I'm 60. I did several long trails with a 10x12 tarp in my 20s. 550 Colorado trail, a real banger, all of AT Virginia fOR 600M, chunks of the PCT, chunks of the CDT. That tent is nightmare kit that no one should ever consider. 10x12 tarp still gets me by, though I certainly use a hammock now.
I agree. Unfortunately, now at 66yo and overweight, I find myself claustrophobic. In addition, as a prostate survivor I find I'm getting up regularly to go. Oh, how I wish I was 20 again.
@@SecuR0Mthat’s what I was thinking, side opening. I have used the MSS 3 bag system (us military surplus) both as mil and private, I have slept literally in water and mud doing patrol bases in Alaskan wet lands. Absolutely miserable whichever way you cut it, but I have been pretty pleased all in all with the bivy. I saw this, in that light, and was like, “hey, now that’s awesome, nothing hanging on your face as you breathe into it and create condensation” (having your face poking out at -27°(F) is NO fun.). Then I saw him getting out of the tent and was thinking immediately, “oh, just kidding!” Hahaha side opening is exactly right.
As someone riding hard on the heels of 70 with considerably less flexibility than I used to have, crawling backwards into a coffin and crawling out again in the morning before my back has had time to unstiffen is just a big fat NO. All my tents are side entry so I can fall/roll out in the morning.
@@pinkyandorbrainit’s not annoying as much as a hassle. You understand why you’re doing it, but every thing takes longer and it’s easy to cut corners. When you see content produced as lovely as this, seemingly by a solo person given the equipment, understand you’re watching something someone truly cared for you to enjoy.
I'm so much not friends with freeze-dried food :) Even the smallest amount makes me fart for hours, and the stench is like nothing else, simply disastrous! 😵
Hi Stephen. 😊 In the morning when you crawled out of the tiny tent all I could think was "Look! Now he's a beautiful butterfly!" 😂 Cheers from South Australia.
Im a fellow Aussie whos living in scotland. I now go camping in my little tent, and I promise you, I do indeed feel like a beautiful little butterfly being born every morning that i crawl out of my teeny tiny ass tent 😂❤
As ex-military, I’ve always found a bivi bag and a small tarp can get you through any conditions in the UK hiking. I’ve still got a Survival Aids GoreTex bivi from the 90s that is still perfectly functioning and big enough for a bag and all my gear
And I think that’s the only use for it - the military, where maybe stealth camping is much more important than other aspects, and lightweight is a must rather than a luxury, because of all the non-camping gear you need to carry. And it’s not for fun, so nobody cares if a soldier is comfortable.
I lived 5 years in tents. If its not a hobby any more, but a way of living. And if you have the opportunity to enjoy nature every day. You dont want "too much nature". Aka: wind and rain while you sleep. That said: A tent and a bivybag come at around the same weight. But a tent offers way more comfort and becomes a home. While a bivybag is only a shelter with the only advantage that it allows you to "enjoy" or oversee your surrounding more.
On the contrary this video has actually hooked me on your channel again. Really enjoyed the concept of putting more novelty camping products to the test. More please!
Random comment, but I enjoy the cadence that you talk at. You are very calm but not too slow with your words, you have a good pace of talking if that makes sense. It is enjoyable to listen to you as it's calming but not dry. Just found your channel, cool stuff. I want to get a tiny tent for bikepacking
So glad to see such an honest review and I could not agree more. I've tried "bivvy" camping (or micro tent....or tiny tent...whatever you care to call it) and POSTIVELY HATE IT. No functional vestibule, can't sit up, no room for some of the gear that's nice to have in a tent with you, no room for keeping your pack out of the rain, door arrangement lets in rain in heavy weather....and speaking of heavy weather you have to get out of any wet outerwear outside (and fast) because there's no way to remove it inside without crawling all over your sleep system in your wet gear....and even in good weather it takes a contortionist to get in our out of clothing inside the bivvy anyway so all that needs to happen outside regardless. Waiting out bad weather? You better like laying prone staring at the ceiling because they're pretty much only good for just laying there. Not worth the weight savings in my personal value system.
@@2or3Witnesses That's probably true but....and this is not me trying to be cheeky or a smart ass.... I don't buy my outdoor recreational gear in anticipation of escape and evade operations behind enemy lines.....I buy it in anticipation of recreating in the outdoors. If I find myself in, or wake up in, a war torn country trying to escape and survive by being stealthy then something has gone horribly wrong and I doubt a bivy tent is going to be the deciding factor of success. In other words, given my skill set I'm probably just gonna end up captured LOL!! But even in that case my list of gripes about bivy tents would still persist. They just suck from a convenience and comfort standpoint IMO. Their HUGE downsides are not worth the marginal weight savings in my books of "needs".
The most camping ive ever done has involved hot showers and electricity but theres a real draw to this. Also your exit from the tent was cinematic masterwork😂
5:36 this thing would profit so much from one more rod in the center that goes in a half circle and makes the entire thing more "tunnel"-like instead of it flopping around like this
This is far from a subpar video, it's the first one I've watched from you and I really enjoyed it. You've got a nice balance of serenity and storytelling and helpful information :) great stuff man
I was backpacking and camping in Ireland for 3 weeks back in 1978. Except for two days it was raining every day. Although I did not have any cooking gear with my, I was so pleased that I could sit in my tent, change my clothes and keep everything inside the tent without getting everything wet. Next year I hooked up with my new girlfriend, bought a tiny 3 person tent (Trio Tupek) and cycled around southern Scotland for 3 week. We were cooking (Trangia) just outside the tent and having an excellent time. Although we had bought the best gear we ended up soaking wet on several occasions (cycling for 4 hours in pouring rain etc.), but our tent was always dry. We used that tent for ten years camping in Denmark, Austria and France with our daughter, and we only dumped it when it was ripped by a drunk man tripping over the wires in the dark at a jazz festival.😢 I still miss it because it was so tough in winds, but we have moved on to bigger tents and now, that we have retired, a tiny caravan. Tents can be too small.😊
@@pgilb70 Sir, I regret to inform you that "Snowflakes" are not real people and, therefore, are not able to miss out on anything. I hope I was helpful to an old geezer trying to be edgy online.
It’s a great video! They can’t all be winners anyway, that would be boring. You still went out there and did it, providing valuable intel for us couch warriors back here for gear etc! As long as you enjoy it, I say keep going buddy!
