Are Bothy Bags any good? - Review of this emergency/survival shelter

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  • Опубліковано 23 вер 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 45

  • @daveys
    @daveys 3 місяці тому +7

    Used the bigger 8-10 person units quite a bit when I was in a MR team. One of those over the casualty and team working on them gives a really good amount of privacy, warmth and comfort for someone who is likely scared and freezing. Rest of the team just had to stand outside in rain/sleet/snow/hail waiting for the carry off, so being inside with a bit of condensation was more luxury than discomfort. I also had 2-person and 8 person shelters, which I carried in case I needed them while doing mountain top radio ops.

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  3 місяці тому +5

      Thanks @daveys. Great to hear about the usage from someone who has put these to the test in an MR team.

    • @Sam2sham
      @Sam2sham 3 місяці тому +3

      Nice review, thanks

  • @lyellclare9365
    @lyellclare9365 Рік тому +14

    I have a two man bothy and modified it by sewing two tags (with grommet holes ) along the top and have rigged a light weight ridge line in order to attach it to a couple of branches .it works very well when needed. I have two tags on the bottom as well (for pegs ).

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  Рік тому +3

      Thanks @lyellclare9365. Always nice to hear some DIY modification ideas to make kit more versatile!!

    • @chrisbamborough222
      @chrisbamborough222 3 місяці тому +4

      I take some clips called clingon clips if I remember correctly. They can attach to a Bothy or Tarp and take a line from those.

  • @jasonpip5417
    @jasonpip5417 Рік тому +4

    Seems a fantastic and cost effective solution

  • @gnohn9366
    @gnohn9366 2 місяці тому +2

    Good review

  • @mch2359
    @mch2359 Рік тому +6

    I was surprised to see the open bottom. I simply assumed the opening was on the side, and then you pulled a draw string to close it tight. If you are using it to get out of the rain, it doesn't seem so good to sit in the mud.

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  Рік тому +4

      Hi @mch2359. Yeah you can pull the edge under your bum as you sit but if the ground is sodden then yes you need something to sit on to avoid a wet bum. In the mountains it's usually easy to choose a rocky area. If you are in the Cairngorms in bad weather in the winter and need the shelter just being able to get out of the wind and rain is a huge boost.

    • @dr.badass702
      @dr.badass702 8 місяців тому +1

      Bottomless is good in the snow though - let’s you dig a pit for windbreak and insulation and use the nylon as a roof ( like with the old BD Megamid)

    • @chrismccaffrey8256
      @chrismccaffrey8256 6 місяців тому +1

      Be careful fully enclosing yourself. Oxygen will run low.

  • @LomoWatersport
    @LomoWatersport Рік тому +3

    Great video, lots of fantastic advice and knowledge. Thanks for trusting Lomo :)

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  Рік тому

      Thanks Lomo. Like a few Lomo products I have bought I have found it a good product, especially for the price!

  • @howardjones8629
    @howardjones8629 Рік тому +4

    I've got one of these, the next size up I think. I take it with us on family hikes as a back-up but never felt comfortable using it for rest stops incase someone thought we were in trouble by mistake! I should perhaps stop overthinking things!

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  Рік тому +4

      Yeah, it'll be fine but a considerate thought. If someone has a concern they would likely ask, but I think use is widespread enough that confusion is unlikely. Incidentally it was a friend in mountain rescue who introduced me to use as a lunch break shelter some years back. Context is also key. If I spotted one in a natural rest spot at lunchtime on a wet and windy day I wouldn't think to ask but in an awkward spot close to dark I would check in passing.

    • @zeez4178
      @zeez4178 Рік тому +2

      Must be in a bright colour then

    • @OoohAaah6603
      @OoohAaah6603 2 місяці тому +1

      I've got a green one doesn't attract any attention

    • @snowleopard0412
      @snowleopard0412 Місяць тому

      @@OoohAaah6603 You are invisible from the air or approaching SAR

  • @Mountainsandmusic8011
    @Mountainsandmusic8011 14 днів тому +1

    Good review. Just subscribed! I use my emergency shelter to sit in with the wife to have a coffee and keep us out of the wind when we've walked up to the summit of various lake District mountains like Blencathra and Skiddaw. I did a little review of my shelter on my channel in case you're interested in having a look.

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  14 днів тому

      Thanks, will do! For sure, hopefully we avoid the emergencies but definitely ideal for tea/coffee and maybe a bit of flapjack!

    • @Mountainsandmusic8011
      @Mountainsandmusic8011 14 днів тому

      @@bigskies2202 Nice one. Looking forward to checking out your other videos. 🙏

  • @stewartlancaster6155
    @stewartlancaster6155 Місяць тому

    hydrostatic head of 3000mm is pretty much useless in rain,

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  Місяць тому

      Ta for the comment but would differ on that one. For a raincoat absolutely but not a shelter. A lot of quality tents, MSR Hubba, Big Agnes copper spur have sub 2000mm HH. I think the context of use is important so wouldn't worry too much about that for a sub £30 emergency or lunch shelter.

