. Might work for WA though. You could also go for a screen 1-man tent thing and a tarp.

The Tarp/Poncho is only 280 x 145cm in size, not big enough to use with just a mossie screen and be certain of keeping dry I think. Was thinking the tarp/poncho would easily cover the head end of the bivy and still give me plenty of room to cook under and store a pack.

etrangere wrote:Anyone here have much feedback on bivy usage and/or their use with a tarp/poncho?

Haven't used a bivvy but we have used STS tarp ponchos, the basic nylon ones not ultra-sil, but I think they are the same size. A couple of photos and some other info here:
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2356&hilit=+poncho+meston#p21521

Thanks for that JohnW, I did stumble across that post in a search of the site. Did you sleep under the two tarps or just use them for storage??

Bit the bullet and bought the Outdoor Research Deluxe Bivy. Already have a Macpac Apollo/Eclipse/Microlight but have never tried a bivy so at half price I figured what the heck. Hope to use it soon in combo with the StS Tarp/Poncho and will let you know how it goes. Still if anyone has any tips for me that would be great.

etrangere wrote:Thanks for that JohnW, I did stumble across that post in a search of the site. Did you sleep under the two tarps or just use them for storage??

Apart from storage we cooked and ate under the two tarps. A little cramped but it rained, snowed and blew a gale much of the time we were there. So they served the purpose well in those conditions.

I've seen advertised in the army newspaper an eVent bivy bag (which has a small frame and is actually a very small tent). It's really well priced for a small tent and appears to be the ideal compromise between a tarp/bivvy and tarp alone. Anyone tried or know of them? We use the tarp/bivvy combo in the army quite a bit but I've never been game to use them in really cold/wet/windy conditions like in tassy.... very light though

The Gatewood cape by 6 moon designs might be something to seriously consider
it acts as a poncho, and converts into a tarp tent. you can add a 200 gram mozzie net and you got yourself a bug proof tent.


watch how it handles snow so well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fJZ2ki4eX8

Hi,
I got a poncho/hoochi from kitbag about 226 cm x 146 cm and a thermolite poncho liner 224 cm x 144 cm.

I was looking for something for warmth and rain protection while fishing and to spend a night out if I wanted. I didn't want to get a heap of gear so multiple use seemed the way to go.

The idea was to go light but this was the only option I found at the time. Since then I found a lot more and lighter stuff as well. The liner is just a blanket and can not be used as a poncho as is. The poncho can be strung up as a tarp in several ways or zipped to another poncho to make a larger hoochi. it can be folded over and zipped to form a bivvy tube. You can put the liner in this to make an effective sleeping bag though it's a little tight around the shoulders. That' s warm down to +5 or so. I haven't tried below that. I have used the liner as a blanket with a palm passport sleeping bag optimistically rated to 0 degrees. I wrap it completely around the bag at the feet end but leave the top open to cover my head and the sleeping bag hood open as well. I have been toasty in this at -7 deg. Though a little cool coming through my Prolite 4 at natural inflation.

I intend to put a neck slit and zipper in the liner so it can be used as a warm poncho or zipped up as a blanket. If I bring the long edges into the centre so I have a 1/2 width strip (224 cm x 72 cm) I can use it as an extremely warm double layer tabard. This eliminated the need for a winter parker and allows a lighter sleeping bag to be used.

I fly fish and well that is at the extreme ends of the day. I have never needed that kind of warmth while walking even in the snow. Fishing though can be pretty inactive, even moving around is slow trying to be stealthy and you can be exposed to the wind for hours.

I haven't got to try it out yet but I think it looks promising, probably will look more than a bit dorky especially as it's cammo but I had no choice there.

Oh and the poncho makes a great ground sheet or line stripping sheet. For those not in the know, fly fishers don't cast line off the reel. They dump (strip) it on the ground so it shoots out easily into the cast, until it tangles in seed heads etc that is. Covering the ground debris with the folded poncho fixes that.

Regards,
Ken