@@StephenJReid I've used a phoxx 1-manner from OEX for years now and loved every second of it - people knock the budget brand, and it IS a kilo heavier than this Rab one but for the extra room you get along with a side entry and a solid hydrostatic head rating of 5l (plus the extra bit of protection from the inner setup - which in summer you can use on it's own) I'm not gonna complain! Love that tent to pieces, so could be worth a look in for yourself
In my late 50’s I was using a military surplus bivy sack in lieu of a tent for backpacking. It didn’t have the rib poles to create a tiny tent, it’s more like a waterproof sleeping bag sleeve. I placed my trail runners under my knees on the outside. This kept my knees flexed for comfort & also to keep critters from crawling inside. I also placed my wedge shaped fanny pack inside the head as a pillow. The bivy lip kept it from sliding. Electronics & water filter in the sleeping bag toe to prevent freezing. A knotted length of paracord can be used to hang my backpack from a nearby tree, and I’m all set. This lifted tent would be an upgrade🤗
If this was a "subpar" video I can't wait to watch the rest of your stuff! This was the first one recommended to me (as well as a lot of others, considering it's your second most viewed).
@@StephenJReidinformative, well presented, good dialogue, great cinematography, good sound design. It's a good video as your viewership shows. I made my own bivvy bag and used it once. It was absolutely horrendous. I now use a three-man three season tent solo and damn the weight. "It's amazing how you can do without the necessities if you have the luxuries."
Its the one man bearrito. some of the best sleep ive gotten have been in these during my time in service. always amazing to be able to look out and see the stars on a clear night.
It looks so hard to get into that thing without bringing in a lot of wet and dirt. Absolutely beautiful trip. That was a great surprise from clicking on this
You had me rolling with your sense of irony and well-placed humor. I learned something, laughed a lot, and promptly started to make plans for some fall camping in the Appalachians. Subscribed.
My brother, greeting from Serbia first of all ... Second of all, just have to tell you that there is something so soothing and relaxing about your videos, and I have no idea what it is, but I damn love it
Great channel . Being only 4 ft11 tall my two man tent is like house to me sometimes I even sleep in different places inside it. Like if it’s windy I’ll go and sleep in another part of tent it’s great 😂
Loved the video! Yeah, for the weight I would much prefer the X-Mid solid one, its 825 grams, if you must you can take 14 good long stakes to hook up all its attachment points, that will make it storm proof, it will overall come at the same weight, but you will have loads of room inside, double walled too, so no condensation issues. Your trekking poles are there anyway, so using them for your shelter is a sweet bonus.
At $400.00 US dollars for the Ridge Raider, and $264.00, lots of room in the X-Mid1 Solid and light weight, the Durston is my choice. Although the Durston does have a much larger foot print there aren't the condensation problems.
@@dontall71Yeah the footprint is big, but you can always do the skinny pitch that Dan Durston shows on his website. It basically collapses the vestibules down, so the tent is just a thin rectangle.
14:50 knowing that you had to wake up, get out of the tent, set the camera up, get back inside the tent and then get get back out of the tent makes me have even more respect for you.
I had a tiny tent and upgraded to a Nemo Dragonfly 1p and will never go back to that tiny tent. On my second trip, the weather changed and I was stuck in heavy rain for nearly 11 hours. I was able to sit comfortably and even cook under the vestibule (not safe, not recommended -- I know) I couldn't imagine getting stuck in my tent for over my 11 hours. I bought the tiny tent THINKING I was going to do some stealth camping -- nope. Not once.
I bought a bivy for my Pacific Crest Trail trip, thinking I was gonna 'save some weight'.. well I also found out I'm claustrophobic 1st night in.. I kept waking up in a panic about half a dozen times, and had to climb half way out the tent to catch my breath again and again.. Plus I like keeping my pack in the tent when possible (not the food). I use it as a pillow or can grab extra clothes etc.. Saving an extra lb or two doesn't really matter if you cant get a decent nights sleep.. Now I have an old Eureka Spitfire and a Nemo Hornet.. Both are light enough to backpack with and big enough to hold my pack or another person in a pinch.. And I also had a terrible weekend at a Lake where it rained non stop, I couldn't imagine spending an entire weekend trapped in that coffin.
The cabbage and beans part was comedy gold. I had an OR Alpine Bivy and also ended up selling it. Having to carry a tarp for wet weather negated the weight savings of a Bivy. It's much easier to setup a tent with vestibule for my wet gear than having to setup a Bivy and a Tarp.
I have a tiny tent, dark green and i have camo netting. i often use it to camp in the inner city and hidden areas. I can sleep essentially anywhere, hideen among bushes or in a trash pile. Very useful
What is slightly entertaining, is that for 350g more a few years ago, Lidl did a 2 pole, single skin 2 man tent that is easily much nicer than this one. Perfect for one person and kit. The real kicker? It was 25 quid. Love it to bits. One of my favourite little tents.
@@CB19087 had it for years. Have used it a good number of times (it's my go-to tent for solo stuff). Genuinely a really nice purchase. It's a ridge tent, so one pole up the middle and an A pole at the top end.
@@CB19087 believe me, I am similarly surprised. The only downside is that it collects condensation like nobody's business if you have the rain door shut while sleeping in it. Ventilation on it is complete pants.
Great video as always. I considered the ridge raider but ended up buying an Outdoor Research Helium Bivy which I use with a DD 3x3 tarp. Very similar to the ridge raider. Lightweight and easy set up even in high wind. Like yourself, the tarp is just for cooking & chilling under.
I just came across your channel . I like to watch hiking to remote locations. I am watching just before bed and this video made me laugh out loud. Thank you for the serotonin shot to relax 🧘
I've still got a similar design from my back-packing days. Mine's a bright yellow Black Wolf, and is a dream to use on both hot and cold weather. The MOST important survival and comfort element is a good quality sleeping bag. Warm and Dry is a real pleasure!
