Luke I've had a similar design for many years. I used it exclusively for motorcycle camping. I always strung a tarp to over the bivy to alleviate many of the cons you mentioned. Your review is spot on.
Agreed. Sad however that you have to add an extra tarp overhead for rain protection, but I can’t see any other way to use these types of shelters when it’s raining. All of these style tent bivis really don’t have any way to Enter/Exit the tent as it rains without the interior getting soaked. Personally I just think they should sell the mesh inner only at a reduced cost so we can buy the tarp to cover it.
I've heard the same regarding the Snugpak bivy tent also. That many use a tarp over it instead of the fly due to the exact same issues. Does sound like an issue with these small tents.
Putting a tarp clamp on the bottom of the door would allow you to keep the door unzipped with a guy line staking it out to get the air you need. You can then disconnect the line to get in and out. 10-12 inches of bottom venting would make all the difference . I know Luke has to review these tents as they come , but he sometimes hints at easy fixes to problems . It’s not his job to fix bad designs of course. Love these reviews
I feel like a simple vent opening would suffice, even if it adds another 20-30 bucks to the price. It's such a rookie feature to implement, especially in a tent that brags about its waterproof exterior. If it's somewhat windy and rainy at the same time you don't wanna mess with an unzipped door, there could be more elegant solutions implemented without breaking the cost of production budget. Then again, probably if you get a bivy like this you aren't looking to go out in really bad weather in the first place, so perhaps it's just a marketing issue.
It sounds like it would work better in moderate weather if you leave the fly off and put a tarp over it( plow point). Would be good to keep insects off of you.
as someone who has owned this tent for almost a year (bought it when he initially showed it off) and first time I took it out was a humid summer day where it was down pouring on and off this is exactly what I did & just knew to do instantly. 1- dont use extra stakes to stake out the fly where you head is, just put the loops on the stakes for the body, this allows the fly some give 2- find a thin stick about a foot and half long 3- take your paracord & wrap it around the stick after tie it to the fly then stake it out this holds the part where the door is up & you dont even have to take it off to open the door however I will say that even with this solution condensation was so bad that I just assumed this tent was cheap because it wasn't 100% waterproof. I got an about 5-10 drops on me but to me that's really good for only $100. I slept in it all night very peacefully with my backpack above my head & my dog laying next to me. I am 5'7" & 140lbs. My dog is a little over knee high, 50lbs, 5 year old border collie. EDIT : I will say that I too 100% absolutely hate the color & standing out in bright orange atleast looks intentional this green is just god awful & the color should discontinue the green color option because of how bad it is
@@whicks3 Most likely they're just contract hires for other companies and aren't actually super incentivized to do a stellar job past whatever their contract pay deems worthy. At least that's how it often is in other product design fields, if a product is undercut in ingenuity, it's oftentimes a reflection of the team tasked to do it not being motivated to do more than absolute baseline necessity due to either time restriction or subpar payment for the job.
I like to see Luke angry lol, after camping in Washington California and Arizona for 2.5 decades, my favorite configuration is just a tarp setup over my tent, gives you a dry area over and around the tent, double rain pro, and the ability to let air in your tent and stay dry so, also a pos tent works great with a decent tarp over it. Or full mesh summer tent without worrying about night rain so much, depending on how you set your tarp up, gives options.
That's how I was taught by my dad and the scouts, always have a tarp and always have the tarp over the tent. I would never trust the tent to be waterproof on its own.
Depends on the tent. Many years ago, when there was non existent seam sealing/taping of tents, true. But a good-high quality tent today Should be waterproof on its own. But for tents tha have no/limited fly vent options, I think it would be way more versatile to leave the fly at home and use a tarp. More ventilation, (when pitched a little higher), equal protection, (if you pitch it lower), and similar or greater waterproofing.
Exactly what I do with my 1 person Amazon tent. I have an eno rain fly made for hammock camping. It works great in the rain and allows me to leave the fly off my tent since the entire top of it is mesh. It also gives me a comfortable spot to sit outside and make coffee or change clothes. I can also adjust the tarp to catch and direct wind to help with ventilation
I think I would just forget about bringing the rain fly and use my Etowah Tarp instead. The tent itself would still be useful as a moisture barrier against the ground and for bug protection. Then, the tarp could be set up as an A-frame over the tent for rain protection, and it would still allow for airflow. Plus, I doubt that using the tarp in place of the fly would add significantly more weight to the setup.
I would say your purchase of the tent Could be ok if you fit in it and you buy an additional tarp for rain protection and leave the fly off it. But that requires an additional tarp to buy and if you are 6+ feet, looks as though it’s a No Go anyway.
For the same price you can get the updated (actually waterproof) Geertop bivy tent. It has two generous vents, one at the head and one at the feet, both protected by the fly. You can easily spot the new version, it looks identical to the MSS bivy, just with the two head poles and foot pole. My buddy had one, he let me use it while lake camping at his place. Well ventilated and very light condensation, not even enough to be a threat in cold. Fully waterproof and bugproof, opens up the same way too. Only real con is entry and getting comfortable can be fidgety. I wouldn't recommend it for the claustrophobic crowd, but that's true of any bivy. As for this one? I mean if you already HAVE it, just ditch the fly and stake a tarp, adjust until well ventilated to prevent the condensation and until protected from rain.
Thanks for the info ! Amazon has 2 boys. One really low to the ground, the other really tall at the door. Can I assume the new one is the taller of the two ?
