Previous video where I camped using this bivvy system- “Primitive Skills Camping - Heavy Rain” ua-cam.com/video/TvB8o7Y2oBM/v-deo.html Survival Gear & Equipment seen and discussed in this video--- Weights are to the nearest ounce on my scale. None of these are sponsored links. These companies have not paid me anything. I bought the products myself. (I wasn't given free products to review). SOL Escape Bivvy. Weight = 9 oz including stuff sack www.amazon.com/S-L-Reflective-Escape-Bivvy/dp/B00EZEPCB4/ref=sr_1_5_mod_primary_new?crid=6IMQHPCNYBMA&keywords=sol+escape+bivvy&qid=1682955675&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=sol+escape%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-5 SOL Escape Bivvy Light Less expensive version without the zipper. (It's not in the video because I don't have this one yet). www.amazon.com/S-Survive-Outdoors-Longer-Escape/dp/B00EZEXCBG/ref=sr_1_6?crid=6IMQHPCNYBMA&keywords=sol+escape+bivvy&qid=1682955731&sprefix=sol+escape%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-6 Snugpack Jungle Blanket. Weight = 1 lb 9 oz including stuff sack I modified mine, adding grommets so I can use it like a simple, envelope style sleeping bag. www.amazon.com/Snugpak-92246-Jungle-Blanket-Olive/dp/B00BTHREMK/ref=sr_1_2?crid=30DXC3YLOAT0L&keywords=snugpak+jungle+blanket&qid=1682955794&sprefix=snugpak+jungle+blanket%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-2 Harbor Freight (Pittsburg brand) Grommet Pliers with 100 Grommets www.harborfreight.com/grommet-pliers-with-100-grommets-66707.html DIY Tyvek Bivvy (seen in this video). Weight = 13 oz Actually “Tyvek” is a brand name. I made the bivvy from an off brand of house wrap. It's all the same for this purpose IMHO. What I called “Carpet Tape” in this video. It's available in many places. I'll link to the Home Depot web site for one example. Robert's Indoor/Outdoor 3 in. x 15 ft. Double-Sided Carpet Tape Roll www.homedepot.com/p/ROBERTS-Indoor-Outdoor-3-in-x-15-ft-Double-Sided-Carpet-Tape-Roll-50-605-12/100645279 Arcturus poncho. Weight = 11 oz arcturusgear.com/search?type=product%2Cpage&q=poncho
👍👍👍 .. some useful information therein. No matter how 'breathable' a fabric is, wrap yourself in it for a length of time and you are going to get wet .. yep 😏. Being prepared for an unforeseen emergency is the way to go. Better still, thorough pre-planning goes a long way in ensuring that one does not get into such a situation. 🤔 .. but then, having gear on hand in case of an emergency IS good pre-planning. Confusing .. 😁. One should never go out with one's TIBAMIN just 'looking' for an emergency. Skills, mindset and appropriate gear can in many instances, downgrade an emergency to merely an 'inconvenience'. I have never been a fan of using a rain poncho / similar, as a 'bivvy bag'. I got damp / wet too many times doing that. Rather, back in the day, setting up a very low 'A-frame' with the accompanying 'air gap / air flow' around me seemed to work better. 'Buddy-buddy' in a TB under the Poncho with a sleeping bag 'inner' (as we called them) zipped open and used as a quilt was the way to go. Yes, those 'heat-reflecting' surfaces .. subject for much debate! My take on it, from hopefully 🤞 understanding what I have read up on it, they reflect 'radiant heat' and not 'conductive heat'. The closer to the bare skin, the more effective. As I said, subject for much debate 😏. Always good watching your posts .. thanks for sharing. Until next time then, take care ..