So the chocolate moment felt almost like we were eaves dropping on a very personal moment 😉 I picked up a Eureka bivy years ago for my bike and felt the same way. Once inside it is a cozy little nest and you almost forgot how miserable it is to do anything beyond lay down
This randomly popped up on my fyp and I’m so glad it did. This guy is hilarious and showing such amazing parts of the world. Dude climbed up a rock just to have to find out he’s eating beans and cabbage 😂😢
I’m still annoyed about that beans an cabbage. The tent fabric is highly air permeable but somehow also highly waterproof. I’ve never had condensation in it
@@StephenJReid that’s crazy how it can both be completely water proof but still provide enough airflow to where it’s uncomfortable. All around bad product 😂 and you know it’s bad when even months later you can recognize that flavor and know how bad it was. Thanks for the reply! Enjoying your channel a lot so far, and great job on the documentary for Ireland!!
I really enjoy spending the night in my Alpkit Elan hooped bivvy. Probably less room than your Rab but it has a zip that goes 2/3 of the way down the side which makes getting in and out a lot easier. Thanks for sharing.
I hate these things. They're a compromise that gives up most of the benefits of a tent while delivering few of the benefits of a bivy bag. Thanks for a great vid!
Well put. I think maybe it's a thing because some people just don't feel comfortable in a bivy, since it's too much like sleeping _exposed_ ...? I could see how a tiny little coffin tent might make you feel more psychologically "sheltered".
@@glenmorrison8080 I think you're right, but you can get an ultralight tent that will give you a very similar setup time and weight. Perhaps they're a hangover from a few years back, when weight was a much bigger factor.
Watching this from my king sized bed, my claustrophobia has me coming out in a sweat just watching you getting in and out of that thing. Would be an extreme sport for me to get in that, and if someone zipped me in they'd be off my Christmas list!
This tent has been in my basket for ages. Love the dream, wild camping/stealth mode in such a tiny tent is really appealing but not sure i could last a night in such a small space. Anyway love your content and 100% you should review camping food. Overly expensive and so much cheaper just pre cooking stuff before you go roaming, that said watching you eat those pouches is great entertainment 😂
I know you didn't get the time you wanted to make this video, but it's the first hiking content I've been suddenly compelled to watch since walking the Camino de Santiago in May. NGL kinda want one of these sleeping bags to go adventure in Washington. All kinds of Penelope vibes.
Ironic you say you felt this was becoming a sub par video. It’s the first of yours I’ve ever seen, and surprisingly held my interest the whole way through and made me curious about your other videos. P.S. could do without eating sounds though 😂
Yeah can’t believe I was seriously considering canning it. I actually got to the camp spot and stood around for 5min trying to decided to camp or just call it quits and hike down again
I have a Ridge Master myself, the fact it opens also from the side is a blessing in it's own right. Saves trying to go down the 'tube' when you're stiff and sore
you said in your video that you didn't believe this would turn out well. this is the first time i've watched your content/channel and i literally subscribed and liked halfway through the video because I was interested! you're a great personality, keep it up!
I loved my first Bivvi bag. Original Gortex. I remember spending 9 days up in the Sperrins in the winter with nothing to attach a tarp to. Loved it! Have another Bivvi now absolute rubbish, haven't used it in 2 years. Great stuff as always Stephen 👍
I have a similar one that I love for cycle camping. It hardly takes up any room, but the best part is how quick and unfussy it is to put up or down, particularly on a windy hillside.
First video I've watched of yours and I really like how honest and genuine you come across. You feel like a real person saying real things and I like it
My go-to’s are either a very roomy Oware two person bivy (14.3oz), or just a reasonably sized tent that you can actually use (currently a Big Agnes Seedhouse 2). The bivy is nice because other than an utterly torrential downpour it will keep you dry from scattered shower without any extra prep (obviously you can use a tarp for full rain protection), and it doesn’t matter if you twist and turn. You can move all about and you can get into far easier than you do your sleeping bag.
I came to the Ridge Raider after using the Dutch Army bivvy tent and waking up with virtual terror, full claustrophobia (bearing in mind, 30 odd years ago I was a keen potholer, so no stranger to tight places). Compared to the Dutch Army bivvy, the Rab Ridge Raider is a palace!😁
I'm in Western Australia and have a kiwi made bivy sack that has a long side entrance, suitable for a fella in his 70s. I was concerned about the coffin analogy to sleeping in a bivy, but I've found it really very cosy and comfortable. It seemed to me that your head was downhill from your feet, which wouldn't help you to sleep. I have a Big Agnes 2P tent, which takes about 8 minutes to pitch. The Bivy takes less than two minutes to set up and just as much time to pack up. The fact that it has a smaller footprint is also a benefit. I don't carry a stove so cooking is not an issue. It stood up well on 115kph gale force winds one evening down on the south coast. When packed up, it is about the size of a 1.5 L water bottle and weighs about 900g. It's definitely my Go To accommodation when on the track.
Is this the MacPac Cocoon? I have just bought one and it seems OK, my only worry being whether the single layer means that my sleeping bag will get wet if touching the fabric in rain
Like Stephen I am a bit divided by bivi bags like this. On one hand they are light, perfect in any conditions, excellent for an evening walk and a stay out on the fell or as an emergency shelter where you could get the patient inside safe knowing they will be warm/sheltered. On the backside… I have learnt over the years, a small bell space for wet boots, wet clothes, ruc sac… or cooking has far greater utility.
It would be better if it had top entry. Similar to how you get into a kayak. Then it would be a step in, sit and shimmy down. You could also then use the tarp as a roof. Giving you a place to sit. And also allow the window to remain open when sleeping.
Love a bivvy camp, think I have 9 last time I counted, biggest wins for me are they pitch anywhere, stealthy and are totally bomber. Camped in the LD one year in my TN Saturn bivvy, got hammered by crazy winds all night, I got rolled about but slept through most of it, woke up to pals packing away their broken Quasar and Nallo. Autumn into the first frosts are my fave time for a bivvy Another fine vid 👌 Try the micro tarp near the door so you have a space to cook and store gear
I just want to thank the algorithm for bringing me this video. I ordered Nearynogs chocolate because of it and had shipped to California. You got a subscription from me!
Found your channel looking at bivy and left your video laughing at the thought of eating beans and cabbage before entering it 😂. Amazing. Subscribed man!
