Backpacking News : Black Diamond Winter Bivy

I am a big fan of Black Diamonds superlight tents, and the EPIC fabric used throughout the line. So I was excited to test out the Winter Bivy (also EPIC fabric) this past winter. I took it out on every trip and tested it throughout a range of conditions. At under 10 oz I never thought twice about throwing it in my pack when preparing for a trip.

I found that the bivy works great as a sleeping bag cover in a tent when you need to protect a down bag from getting soaked from condensation. I really enjoyed snow cave camping with the bivy as I could fit a lot of gear and my sleeping bag inside thanks to the roomy cut. My bag stayed dry throughout many nights in snow caves. Never did any condensation build up thanks to the excellent breathability of EPIC fabric that makes up the entire bivy. While my friends waterproof breathable bivy had built up a fair bit of condensation inside.

The bivy made its way with me as an emergency shelter on many winter hikes and ski tours as well. One night I had to spend an unplanned night out in the bivy and it worked great as a stand alone shelter. I was able to fit the pack inside and still be very comfortable in light snow and heavy winds.

One thing I did not like about the bivy is the zipper across the chest. I found that it was a little hard to get in and out of the bag but you get used to it after a while. It is meant to be simple and lightweight and the zipper is a sacrifice one must make for such a light compressible package.

My most recent rip took me to the desert where I used the bivy to block wind and as my primary shelter if the weather got bad. It performed well in light rain in the desert and also has proved itself as part of a tarp based shelter system. The bivy really works best in cold and dry conditions and I would not recommend it for rainy conditions unless used with a tarp.

I think this bivy is a great choice for anyone who needs a lightweight, highly breathable, and weatherproof sack that is light enough to carry as an emergency shelter for summits, or as a sleeping bag cover. In the right conditions it works great as a stand alone shelter.