Ahhh cover, cover, cover. It is one of the more complicated pieces of kit because cover failure = hypothermia. And by it’s nature cover can only pack down so much while remaining effective The Snugpack Jungle blanket is one of the better pieces of gear I’ve added. Up here in NW Washington it gets cold in the winter and I’ve used my SJB in lieu of a 20 pound weighted comforter when it’s in the laundry and that compact little e-blanket really helps retain heat. I should buy another under the “two is one, one is none” theorem. Out here on the W Coast we use Tyvek as footprints under our tents and have for 20+ years but your insights re: breathability were excellent even to an old hand. Those who’ve worked in crap rain gear will attest: there’s little difference between sweat soaked and evaporative freezing versus rain soaked and evaporative freezing. Contractors bags (kit that I carry regularly) are such saunas that they’re better when cut open and used like blankets. Were I in an unplanned camp/bivy situation in the environment where you shot this video I’d probably use a bough to take up a massive pile of leaves, then cut 1-2 bags and duct tape them into a canopy cover & use the final bag (I carry 3) to either make a Cody Lundin detritus sleeping bag by mounding leaf cover into the bag and cinching up my collars, zippers, maybe tucking pants into socks then wiggling in. Or I might use my bough rake to sweep down to bare earth and use the Jeremiah Johnson fire bed technique. It would depend on time of day, weather systems rolling in, burnable fuel nearby and my strength at the time. The SOL gear is expensive (the bag you demo’d is $58 on Amazon) but the smaller version that’s around $25 is lined with old school space blanket mylar and that puts a hapless lost hiker right back into a sweat box instead of the rain. Lastly (and this is important) folks should remember that early mornings are often several degrees colder than 3am. So if one has only one layer of clothing (shame on you rookies😂) it’s wise to consider keeping those clothes as dry as possible and sleeping in ones long johns or even briefs and undershirt. Many a new morning I’ve gone commando while letting underwear/ under layers dry in morning campfire smoke. Speaking of which I advise people to really pay attention to wilderness politics locally. Bureaucrats are banning fires all over kingdom come and if we don’t get serious America will wind up like Europe where trekkers are forced to include little hibachi braziers. We’ll be forced to do likewise along with the infernal bear can. Heck we’ll have to bring one more guy along just to carry the bear cans & brazier and (as yet not invented) zero carbon firewood (at $29 a bundle) You covered a lot here in your typically humble demeanor Doug and I am delighted to see the channel growing.
Hi Doug 😊 nice lightweight setup, the SOL bag wasn't too noisy, and easy to carry, as usual you bring us good ideas to keep us safe, thanks for another interesting video my friend, best wishe's to you and your's, and may your God go whith you, Stuart UK.
Very cool product (SOL Escape Bivy). Like you, I've found it pairs exceptionally well with a woobie. It's NOT 100% waterproof, nor would you expect it to be (since it breathes). It will keep you dry in light rain or from splashes etc. and does significantly add to heat retention, blocks the wind etc.. I would NOT recommend the "Escape Bivy LIGHT" (has no zipper, is smaller etc).. Spend the extra few bucks and get the one with the zipper OR make your own as you did, with Tyvek or like material. SOL Escape Bivy + woobie + poncho or tarp and a ground pad will keep you alive down to around freezing, maybe a little below. Is NOT a substitute or a properly rated winter sleeping bag, but is a fantastic option for the other 2/3 seasons..
A great video and preparation is always a good thing. Going out in a t-shirt and shorts without emergency fallbacks or warm clothes in your pack is suicide outdoors. I don't know about your area but here in the European woods the tics are getting to be a real problem so wearing a hat, long sleeve shirt and oong trousers is a must. But as you were sleeping with the deer i assume that you have the same problem from spring until the onset of winter. I love that home made bivy i will be looking into this but until i made one i will keep using the blanket and zeltbahn in combination with my poncho. We called it an envelope in the army but i think Americans call it a cowboy roll or something like that. It is a bit heavier than what you carry but it is cheap, fireproof and effective. The mat i use for sitting pad and emergency sleeping pad is actually made to use as backpack padding it is called a faltmatte in the Bundeswehr and like your mat it is enough for my top two thirds. Garbage bags i use to keep my pack and other gear dry when i have to keep them close i also line the bucket of my pack with it as i grew up in the swamp area of the low countries. Thanks for another informative video stay safe and healthy brother. God bless you and yours.