8:23 This kinda caught me off guard because the entire time I was like, the shots and color correction in this video look amazing, and the topic seems really interesting. I guess everyone is their own worst critic haha
I have a ALPS lynx 1 person tent for about 7 years now and love it. Used it all over from alaska, utah and oregonm weights 4 lbs Perfect for me and ny full 60 litre pack or me and my 80lbs dog to spoon and im a big boy. Highly recommend it
Had someone in our group do a bivy tent like that on our section hike. It surely was a talking point in our group about the way he did things since there was other things he did that were questionable from a hiking perspective but he still made it through the hike so can't complain. And wow, all that wind even with a wind barrier would freak and chill me out and make me all uncomfortable.
Apart from the bug screen a 3x3 tarp in a tent type configuration offers ... 1 less weight 2.. more sleeping area 3 ... more storage and cooking space . and even at a push the door ( depending how you put it up) pegged closed. Great vid tho thanks , enjoyed watching it.
Stephen. Love your videos. I’ve got a wee terra nova equivalent but never used it yet. Must give it a try in the wild but defo felt the claustrophobia when I tested in the house!! Anyway. Keep the videos coming! Brilliant!
Outdoor Research has several hooped bivvies as well, and the Alpine is probably closest to the Ridge Raider. You don't crawl through the end though, you just zip across the middle and down the side like a sleeping bag so you can just stand up. The kicker is that it also has a bug net and only weighs ~530g. That's mostly material savings as they use Pertex, like their jackets, and doesn't have as many staking points, but being low to the ground it's still pretty stormproof. You still can't stand up in it but it fixes most other problems.
+100 points for the Nearynogs product placement. One of the best afternoons I've had for a long time in their factory. Great vid on the bivi on steroids too btw 😀
It's not really there to "camp" with, it's simply supposed to protect you from the elements for an evening. It's designed for people like me who want a very small private space to sleep and not socialize.
This is actually a strange thing-this "coffin"-type tent. For my POV, you can't sleep well in this tent, and for 3-4 nights, you will feel totally exhausted. This will slow you; it's a high point for error and failure; it's unsafe; it's angry. I prefer to get more volume and weight to get good sleep, rest well, and get more energy and a good mood. Maybe it has a short track, but at least it still reasonably gets slightly more living space.
A Windy Night of Wonder Under The Stars: th-cam.com/video/nG01136aGTQ/w-d-xo.html
As a 20 yo soldier this would have been my dream piece of kit
As a 60 yo my back and knees are screaming rude words at you.
I'm 60. I did several long trails with a 10x12 tarp in my 20s. 550 Colorado trail, a real banger, all of AT Virginia fOR 600M, chunks of the PCT, chunks of the CDT. That tent is nightmare kit that no one should ever consider. 10x12 tarp still gets me by, though I certainly use a hammock now.
I agree. Unfortunately, now at 66yo and overweight, I find myself claustrophobic. In addition, as a prostate survivor I find I'm getting up regularly to go. Oh, how I wish I was 20 again.
Hoss spitting facts rn.
Get one that opens on the side.
@@SecuR0M
Ain't that called tarp?
@@SecuR0Mthat’s what I was thinking, side opening. I have used the MSS 3 bag system (us military surplus) both as mil and private, I have slept literally in water and mud doing patrol bases in Alaskan wet lands. Absolutely miserable whichever way you cut it, but I have been pretty pleased all in all with the bivy.
I saw this, in that light, and was like, “hey, now that’s awesome, nothing hanging on your face as you breathe into it and create condensation” (having your face poking out at -27°(F) is NO fun.). Then I saw him getting out of the tent and was thinking immediately, “oh, just kidding!” Hahaha side opening is exactly right.
you squeezed out of that tent the same way ace ventura squeezed his way out of that rhino
😂😂😂
Kinda hot in these rhino's!
Lol well done mate
Good 1
What made me giggle is the answer to the question "How was the waking up and getting out of the tent filmed?"
As someone riding hard on the heels of 70 with considerably less flexibility than I used to have, crawling backwards into a coffin and crawling out again in the morning before my back has had time to unstiffen is just a big fat NO. All my tents are side entry so I can fall/roll out in the morning.
Side entry definitely easier!
I'm the same era of hiker. That's just too small for me!
It's good content! I thought it was quite well done.
Too funny the gas effects!
Side zipped bivvy? Love my Alpkit Elan. Btw I’m pushing 70 too!
Having to get out of it twice just for camera shots. Priceless
Not to mention if he had to pee.
I enjoyed that he left that bit in at 12:30. I always wonder how annoying it must be for these content creators to do everything twice.
@@pinkyandorbrainit’s not annoying as much as a hassle. You understand why you’re doing it, but every thing takes longer and it’s easy to cut corners.
When you see content produced as lovely as this, seemingly by a solo person given the equipment, understand you’re watching something someone truly cared for you to enjoy.
Or stroking their own ego. Hard to know till you get to know the person. We can only do our best.@@douglasmilburn3875
“I would have appreciated some artificial flavoring because it seems, you weren’t able to find any natural flavoring”. Pure gold 9:10
Beans, cabbage and shoes... oh the fresh air.
😂😂😂😂😅
I'm so much not friends with freeze-dried food :) Even the smallest amount makes me fart for hours, and the stench is like nothing else, simply disastrous! 😵
While beans and cabbage make you fart, the true vomit inducing stuff occurs when you give a lactose intolerant person milk.
Accidentally hotboxing yourself with gassy veg in Italian is priceless.
Hi Stephen. 😊
In the morning when you crawled out of the tiny tent all I could think was "Look! Now he's a beautiful butterfly!" 😂
Cheers from South Australia.
🤣 If I'd sprouted wings it would make getting off the mountain easier!
Im a fellow Aussie whos living in scotland. I now go camping in my little tent, and I promise you, I do indeed feel like a beautiful little butterfly being born every morning that i crawl out of my teeny tiny ass tent 😂❤
@@kirstylynne2871 Sounds like a wonderful way to start your day! 🦋
@@kirstylynne2871you ruined it by say ass. Don't be low class dude....
@@RighteousnessWillPrevailwelcome to the internet…
As ex-military, I’ve always found a bivi bag and a small tarp can get you through any conditions in the UK hiking. I’ve still got a Survival Aids GoreTex bivi from the 90s that is still perfectly functioning and big enough for a bag and all my gear
And I think that’s the only use for it - the military, where maybe stealth camping is much more important than other aspects, and lightweight is a must rather than a luxury, because of all the non-camping gear you need to carry. And it’s not for fun, so nobody cares if a soldier is comfortable.
