I have a similar thing but with side door, I use a tarp partly for cover and stealth partly because the porch on tents is woeful. I do have the advantage of arriving on a bike helping me to carry more gear, but of late I've been stripping that back. Nice place, I see why you like it.
Used mine April to September '23 up Scottish munros . Like you, rather surprised at the performance. Pretty decent. Condensation can happen but that comes with the territory. Make sure sleeping bag is synthetic. Huge bonus is that in summer up here @ 3k to 4.5k feet, the wind can still go to 60mph on a nice day so still lighter and smaller than lugging the quasar, Crux Bomb or Lightwave G20. Excellent video. ATB from 🏴
Yeah, it's close to the footpath but it's a pretty quiet spot nonetheless. It's a great view. I remember my first time walking up the Raven path and the trees parting and taking the view in.
i think you know my views on bivi bags already Kev. last time i used one was in the Alps, and probably will be the last time. by the time you add the wight of the tarp the tent wins in all depts.
I've gotta few days bike packing in Snowdonia at the end of July. I can't make up my mind to take the Bobcat, or buy one of these and take my 2x2 DD tarp? It's about 700gms lighter than my Bobcat, and although the packed length is the same, the Salamander is not as wide! Cracking view up there, the time lapse was stunning! ✌️
It's a tough choice. The Bobcat offers decent height and a great porch, but is heavier and bigger pack size. The Salamanda will pitch in a smaller space and quickly and combined with a tarp could offer a flexible shelter. Thanks, it's a great spot for views.
Well I'm actually excited now to get mine out for a camp, just got to wait for a dry weekend though! Looked like a really good chilled camp though, great video Kev. 👍
Great video as always mate love that spot them views are beautiful plus with the time lapse yeah just beautiful mate I use a decathlon tarp and that's a great bit off kit mate not that kind of the salamander bivvy just a little bit too small for me but a good piece off kit 💯👍
Yeah, I'm still looking for a side entry Bivy, but wonder if that is too much like a tent and I should just use a tent instead. It's a great spot, glad I finally camped it.
Nice video Kev.👍 I think that my Salamander is defective, the breathable inner lining must have asthma. The condensation is so bad in mine, that whenever I use the Salamander, I also have to put my sleeping bag inside an Alpkit Hunka bivvy to keep it dry. A bivvy bag for a bivvy bag lol.🙂
@@TheWalkingKev Even if I just have the bug net fastened with the outer rolled back all night, my sleeping bag is piss wet through in the morning (unless I also use the Hunka bivvy with it). I've heard from others that their Salamander's aren't that bad. That's why I previously mentioned that I think mine is defective.
@@Hengists_Wild_Camps yeah, it was a damp night for me in terms of conditions, but no condensation. My sleeping bag foot box was a little damp because I was on a slope and my feet were butting up against the bottom all night!
Bivys are confining , can be claustrophobic ( my ex hated hers ) and really constrictive if you toss and turn at night just to get to the comfortable spot you like to fall asleep . Gave mine away after 1 try ....
The Book of the Bivi by Ronald Turnbull is a great and humorous read. A small footprint and less exposure to strong winds than a tent, seem good attributes for camping in the higher, rougher spots.
...very little is better than waking up high on the Cuillin Ridge whether part way along a traverse or just for the hell of a bivi up high. Imagine seeing the sunrise above an ocean of cloud filling the glens and corries. Imagine the low angled sun hitting the jagged peaks then creeping closer to you until you can feel it’s warmth on your face... From an article called The Bivi Bug. Writer unknown.
I’ll save my money, I already know bivvy’s aren’t for me..😄 Although I have got a hooped bivvy style tent, which is a meter wide and 29” tall at the head end - with both height and width tapering down towards the foot end. It also has a full length side opening door, so it’s much easier to get in and out of! It is just a single skin shelter, so it can suffer badly with condensation, but I always use it in conjunction with my Alpkit bivvy bag.. It’s also lighter than this OEX one at 1.1kg. Think I’ll use this for my next wild camp now, now that the weather has finally turned like summer. ☀️😎 Just got back from two nights camping on a very sunny/warm Dartmoor, which was great apart from encountering several ticks (actually on me) at my last nights location, bloody hate those things!!
