Hi all

Has anyone tried this bivi? I've got a tarp and bivi bag setup that weighs about 650g but I'm looking for a more all-weather/less faffy option, without resorting to a full tent and the issues that brings with finding enough flat ground, speed, and keeping things low key.

I've been loaned an OEX Salamanda which looks like a great bivi for poor weather, but its almost the same weight and bulk of my Ordos 2 (but does have the advantage of being quick and discreet to pitch behind a wall) My friend pitched his in a dip on a wet night and woke up in a puddle, but he was completely dry inside.

The Venture Solo looks very, very similar to the OR Helium but 200g heavier and half the price. I'm hoping its not actually a copy of the Helium as I briefly owned one...the main issue was the first pole broke whilst putting it up in the house, turns out the metal joints on the pole had cracks where they were crimped onto the poles, and two replacement pole sets had the same manufacturing fault. In addition I found the flyscreen/door hanging in my face all night quite claustrophobic and trying to open the double zips behind my head was also overly fiddly.

So if anyone has bought the Venture Solo bivi I'd love to hear about it, the only reviews I can find are on an Amazon listing, half are sponsored (free product) and most of the others read as if they haven't actually tried it out!

https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/ ... ooped-bivi

I've never been wholly convinced by hooped bivvies - if it's raining when you get in, the rain is coming in with you and if it gets wet, it won't breathe. If you are going ultra minimalist then a straight bivvy bag is probably not much wetter.

'Pends what your after. My DCF flat tarp / borah bivvy set up is 500g's inc pole and pegs and is pretty weather proof, plus a nice place to be. I can set it up in about 3 mins.... Deschutes tarp/tent plus borah bivvvy is 850g's inc pole and pegs and will withstand a lot of weather, plus represents opulent luxury. Set up is about 5 mins.

After last year I've decided that if it looks dry, I'll not bother pitching the tarp. If it rains (as per April BAM) I can get the tarp up sharpish.

I've posted on your other thread about tarp setup.

I'd echo what Phil says. The tarp in the shot I posted on that thread is a Trekkertent DCF jobbie, bloomin' expensive but weighs just 140g. Borah Gear bivy bag is 175g, pole and pegs add another 100g or so. We've also got an SMD Gatewood Cape tarp that comes in at just under 300g, add pole and pegs and you are in the 400g region and pretty solid - Cath (my wife) used it in the storms that hit about three weeks ago. The Gatewood and the Deschutes are very similar in design but the Gatewood is made from much lighter material.