I never found one big enough.
I lived 5 years in tents. If its not a hobby any more, but a way of living. And if you have the opportunity to enjoy nature every day. You dont want "too much nature". Aka: wind and rain while you sleep. That said: A tent and a bivybag come at around the same weight. But a tent offers way more comfort and becomes a home. While a bivybag is only a shelter with the only advantage that it allows you to "enjoy" or oversee your surrounding more.
i like to be able to see enemies approaching too
@@TharrelI used one as a rock climber for any destination that required more than half a day’s hike to get to the mountain.
I love the professional production alongside the hilariously real character
On the contrary this video has actually hooked me on your channel again. Really enjoyed the concept of putting more novelty camping products to the test. More please!
Thanks Phil! 😁
Random comment, but I enjoy the cadence that you talk at. You are very calm but not too slow with your words, you have a good pace of talking if that makes sense. It is enjoyable to listen to you as it's calming but not dry. Just found your channel, cool stuff. I want to get a tiny tent for bikepacking
So glad to see such an honest review and I could not agree more. I've tried "bivvy" camping (or micro tent....or tiny tent...whatever you care to call it) and POSTIVELY HATE IT. No functional vestibule, can't sit up, no room for some of the gear that's nice to have in a tent with you, no room for keeping your pack out of the rain, door arrangement lets in rain in heavy weather....and speaking of heavy weather you have to get out of any wet outerwear outside (and fast) because there's no way to remove it inside without crawling all over your sleep system in your wet gear....and even in good weather it takes a contortionist to get in our out of clothing inside the bivvy anyway so all that needs to happen outside regardless. Waiting out bad weather? You better like laying prone staring at the ceiling because they're pretty much only good for just laying there. Not worth the weight savings in my personal value system.
Probably for most rock climbers that want to hit a wall at dawn and have a difficult approach
Bivy tents just good and usefull when you re in evasive mode in war torn country and trying to eacape or survive silently and stealthy
@@2or3Witnesses That's probably true but....and this is not me trying to be cheeky or a smart ass.... I don't buy my outdoor recreational gear in anticipation of escape and evade operations behind enemy lines.....I buy it in anticipation of recreating in the outdoors. If I find myself in, or wake up in, a war torn country trying to escape and survive by being stealthy then something has gone horribly wrong and I doubt a bivy tent is going to be the deciding factor of success. In other words, given my skill set I'm probably just gonna end up captured LOL!! But even in that case my list of gripes about bivy tents would still persist. They just suck from a convenience and comfort standpoint IMO. Their HUGE downsides are not worth the marginal weight savings in my books of "needs".
I used mine once, sleeping next to a river in an oak forest on Dartmoor. Worst sleep ever. Never again.
The most camping ive ever done has involved hot showers and electricity but theres a real draw to this. Also your exit from the tent was cinematic masterwork😂
Always make a grand exit 🤪
@@StephenJReid like giving birth
5:36 this thing would profit so much from one more rod in the center that goes in a half circle and makes the entire thing more "tunnel"-like instead of it flopping around like this
This is far from a subpar video, it's the first one I've watched from you and I really enjoyed it. You've got a nice balance of serenity and storytelling and helpful information :) great stuff man
I was backpacking and camping in Ireland for 3 weeks back in 1978. Except for two days it was raining every day. Although I did not have any cooking gear with my, I was so pleased that I could sit in my tent, change my clothes and keep everything inside the tent without getting everything wet.
Next year I hooked up with my new girlfriend, bought a tiny 3 person tent (Trio Tupek) and cycled around southern Scotland for 3 week. We were cooking (Trangia) just outside the tent and having an excellent time.
Although we had bought the best gear we ended up soaking wet on several occasions (cycling for 4 hours in pouring rain etc.), but our tent was always dry.
We used that tent for ten years camping in Denmark, Austria and France with our daughter, and we only dumped it when it was ripped by a drunk man tripping over the wires in the dark at a jazz festival.😢 I still miss it because it was so tough in winds, but we have moved on to bigger tents and now, that we have retired, a tiny caravan.
Tents can be too small.😊
Snowflakes r missing out
@@pgilb70 Sir, I regret to inform you that "Snowflakes" are not real people and, therefore, are not able to miss out on anything. I hope I was helpful to an old geezer trying to be edgy online.
@@pgilb70how exactly does not being a racist asshole like yourself prevent someone from camping
Imagine being in a post-apocalyptic scenario and this kitted guy casually walks past you in the wild holding a selfie-stick and complaining a lot...
😂😂😂
It’s a great video! They can’t all be winners anyway, that would be boring. You still went out there and did it, providing valuable intel for us couch warriors back here for gear etc! As long as you enjoy it, I say keep going buddy!
Thanks! Although can’t say I did enjoy it 😂 thinking the Terra Nova laser pulse 1 might be more what I’m after but it’s really expensive
@@StephenJReid I've used a phoxx 1-manner from OEX for years now and loved every second of it - people knock the budget brand, and it IS a kilo heavier than this Rab one but for the extra room you get along with a side entry and a solid hydrostatic head rating of 5l (plus the extra bit of protection from the inner setup - which in summer you can use on it's own) I'm not gonna complain! Love that tent to pieces, so could be worth a look in for yourself
In my late 50’s I was using a military surplus bivy sack in lieu of a tent for backpacking. It didn’t have the rib poles to create a tiny tent, it’s more like a waterproof sleeping bag sleeve. I placed my trail runners under my knees on the outside. This kept my knees flexed for comfort & also to keep critters from crawling inside. I also placed my wedge shaped fanny pack inside the head as a pillow. The bivy lip kept it from sliding. Electronics & water filter in the sleeping bag toe to prevent freezing. A knotted length of paracord can be used to hang my backpack from a nearby tree, and I’m all set. This lifted tent would be an upgrade🤗
This is one of those times where watching someone else backpack is more enjoyable than being out there myself. Thank you for your service.
If this was a "subpar" video I can't wait to watch the rest of your stuff! This was the first one recommended to me (as well as a lot of others, considering it's your second most viewed).
For some reason this video has taken off. Seems people are interested in tiny tents 🤷♂️
@@StephenJReid As someone making a few videos of my own, the confusion as to why videos perform well is mutual haha. Glad to have found your channel.