Good call on the Tyvek scraps, I am going to try getting some. My current, year round, sleep system is sitting right at 2lbs 2oz so not too bad at all. If I can add some Tyvek, I might be able to drop it down further. Thank you for the suggestions and advice.
I have the SOL Escape Bivy but I have broad shoulders and it is too tight. I modified it into a top quilt. I cut down the center of the top, leaving about a 3 foot foot box, then turned it over, use the bottom as the top (since bottom is longer and can cover my head) and I have a top quilt with foot box. Used it in my hammock down to around 40 degrees and was comfortable. I use windshield sun screen cut down to two torso sizes, then duct tape both pieces together.
Everyone needs to hear this more. I think I’ll print little stickers with it and place them around, or maybe business cards with that as the only “business”. Tender-hearted. I’m not seeing that much lately.
Just part of life in the Woodlands, unfortunately. I've been bitten by literally hundreds of ticks in my life. They search me out. I have AB+ blood type. Must be tasty. One time when I was a kid my mom had to pull out around 12 ticks off my back. I'm convinced at this point I'm immune to tick borne illnesses. I've gotten the rashes on some bites before and then they eventually go away. No fevers or other side effects. My German Shepherd got bit and got every dang tick Disease possible. He was limping, fevers....I got him through it with meds, thankfully. Our area is absolutely terrible with ticks. Every dog in the area has already got Lyme. My neighbors got Lyme with facial paralysis. My wife got Lyme and had a terrible time with it. Nasty. We live rural in the Appalachians. Spray/wash all your stuff with permethrin and try and go from there. Spend enough time in the woods and there's no avoiding the ticks. You will be getting bit at some point. I'm more concerned at this point with all the massive Timber Rattlers we have out here. Like 7 foot long and almost as thick as my legs! I've had a couple close calls but no emergencies yet and hopefully stays that way. Our black bears get massive too. Brown bear sizes. Our record black bear taken here a few years back was close to 900 lbs.
The escape is much too small .It's for little asian guys. Everywhere that it touches you will form a cold-spot. Get the XL size Trifecta, same material, 1.5 lbs, much bigger, $95 from 2GoSystems. This sort of material must be tented off of you and I"ve had the most luck with it around a ridgeline and a hammock, with an 'envelope" around the bivy, made of 2 taped-together, heavy-duty 55 gallon drum liners. Another ridgeline is needed to hold the envelope away from the bivy. Cut the rain flaps off of the zippers, or they WILL jam with you inside of the bivy. Fold over the bottom corners of both the bivy and the envelope, creating a "mummy" configuration and saving heat lost from your legs. A very small plastic bottle of adhesive release has to go along, cause without it, you'll never get tape off of either plastic or tyvek. With the envelope, the hammock set 6" off of the ground, debris under the envelope to stop air moving under me I've slept ok at 40F degrees, in just cammies, balaclava, unlaced shoes, 3 pairs of sock liners, gloves, shemagh. You can't have your face inside of the bivy, or you'll get lots of condensation. I've had condensation inside of the envelope, but the bivy and the hammock didn't let the moisture touche me. With the 2 amazon camo nets and the 2 amazon bugnet 'suits", worn as longjohns, i've slept ok at 30F. If I add debris between suits and under the wraps of the camo net, or add the 2 types of GI polypro longjohns, I've slept ok at 20F. If i've used both, or hot rocks or hot water bottle with one or the other, I slept ok at 10F, for 3 hours. Then I had to re-heat my items and go back to sleep. I have slept ok at 0F degrees, with LOTS of debris between the bivy and the envelope, and all of the other things (but not hot items) but it takes so much debris that it's not portable. This 5 lb system beats hell out of working half a day to make a shelter, getting shot cause somebody noticed your fire, or lugging around an 11 lb MSS that has no hammock or bugnetting. (another 2 lbs) and still needing a 1 b poncho. None of it is effected by its getting wet. so I carry it on the outside of my small pack. Many lug around a 7 lb Molle pack, but I use a 1 lb buttpack and a 1.5 lb daypack. I lash stuff to the outside of both packs, but i cover it all with a third drum liner. The liner keeps rain off of everything, hides everything and if anything falls off of my packs, the liner catches it.
