Climber September/October 2017

gear review by Climber Test Team
Sleep
Light
Lightweight
Camping &
Bivvy Gear
Heading to climb in remote areas or mountain crags and want to
keep weight down? We look at lightweight options for nights out.
There are times when you want to climb in the mountains for two or three days (or longer), for
example, on Scafell or Ben Nevis, but can’t face the long slog each day. So the alternative is to
bed down close to the crag. The problem with this is the amount of weight you’ll be carrying,
hauling a trad rack, ropes, food, water, etc is bad enough. Then factor in gear you need to
spend a comfortable night and suddenly the weight of your already heavy pack starts to sink in
and the appeal of camping diminishes.
These days new materials and techniques have shaved considerable amounts of weight from
what you need, especially on the basics: sleeping bag, tent and sleeping mats. Most of this stems
from the development of kit used by elite athletes taking part in mountain marathons where every
gram counts. So we looked at some of the kind of kit available for a two to three season camp or
bivvy in far-to-reach places and mountains to help you keep weight down and still maintain comfort.
Alpkit Hunka
Bivvy Bags
Sometimes you may only be out for a night, or
are planning an Alpine route where you may be
on a ledge mid-route and using a tent isn’t
practical. This is where a bivvy bag comes in to
protect you from the elements.
Alpkit Hunka bivvy bag
Weight: 360g RRP £47
The Hunka is a simple and affordable bivvy bag
that is waterproof and breathable. It is commonly
found near the top of a lot of climbers’ wish list, in
fact visit Alpkit’s web site and you’ll likely find it out
of stock such is the demand. So, why is it popular?
It is manufactured from thin ripstop nylon
and weighs in at around 360g. The thin material
doesn’t feel as durable as some others on the
market, but then the more durable bags are
usually heavier. It achieves this weight in no
small part by not having a zip, which does make
it trickier to get into and out of, especially if you
are using a thicker sleeping bag and/or have your
mat in there too. But the benefit of going zip-less
is that it does massively help to keep rain out.
The hood is roomy enough to stuff a dry bag
with some clothes in to act as a pillow which
helps with a good night’s sleep. There are two
drawstrings, one across the chest and the other
in the hood, to seal out the elements, and a cinch
toggle on either side of the hood by your ears.
The drawstrings can get in your face a little
during the night and are a mild annoyance.
In terms of breathability, be careful to not seal the
drawstrings too tightly, otherwise you get a bit of
dampness inside, but that applies to other bivvy
bags, even those double the price. The Hunka
packs down into a neat net stuff sack built into
the foot of the bag, and when packed isn’t much
bigger than a lightweight hardshell jacket.
It comes in a choice of three colours, and an
XL is available if you are tall or want to stuff your
gear in with you. It is recommended for three
season UK and summer Alpine trips. It’s light and
small enough that you won’t mind tossing it into
your pack as a ‘just in case’ item and at the price
it’s a great value product.
MSR E-Bivy bag
Weight: 236g RRP £105
This truly ultra-light, compact and weather
resistant bivvy bag offers the ultimate in minimalist
bivvying. The fabric used is 30D silicone coated
ripstop nylon for the top and tougher more durable
30D Durashield coated nylon for the base that
provides a higher degree of waterproofness.
You should be fully aware that it isn’t fully
waterproof with no taped or sealed seams but
can deal with light showers and morning dew In
heavier rain it should be combined with a sleeping
bag with hydrophobic down filling designed to keep
the down dry and a tarp. Though if you want to be
out in fouler weather then you should look at fully
waterproof options. The base offers more water
resistance and keeps you dry from damp ground
with no problem. There is no zip at the entrance
with just a simple opening but the entrance is big
enough to make it relatively easy to get in.
The breathability of the bag was found to be
okay with little in the way of condensation and
dampness on the inside of the bag and it also
keeps the wind out. It was spacious enough to
take a sleeping bag complete with mat with ease.
It also makes a good ‘cover’ for a sleeping bag,
adding to the warmth and durability if the outer
shell is particularly lightweight. Given the miniscule
weight and tiny pack size you can always leave it
in your pack for use as emergency protection.
MSR E-Bivy
68 Sep–Oct 2017 www.climber.co.uk