@@StephenJReidinformative, well presented, good dialogue, great cinematography, good sound design. It's a good video as your viewership shows.
I made my own bivvy bag and used it once. It was absolutely horrendous. I now use a three-man three season tent solo and damn the weight. "It's amazing how you can do without the necessities if you have the luxuries."
Its the one man bearrito. some of the best sleep ive gotten have been in these during my time in service. always amazing to be able to look out and see the stars on a clear night.
It looks so hard to get into that thing without bringing in a lot of wet and dirt. Absolutely beautiful trip. That was a great surprise from clicking on this
Just come across this chap's channel. Very slick presenting. Not far short of mainstream TV quality presenting to be honest.
You had me rolling with your sense of irony and well-placed humor. I learned something, laughed a lot, and promptly started to make plans for some fall camping in the Appalachians. Subscribed.
Where in Appalachia?
@@joewoodchuck3824 West Virginia, preferably.
@@michaelandcolinspop I've never been to that section but it should be nice. I live next to the NE Tennessee section.
My brother, greeting from Serbia first of all ... Second of all, just have to tell you that there is something so soothing and relaxing about your videos, and I have no idea what it is, but I damn love it
Thanks 🙂 glad you are enjoying the videos
Beans and Cabbage, a flatulence Nightmare.
I’d be lucky to survive the night!!
Absolutely howling!! 😂😂😂
Great channel .
Being only 4 ft11 tall my two man tent is like house to me sometimes I even sleep in different places inside it.
Like if it’s windy I’ll go and sleep in another part of tent it’s great 😂
Brilliant 😂
Lucky you. 😅
Wait till you're an adult, you'll know the pain!
This is the first time watching your channel and this video is FAR from sub par. It’s perfect!
Love it.
Loved the video! Yeah, for the weight I would much prefer the X-Mid solid one, its 825 grams, if you must you can take 14 good long stakes to hook up all its attachment points, that will make it storm proof, it will overall come at the same weight, but you will have loads of room inside, double walled too, so no condensation issues. Your trekking poles are there anyway, so using them for your shelter is a sweet bonus.
I got the regular X-Mid 1 this year for long distance multi-day trips, great tent.
At $400.00 US dollars for the Ridge Raider, and $264.00, lots of room in the X-Mid1 Solid and light weight, the Durston is my choice. Although the Durston does have a much larger foot print there aren't the condensation problems.
@@dontall71Yeah the footprint is big, but you can always do the skinny pitch that Dan Durston shows on his website. It basically collapses the vestibules down, so the tent is just a thin rectangle.
14:50 knowing that you had to wake up, get out of the tent, set the camera up, get back inside the tent and then get get back out of the tent makes me have even more respect for you.
I had a tiny tent and upgraded to a Nemo Dragonfly 1p and will never go back to that tiny tent.
On my second trip, the weather changed and I was stuck in heavy rain for nearly 11 hours. I was able to sit comfortably and even cook under the vestibule (not safe, not recommended -- I know)
I couldn't imagine getting stuck in my tent for over my 11 hours.
I bought the tiny tent THINKING I was going to do some stealth camping -- nope. Not once.
I bought a bivy for my Pacific Crest Trail trip, thinking I was gonna 'save some weight'.. well I also found out I'm claustrophobic 1st night in..
I kept waking up in a panic about half a dozen times, and had to climb half way out the tent to catch my breath again and again..
Plus I like keeping my pack in the tent when possible (not the food). I use it as a pillow or can grab extra clothes etc..
Saving an extra lb or two doesn't really matter if you cant get a decent nights sleep..
Now I have an old Eureka Spitfire and a Nemo Hornet.. Both are light enough to backpack with and big enough to hold my pack or another person in a pinch..
And I also had a terrible weekend at a Lake where it rained non stop, I couldn't imagine spending an entire weekend trapped in that coffin.
The cabbage and beans part was comedy gold. I had an OR Alpine Bivy and also ended up selling it. Having to carry a tarp for wet weather negated the weight savings of a Bivy. It's much easier to setup a tent with vestibule for my wet gear than having to setup a Bivy and a Tarp.
I have a tiny tent, dark green and i have camo netting. i often use it to camp in the inner city and hidden areas. I can sleep essentially anywhere, hideen among bushes or in a trash pile. Very useful
If youre on a bicycle you will LOVE your bivy. The pain of long distance cycling makes a small tent seem like heaven❤❤❤
What is slightly entertaining, is that for 350g more a few years ago, Lidl did a 2 pole, single skin 2 man tent that is easily much nicer than this one. Perfect for one person and kit.
The real kicker? It was 25 quid. Love it to bits. One of my favourite little tents.
Let us know how many camps you get out of it before it breaks, genuinely interested to know
@@CB19087 had it for years. Have used it a good number of times (it's my go-to tent for solo stuff). Genuinely a really nice purchase. It's a ridge tent, so one pole up the middle and an A pole at the top end.
@VicvicW suprised to hear that as everything I've ever got from the middle isle is usually rubbish. You obviously got lucky there 🍻
@@CB19087 believe me, I am similarly surprised. The only downside is that it collects condensation like nobody's business if you have the rain door shut while sleeping in it. Ventilation on it is complete pants.
@@VicvicW I wonder if that's because it's single skin?
Very enjoyable video! I have to agree the idea of a tiny tent like that is very appealing, but I'm glad you're the one testing it out, not me!
🤣 providing a public service here
Great video as always. I considered the ridge raider but ended up buying an Outdoor Research Helium Bivy which I use with a DD 3x3 tarp. Very similar to the ridge raider. Lightweight and easy set up even in high wind. Like yourself, the tarp is just for cooking & chilling under.
Always putting yourself through the most pain just for our enjoyment, grins, and laughter. And this one had me laughing. 😅
Well you've just saved me a shit tonne of money 😂
Was trying to talk myself out of buying a ridge raider for the last 3 weeks
you're welcome
I just came across your channel . I like to watch hiking to remote locations. I am watching just before bed and this video made me laugh out loud. Thank you for the serotonin shot to relax 🧘
You’re welcome 🙂
I already laughed at the thumbnail but you going in and out of it was top notch 😂😂
🤪
I've still got a similar design from my back-packing days. Mine's a bright yellow Black Wolf, and is a dream to use on both hot and cold weather. The MOST important survival and comfort element is a good quality sleeping bag. Warm and Dry is a real pleasure!