Hey Doug I like the way you think ! What do you think of pellet guns for survival hunting ? Most people say to use a slingshot but I can hit better with my crosman classic 1377 ! It works great with small game .
That doesn’t take up much more room than a slingshots so that’s good. I assume you can only shoot using the special pellets, I do see that as a negative compared to a slingshot that can use any rock. That’s only a long term issue though. Is there anyway to create pellets on the fly?
Your right about the deer thing for bedding down . The pillow is excellent duct tape is good stuff it's a quick cheap ripstop patch has well .Just leave the duct tape home its heavy when your trying to keep light. Great review speaking truth out of your experience in my experience what you shared is all fact .
Doug Shoe, Enjoying the outdoors doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. You show this all the time. Love your self deprecating humor and laughter in making your points. Your knowledge and scriptures are always appreciated. Mark Tapp
Hey man, there's nothing wrong with an improvised camp pillow! It's a small thing that can make the difference between a miserable crick in the neck and a snug night's sleep.
Previous video where I camped using this bivvy system-
“Primitive Skills Camping - Heavy Rain”
ua-cam.com/video/TvB8o7Y2oBM/v-deo.html
Survival Gear & Equipment seen and discussed in this video---
Weights are to the nearest ounce on my scale. None of these are sponsored links. These companies have not paid me anything. I bought the products myself. (I wasn't given free products to review).
SOL Escape Bivvy. Weight = 9 oz including stuff sack
www.amazon.com/S-L-Reflective-Escape-Bivvy/dp/B00EZEPCB4/ref=sr_1_5_mod_primary_new?crid=6IMQHPCNYBMA&keywords=sol+escape+bivvy&qid=1682955675&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=sol+escape%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-5
SOL Escape Bivvy Light
Less expensive version without the zipper. (It's not in the video because I don't have this one yet).
www.amazon.com/S-Survive-Outdoors-Longer-Escape/dp/B00EZEXCBG/ref=sr_1_6?crid=6IMQHPCNYBMA&keywords=sol+escape+bivvy&qid=1682955731&sprefix=sol+escape%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-6
Snugpack Jungle Blanket. Weight = 1 lb 9 oz including stuff sack
I modified mine, adding grommets so I can use it like a simple, envelope style sleeping bag.
www.amazon.com/Snugpak-92246-Jungle-Blanket-Olive/dp/B00BTHREMK/ref=sr_1_2?crid=30DXC3YLOAT0L&keywords=snugpak+jungle+blanket&qid=1682955794&sprefix=snugpak+jungle+blanket%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-2
Harbor Freight (Pittsburg brand) Grommet Pliers with 100 Grommets
www.harborfreight.com/grommet-pliers-with-100-grommets-66707.html
DIY Tyvek Bivvy (seen in this video). Weight = 13 oz
Actually “Tyvek” is a brand name. I made the bivvy from an off brand of house wrap. It's all the same for this purpose IMHO.
What I called “Carpet Tape” in this video. It's available in many places. I'll link to the Home Depot web site for one example.
Robert's Indoor/Outdoor 3 in. x 15 ft. Double-Sided Carpet Tape Roll
www.homedepot.com/p/ROBERTS-Indoor-Outdoor-3-in-x-15-ft-Double-Sided-Carpet-Tape-Roll-50-605-12/100645279
Arcturus poncho. Weight = 11 oz
arcturusgear.com/search?type=product%2Cpage&q=poncho
Great demonstration Doug!!! Simple and to the point is refreshing to see!! Love your scriptures you share!!! Blessings brother!
👍👍👍 .. some useful information therein.
No matter how 'breathable' a fabric is, wrap yourself in it for a length of time and you are going to get wet .. yep 😏.
Being prepared for an unforeseen emergency is the way to go. Better still, thorough pre-planning goes a long way in ensuring that one does not get into such a situation. 🤔 .. but then, having gear on hand in case of an emergency IS good pre-planning. Confusing .. 😁.
One should never go out with one's TIBAMIN just 'looking' for an emergency. Skills, mindset and appropriate gear can in many instances, downgrade an emergency to merely an 'inconvenience'.