@@whicks3 For me it was the top result under "Geertop bivy". It's not that severely high angled one, that one leaks. It's the one with the crisscrossing poles at the head, almost forming an X on the side. Like I said, compare it to the MSS bivy, it looks like somebody just added poles to it. This one though has bug protection....I love my MSS bivy, great quick rain shelter, but to sleep? I don't DO spiders🤣
I'm still thinking about getting this bivy/tent because it is such low profile and footprint, I'm just going to use a tarp with it .... I always use tarps when camping because of the added rain protection it adds!! Just like you enjoy setting up a tarp separate from your tent?! Doesn't mean I like to 🎉lol .... But I was thinking, since this bivy tent has a rainfly that drops down the floor completely, staked out and with additional guylines, I think We should loosen up the buckles and stake it out on a upward angle as to pull the rainfly out and off the body to promote air flow... unless it is severe wind driven rain it should work.... I'm going to get one for stealth winter camping
I could see it on a late season backpack hunt in a Western dry cold climate. I have done this in Eastern Oregon where it got down to -5 F at night. As long as it could withstand some wind it might be a good choice.
I appericate these videos, thanks for making them. I am 6’2” so putting the height in really helps me out. This one won’t work for me due to my height. Great review.
I've had a similar tent for years, only difference is that it has 2 airpockets on the top. Never had it leak and it weights very little. If you have a hard time sleeping I wouldn't recommend it but if you're like me and you walk most of the day and only need it to sleep it's a great buy.
Yup !!!!....... its a big NOT for Me !!............... getting in and out and the added problem of ventilation in the fly (which would be cheap ) there are others of the same quality , with the same problems for a whole lot less money !!!!................... Thanks for all you do Luke & Suzi , Honesty and adventure keep us all coming back !!!
Yeah, but Luke sort of contradicts himself because he has posted three previous videos featuring this tent where says how easy it is to get in and out of the tent rather than crawling backwards like a worm to get into the Ionosphere.
I bought my Winterial, "3-seasont tent" largely for use in the winter. I use it as my emergency shelter when winter hiking in the backcountry above treeline. Since then, I found that I like it in the 3-sided lean-to shelters common here in New England. It does not take up a lot of space in the shelter but affords me the nighttime privacy that I like.
Nice review! I wonder if you could use two, not too long, pvc pipes at each end tucked under the rain fly with one end sticking outside? Might give some sorts of airflow, maybe?
Thanks for the review, Luke, I have been waiting for this to show up because I was considering purchasing it, but I am over six foot, and over 50. I do love that it's so reliable against the rain, but the lack of airflow and condensation has me no longer interested. Love what you do!
Nice test video! I hope my new tent comes before Friday so I can go get some snow testing in this weekend In the Michigan UP! Will also be a test for the diesel heater I finally have working in the truck!!! 🎉🎉
Unzip the bottom of the outer fly door a few inches and you will have all of the ventilation you need without water entering the tent. A stake and a piece of string can hold it open.
And perhaps that is true if you don’t have wind blown rain or when you are already In the tent when it rains. Getting into/out of the tent when it rains is a different story altogether.
Thank you, I grew up on The Lake of The Woods, so camping was something everyone 😁does. I have never staked a tent first then set it up, I tried it your way and DAMN it is so much easier. I wish I had learned this years ago. Thank you!
My Dutch army XL bivy is the bivytent i use, commonly with a tarp its heavy +- 2,5 jg with stakes and stuffsag but its a 3 layer aramide fabric 10.0000lm watercollum cost130 EU
I wonder if you could maybe use extra stakes to push out the fly from the sides a little to help airflow, or maybe use some clips to guy lines to pull the bottom of the fly out?
Hey Luke I’d like to see you do a video on those inflatable tents and also one of the inflatable floating tent on water 👍🏻💯. As far as this video another great one .
Had No Idea they had floating tents!! Not sure I would be brave enough to test those on the water though. Soooo Much could go wrong there. From unexpected storms to the tent snagging on an underwater branch that pops it to currents taking you downstream if your anchors give way. And How long would it take to Find a leak in that sucker if you had to ??? Also how long to inflate/deflate it??
Luke has anyone ever come out with a door that would actually have an extra flap over it on the left and right side that you could hang it out like a porch but the zipper would be inside of that exterior edge by six or 8 inches. Such as the 10th that you are reviewing now, if the door was bigger than the opening, then you could open it up at the bottom without any fear of getting the inside wet. And have Velcro around the edges. Just an idea, I’m throwing out there.
Great review Luke!! Your observations are spot on. I used the Eureka Solitaire for a season, and it is very much like this tent. One of my buddies loved it, but it just was not for me. I had all the same issues as you had with this bivy tent. Thanks for posting and keep them coming sir!
There are products to reduce humidity in homes, especially closets. Crystals draw moisture from the air, and it collects into a bag or container. The unscented crystals would be better for a small area.
I had not thought of that. That Could work in theory If you don’t mind carrying the extra weight. And when the moisture collects in the bag with the chemical, where do you pour out that mixture? is it safe to just pour it on the ground and keep hiking??
Interesting! I have a tent with very similar form factor, but thatbseems tonfix several of the faults you have identified. It is the Grand Canyon Richmond 1 tent. It is a very similar size and form. However, it has ventilation flaps at yhe head and the foot. I have had jo problems with condensation. It also has a much better dark green colour. Finally, it seems to have a smaller packed size as the poles fold down smaller. I use it for bikepacking. Grand Canyon is a Danish company, so I dont know how the availability is in the US. It has the same size issues - but if one is specifically looking for a tiny form factor lightweight shelter, bigger than a bivy then it is a good option.
Luke.. if you get a chance check out the Summit bivy with the pole kit from Canvas Cutters…my absolute favorite bivy style tent I use trout fishing in the backwoods. Also for a cheap bivy with a little bit more room than your standard bivy, the improved geertop plume 2 performs exceptionally well for a 50 dollar bivy.. good airflow and waterproof (at least in the new plume 2 version)
Luke you do such a great 😃 job reviewing all these different tents making content with such valuable information for a potential consumer of the products!!
I was going to say I would try to tie a line on the door and use a small limb to prop it up. At least that way it could still somewhat keep the rain out.