So the chocolate moment felt almost like we were eaves dropping on a very personal moment 😉
I picked up a Eureka bivy years ago for my bike and felt the same way. Once inside it is a cozy little nest and you almost forgot how miserable it is to do anything beyond lay down
This randomly popped up on my fyp and I’m so glad it did. This guy is hilarious and showing such amazing parts of the world. Dude climbed up a rock just to have to find out he’s eating beans and cabbage 😂😢
But also where is the ventilation in that tent
I’m still annoyed about that beans an cabbage. The tent fabric is highly air permeable but somehow also highly waterproof. I’ve never had condensation in it
@@StephenJReid that’s crazy how it can both be completely water proof but still provide enough airflow to where it’s uncomfortable. All around bad product 😂 and you know it’s bad when even months later you can recognize that flavor and know how bad it was. Thanks for the reply! Enjoying your channel a lot so far, and great job on the documentary for Ireland!!
I really enjoy spending the night in my Alpkit Elan hooped bivvy. Probably less room than your Rab but it has a zip that goes 2/3 of the way down the side which makes getting in and out a lot easier.
Thanks for sharing.
Yeah I've seen that one and thought the side entry looked like a better idea!
@@StephenJReid On top of my thermarest I’m nearly nose to the roof! Takes some getting used to. Cheap though 🤷♂️
This channel is special. Just an Irish dude hating everything while touching grass
Those rocks where you camped are wild!
Nah those are domesticated rocks
I hate these things. They're a compromise that gives up most of the benefits of a tent while delivering few of the benefits of a bivy bag. Thanks for a great vid!
I always assumed these were meant for stealth/super lightweight camping.
@@teppet4119 They are, but I don't understand why you'd choose one over a regular bivy bag which is even lighter and doesn't need any setup.
Well put. I think maybe it's a thing because some people just don't feel comfortable in a bivy, since it's too much like sleeping _exposed_ ...? I could see how a tiny little coffin tent might make you feel more psychologically "sheltered".
@@glenmorrison8080 I think you're right, but you can get an ultralight tent that will give you a very similar setup time and weight. Perhaps they're a hangover from a few years back, when weight was a much bigger factor.
@ good point. I hadn’t thought of that.
Watching this from my king sized bed, my claustrophobia has me coming out in a sweat just watching you getting in and out of that thing. Would be an extreme sport for me to get in that, and if someone zipped me in they'd be off my Christmas list!
Just discovered this channel. Kinda inspiring stuff I won’t lie.
Beautiful shots, well edited, love it.
Subbed
welcome aboard
This tent has been in my basket for ages. Love the dream, wild camping/stealth mode in such a tiny tent is really appealing but not sure i could last a night in such a small space. Anyway love your content and 100% you should review camping food. Overly expensive and so much cheaper just pre cooking stuff before you go roaming, that said watching you eat those pouches is great entertainment 😂
Thanks. Think I’m going to read the labels more carefully before buying next time? 😂
I know you didn't get the time you wanted to make this video, but it's the first hiking content I've been suddenly compelled to watch since walking the Camino de Santiago in May. NGL kinda want one of these sleeping bags to go adventure in Washington. All kinds of Penelope vibes.
Ironic you say you felt this was becoming a sub par video. It’s the first of yours I’ve ever seen, and surprisingly held my interest the whole way through and made me curious about your other videos.
P.S. could do without eating sounds though 😂
Yeah can’t believe I was seriously considering canning it. I actually got to the camp spot and stood around for 5min trying to decided to camp or just call it quits and hike down again
I have a Ridge Master myself, the fact it opens also from the side is a blessing in it's own right. Saves trying to go down the 'tube' when you're stiff and sore
00:34 Kyiv is in Ukraine and it's not secret
This guy
Omg it really sounds like Kyiv the first time
you said in your video that you didn't believe this would turn out well. this is the first time i've watched your content/channel and i literally subscribed and liked halfway through the video because I was interested! you're a great personality, keep it up!
Thanks! I can’t believe how well this video has done. I think maybe I was just feeling a bit grumpy that week
I loved my first Bivvi bag. Original Gortex. I remember spending 9 days up in the Sperrins in the winter with nothing to attach a tarp to. Loved it! Have another Bivvi now absolute rubbish, haven't used it in 2 years. Great stuff as always Stephen 👍
Thanks! My first wild camp was just a bivvi and a tarp with a cheap but massive army surplus winter sleeping bag
@@StephenJReid I had the same bag Stephen but mine was issued 😉
@@greyhikes5236 maybe I wound up with yours 😂 it wasn’t in the best condition when I got it.
@@StephenJReid 🤣 you might be right there Stephen 🤣
your struggle getting in and out of the tent was just SO real and hilarious
2:07 first non gimmick and best overall use of a 360 camera i've seen. congratulations
I have a similar one that I love for cycle camping. It hardly takes up any room, but the best part is how quick and unfussy it is to put up or down, particularly on a windy hillside.
First video I've watched of yours and I really like how honest and genuine you come across. You feel like a real person saying real things and I like it
Just awesome entertainment. Subbed. Thank you.
Thanks so much! Great to have you watching 🙂
"it seems you werent able to find any natural flavoring" is one of the sickest burns Ive ever heard.
My go-to’s are either a very roomy Oware two person bivy (14.3oz), or just a reasonably sized tent that you can actually use (currently a Big Agnes Seedhouse 2). The bivy is nice because other than an utterly torrential downpour it will keep you dry from scattered shower without any extra prep (obviously you can use a tarp for full rain protection), and it doesn’t matter if you twist and turn. You can move all about and you can get into far easier than you do your sleeping bag.
I would have placed the slanted tent in front of the sleeping tent with the slanted end facing the wind for maximum protection.
I did a 10 day hike with one of these, an Exped Ultra mat & a nice 800 loft bag. Even through hailstorms, I had awesome sleeps.