I have never been a fan of using a rain poncho / similar, as a 'bivvy bag'. I got damp / wet too many times doing that. Rather, back in the day, setting up a very low 'A-frame' with the accompanying 'air gap / air flow' around me seemed to work better. 'Buddy-buddy' in a TB under the Poncho with a sleeping bag 'inner' (as we called them) zipped open and used as a quilt was the way to go.
Yes, those 'heat-reflecting' surfaces .. subject for much debate! My take on it, from hopefully 🤞 understanding what I have read up on it, they reflect 'radiant heat' and not 'conductive heat'. The closer to the bare skin, the more effective. As I said, subject for much debate 😏.
Always good watching your posts .. thanks for sharing. Until next time then, take care ..
Just a suggestion, try getting into the bivy standing up and pull it up around you, then lay down.
Your set-up with the poncho, is my second favourite. I prefer a plow point. Cheers and God bless
Looks like a nice lightweight set-up without breaking the bank. Well done.😊
I’ll be tuned in.
Hope things are going good Doug 🙂
That is nice to hear. Things are going well. Thank you
Thanks Doug!...I like your DIY Tyvex Bivy...God bless!...woods
Ahhh cover, cover, cover. It is one of the more complicated pieces of kit because cover failure = hypothermia. And by it’s nature cover can only pack down so much while remaining effective The Snugpack Jungle blanket is one of the better pieces of gear I’ve added. Up here in NW Washington it gets cold in the winter and I’ve used my SJB in lieu of a 20 pound weighted comforter when it’s in the laundry and that compact little e-blanket really helps retain heat. I should buy another under the “two is one, one is none” theorem.
Out here on the W Coast we use Tyvek as footprints under our tents and have for 20+ years but your insights re: breathability were excellent even to an old hand. Those who’ve worked in crap rain gear will attest: there’s little difference between sweat soaked and evaporative freezing versus rain soaked and evaporative freezing.
Contractors bags (kit that I carry regularly) are such saunas that they’re better when cut open and used like blankets. Were I in an unplanned camp/bivy situation in the environment where you shot this video I’d probably use a bough to take up a massive pile of leaves, then cut 1-2 bags and duct tape them into a canopy cover & use the final bag (I carry 3) to either make a Cody Lundin detritus sleeping bag by mounding leaf cover into the bag and cinching up my collars, zippers, maybe tucking pants into socks then wiggling in. Or I might use my bough rake to sweep down to bare earth and use the Jeremiah Johnson fire bed technique. It would depend on time of day, weather systems rolling in, burnable fuel nearby and my strength at the time. The SOL gear is expensive (the bag you demo’d is $58 on Amazon) but the smaller version that’s around $25 is lined with old school space blanket mylar and that puts a hapless lost hiker right back into a sweat box instead of the rain.
Lastly (and this is important) folks should remember that early mornings are often several degrees colder than 3am. So if one has only one layer of clothing (shame on you rookies😂) it’s wise to consider keeping those clothes as dry as possible and sleeping in ones long johns or even briefs and undershirt. Many a new morning I’ve gone commando while letting underwear/ under layers dry in morning campfire smoke. Speaking of which I advise people to really pay attention to wilderness politics locally. Bureaucrats are banning fires all over kingdom come and if we don’t get serious America will wind up like Europe where trekkers are forced to include little hibachi braziers. We’ll be forced to do likewise along with the infernal bear can. Heck we’ll have to bring one more guy along just to carry the bear cans & brazier and (as yet not invented) zero carbon firewood (at $29 a bundle)
You covered a lot here in your typically humble demeanor Doug and I am delighted to see the channel growing.
Lots of inexpensive survival ideas
Thank you for your video
Good video. God bless. From Glenn CATT. In Massachusetts.
Hi Doug 😊 nice lightweight setup, the SOL bag wasn't too noisy, and easy to carry, as usual you bring us good ideas to keep us safe, thanks for another interesting video my friend, best wishe's to you and your's, and may your God go whith you, Stuart UK.
Another great video. Thank you and God bless you.