The BEST way to use THAT bivy tent is with a lean to tarp set-up , with the door facing the tarp and I'll leave the door open and the fly unzipped, that way you can get airflow and stay dry
Luke I’m looking to buy a core 9 person full rain fly tent. Have you ever tested core tents? Is core tents worth the money? Thankyou sir we love watching you. Thankyou for everything you do.
I've had it with those little things. It's just not worth the weight saving. You have to consider you may get stuck in the rain and be barely able to move for perhaps days. Get a light 2 man tent if you are at all claustrophobic. So it's an extra pound or 2, it's worth it.
Generally I would agree. For most people dealing with a shelter this small and having to pitch a tarp overhead besides is just too much to deal with. These shelters mainly were extrapolated designs meant for the militaries around the world so that soldiers could camp out and not get rained on/eaten alive by bugs when sleeping. Ultimately most militaries just stuck to using poncho/tarp/basha shelters instead. The low profile of the tent makes it difficult for other enemy forces to spot you and that is why they are so small/low to the ground. If you are using this for the purpose of stealth camping to avoid detection then this Is a good style of tent to consider. If you are a typical camper/backpacker, not so much.
I had one, and it was so warm inside and I couldn't take my sweater off while inside it, had to open mesh and fly so I could sit up to change... super small... luckily I had a 10x10 tarp overhead...
Great review. I guess if you unzipped the fly down the side, and guyed it out parallel to the top plane of the tent, that would make it nearly impossible to enter. Maybe if there were dual zippers, you could guy out one side of the fly, and enter from the other side.
You can either have breathability, or waterproofness. Not both, and frankly expecting it to not wet out in warm and humid conditions is a classic case of the wrong tool for the job. It would work very well particularly for someone on a budget somewhere like Brecon in the UK which is infamous for being wet and cold although personally I'd use it in conjunction with a basha.
I have a Night Cat Bivy Tent. There is no air flow. I rig a tarp to the tent poles and make myself a side shelter to allow the flap to be opened for air flow.
You should check out the Dragoon Unlimited Ridgeback. It's a similar style tent with some improvements from what I can tell atleast from online but would love to see a quality review for it.
Lack of vents just seems like a glaring omission. A much better attempt at a budget tent of this type is the OEX Phoxx 1 v2, but I think they're exclusive to the UK. The original version was mostly mesh while the v2 is mainly solid panels, with mesh and vents at each end, and usable all year round. I have the Phoxx 2 v2, for roomy solo use with more headroom and doors either side. Even at full price the Phoxx 1 is about £5 cheaper than the Winterial, and OEX tents are frequently on offer.
To answer your question, Absolutely you can and just leave the fly at home. And the beauty of a tarp is you can pitch it high Or low depending on the weather conditions.
Great review. I purchased mine a few months ago. The green color was not available, so I got the orange one. I’m 6’4” and always sleep on either my sides. With this tent I sleep with my face facing the door side. Also, I’m over 60 years old 11:29, and yes laying, leaning and getting back up, I make noise but all of my tents (or tarp shape tents style,) I still grunt going down on my knees. As for most of the tents I use, I set up a tarp above them, it provides protection and a sitting / cooking area.
I miss your use of the Sierra Designs 4 season Teletubby tent! I bought one after that review and love it and get allot of kudos for dlfans of Ukraine given the color of the tent.
I can see where the rain would get in there but most people that are out backpacking are in pretty good shape I would doubt getting in and out would be that big of a problem condensation now that's a different issue
Depending on what shape you are in, perhaps. However entry/exit in the rain 🌧️ is difficult without a tarp overhead. The aforementioned tarp however would solve the condensation issues if you left off the fly.
Just took a look at the tent you mentioned. That looks like the Winterial tent with Vents!! Awsome, save for the white color for me. But this tent is proof positive vents can be done well on this style tent !!
Not every tent is made for humid/raining environments. Seems like every tent review that I see on this channel that gets a bad review for humidity is because it was not the correct tent choice for the environment. Mid-West and East Coast, probably not most of the year. Mountain time zone, (low humidity) probably fine most of the year. It would be like complaining that a 20° sleeping bag made you feel hot when you used it for the 4th of july camp out... When you remove main complaint that may not be relevant depending on the location, and the personal color choice, it is not a bad review overall.
You should consider reviewing the Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout, as a slightly more expensive but vastly better option for a single person / bivy tent.
I use a net hammock. 2GoSystems XL size reflective tyvek bivy , the "Trifecta". with a plastic "envelope around it. The hammock and one ridgeline are inside of the bivy. Another ridgeline is above the "envelope" with tie off loops set onto the ridgeline with Pruzik knots. I added a sleeping bag zipper to the envelope. Without the zipper in the envelope, you'll play hell getting into the bivy in a hammock :-) this suffices to 40F, in just cammies. A set of long johns gets me down to 30F, A couple of Amazon camo nets, twisted so that the "leaves" cannot "lay flat" wrapped around my limbs, inside of two of Amazon's bugnet "suits' gets me down to 20F. Debris between the bug nets suits and the camo nets (this time wrapped around the outside of my cammies) get me down to 10F. LOTS of debris, stuffed between the bivy and the envelope, gets me down to 0F. I use a buttpack and daypack, so I can empty them out, stuff them with debris and use them as sleeping pads, normally up in the hammock. I had to add a much wider, stiffer belt to the buttpack tho. I hang a lot of stuff on the outside of the packs, but a 55 gallon drum liner, painted camo like the envelope, sees to it that things stay dry, nobody can see what I"m carrying and if anything falls off my back, the bag will catch it.
That seems to be a similar european design that are made by others such as Vaude. Excellent design if made to Vaude or similar standards. I personally would go with the Vaude do to the color and trusted quality even though it is more expensive. I have several Vaude Hogan UL tents and love them.
