Climber September/October 2017

Rab Alpine Bivi
Weight: 470g RRP £220
A high quality bivvy bag made of highly breathable
and waterproof 15D eVent DVStorm three-layer
fabric on the top and a 70D nylon taffeta bathtub
base to add to the durability, especially when on
rocky ground. At the head end is the zipped
entrance that unzips a third of the way down the
bag making entry very easy. The smooth running
zips are covered with a waterproof flap fastened
by Velcro to stop water ingress.
The Alpine Bivi swallows a sleeping bag and a
mat with comfort especially given the bigger
dimensions of the bag. There is no mesh at the
opening to stop midges getting in but this is
probably because the bag is at home in the Alps
on summit attempts (hence the name) or as a
great winter bivvy bag. In fact, as one tester
pointed out – it would be a super all-rounder.
The design is one of simplicity and one which
was well-liked, standing up to a downpour of rain
that lasted through the night but still kept out the
water. Yes there was some condensation on the
inside but it was remarkably light considering the
pounding it had on a wet and humid night; the
perfect conditions for condensation build-up. A
little heavier than some of the bags on test, it still
came in at a respectable 470g and packed away it
took up little room in your pack.
Perfect for any situation and in particular Alpine
bivvys, it’s an item you can place your trust in and
that will perform when you need it to; highly
recommended, especially for all-year round use.
Rab Ridge Raider Bivi
Weight: 1033g RRP £280
A cross between a small tent and a bivvy bag, the
Ridge Raider is a very well-made, relatively
lightweight, waterproof single-person bivvy but
with a hooped entrance courtesy of a DAC pole.
The bivvy uses a durable and waterproof 40d
eVent three-layer fabric on top with a 70D nylon
taffeta base and fully taped seams. It also comes
with four pegging points and two guylines to
keep everything in place plus six pegs.
It sets up in seconds with the pole easy to
insert in its sleeve and provides a very comfortable
bivvying experience, especially for those
who don’t want to feel too claustrophobic with
material around their face. The pole fashions a
hoop at the entrance that creates a nice amount
of living space and in dry weather there’s also a
zipped mesh inner ‘door’ – in addition to the
waterproof outer ‘door’ – to keep the midges out
but allow a breeze in if you want. The zips are
also covered with a generous waterproof flap to
curb water getting in. Yes there’s a weight
penalty for this hooped design, plus the pack size
is nearly double that of a conventional bag, but
it’s a good compromise between a tent and bivvy
for solo mountain use.
In use, it was found to be excellent, one of the
test team slept out for a few windy, rain-filled
nights and not once did they get wet with no
water entering it. The breathability of the fabric
was good, though there was some condensation
on the inside but less than was expected but this
is inevitable in any bivvy bag with moisture from
your breath. In terms of room, you enter from the
head end and it easily swallowed a sleeping bag
and a lightweight mat and at a push if you aren’t
too tall you could squeeze a small pack at your
feet. Luxury in terms of a bivvy bag, we found it a
perfect match with Rab’s Neutrino Endurance 200
also on test.
Sleeping Bags
We have concentrated on down sleeping bags as
it’s all about saving weight. Whilst there are good
man-made fibre options available, and often at a
cheaper price, they are a heavier option. Bags
come in different lengths and widths depending
Brand/Model
Rab Ridge Raider Bivi
Rab Alpine Bivi
Price (RRP)
on manufacturers and the best way to see if it
suits you is to try them out at a shop.
Many manufacturers are now beginning to use
a treatment that makes the down more water
resistant without adding to the weight. There are
different types of treatments and names floating
around – the one that’s used in most of the bags
we have on test is Nikwax Hydrophobic Down
(Sea to Summit use Ultra-Dry down moisture
protection). Whilst it doesn’t make the down
entirely waterproof it absorbs less water (which
can come from you in the form of sweat) and dries
quicker, helping retain loft in damp conditions.
It’s not a miracle though; if the down gets wet it
will still clump and become ineffective. 6
Weight
(grams)
Alpkit PipeDream 200 £140 545 7C
Mountain Equipment Women’s Helium 250 £200 675 3C
Rab Neutrino Endurance 200 £240 742 0C
Sea to Summit Insulated Spark SpIII £450 642 -4C
Terra Nova Elite 350 £420 950 0C
Thermarest Antares HD £165 430 -9C
Western Mountaineering Highlite £365 455g 2C
Comfort
Limit Rating
www.climber.co.uk Sep–Oct 2017 69