    • @MrEvilWasp
      @MrEvilWasp 14 днів тому +1

      I've got a tent that I've had and used for years with a 3000hh and its never let a drip of rain in.

  • @kommandantvhs4994
    @kommandantvhs4994 10 місяців тому +2

    We don't use bothy bags in the USA because if you have a emergency you are likely going to spend the night outdoors.

    • @zeez4178
      @zeez4178 10 місяців тому +5

      Exactly why you would need one

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  10 місяців тому +6

      Indeed. an unplanned night with or without a broken leg would be a whole different ball game exposed to the elements.

    • @beky2879
      @beky2879 8 місяців тому

      ​@@bigskies2202yes but imo tarp might be a better option

    • @joep5080
      @joep5080 2 місяці тому +2

      😂😂😂

    • @LiseWrigley
      @LiseWrigley 2 місяці тому +1

      American logic.

  • @matthewspry4217
    @matthewspry4217 3 місяці тому +1

    Dont bothy

  • @jameslawson3876
    @jameslawson3876 5 місяців тому +1

    This link is a very good review in real ice storm conditions by Luke of The Outdoor Gear Review. Basically the condensation these things create is incredibly dangerous as it soaks your clothes. Anyway, have a look at this review as a comparison before anyone depends on it for a real life situation. ua-cam.com/video/soKcTE4hRJ8/v-deo.html&t

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  5 місяців тому +2

      Hi James, yeah saw that link a while back. To be honest, as a lot of the comments say, the review misunderstands the point of the product. Luke would have been in far worse condition for 3 hrs outside the shelter than in. Mountain rescue teams carry and use these all of the time in the UK for good reason.

    • @stuartaminion511
      @stuartaminion511 3 місяці тому +1

      couldn't you just prop up a corner (small prop up) to let in more air to cut down on condensation??? i have seen these in windy conditions and i can not see how condensation would be a problem in high or low winds???

    • @jameslawson3876
      @jameslawson3876 3 місяці тому +1

      @@stuartaminion511 I think it needs much better venting at the top to allow the moist air to escape just like on any tent. Opening at the bottom might promote air flow, but the humid air can't get out that way. And cold air may blow in (unlikely to have a cold sump or snow wall around it). Perhaps several mesh sections with covered vents near the top, but then the vents need to be kept open which is difficult and allows rain in - like in Luke's review. It seems basically the same as taking refuge in a large plastic bag.
      I wonder if a proper bivvy bag with a warm liner - ideally a sleeping bag - would work better for such a situation? Might be worth looking around at what others use to reduce condensation when 'battened down' for awhile.

    • @jameslawson3876
      @jameslawson3876 3 місяці тому +1

      @@bigskies2202 Thanks. Interesting. I guess it depends how long they keep someone inside it. If for a short time until say a chopper arrived or the casualty could be moved then maybe OK, but if you were trapped in an alpine area with a blizzard and you needed emergency protection for an hour or more then this isn't going to do the job. I agree that you would be worse off exposed, but only up to a point. Once the condensation builds up and you need to move around or lie down, you really need to get out of that at the microclimate it creates is just as bad, but without the direct wind chill. There must be some better survival/rescue shelter out there which ticks more boxes, but I guess then you are really looking at an alpine hiking tent almost.

    • @bigskies2202
      @bigskies2202  3 місяці тому +1

      It's a good debate, thanks James. Yes a lot of the venting issues are solvable IMO. Lifting the sides up a foot and giving it a waft will remove stale air. Would be an interesting design project to engineer a better ventilated version or make a few adaptions. Maybe will have a play with that this winter and run some tests. If you want a comparably lightweight way to shelter multiple people and potentially a casualty only other option seems to be a tarp which loses most of the practicalility, ease of setup and added value of the bothy.

  • @83dude
    @83dude 11 місяців тому +5

    Not needed for the boat people, only the finest 5 star hotels will do for umbtwembe

    • @helidude3502
      @helidude3502 7 місяців тому

      While you have a valid point, it’s not really appropriate in this context.
      Perhaps you should go to Popeyes’s chicken and order a Wopper with cheese 🤷‍♂️
      Contacting your local representatives and taking an active role in the political process would likely be more effective than complaining in the comments of a camping gear video.
      But I will agree with you that the world is a shit sandwich at the moment 🤔

    • @bavery6957
      @bavery6957 3 місяці тому +2

      Your government is importing a new workforce willing to actually learn and work instead of perpetually whinging. It'll take a couple of decades to get it up and running. At that point, you can spend the rest or your life bitching, moaning and on the dole...

    • @LiseWrigley
      @LiseWrigley 2 місяці тому

      Racism is disgusting.