Hey, if it works for you, great. It seems well constructed for what it is and if you leave the fly off it and use a tarp instead it could solve most of the cons of this tent.
That tent looks interesting. Not a fan of the type of camo they use, but the foot end vent is good !!👍 Please tell me, does this tent come with a head end vent as well ?? It is hard to tell from the photos.
Yuck, I don't have claustrophobia but that is too close to coffin-shaped for my liking. I prefer 2 person sized tents minimum when its just me. Gives me room to side sleep and still fit some gear in with me. Thanks Luke!
I think that would be most people’s view if you are doing normal hiking backpacking. These are more meant for emergencies and/or not to be seen when camping (of course the bright mint and orange colors negate that as well).
Hi Luke!! Thank you so much for the review!! I know what not to buy!! I’ve been looking at that tent!! What are the odds that you would be reviewing it thank you so much once again you’re doing a great job. I love your channel.
I have never been to Scotland. But I have seen footage/photos of the highlands and you are 100% right on the no trees/ high elevation description. I could see how that could get battered, especially if you don’t guy out the tent. I probably would feel safer with a free standing, durable tent up there. Still a bonnie beautiful place you live in though.
where is Sierra designs starflight?best tent ever, lived in for a year.best design, you can sit up, its light, just 2 poles.perfect.40 or 50 years ago.
Several others gave suggestions as to alternatives such as the Ascend Nine Mile, Dragoon one person, the Jack Wolfskin Gossamer, or the OEX 1 person tents. All are similar but better for size/ventilation, etc. If you want a more traditional tent, the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 or the Vaude Hogan SUL are also good.
Crap, I got the orange one because it did so well in rain and haven't had a chance to try it out. This sucks that condensation is so bad, probably never use it now. 😕.
Too bad it doesn’t have good airflow. And the color sucks. But could you use this with a tarp and trekking poles to make a low profile tent at a decent cost. It would fix vestibule problem, with camo tarp stealthiness, just an idea for cost concessions. Any thoughts?
Actually I would say it’s not bad if you fit in it, don’t mind the lack of space and use a tarp overhead to mitigate condensation and rain intrusion upon entry/exit of the tent. Oh and you don’t mind the colors !!
These style tents are for specific use cases. Mainly as a low profile shelter so as not to be seen if say you are a soldier or are someone in an emergency where you are trying to hide from bad people. ( Of course the colors on this tent negate that ability here). However in most normal backpacking/camping situations brining a 1-2 person tent just makes more sense.
I really do not see a use case for this. Why have a fly when you cannot use it? I myself use a combination of a tarp and a mesh tent when I'm not hammock camping. I would carry a tarp anyways so the shelter weighs almost nothing yet I have a ton of room under the tarp depending on how I have it set up
Agreed. It really misses the mark for the specific use cases of a low profile/emergency shelter (ie. Bad Colors) and as a standalone shelter (bad ingress/egress/rain intrusion). They should just sell the mesh inner or redesign the fly.
Viewing this, the first thing that I didn't find appealing was the large packed size, then the weight... I would expect something like this to at least pack down smaller than a regular tent.
Luke I've had a similar design for many years. I used it exclusively for motorcycle camping. I always strung a tarp to over the bivy to alleviate many of the cons you mentioned. Your review is spot on.
Agreed. Sad however that you have to add an extra tarp overhead for rain protection, but I can’t see any other way to use these types of shelters when it’s raining. All of these style tent bivis really don’t have any way to Enter/Exit the tent as it rains without the interior getting soaked. Personally I just think they should sell the mesh inner only at a reduced cost so we can buy the tarp to cover it.
I've heard the same regarding the Snugpak bivy tent also. That many use a tarp over it instead of the fly due to the exact same issues. Does sound like an issue with these small tents.
Luke needs to review motorcycle tents 😁😁
@@Xeno-M. I’d look at Borah Bivy, popular with UL hikers, intended to be used with a tarp
I really appreciate your honest and unbiased reviews! So rare on TH-cam these days. I have liked and subscribed! Thanks for your videos!
Putting a tarp clamp on the bottom of the door would allow you to keep the door unzipped with a guy line staking it out to get the air you need. You can then disconnect the line to get in and out. 10-12 inches of bottom venting would make all the difference . I know Luke has to review these tents as they come , but he sometimes hints at easy fixes to problems . It’s not his job to fix bad designs of course. Love these reviews
I feel like a simple vent opening would suffice, even if it adds another 20-30 bucks to the price. It's such a rookie feature to implement, especially in a tent that brags about its waterproof exterior. If it's somewhat windy and rainy at the same time you don't wanna mess with an unzipped door, there could be more elegant solutions implemented without breaking the cost of production budget.
Then again, probably if you get a bivy like this you aren't looking to go out in really bad weather in the first place, so perhaps it's just a marketing issue.
You have to wonder if the designers of tents ever actually spend the night in these things
It sounds like it would work better in moderate weather if you leave the fly off and put a tarp over it( plow point). Would be good to keep insects off of you.
as someone who has owned this tent for almost a year (bought it when he initially showed it off) and first time I took it out was a humid summer day where it was down pouring on and off this is exactly what I did & just knew to do instantly.
1- dont use extra stakes to stake out the fly where you head is, just put the loops on the stakes for the body, this allows the fly some give
2- find a thin stick about a foot and half long
3- take your paracord & wrap it around the stick after tie it to the fly then stake it out
this holds the part where the door is up & you dont even have to take it off to open the door
however I will say that even with this solution condensation was so bad that I just assumed this tent was cheap because it wasn't 100% waterproof. I got an about 5-10 drops on me but to me that's really good for only $100.
I slept in it all night very peacefully with my backpack above my head & my dog laying next to me. I am 5'7" & 140lbs. My dog is a little over knee high, 50lbs, 5 year old border collie.
