Source
r/Ultralight•
pixels4pixels

Advice / recommendations for a UL bivy.

Question

Hi , I currently own a Exped eVent/PU bivy (~600g) , its quite nice but the entrance is not really my style and I could use something lighter & with a side zip for the summer.

A MLD Superlight with a full net hood would cost me ~300$ with shipping , thats a bit too much , another option I've been thinking about is the Borah Gear cuben bivy , but it doesn't have a tub floor , that would be 100$ less tho..

Any recommendations ? Is the cuben floor worth it? Anyone doing custom stuff for good prices? ~200$ is the limit , should I just contact Borah and ask if they can make the same thing with a slight tub floor?

Cheers.

EDIT: Ended up going for a pretty much stock Borah Cuben bivy with a double sided zipper. Thanks!

Posted Mar 16, 2018, 8:43 PM UTC · edited

1012
YoungSatchel•

I’d definitely give Borah Gear a holler. Working with John now. Did a bunch of Mods on the Cuben Bivy ala u/itsmetoddg + a couple other things and he was like “let’s just call it an even 10 bucks for all the mods”. Not mad at that :)

Custom Cuben Bivy Specs:

  • Long Length; custom “medium-Wide” Girth (6’3”/160lbs/active side sleeper) -.74 DCF bottom
  • Argon 67 head cap and a shin/foot cap of same material.
  • Sixteen inches of the same material on each side up to the zipper
  • Bug netting all the way down Center to the shin cap
  • Two-Way YKK side zipper entry on right-hand side
  • Four stake out loops (2 at foot and 2 at head)
  • Double Grosgrain Shock Cord pullouts at the head and single at foot

Edit: added specs

6
itsmetoddg•

John is awesome. 10$ for all the mods I got was a steal. And 0 condensation the three times I’ve used it in the PNW. It’s a great bivy

5
pixels4pixelsOP•

Damn that sounds like a sweet bivy , happen to have any pictures of it when its set up?

2
YoungSatchel•

I do not, because it hasn’t arrived yet. Should be here by end of this month or early next.

1
MyNameIsAdamAZT/PCT 2018 https://lighterpack.com/r/55hz3e•

You could go with the MLD in silnylon, if you do you wouldn't need to bring a ground sheet and it ends up being only about half an ounce heavier than cuben bivy + polycryo.

I assume the simple design is how Borah keeps their price so low, but I also think you would be pleased with the stock version, everyone that has one speaks positively. I love my MLD bivy, in theory the shaped floor and footbox makes it less restrictive and helps eliminate down compression but I haven't actually heard anyone cite this as an issue with the borah bivy.

5
jtclayton612•

AFAIK the borah bivies all get a bathtub when their tieout is pulled.

3
produktionsmemen•

Actually got a katabatic bristlecone just today. Obviously haven't used it for real yet, but it seems nice enough after a quick living room test :D

3
TrailJunkyhttps://www.lighterpack.com/r/c6jtfu•

I have the Borah Gear bug bivy and like it. The standard side zipper doesn't come very far down the size of the bivy. If I had to do it again I would order it with a center zip. But Borah is a great option. Another option is Titanium Goat. I have the Kestrel Bivy and it's only 6.5 oz which is lighter than my wide/regular Borah bug bivy. I got it with out a full net hood and I kind of wish I had asked for that modification but is not a huge deal. The great thing about the TiGoat Kestrel is that is only $80 and has a bathtub floor. I feel it is a great but overlooked option. I've hear great things regarding their other bivys as well.

2
savvlo•

If you're interested in a custom bivy, I'd be happy to make one for you. [This post] (https://www.reddit.com/r/ULgeartrade/comments/7nhp1j/wts_2_myog_bivys/) has the specs for the last two I've made, both used Membrane silpoly for the floor, but I'm planning to use cuben for the next few I'll be making at the end of March. I would charge $150-180 for one depending on materials and features.

2
vectorhive•

I have an MLD Superlight bivy and I got my son a Borah bivy. The MLD is tailored more carefully with a more complex footbox and bathtub construction but the Borah forms a bathtub when you get in it and/or suspend it.

MLD tests their materials so it’s probably made from superior grade materials but that’s an unknown.

Biggest thing I don’t like about the Borah bivy is it only has one zipper pull. It’s really nice to be able to locate the pull wherever you want with dual pulls. Maybe Borah could add that.

I prefer my Superlight bivy but not enough to justify it’s price if I was buying again.

1
itsmetoddg•

my borah bivy has two zippers on it and it has made all the difference

1
[deleted]•

[removed]

1