@@TheWalkingKev Really!? I’m surprised…with all the camping you do as well. I’ve had 5-6 buried in my legs in the last 2.5 years of wild camping! It could be a bad year for them this year I’m thinking, with the mild and extremely wet winter we’ve had this year! I’ve picked most of mine up in the Lake District. I’ve not been over to Wales (apart from on the border on the Long Mynd) camping yet, so maybe I should try my luck there also..👍🏻
@@TheWalkingKev Obviously they probs just don’t like you then!.. Wish I could say the same, although I’ll be all good once I’ve given my gear a permethrin treatment before my next wild camp. 😁
Great views, nice bivi, always good idea to bring a tarp.
Thanks. Yes, glad of the tarp and one of my favourite local views.
Really enjoy your vlogs- many thanks.
Thanks Terry, really appreciate the kind words.
I have a similar thing but with side door, I use a tarp partly for cover and stealth partly because the porch on tents is woeful. I do have the advantage of arriving on a bike helping me to carry more gear, but of late I've been stripping that back. Nice place, I see why you like it.
I definitely want to experiment more with tarps to get a setup that's compact and flexible and gives me more space to chill.
Used mine April to September '23 up Scottish munros . Like you, rather surprised at the performance. Pretty decent. Condensation can happen but that comes with the territory. Make sure sleeping bag is synthetic. Huge bonus is that in summer up here @ 3k to 4.5k feet, the wind can still go to 60mph on a nice day so still lighter and smaller than lugging the quasar, Crux Bomb or Lightwave G20. Excellent video. ATB from 🏴
I suppose with the low profile it's not too bothered by a bit of wind. I'll probably use it again in the summer.
That's one of my favourite views too. Looks like a good place to hammock camp apart from being close to the raven footpath.
Yeah, it's close to the footpath but it's a pretty quiet spot nonetheless. It's a great view. I remember my first time walking up the Raven path and the trees parting and taking the view in.
Loved that glad you enjoyed it
Cheers. Was a good local camp and a bit of a different setup to my normal tent.
i think you know my views on bivi bags already Kev. last time i used one was in the Alps, and probably will be the last time. by the time you add the wight of the tarp the tent wins in all depts.
Probably. I do like the idea of the Bivy and tarp though. I'll try some more combos.
I think the main advantage is it takes up minimum space, no guy lines, no pegs. Just roll out , sleep and get up and go
I've gotta few days bike packing in Snowdonia at the end of July. I can't make up my mind to take the Bobcat, or buy one of these and take my 2x2 DD tarp? It's about 700gms lighter than my Bobcat, and although the packed length is the same, the Salamander is not as wide!
Cracking view up there, the time lapse was stunning! ✌️
It's a tough choice. The Bobcat offers decent height and a great porch, but is heavier and bigger pack size. The Salamanda will pitch in a smaller space and quickly and combined with a tarp could offer a flexible shelter.
Thanks, it's a great spot for views.
I'm jealous 😊
Well I'm actually excited now to get mine out for a camp, just got to wait for a dry weekend though! Looked like a really good chilled camp though, great video Kev. 👍
Cheers Stu. Yes, it's definitely going to be pretty waterproof, but I can imagine the condensation would be bad in the rain!
@@TheWalkingKev Yeah 100% a fair weather shelter, but for the second hand prices of these it's an absolute bargain.
@@StuartThow with a tarp it'd be decent in wet weather as the material is really robust. I think I'll try and get a good combination going.
@@TheWalkingKev Look forward to seeing what combo you come up with as I would love to be able to use this in all weather.
@@StuartThowI'll play in the garden and then take it out when the forecast is bad...
Enjoyed the video. Thanks.
Thanks, appreciate you stopping by.