EDIT : I will say that I too 100% absolutely hate the color & standing out in bright orange atleast looks intentional this green is just god awful & the color should discontinue the green color option because of how bad it is
@@whicks3 Most likely they're just contract hires for other companies and aren't actually super incentivized to do a stellar job past whatever their contract pay deems worthy. At least that's how it often is in other product design fields, if a product is undercut in ingenuity, it's oftentimes a reflection of the team tasked to do it not being motivated to do more than absolute baseline necessity due to either time restriction or subpar payment for the job.
I like to see Luke angry lol, after camping in Washington California and Arizona for 2.5 decades, my favorite configuration is just a tarp setup over my tent, gives you a dry area over and around the tent, double rain pro, and the ability to let air in your tent and stay dry so, also a pos tent works great with a decent tarp over it. Or full mesh summer tent without worrying about night rain so much, depending on how you set your tarp up, gives options.
That's how I was taught by my dad and the scouts, always have a tarp and always have the tarp over the tent. I would never trust the tent to be waterproof on its own.
Same here in Australia , if it looks like rain just throw a tarp over !
Depends on the tent. Many years ago, when there was non existent seam sealing/taping of tents, true. But a good-high quality tent today Should be waterproof on its own. But for tents tha have no/limited fly vent options, I think it would be way more versatile to leave the fly at home and use a tarp. More ventilation, (when pitched a little higher), equal protection, (if you pitch it lower), and similar or greater waterproofing.
Exactly what I do with my 1 person Amazon tent. I have an eno rain fly made for hammock camping. It works great in the rain and allows me to leave the fly off my tent since the entire top of it is mesh. It also gives me a comfortable spot to sit outside and make coffee or change clothes. I can also adjust the tarp to catch and direct wind to help with ventilation
I think I would just forget about bringing the rain fly and use my Etowah Tarp instead. The tent itself would still be useful as a moisture barrier against the ground and for bug protection. Then, the tarp could be set up as an A-frame over the tent for rain protection, and it would still allow for airflow. Plus, I doubt that using the tarp in place of the fly would add significantly more weight to the setup.
Completely agree. But then you have to buy a tarp as well, unless you already have one handy.
What would be a more comfortable way to enter a bivy. That looked great for getting in it
I was literally going to buy this yesterday after watching your other videos on it. So glad I held off. Thank you!
I would say your purchase of the tent Could be ok if you fit in it and you buy an additional tarp for rain protection and leave the fly off it. But that requires an additional tarp to buy and if you are 6+ feet, looks as though it’s a No Go anyway.
For the same price you can get the updated (actually waterproof) Geertop bivy tent. It has two generous vents, one at the head and one at the feet, both protected by the fly. You can easily spot the new version, it looks identical to the MSS bivy, just with the two head poles and foot pole. My buddy had one, he let me use it while lake camping at his place. Well ventilated and very light condensation, not even enough to be a threat in cold. Fully waterproof and bugproof, opens up the same way too. Only real con is entry and getting comfortable can be fidgety. I wouldn't recommend it for the claustrophobic crowd, but that's true of any bivy. As for this one? I mean if you already HAVE it, just ditch the fly and stake a tarp, adjust until well ventilated to prevent the condensation and until protected from rain.
Thanks for the info ! Amazon has 2 boys. One really low to the ground, the other really tall at the door. Can I assume the new one is the taller of the two ?
@@whicks3 For me it was the top result under "Geertop bivy". It's not that severely high angled one, that one leaks. It's the one with the crisscrossing poles at the head, almost forming an X on the side. Like I said, compare it to the MSS bivy, it looks like somebody just added poles to it. This one though has bug protection....I love my MSS bivy, great quick rain shelter, but to sleep? I don't DO spiders🤣
I'm still thinking about getting this bivy/tent because it is such low profile and footprint, I'm just going to use a tarp with it .... I always use tarps when camping because of the added rain protection it adds!! Just like you enjoy setting up a tarp separate from your tent?! Doesn't mean I like to 🎉lol .... But I was thinking, since this bivy tent has a rainfly that drops down the floor completely, staked out and with additional guylines, I think We should loosen up the buckles and stake it out on a upward angle as to pull the rainfly out and off the body to promote air flow... unless it is severe wind driven rain it should work.... I'm going to get one for stealth winter camping
I could see it on a late season backpack hunt in a Western dry cold climate. I have done this in Eastern Oregon where it got down to -5 F at night. As long as it could withstand some wind it might be a good choice.
All I needed was the 1st 10 seconds. That's how much i trust this channel.
I appericate these videos, thanks for making them. I am 6’2” so putting the height in really helps me out. This one won’t work for me due to my height. Great review.
I've had a similar tent for years, only difference is that it has 2 airpockets on the top. Never had it leak and it weights very little. If you have a hard time sleeping I wouldn't recommend it but if you're like me and you walk most of the day and only need it to sleep it's a great buy.
Yup !!!!....... its a big NOT for Me !!............... getting in and out and the added problem of ventilation in the fly (which would be cheap ) there are others of the same quality , with the same problems for a whole lot less money !!!!................... Thanks for all you do Luke & Suzi , Honesty and adventure keep us all coming back !!!
Yeah, but Luke sort of contradicts himself because he has posted three previous videos featuring this tent where says how easy it is to get in and out of the tent rather than crawling backwards like a worm to get into the Ionosphere.
I bought my Winterial, "3-seasont tent" largely for use in the winter. I use it as my emergency shelter when winter hiking in the backcountry above treeline. Since then, I found that I like it in the 3-sided lean-to shelters common here in New England. It does not take up a lot of space in the shelter but affords me the nighttime privacy that I like.
Nice review! I wonder if you could use two, not too long, pvc pipes at each end tucked under the rain fly with one end sticking outside? Might give some sorts of airflow, maybe?
I usually add a small trap to any tent, to cover the door area so I have a vestibule and can have more airflow.