Good video Doug , thanks for sharing , God bless brother !
Very cool product (SOL Escape Bivy). Like you, I've found it pairs exceptionally well with a woobie. It's NOT 100% waterproof, nor would you expect it to be (since it breathes). It will keep you dry in light rain or from splashes etc. and does significantly add to heat retention, blocks the wind etc.. I would NOT recommend the "Escape Bivy LIGHT" (has no zipper, is smaller etc).. Spend the extra few bucks and get the one with the zipper OR make your own as you did, with Tyvek or like material. SOL Escape Bivy + woobie + poncho or tarp and a ground pad will keep you alive down to around freezing, maybe a little below. Is NOT a substitute or a properly rated winter sleeping bag, but is a fantastic option for the other 2/3 seasons..
Interested in this one was thinking of trying it with snugpak jungles bag, look forward 👍
see you then
A great video and preparation is always a good thing. Going out in a t-shirt and shorts without emergency fallbacks or warm clothes in your pack is suicide outdoors. I don't know about your area but here in the European woods the tics are getting to be a real problem so wearing a hat, long sleeve shirt and oong trousers is a must. But as you were sleeping with the deer i assume that you have the same problem from spring until the onset of winter.
I love that home made bivy i will be looking into this but until i made one i will keep using the blanket and zeltbahn in combination with my poncho. We called it an envelope in the army but i think Americans call it a cowboy roll or something like that. It is a bit heavier than what you carry but it is cheap, fireproof and effective. The mat i use for sitting pad and emergency sleeping pad is actually made to use as backpack padding it is called a faltmatte in the Bundeswehr and like your mat it is enough for my top two thirds. Garbage bags i use to keep my pack and other gear dry when i have to keep them close i also line the bucket of my pack with it as i grew up in the swamp area of the low countries.
Thanks for another informative video stay safe and healthy brother. God bless you and yours.
You can run tyvek thru the wash 2-3 times, it softens it up
I also use the Continental Ruck Pack. Makes a great overnight bag.
I am learning a lot from you and I look forward to your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and the scriptures. God bless!
Good call on the Tyvek scraps, I am going to try getting some.
My current, year round, sleep system is sitting right at 2lbs 2oz so not too bad at all.
If I can add some Tyvek, I might be able to drop it down further.
Thank you for the suggestions and advice.
Great video! Grateful for the insights and the common sense.
I have the SOL Escape Bivy but I have broad shoulders and it is too tight. I modified it into a top quilt. I cut down the center of the top, leaving about a 3 foot foot box, then turned it over, use the bottom as the top (since bottom is longer and can cover my head) and I have a top quilt with foot box. Used it in my hammock down to around 40 degrees and was comfortable. I use windshield sun screen cut down to two torso sizes, then duct tape both pieces together.
good video thanks
Eph 4: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
amen
Everyone needs to hear this more. I think I’ll print little stickers with it and place them around, or maybe business cards with that as the only “business”. Tender-hearted. I’m not seeing that much lately.
Amen
Is there a way to make it more compact really roll it up and use velcro to keep it closed
Ticks where deer have been bedding down.
Just part of life in the Woodlands, unfortunately. I've been bitten by literally hundreds of ticks in my life. They search me out. I have AB+ blood type. Must be tasty. One time when I was a kid my mom had to pull out around 12 ticks off my back.
I'm convinced at this point I'm immune to tick borne illnesses. I've gotten the rashes on some bites before and then they eventually go away. No fevers or other side effects.
My German Shepherd got bit and got every dang tick Disease possible. He was limping, fevers....I got him through it with meds, thankfully. Our area is absolutely terrible with ticks. Every dog in the area has already got Lyme. My neighbors got Lyme with facial paralysis. My wife got Lyme and had a terrible time with it. Nasty.
We live rural in the Appalachians.
Spray/wash all your stuff with permethrin and try and go from there. Spend enough time in the woods and there's no avoiding the ticks. You will be getting bit at some point.
I'm more concerned at this point with all the massive Timber Rattlers we have out here. Like 7 foot long and almost as thick as my legs! I've had a couple close calls but no emergencies yet and hopefully stays that way.