Great video as always mate love that spot them views are beautiful plus with the time lapse yeah just beautiful mate I use a decathlon tarp and that's a great bit off kit mate not that kind of the salamander bivvy just a little bit too small for me but a good piece off kit 💯👍
Yeah, I'm still looking for a side entry Bivy, but wonder if that is too much like a tent and I should just use a tent instead. It's a great spot, glad I finally camped it.
Nice video Kev.👍
I think that my Salamander is defective, the breathable inner lining must have asthma. The condensation is so bad in mine, that whenever I use the Salamander, I also have to put my sleeping bag inside an Alpkit Hunka bivvy to keep it dry. A bivvy bag for a bivvy bag lol.🙂
Ha ha. Is suspect if I zipped mine up I'd wake up in a puddle as well.
@@TheWalkingKev Even if I just have the bug net fastened with the outer rolled back all night, my sleeping bag is piss wet through in the morning (unless I also use the Hunka bivvy with it). I've heard from others that their Salamander's aren't that bad. That's why I previously mentioned that I think mine is defective.
@@Hengists_Wild_Camps yeah, it was a damp night for me in terms of conditions, but no condensation. My sleeping bag foot box was a little damp because I was on a slope and my feet were butting up against the bottom all night!
Bivys are confining , can be claustrophobic ( my ex hated hers ) and really constrictive if you toss and turn at night just to get to the comfortable spot you like to fall asleep .
Gave mine away after 1 try ....
@@trailtreker7002 I find this Bivy pretty spacious, but I've had another Bivy that I sold on after just one use.
The Book of the Bivi by Ronald Turnbull is a great and humorous read.
A small footprint and less exposure to strong winds than a tent, seem good attributes for camping in the higher, rougher spots.
Sounds good, I'll have a look for that.
...very little is better than waking up high on the Cuillin Ridge whether part way along a traverse or just for the hell of a bivi up high. Imagine seeing the sunrise above an ocean of cloud filling the glens and corries. Imagine the low angled sun hitting the jagged peaks then creeping closer to you until you can feel it’s warmth on your face...
From an article called The Bivi Bug. Writer unknown.
@@tomhart3058 that's very true. There is something about waking up outside, with views and even better a cloud inversion.
I’ll save my money, I already know bivvy’s aren’t for me..😄
Although I have got a hooped bivvy style tent, which is a meter wide and 29” tall at the head end - with both height and width tapering down towards the foot end. It also has a full length side opening door, so it’s much easier to get in and out of!
It is just a single skin shelter, so it can suffer badly with condensation, but I always use it in conjunction with my Alpkit bivvy bag..
It’s also lighter than this OEX one at 1.1kg. Think I’ll use this for my next wild camp now, now that the weather has finally turned like summer. ☀️😎
Just got back from two nights camping on a very sunny/warm Dartmoor, which was great apart from encountering several ticks (actually on me) at my last nights location, bloody hate those things!!
Sounds good. Shame about the ticks. I've not encountered any so far... Fingers crossed my luck holds!
@@TheWalkingKev Really!? I’m surprised…with all the camping you do as well. I’ve had 5-6 buried in my legs in the last 2.5 years of wild camping! It could be a bad year for them this year I’m thinking, with the mild and extremely wet winter we’ve had this year! I’ve picked most of mine up in the Lake District.
I’ve not been over to Wales (apart from on the border on the Long Mynd) camping yet, so maybe I should try my luck there also..👍🏻
@@Ash12530 I've camped mostly in South Wales so maybe I've just been lucky. I walk around 1,500 miles a year as well and not picked up any...
@@TheWalkingKev Obviously they probs just don’t like you then!..
Wish I could say the same, although I’ll be all good once I’ve given my gear a permethrin treatment before my next wild camp. 😁
@@Ash12530 yeah, maybe I've got dodgy blood pressure something!
I Always use a tarp with bivvies.
I think for most it is the only practical way to use them.
70th😂😂
Nicely done.
@@TheWalkingKev 🤣🤣🤣🫡
F I R S T 🏕️
Thanks for being there at the start! Much appreciated.
Nice
Thanks.