I would only buy it for the inner and then use it in combo with a 10 by 10 tarp. I have a similar setup right now, only with a 2 times cheaper inner.
Thanks for the review, Luke, I have been waiting for this to show up because I was considering purchasing it, but I am over six foot, and over 50. I do love that it's so reliable against the rain, but the lack of airflow and condensation has me no longer interested. Love what you do!
Nice test video! I hope my new tent comes before Friday so I can go get some snow testing in this weekend In the Michigan UP! Will also be a test for the diesel heater I finally have working in the truck!!! 🎉🎉
Unzip the bottom of the outer fly door a few inches and you will have all of the ventilation you need without water entering the tent. A stake and a piece of string can hold it open.
And perhaps that is true if you don’t have wind blown rain or when you are already In the tent when it rains. Getting into/out of the tent when it rains is a different story altogether.
Thank you, I grew up on The Lake of The Woods, so camping was something everyone 😁does. I have never staked a tent first then set it up, I tried it your way and DAMN it is so much easier. I wish I had learned this years ago. Thank you!
Can you use a trekking pole for the fly to set up a sort of awning? To allow some of coverage and a place for gear?
I think you might be able to, although there is no loop/grommet to attach the pole to the fly door so you would have to improvise.
My Dutch army XL bivy is the bivytent i use, commonly with a tarp its heavy +- 2,5 jg with stakes and stuffsag but its a 3 layer aramide fabric 10.0000lm watercollum cost130 EU
I wonder if you could maybe use extra stakes to push out the fly from the sides a little to help airflow, or maybe use some clips to guy lines to pull the bottom of the fly out?
Hey Luke I’d like to see you do a video on those inflatable tents and also one of the inflatable floating tent on water 👍🏻💯. As far as this video another great one .
Had No Idea they had floating tents!! Not sure I would be brave enough to test those on the water though. Soooo Much could go wrong there. From unexpected storms to the tent snagging on an underwater branch that pops it to currents taking you downstream if your anchors give way. And How long would it take to Find a leak in that sucker if you had to ??? Also how long to inflate/deflate it??
Luke has anyone ever come out with a door that would actually have an extra flap over it on the left and right side that you could hang it out like a porch but the zipper would be inside of that exterior edge by six or 8 inches. Such as the 10th that you are reviewing now, if the door was bigger than the opening, then you could open it up at the bottom without any fear of getting the inside wet. And have Velcro around the edges. Just an idea, I’m throwing out there.
I was thinking about something like that myself as some extra material for an awning overhead.
15 seconds in, and im like well thats all i needed to know. 😅
😅
Great review Luke!! Your observations are spot on. I used the Eureka Solitaire for a season, and it is very much like this tent. One of my buddies loved it, but it just was not for me. I had all the same issues as you had with this bivy tent. Thanks for posting and keep them coming sir!
There are products to reduce humidity in homes, especially closets. Crystals draw moisture from the air, and it collects into a bag or container. The unscented crystals would be better for a small area.
The one I use to get rid of humidity in my apartment is Damp Rid. Works great.
I had not thought of that. That Could work in theory If you don’t mind carrying the extra weight. And when the moisture collects in the bag with the chemical, where do you pour out that mixture? is it safe to just pour it on the ground and keep hiking??
Interesting! I have a tent with very similar form factor, but thatbseems tonfix several of the faults you have identified. It is the Grand Canyon Richmond 1 tent.
It is a very similar size and form. However, it has ventilation flaps at yhe head and the foot. I have had jo problems with condensation. It also has a much better dark green colour. Finally, it seems to have a smaller packed size as the poles fold down smaller. I use it for bikepacking.
Grand Canyon is a Danish company, so I dont know how the availability is in the US. It has the same size issues - but if one is specifically looking for a tiny form factor lightweight shelter, bigger than a bivy then it is a good option.
Luke.. if you get a chance check out the Summit bivy with the pole kit from Canvas Cutters…my absolute favorite bivy style tent I use trout fishing in the backwoods. Also for a cheap bivy with a little bit more room than your standard bivy, the improved geertop plume 2 performs exceptionally well for a 50 dollar bivy.. good airflow and waterproof (at least in the new plume 2 version)
Luke you do such a great 😃 job reviewing all these different tents making content with such valuable information for a potential consumer of the products!!
I bet its good in the snow
Good job luke keep it up we are watching
I was going to say I would try to tie a line on the door and use a small limb to prop it up. At least that way it could still somewhat keep the rain out.
Just to clarify, are you saying the tent lacks airflow? 😂
😂😂😂
Ahhh, yes, the irony of an all mesh tent lacking airflow !!! 😂🤣🤣
Try to get hold of the oex phox 2. Quality little tent.
Highly, highly recommend checking out the macpac sololight / microlight or the alton walkabout swag instead
The BEST way to use THAT bivy tent is with a lean to tarp set-up , with the door facing the tarp and I'll leave the door open and the fly unzipped, that way you can get airflow and stay dry
Luke I’m looking to buy a core 9 person full rain fly tent. Have you ever tested core tents? Is core tents worth the money? Thankyou sir we love watching you. Thankyou for everything you do.
How is the condensation in the Snugpac bivi?
Condensation is a common complaint for bivvy anyways
To maximise airflow and avoid condensation, sleep under the stars!
Easy. 😁👍🏻
I've had it with those little things. It's just not worth the weight saving. You have to consider you may get stuck in the rain and be barely able to move for perhaps days. Get a light 2 man tent if you are at all claustrophobic. So it's an extra pound or 2, it's worth it.