I came to the Ridge Raider after using the Dutch Army bivvy tent and waking up with virtual terror, full claustrophobia (bearing in mind, 30 odd years ago I was a keen potholer, so no stranger to tight places). Compared to the Dutch Army bivvy, the Rab Ridge Raider is a palace!😁
Video is so peaceful and entertaining with great views of nature, thank you so much for sharing
I'm in Western Australia and have a kiwi made bivy sack that has a long side entrance, suitable for a fella in his 70s. I was concerned about the coffin analogy to sleeping in a bivy, but I've found it really very cosy and comfortable. It seemed to me that your head was downhill from your feet, which wouldn't help you to sleep.
I have a Big Agnes 2P tent, which takes about 8 minutes to pitch. The Bivy takes less than two minutes to set up and just as much time to pack up. The fact that it has a smaller footprint is also a benefit. I don't carry a stove so cooking is not an issue.
It stood up well on 115kph gale force winds one evening down on the south coast. When packed up, it is about the size of a 1.5 L water bottle and weighs about 900g.
It's definitely my Go To accommodation when on the track.
Is this the MacPac Cocoon? I have just bought one and it seems OK, my only worry being whether the single layer means that my sleeping bag will get wet if touching the fabric in rain
@michaelw2816 Yes, it's the bush cocoon. I'm really happy with it. It's perfect for discrete setups off the track.
Like Stephen I am a bit divided by bivi bags like this.
On one hand they are light, perfect in any conditions, excellent for an evening walk and a stay out on the fell or as an emergency shelter where you could get the patient inside safe knowing they will be warm/sheltered.
On the backside… I have learnt over the years, a small bell space for wet boots, wet clothes, ruc sac… or cooking has far greater utility.
It would be better if it had top entry. Similar to how you get into a kayak. Then it would be a step in, sit and shimmy down. You could also then use the tarp as a roof. Giving you a place to sit. And also allow the window to remain open when sleeping.
I've never had any desire to visit Ireland until seeing this video...amazing looking place! thanks for sharing
Love a bivvy camp, think I have 9 last time I counted, biggest wins for me are they pitch anywhere, stealthy and are totally bomber. Camped in the LD one year in my TN Saturn bivvy, got hammered by crazy winds all night, I got rolled about but slept through most of it, woke up to pals packing away their broken Quasar and Nallo. Autumn into the first frosts are my fave time for a bivvy
Another fine vid 👌
Try the micro tarp near the door so you have a space to cook and store gear
See I'd. never sleep in those conditions. I think some people are better wired to bivvi camping
I just want to thank the algorithm for bringing me this video. I ordered Nearynogs chocolate because of it and had shipped to California. You got a subscription from me!
Found your channel looking at bivy and left your video laughing at the thought of eating beans and cabbage before entering it 😂. Amazing. Subscribed man!
😂 thanks for watching
8:23 This kinda caught me off guard because the entire time I was like, the shots and color correction in this video look amazing, and the topic seems really interesting. I guess everyone is their own worst critic haha
Never have I been proved so wrong 😂 but I really did at the time think it was no good. Editing helped a lot
High wind inside and out 😂
Near floated off during the night 🤣
I have a ALPS lynx 1 person tent for about 7 years now and love it. Used it all over from alaska, utah and oregonm weights 4 lbs Perfect for me and ny full 60 litre pack or me and my 80lbs dog to spoon and im a big boy. Highly recommend it
Was this in Scotland?
What amazing editing and drone work.
So professional and well done
Thank you
Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland. And thanks 🙂
Rrrrrriiiiidge Raaaaaaiderrrr!!!!!
3 people will get this attempt at humour.
Braveheart?
@@StephenJReid No, you beautiful, silly man....no. 😆
Ridge Racer ??
@@ElBeatle1 🏆🏁
Ha we used to go to Toys R US and play their demo Playstation after school, always had Ridge Racer in it.
Had someone in our group do a bivy tent like that on our section hike. It surely was a talking point in our group about the way he did things since there was other things he did that were questionable from a hiking perspective but he still made it through the hike so can't complain.
And wow, all that wind even with a wind barrier would freak and chill me out and make me all uncomfortable.
Apart from the bug screen a 3x3 tarp in a tent type configuration offers ... 1 less weight
2.. more sleeping area
3 ... more storage and cooking space .
and even at a push the door ( depending how you put it up) pegged closed. Great vid tho thanks , enjoyed watching it.
It’s not so much cozy as a return to the womb! That’s why it feels so comforting!👍🏻
8:45 edible twig 😂😂😂
Stephen. Love your videos. I’ve got a wee terra nova equivalent but never used it yet. Must give it a try in the wild but defo felt the claustrophobia when I tested in the house!! Anyway. Keep the videos coming! Brilliant!
Thanks! 🙂
Outdoor Research has several hooped bivvies as well, and the Alpine is probably closest to the Ridge Raider. You don't crawl through the end though, you just zip across the middle and down the side like a sleeping bag so you can just stand up. The kicker is that it also has a bug net and only weighs ~530g.
That's mostly material savings as they use Pertex, like their jackets, and doesn't have as many staking points, but being low to the ground it's still pretty stormproof. You still can't stand up in it but it fixes most other problems.
2:39 looks like someone else already shotgunned the best spot
+100 points for the Nearynogs product placement. One of the best afternoons I've had for a long time in their factory. Great vid on the bivi on steroids too btw 😀
10 minutes after getting into a tent like that I would need to go for a wee. Sod’s Law.
This beats half shelter tents we had in the Army by a mile
It's not really there to "camp" with, it's simply supposed to protect you from the elements for an evening. It's designed for people like me who want a very small private space to sleep and not socialize.
Liked your small pack and lightweight approach. Very refreshing!
14:46 Stephen being reborn!!!!😂
My rugged backpacking days are long behind me. Now, I revel in the comfort, warmth and safety of rustic-luxury lodges with fine-dining options.
At 14:37 you should cut in some footage of Jim Carrey getting out of the robot rhinoceros in Ace Ventura 2
Excellent comparison
This is actually a strange thing-this "coffin"-type tent. For my POV, you can't sleep well in this tent, and for 3-4 nights, you will feel totally exhausted. This will slow you; it's a high point for error and failure; it's unsafe; it's angry. I prefer to get more volume and weight to get good sleep, rest well, and get more energy and a good mood. Maybe it has a short track, but at least it still reasonably gets slightly more living space.
The Blue Lough is a fantastic place. I am really impressed with your filming BTW, really high standard. Sets your videos apart.👍