Our black bears get massive too. Brown bear sizes. Our record black bear taken here a few years back was close to 900 lbs.
👍👍👍👍👍
Tactical rubber band 😂
Lmao
The escape is much too small .It's for little asian guys. Everywhere that it touches you will form a cold-spot. Get the XL size Trifecta, same material, 1.5 lbs, much bigger, $95 from 2GoSystems. This sort of material must be tented off of you and I"ve had the most luck with it around a ridgeline and a hammock, with an 'envelope" around the bivy, made of 2 taped-together, heavy-duty 55 gallon drum liners. Another ridgeline is needed to hold the envelope away from the bivy.
Cut the rain flaps off of the zippers, or they WILL jam with you inside of the bivy. Fold over the bottom corners of both the bivy and the envelope, creating a "mummy" configuration and saving heat lost from your legs. A very small plastic bottle of adhesive release has to go along, cause without it, you'll never get tape off of either plastic or tyvek.
With the envelope, the hammock set 6" off of the ground, debris under the envelope to stop air moving under me I've slept ok at 40F degrees, in just cammies, balaclava, unlaced shoes, 3 pairs of sock liners, gloves, shemagh. You can't have your face inside of the bivy, or you'll get lots of condensation. I've had condensation inside of the envelope, but the bivy and the hammock didn't let the moisture touche me.
With the 2 amazon camo nets and the 2 amazon bugnet 'suits", worn as longjohns, i've slept ok at 30F. If I add debris between suits and under the wraps of the camo net, or add the 2 types of GI polypro longjohns, I've slept ok at 20F. If i've used both, or hot rocks or hot water bottle with one or the other, I slept ok at 10F, for 3 hours. Then I had to re-heat my items and go back to sleep. I have slept ok at 0F degrees, with LOTS of debris between the bivy and the envelope, and all of the other things (but not hot items) but it takes so much debris that it's not portable.
This 5 lb system beats hell out of working half a day to make a shelter, getting shot cause somebody noticed your fire, or lugging around an 11 lb MSS that has no hammock or bugnetting. (another 2 lbs) and still needing a 1 b poncho. None of it is effected by its getting wet. so I carry it on the outside of my small pack. Many lug around a 7 lb Molle pack, but I use a 1 lb buttpack and a 1.5 lb daypack. I lash stuff to the outside of both packs, but i cover it all with a third drum liner. The liner keeps rain off of everything, hides everything and if anything falls off of my packs, the liner catches it.
My proportions are like a little, Asian guy. I think it's from Abenaki heritage but I'm so mixed it's hard to tell what comes from who.
Hey Doug I like the way you think ! What do you think of pellet guns for survival hunting ? Most people say to use a slingshot but I can hit better with my crosman classic 1377 ! It works great with small game .
My philosophy is- Do what works for you.
That doesn’t take up much more room than a slingshots so that’s good. I assume you can only shoot using the special pellets, I do see that as a negative compared to a slingshot that can use any rock. That’s only a long term issue though.
Is there anyway to create pellets on the fly?
Nice set Doug sorry I didn't make the live busy.God less
Your right about the deer thing for bedding down . The pillow is excellent duct tape is good stuff it's a quick cheap ripstop patch has well .Just leave the duct tape home its heavy when your trying to keep light. Great review speaking truth out of your experience in my experience what you shared is all fact .
what about a mylar blanket outside the bivvy? would that work good as a mod?
The one you painted is better than the sol it looks much more roomy... those sols are cramped man! But it is an emergency one I suppose.
Doug Shoe,
Enjoying the outdoors doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. You show this all the time. Love your self deprecating humor and laughter in making your points. Your knowledge and scriptures are always appreciated. Mark Tapp
Love it Doug.
Good stuff as usual sir.
Simple and to the point.
I like it.
Hey man, there's nothing wrong with an improvised camp pillow! It's a small thing that can make the difference between a miserable crick in the neck and a snug night's sleep.
Doug I'm a knew watcher of your videos ! I like every thing you teach , but the words of God that you share is what I like the most .😊
Happy subscriber…
Good. Time