Generally I would agree. For most people dealing with a shelter this small and having to pitch a tarp overhead besides is just too much to deal with. These shelters mainly were extrapolated designs meant for the militaries around the world so that soldiers could camp out and not get rained on/eaten alive by bugs when sleeping. Ultimately most militaries just stuck to using poncho/tarp/basha shelters instead. The low profile of the tent makes it difficult for other enemy forces to spot you and that is why they are so small/low to the ground. If you are using this for the purpose of stealth camping to avoid detection then this Is a good style of tent to consider. If you are a typical camper/backpacker, not so much.
I had one, and it was so warm inside and I couldn't take my sweater off while inside it, had to open mesh and fly so I could sit up to change... super small... luckily I had a 10x10 tarp overhead...
Great review. I guess if you unzipped the fly down the side, and guyed it out parallel to the top plane of the tent, that would make it nearly impossible to enter. Maybe if there were dual zippers, you could guy out one side of the fly, and enter from the other side.
You can either have breathability, or waterproofness. Not both, and frankly expecting it to not wet out in warm and humid conditions is a classic case of the wrong tool for the job.
It would work very well particularly for someone on a budget somewhere like Brecon in the UK which is infamous for being wet and cold although personally I'd use it in conjunction with a basha.
Completely agree, sir. As someone from the other side of the pond I would say tarp, but otherwise of like mind.
I have a Night Cat Bivy Tent. There is no air flow. I rig a tarp to the tent poles and make myself a side shelter to allow the flap to be opened for air flow.
Nice !!
This is designed like to be a bivy sack, but giving more security than bivy sack. So it is too much to expect a full function of regular tent.
Exactly. These were mainly designed for quick pitch/takedown shelters for the military. So comfort/ease of use were not top priority.
You should check out the Dragoon Unlimited Ridgeback. It's a similar style tent with some improvements from what I can tell atleast from online but would love to see a quality review for it.
Please make review of Northface stormbreak 1
I think they're ideal for solo camping.
Lack of vents just seems like a glaring omission. A much better attempt at a budget tent of this type is the OEX Phoxx 1 v2, but I think they're exclusive to the UK. The original version was mostly mesh while the v2 is mainly solid panels, with mesh and vents at each end, and usable all year round. I have the Phoxx 2 v2, for roomy solo use with more headroom and doors either side. Even at full price the Phoxx 1 is about £5 cheaper than the Winterial, and OEX tents are frequently on offer.
Have got a phoxx 2 v2 and it’s unbeatable price vs performance ! Good times !
The best outdoor channal ever Could you replace the fly with a tarp? Just one to do the job It would make the whole setup bigger, though
To answer your question, Absolutely you can and just leave the fly at home. And the beauty of a tarp is you can pitch it high Or low depending on the weather conditions.
Great review.
I purchased mine a few months ago. The green color was not available, so I got the orange one.
I’m 6’4” and always sleep on either my sides. With this tent I sleep with my face facing the door side.
Also, I’m over 60 years old 11:29, and yes laying, leaning and getting back up, I make noise but all of my tents (or tarp shape tents style,) I still grunt going down on my knees.
As for most of the tents I use, I set up a tarp above them, it provides protection and a sitting / cooking area.
I miss your use of the Sierra Designs 4 season Teletubby tent! I bought one after that review and love it and get allot of kudos for dlfans of Ukraine given the color of the tent.
That thing looks HUGE in its bag! How on earth does it take up that much space!
Amazing video keep up the good work 💪
I can see where the rain would get in there but most people that are out backpacking are in pretty good shape I would doubt getting in and out would be that big of a problem condensation now that's a different issue
Depending on what shape you are in, perhaps. However entry/exit in the rain 🌧️ is difficult without a tarp overhead. The aforementioned tarp however would solve the condensation issues if you left off the fly.
Luke, is there anyway to mod it for better air flow? For the price, it might be worth to put the effort into modding it!!
Could you please review the One person Acsend Mile High, Bivey tent? I like mine. MChappy Camper.
Just took a look at the tent you mentioned. That looks like the Winterial tent with Vents!! Awsome, save for the white color for me. But this tent is proof positive vents can be done well on this style tent !!
Hey Luke, have you looked into the Crua hybrid 1 person tent? It’s another similar option
Glad I watched the review,I was thinking about getting one.no thanks I'll spend my money on a better one.thanks for the review.
Not every tent is made for humid/raining environments. Seems like every tent review that I see on this channel that gets a bad review for humidity is because it was not the correct tent choice for the environment. Mid-West and East Coast, probably not most of the year. Mountain time zone, (low humidity) probably fine most of the year. It would be like complaining that a 20° sleeping bag made you feel hot when you used it for the 4th of july camp out... When you remove main complaint that may not be relevant depending on the location, and the personal color choice, it is not a bad review overall.
Indeed
You should consider reviewing the Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout, as a slightly more expensive but vastly better option for a single person / bivy tent.
I use a net hammock. 2GoSystems XL size reflective tyvek bivy , the "Trifecta". with a plastic "envelope around it. The hammock and one ridgeline are inside of the bivy. Another ridgeline is above the "envelope" with tie off loops set onto the ridgeline with Pruzik knots. I added a sleeping bag zipper to the envelope. Without the zipper in the envelope, you'll play hell getting into the bivy in a hammock :-) this suffices to 40F, in just cammies. A set of long johns gets me down to 30F,
A couple of Amazon camo nets, twisted so that the "leaves" cannot "lay flat" wrapped around my limbs, inside of two of Amazon's bugnet "suits' gets me down to 20F. Debris between the bug nets suits and the camo nets (this time wrapped around the outside of my cammies) get me down to 10F. LOTS of debris, stuffed between the bivy and the envelope, gets me down to 0F.
I use a buttpack and daypack, so I can empty them out, stuff them with debris and use them as sleeping pads, normally up in the hammock. I had to add a much wider, stiffer belt to the buttpack tho. I hang a lot of stuff on the outside of the packs, but a 55 gallon drum liner, painted camo like the envelope, sees to it that things stay dry, nobody can see what I"m carrying and if anything falls off my back, the bag will catch it.
