About the author

Tim Moss

Tim Moss has supported over 100 expeditions across all seven continents. He has climbed new mountains, crossed a desert on foot and recently cycled 13,000 miles around the world. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society London and a Guinness World Record Holder. He aims to encourage more people to live adventurously. Read more...

14 Comments

  1. 1

    Tom Allen

    Great article, Tim. Thanks. I think the last sentence might have got chopped off?

    Reply
    1. 1.1

      Tim Moss

      Thanks Tom. Not sure what happened but I updated it after your comment.

      Reply
  2. Pingback: The Best Bivy Bags - Comprehensively Reviewed

  3. 2

    Liam Grice

    Thanks for this bivy bags get very bad marks here(US). Mostly, I think due to lack of information on use.

    Reply
    1. 2.1

      Tim Moss

      That’s interesting to know Liam. Hopefully I’ll be able to add some more information about US bivvies in due course!

      Reply
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  7. 3

    Rob

    Hi Tim
    Great article (still relevant – although I suppose the basics of sleeping outside will never really change). Also great website in general, only just found it.

    Could you advise your thoughts on whether you would put a carry mat underneath a bivi bag or inside the bivi bag? Appreciate there will always be factors but in general a basic ex army bivi with sleeping bag up a UK mountain.

    Thanks in advance
    Rob

    Reply
    1. 3.1

      Tim Moss

      Hi Rob,

      I think the two factors to consider are comfort and damage.

      Comfort is just a matter of preference: some people like having everything inside the bivvy so you can’t roll off the mat, others prefer having the mat in a fixed position. Some bivvies are also too small to fit larger mats inside.

      As for damage, I tend to think about which is more expensive and fragile: the mat or the bivvy. An army bivvy is cheaper and tougher than most camping mats so you might prefer to have the bivvy on the ground. However, if you’ve got an ultralight, hooped bivvy that cost £300 and a cheap foam roll mat, then it makes sense to the put the mat down first.

      I hope that helps.

      Tim.

      Reply
      1. 3.1.1

        Rob

        Thanks Tim for your sound advice.

        I’m glad there’s no right answer – keeps the rawness of the activity real. And no doubt will fuel future campfire and pub conversation with many.

        On another note do you know of any after market bug nets that work well with a non hooped bivy?

        Cheers again
        Rob

      2. Tim Moss

        Hi Rob. I’m afraid I’ve never looked into that and have only ever used a head net!

  8. 4

    Rob

    Thank Tim

    Appreciate your time.

    All the very best
    Rob

    Reply
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