Who wouldn't wanna sleep in a rainforest? come on! 😂
I would put my tarp up, but that only allows subpar tents used for camping
Reminds me of my sierra design stash 1 tent
I’d love to see a review of the Paria Bryce 1 or 2 person tent. It’s similar in weight and price but seems to be a better tent.
That seems to be a similar european design that are made by others such as Vaude. Excellent design if made to Vaude or similar standards. I personally would go with the Vaude do to the color and trusted quality even though it is more expensive. I have several Vaude Hogan UL tents and love them.
I have this tent, I like it
Hey, if it works for you, great. It seems well constructed for what it is and if you leave the fly off it and use a tarp instead it could solve most of the cons of this tent.
Luke. You should purchase the Dragoon Unlimited Bivy. Superior to the Winterial. It is pretty damn good.
That tent looks interesting. Not a fan of the type of camo they use, but the foot end vent is good !!👍
Please tell me, does this tent come with a head end vent as well ?? It is hard to tell from the photos.
@@Xeno-M. yes it does come with a head end vent.
Very nice !!
... Why don't you tell us what you really think about this bivy... As always, thanks for another great and honest review.
Yuck, I don't have claustrophobia but that is too close to coffin-shaped for my liking. I prefer 2 person sized tents minimum when its just me. Gives me room to side sleep and still fit some gear in with me. Thanks Luke!
I think that would be most people’s view if you are doing normal hiking backpacking. These are more meant for emergencies and/or not to be seen when camping (of course the bright mint and orange colors negate that as well).
Personally I would lose the fly and just use it under a Tarp. Not that I would Buy this.
Great info matey.
What is the name of that jacket you’re wearing? I see it’s 5.11 but I can’t find that specific one. Thanks
Try the OEX Phoxx 1 v2 - not sure if you can get one in the states, seems a better budget version of this.
For the $100 that the tent cost one could afford to live with its failings or do make the improvements to suit their needs.
I think with the alternatives mentioned in the comments, you really don’t have to settle for the Winterial.
Amazing we put a man on the moon in 1969 why can’t tent manufacturers still not get it right 😅
Hi Luke!! Thank you so much for the review!! I know what not to buy!! I’ve been looking at that tent!! What are the odds that you would be reviewing it thank you so much once again you’re doing a great job. I love your channel.
How about setting it up under a tarp ?
Worth considering a Jack Wolfskin Gossamer 1?
Absolutely Can be done, minus the fly.
Thoughts on swag tents?
TOGR means Together.
If you bring a tarp would this be an ok tent without the fly in the rain?
Absolutely.
Mmm, may be ok for a wee night out in a lower Glen, however in Scotland, would be destroyed with our winds at 3000ft, we have no trees at this level,
I have never been to Scotland. But I have seen footage/photos of the highlands and you are 100% right on the no trees/ high elevation description. I could see how that could get battered, especially if you don’t guy out the tent. I probably would feel safer with a free standing, durable tent up there. Still a bonnie beautiful place you live in though.
where is Sierra designs starflight?best tent ever, lived in for a year.best design, you can sit up, its light, just 2 poles.perfect.40 or 50 years ago.
I was considering it until this review. Do you have recommendations for an alternative, if the Ionosphere is too expensive?
Jack Wolfskin Gossamer 1???
Several others gave suggestions as to alternatives such as the Ascend Nine Mile, Dragoon one person, the Jack Wolfskin Gossamer, or the OEX 1 person tents. All are similar but better for size/ventilation, etc. If you want a more traditional tent, the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1 or the Vaude Hogan SUL are also good.
Love your reviews
Always a thumbs-up review
Crap, I got the orange one because it did so well in rain and haven't had a chance to try it out. This sucks that condensation is so bad, probably never use it now. 😕.
I would not say that. Just swap the fly for a tarp and voila, issues mitigated !!
Too bad it doesn’t have good airflow. And the color sucks. But could you use this with a tarp and trekking poles to make a low profile tent at a decent cost. It would fix vestibule problem, with camo tarp stealthiness, just an idea for cost concessions. Any thoughts?
Absolutely yes you can. Ditch the fly for a tarp and it becomes a nice stealth option !!
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!!!
Actually I would say it’s not bad if you fit in it, don’t mind the lack of space and use a tarp overhead to mitigate condensation and rain intrusion upon entry/exit of the tent. Oh and you don’t mind the colors !!
Great review Luke. Thank you! 🙂 (No thank you to this tent.)
Thank you
The nail in the coffin sentence he always says in his review videos (for me) is "don't take this out unless it's gonna be a nice, dry day".
Why not have a regular tent. 🤔
These style tents are for specific use cases. Mainly as a low profile shelter so as not to be seen if say you are a soldier or are someone in an emergency where you are trying to hide from bad people. ( Of course the colors on this tent negate that ability here). However in most normal backpacking/camping situations brining a 1-2 person tent just makes more sense.
I really do not see a use case for this. Why have a fly when you cannot use it?
I myself use a combination of a tarp and a mesh tent when I'm not hammock camping. I would carry a tarp anyways so the shelter weighs almost nothing yet I have a ton of room under the tarp depending on how I have it set up
Agreed. It really misses the mark for the specific use cases of a low profile/emergency shelter (ie. Bad Colors) and as a standalone shelter (bad ingress/egress/rain intrusion). They should just sell the mesh inner or redesign the fly.
i feal like just using it as a bug net with a tarp and forgetting the fly would work pretty well but then the price stops making sense
Viewing this, the first thing that I didn't find appealing was the large packed size, then the weight... I would expect something like this to at least pack down smaller than a regular tent.
Well at 6'5" I'm out on the tent but nice video....
There's no way to stop rain getting in the bivvy,well he'll yeah there is,put a tarp over the top 😅
Indeed !!